More snow is temporarily closing mountain passes across California this week. It won’t be long now until these closures won’t be ‘temporary’ anymore.
The California Department of Transportation reported that Tioga Pass, renowned across the ski industry as a backcountry mecca, is currently under a temporary closure eastbound of State Route 120 to traffic at Crane Flat Road inside Yosemite National Park. The closure is due to winter storm conditions as of 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 6, 2023. At this time there is still no estimated opening.
To the south of Tioga Pass, another backcountry ski paradise, Sonora Pass, is also temporarily closed due to heavy snowfall.ย State Route 108 (Sonora Pass) is closed to traffic at Kennedy Meadows due to winter storm conditions as of 9:00 a.m. on Monday, November 6, and there is no current estimated time of opening.
Caltrans also reports that State Route 89 (Monitor Pass) is now in a storm closure as of Tuesday, November 7. Crews will assess the road for reopening after the storm passes.
Winter is on the doorstep for California. Mammoth Mountain opens this Friday, November 10, marking the first California ski area to open for the 2023/24 season.