Daily Report - Yosemite National Park
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Weather
Yosemite: TODAY...MOSTLY SUNNY IN THE MORNING THEN CLEARING. HIGHS 55 TO 65
IN YOSEMITE VALLEY...38 TO 48 IN THE HIGH COUNTRY.
TONIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS 26 TO 36 IN YOSEMITE VALLEY...16 TO 26 IN THE
HIGH COUNTRY.
FRIDAY...SUNNY...WINDY. HIGHS 57 TO 67 IN YOSEMITE VALLEY...41 TO 49 IN THE
HIGH COUNTRY.
FRIDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. WINDY. LOWS 26 TO 36 IN YOSEMITE VALLEY...16
TO 26 IN THE HIGH COUNTRY.
SATURDAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. WINDY. HIGHS 57 TO 67 IN YOSEMITE VALLEY... 41 TO
49 IN THE HIGH COUNTRY.
El Portal: Today: Sunny, with a high near 69. East northeast wind 8 to 15
mph becoming west southwest.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 32. Light wind becoming east
northeast between 11 and 14 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 72. East northeast wind 10 to 16 mph
becoming west southwest.
Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34. Southwest wind between
12 and 15 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 72. Northeast wind 7 to 13 mph
becoming west southwest.
Happening Today/This Week (Check the Community News section for other
events)
Please be advised the ContractingOffice will be closed all day on Thursday
to prepare for an Acquisition Management Review. If you have an emergency
please contact Dan Sohn at 379-1173. (L. Sheetz - 4/3/08)
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The entire Yosemite/El Portal community is invited to join the retirement
party for Hugh Carter and Steve Speltz. Please stop by the Cedar Lodge
Conference room after 6:30 pm Sat., April 5th to thank Hugh and Steve for
their years of service at the El Portal Market. A private dinner is being
served earlier, but all community members are encouraged to stop by after
6:30 for the short program and sharing of memories and other facinating
facts about the last 40 years of the EPMarket. There will be live music
and a no-host bar provided by the Yosemite Employee Association. We hope
to see you all there! (M. Carter - 4/1/08)
New Today
April 1 snow survey results
Park staff have completed the April 1 snow surveys. The April 1 survey is
considered the benchmark for the season, and is used to determine water
allocations throughout the state. Water content of the snowpack is 99% of
average for the Tuolumne drainage and 94% of average for the Merced
drainage. Individual snow courses are shown below. In the Tuolumne
drainage, the lower elevation courses are showing a higher percentage of
average.
Tuolumne drainage
Course Elev. Depth Water % of Average
Dana Meadows 8,900 67.2 31.7 102%
Rafferty Meadows 9,400 72.3 32.6 99%
Grace Meadow 8,900 95.3 45.0 94%
Tuolumne Meadows 8,600 48.7 22.0 97%
Wilma Lake 8,000 90.7 40.6 94%
Paradise Meadow 7,650 80.0 37.6 94%
Vernon Lake 6,700 53.1 24.9 111%
Beehive Meadow 6,500 38.2 17.0 110%
Merced drainage
Snow Flat 8,700 90.8 42.8 96%
Ostrander Lake 8,200 68.9 33.0 101%
Tenaya Lake 8,150 69.5 30.4 90%
Gin Flat 7,000 59.0 26.0 81%
Peregoy Meadows 7,000 68.6 29.3 100% (M. Fincher - 4/3/08)
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TUOLUMNE MEADOWS WINTER CONDITIONS UPDATE
April 2, 2008
Weather: (March 27 to April 1)
High temp: 47° (March 27)
Low temp: -2° (March 31)
New Snow: 4” (March 29)
Total settled snow depth: 45” as of April 2
Ski Conditions and Weather: It has been a cool and cloudy week at Tuolumne,
with afternoon highs in the forties and overnight lows in the teens most
nights. We have had quite a few week storm systems blow through the area,
leaving behind dustings of snow. The overall snowpack depth has not changed
in the past week, so spring runoff is still on hold; not much melting is
going on. The end of March snow surveys showed that the area is at about
100% of the 30-year average for snowpack water content, even though we only
received 7 inches of snow (with 0.62” of water) the entire month of March.
The latest word from the east side is that Caltrans has plowed the Tioga
road (Highway 120) from the road closure gate outside of Lee Vining up to
the Warren Fork of Lee Vining Creek, so skiers coming in from that
direction should be prepared to walk the first 3-4 miles of road above the
gate before you hit snow. Skiers coming up the Snow Creek trail from the
west side report that the snow line begins just above the top of the
switchbacks; everything below that level has melted out. The road to the
west of Tuolumne should remain snow-covered for a few more weeks.
Avalanche and Snowpack Conditions: For the latest avalanche advisory for
this area go to www.esavalanche.org for the Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center
and click on advisory. The ESAC site is updated several times a week and
more often during weather events.
