Conditions Report
This report is from Sunday, December 29, and was written by Laura and Rob Pilewski – Tuolumne Meadows winter rangers.
- New Snow: 13 inches
- Settled Snow Depth: 30 inches
- High temperature: 55°F (December 20)
- Low temperature: 6°F (December 25)
Ski Conditions and Weather
Wind, sun, and snow were the combo this week. Santa delivered the goods on Christmas Eve as a foot of low-density snow fell in the Yosemite high country. Christmas morning dawned clear, cold, and calm, making for excellent ski conditions in the Tuolumne Meadows area. With every flake, it keeps getting better.
Avalanche and Snowpack Conditions
Please refer to the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center (ESAC) and the Bridgeport Avalanche Center for the avalanche advisories for this part of the Sierra Nevada. Brief periods of instability from wind-loading and rapid warming have existed. However, the primary hazards are the dynamic surface conditions and obstacles lurking on or underneath the snow.
Wildlife
Bears are still frolicking in the snow, as is evident near the Warren Fork and the Mono Pass trailhead. Some of the resident summer birds have also been reluctant to move on. Bushtits, pine siskins, evening grosbeaks, red crossbills, and golden-crowned kinglets, all gregarious birds that tend to flock with their own kind, have been active on the forested southern slopes of Lembert Dome.
Moment of Zen
This week in the northern hemisphere, many holidays marked the return of light on or near the winter solstice (aka hibernal). This is when the sun reaches its maximum tilt away from the sun. On December 21, the sun was at its lowest daily max elevation in the sky, providing the shortest period of daylight and, subsequently, the longest night of the year. For those of you who spend time outdoors, the seasonal changes in light can be pretty dramatic and evoke physical and mental responses. Therefore, it is no surprise that prehistoric people celebrated this “rebirth of the sun.” Many of these cultures have aligned pictographs, petroglyphs, structures, and buildings to capture these precious rays of sunlight. So, get out there and celebrate life and light, and don’t be SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder).
Questions
The Tuolumne Meadows Ski Hut is open. This primitive cabin is the campground reservation office in the summer and is located along Tioga Road at the entrance to the campground. It is marked with a sign. Firewood and eight bunks are available on a first-come, first-served basis. For those visiting the Tuolumne Meadows Ski Hut from the east (only), permits are self-issued at the Ski Hut. For those entering from other areas, please see Yosemite’s website: https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildfaq.htm#winter, or you may contact the wilderness office at 209/372-0740. As of this writing, there is electricity and limited (Verizon) phone service in Tuolumne Meadows.
Come prepared, and please make good decisions while traveling in the wilderness!
Read through the following three pages before embarking on any day or overnight snow travel within this park:
Wilderness in Winter
Winter Safety
Snow Travel Tips: Weekly posts from January through April 2022
You may contact us with any additional winter Tuolumne Meadows-related questions, but response times may vary if we are away on patrol.
Happy Holidays!
Laura and Rob Pilewski – Tuolumne Meadows winter rangers
