Sonora And Ebbetts Passes To Reopen

Published May 5, 2026 3:31 pm : Updated May 5, 2026 3:45 pm

Highway 4 Ebbettts Pass reopens Caltrans graphic

Alpine County, CA – Ebbetts Pass in Alpine County will reopen on Wednesday for the 2026 season, while Sonora Pass will open back up on Thursday.

Ebbetts Pass closed for the 2025-26 winter season in late December, with the closure gates remaining at Lake Alpine and Raymond Meadows for most of the winter. As we reported here in March, the warm temperature allowed for early clearing of snow from it and Sonora Pass.

Caltrans detailed that Woodfords and Camp Connell maintenance crews encountered downed trees, debris, and significant snow levels while clearing Ebbetts Pass along some extremely narrow one-lane corridors. Caltrans touted that the “crews did a great job with their snow removal operations this season to safely re-open the highway for motorists prior to Memorial Day.” The pass will officially reopen for the season at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, May 6, 2026.

The next day, Thursday, May 7, 2026, in Tuolumne County, Highway 108 Sonora Pass will reopen the gates at Kennedy Meadows at noon after closing them at the end of April due to the stormy weather this past weekend, as reported here. Motorists are urged to use caution while traveling these passes and watch for icy roads in the overnight and early morning hours.

There is no word yet from Yosemite National Park as to when Highway 120 Tioga Pass will open for the season. To check on road conditions 24/7 in the Mother Lode, go to the mymotherlode.com homepage and click on traffic.