Wildlife: No new migrating birds have shown up in the past week; as a
matter of fact most of the earlier arrivals seem to have left, probably
chased back down to lower elevations due to the cold and stormy weather up
high. Birds seen in the past week include the Common Raven, Mountain
Chickadee, Brown Creeper, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch,
Townsend’s Solitaire, Clark’s Nutcracker, Black-backed Woodpecker, and
Hairy Woodpecker. We are still seeing quite a few Painted Lady butterflies
migrating through the meadows during the afternoons. Animal tracks seen in
the past week include Coyote, Pine Marten, Chickaree, Mice/Vole, and Hare.
No sign of any bears yet.
Questions: If you have any ski related or weather questions feel free to
call 209-372-0450 between 8:00 am and 8:00 pm. If we are out skiing, leave
a message and a phone number so we can return your call. Please don’t call
us with questions about road conditions, as we live 20 miles from the
nearest plowed road and don’t do any driving this time of year. For current
park road conditions call 209-372-0200. (Jeff and Kathi, the Tuolumne
winter rangers - 4/3/08)
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Yosemite Forum, Tuesday April 8, 12-1 pm in the Valley Auditorium - Please
join us for this month's Forum where Martha Conklin from UC Merced will
present: Trends and Sources of Baseflow and Climate Change Effects in the
Merced River, Yosemite NP. Martha Conklin is a faculty member at the
University of California at Merced where she is actively researching her
specialties in mountain hydrology, surface water/shallow groundwater
interactions and biogeochemistry. Dr. Conklin will present research on the
inter- and intra-annual trends in the water flow of the Merced River in
Yosemite. Causes and consequences for the trends will be discussed in the
context of water use and current trends in climatic warming in the Sierra
Nevada. (B. Kuhn - 4/3/08)
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The Fitness Center is up and running! As soon as you receive your e-mail
notice from A. Roberts that you've been approved by the HFC coordinator,
you are invited to attend the upcoming Open House sessions. (Again, thank
you for your patience as we process them all, ASAP).
Sessions are currently scheduled for TODAY from 1130 - 1330; Thurs, 3 Apr,
1130 - 1330 and 1630 - 1730; and Friday, 4 Apr, 1630 - 1730.
At the Open House sessions, members will be greeted and assigned their
access code, and have immediate access to the facility and equipment.
We'll be setting up additional orientation sessions (trying to accommodate
everyone's varying work schedules) for the following weeks.
To your health!! (L. Schafer - 4/3/08)
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Yosemite: America's Treasure, a Bellevue Entertainment production about
Yosemite, will air on the Travel Channel on the following dates and times:
Sunday, 4/13, 7:00 PM EST/PT
Thursday, 4/17, 8:00 PM EST/PT
Friday, 4/18, 4:00 PM EST/PT (S. Clark - 4/3/08)
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6th STREET CINEMA is a non-profit theater located in downtown Mariposa,
atop the historic Masonic Lodge on 6th Street. It is the presentation arm
of the Rural Media Arts and Education Project, a 501(c)(3) corporation,
and is supported by the California Arts Council, SierraTel, the James
Irvine Foundation, Mariposa County, and The Geoff and Josie Fox Family
Foundation, a Donor Advised fund of the Silicon Valley Community
Foundation. We are also generously supported by Iron Mountain Systems and
Stonecutter.com. The views expressed by the films, in print materials, or
by discussion facilitators are not necessarily those of these funders.
This activity is funded in part by the California Arts Council, a state
agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a national agency. Monthly
membership is
$12, allowing film entry for $3 each; non-members pay $7, and non-member
students pay only $5. Film/theater information: (209) 966-1333 or
http://www.sixthstreetcinema.org Staff: 209 742-6666. E-mail us:
sixthstreetcinema@sti.net
This week's program:
Friday - Saturday, April 4-5, 7:30 p.m.: MOOLAADE. (Not rated, but with
mature themes; in Bambara and French with English subtitles; 124 min.) This
2004 film is set in an African village in Burkina Fasa, where a brave
village woman uses "moolade" (or "magical protection") to protect the young
village girls from the "purification" cutting that the men in the village
have demanded for generations. This Cannes film festival award winning film
is a favorite of film critic Roger Ebert. It is a tale told with humor and
an honesty that is lacking in so many mainstream films.
UPCOMING FILMS:
Lars and the Real Girl, April 2-26
Awful Normal, April 10 – FREE ADMISSION
My Kid Could Paint That, April 11-12
Deliver Us From Evil, April 17 FREE ADMISSION
Juno, April 18-19 (T. Arfsten - 4/3/08)
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Join Us For a Hike in Mariposa!
Spring is here! The wildflowers are blooming and the birds are singing!
Time to get out in the fresh foothill air and enjoy our beautiful Mariposa
landscape! Just in time Sierra Foothill Conservancy announces our Spring
session of hikes and classes in Mariposa. Rain or shine hikes, classes,
and events go on.
Our hikes are FREE and lead by experienced hike leaders, Classes are $10
per person/$20 per family and lead by individuals with specific knowledge
of the foothill landscape, and Special Events are $35 each or $60 for
couples. Call or email Bridget Fithian to register or if you have any
questions: (209) 742-5556, bridget.fithian@sierrafoothill.org.
