Sonora, CA — Two mountain passes opened up just a day after a winter storm blew through the Mother Lode, but one remained closed until late Friday.
Highway 120 Tioga Pass maintained by Yosemite National Park, did not temporarily close until late Wednesday (11/5), after the storm hit the region. It remained closed for nearly two days while road crews surveyed the road conditions and removed snow and debris.
With snow in the high country and heavy rain in the foothills forecast to hit the region on Wednesday (11/5), we reported here on Tuesday (11/4) that Caltrans, which oversees Highway 108 Sonora Pass in Tuolumne County and Ebbetts Pass in Alpine County, had shut down those passes at noon. Both reopened on Thursday, November 6, 2025, at 2 p.m., as reported here, after maintenance crews advised that the road conditions were safe. Caltrans reminds motorists to always carry chains/traction devices in their vehicles when traveling on mountain roadways, especially during this time of year, and to check road conditions before heading out on the highways.
Written by Tracey Petersen.
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