Does anyone know if Tioga Pass is going to reopen? I notice on the webcam for the entry station it looks like the park service has it plowed out but CalTrans still has it closed at the bottom of the hill.

I was in the Valley over the weekend and kept asking different rangers the same question. The answer I kept getting was no one really new for sure. We were hoping to cross over on Friday, the day after it snowed, but nothing changed. The most knowledgeable ranger I encountered basically said depending on how fast the snow melts and how deep the highest elevations got were the deciding factor. I can tell you that driving home on Hwy 41 there was still faint traces of snow at 6000 feet, and from the valley floor we could clearly see snow still covering the tree tops up near glacier point and on the summit of Half Dome. That said, the weather forecast for Saturday through Wednesday, I think anyway, called for sunny conditions, so there could be hope.

Keep your fingers crossed.

Gusto

Here's a shot early in the day on Friday, Nov. 13th 2009 from the Valley floor.

I checked the Caltrans site this morning and it said 120 was closed. Don't know if it's the "big close" for the year, though.