Glacier Point Road To Reopen In Yosemite

Sonora, CA – While Glacier Point Road in Yosemite National Park will reopen tomorrow, all the mountain passes will remain closed.

The passes all shut down the night of October 22nd as an atmospheric river was projected to blow through the area bringing heavy rain, snow and winds, as reported here. Today Yosemite officials announced that road crews have managed to clear Glacier Point Road allowing it to open Saturday, November 13 in the morning, but no exact time was given. They added that it will remain open as long as conditions allow. There will be no services available to visitors, which includes drinking water. Additionally, overnight parking is not allowed, and the road could be shut down at any time. Still closed is Highway 120 Tioga Pass with park officials pointing to snow and downed trees blocking the roadway.

Caltrans updated that Highway 108 Sonora and Highway 4 Ebbetts Pass will be closed through this weekend. Crews on those roadways are also finding snow, downed trees and ice. Spokesperson Bob Highfill detailed, “There is even some black ice at nighttime on the passes as well, which is of concern, but we realize the importance of having these passes open. We want to get them open just as soon as it is safe for the public.”

Road crews will be reevaluating the roadways early next week. Regarding whether that could result in the winter closure of the passes, Highfill replied, “I’m not getting an indication that this is the winter closure yet. The weather looks favorable for at least to be reopened until a more serious storm comes in and we actually do have to close it for the winter season. I don’t believe they’re going to be closed for the season at this point.”