Wildflowers of Hite’s Cove. Saturday April 5th. 9am-3pm. $10 individual/
$20 family. Enjoy the extravagance of nature along the South Fork of the
Merced River with botanist Wendy Fisher. This moderate 4.5 mile round trip
hike is well known for its spectacular diversity of native plants,
particularly native wildflowers. The trail winds through foothill oak
woodland, lush riparian areas, and native rock gardens. Don't forget your
water, lunch, sunscreen, and camera. Meet at the Hites Cove trail head on
Hwy 140 at 9am.
Hike Striped Rock. Sunday April 6th. 9am-12pm. FREE
Join Ben Goger and Jim Putman on this 3 mile round trip easy-moderate hike.
Along the trail we will have beautiful views of Striped Rock, a unique
geologic feature of the Mariposa landscape. Bring water, snacks, and
hiking shoes. Meet at the Mariposa County Fairgrounds parking lot.
Birding the Mariposa Foothills. Saturday April 12th. 8am-12 noon. $10
Individual/$20 Family
Birding experts Len McKinsey and Mariposa Audubon President Kris Randal
will lead this class on the Striped Rock Preserve. Discover a diverse
array of spring birds in foothill habitats on this 3mile easy-moderate
walk. Bring water, snacks, binoculars, and hiking shoes. Meet at the
Mariposa County Fairgrounds parking lot.
Wildflowers and Wine of Mt. Bullion. Sunday April 13th. 9am-3pm. $35
Individual/$60 Couple
Enjoy the fruits of the Mt. Bullion landscape from wildflower to grape.
Local wildflower aficionado Denise Ludington and botanist Luceta Nelson
lead this fun day exploring our local flora. After the wildflower class,
we will spend the afternoon tasting local vintages with the vintner
himself, Harold Casto, at Mt. Bullion Winery. Space is limited for this
special event, so make your reservation today!
Meet at the Mariposa Rest Stop at 9am.
Stay tuned for more hikes, classes and special events in late April and May
including a special Mothers Day Wildflowers and Wine Event!
Become a Member of Sierra Foothill Conservancy and join in the conservation
and enjoyment our natural lands and cultural traditions:
www.sierrafoothill.org.
Sierra Foothill Conservancy is a non-profit land trust serving Mariposa,
Madera, and Fresno Counties.
SFC has worked with local land owners to conserve over 5,500 acres of
natural lands in Mariposa County and another 15,500 acres in Madera and
Fresno Counties. All proceeds from SFC's classes benefit out land
conservation work. (B. Fithian - 4/3/08)
Park News
CANCELLED: Tuolumne Public Planning Workshop on April 12 - The Tuolumne
River Plan/Tuolumne Meadow Plan Public Workshop scheduled for Saturday,
April 12 from 9 am to 4 pm in the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center Auditorium
has been CANCELLED while park management considers the implications of the
recent 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling regarding the Merced River Plan.
For more information on the Tuolumne planning process, visit online at
www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/trp.htm. Also check out the project manager’s
Tuolumne Planning Blog at www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/trpblog.htm.
The aforementioned ruling can be found on the Yosemite National Park
website at: http://home.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/litigation.htm (K. Rylands -
4/2/08)
Announcements
Yosemite Training Opportunity Available!
The Introduction to Park Program Management (IPPM) class is going to be
offered in El Portal May 12 through May 16, 2008. It has recently been
posted to DOI Learn. The The course code is NPS-ADM2010. There is more
than one IPPM course listed so applicants need to scroll down and make sure
they are selecting the Yosemite course. It has been a few years since the
course was last offered in Yosemite, so please consider attending. Below
is the course description from DOI learn. A course annoucement is also
attached with additional information. You must apply to this course
through DOI Learn. Deadline to apply: April 4, 2008
Target Audience: Superintendents, managers, division chiefs, first-line
supervisors and program managers with budget and programming
responsibilities in all disciplines. Prioirty given to those with limited
budget training.
Class: NPS-2008-0512-YOSE-IPPM Class Dates: 05/12/2008 - 05/16/2008 M Tu W
Tr F Class Times: 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM Course: Introduction to Park Program
Management Course Code: NPS-ADM2010 Course Description: Inter-disciplinary
course providing an introduction to analyzing and accomplishing work,
techniques for planning and organizing work, managment and accountability
of funds, and evaluation of results. Upon completion, participants will
have a thorough understanding of the relationships between resources, the
park mission and the planning, programming and standards for all
activities.
Competencies Addressed: OPMG064-Team Building-Level 2 OPMG091-Attention To
Detail-Level 2 OPMG031-Flexibility-Level 2 OPMG075-External Awareness-Level
2 OPM0G77-Strategic Thinking-Level 2 OPMG105-Auditing-Level 2
This course requires supervisory approval. Your supervisor will be notified
by automated email and asked to approve your training.
Your course will not be available in My Courses until your request has been
approved
Categories: Business Administration & Financial Management , Engineering
Facilities Management Course Objectives: Budget, Accountability, Financial
Management 32 hours of supervisory training credit for taking this class
General Information: Tuition, treavel and per diem to be paid for by
benefitting account. Course Tuition: $300.00 Classroom (Location): TBD
(NPS-YOSE (Yosemite NP)
Please contact Tom Pimentel, Course Coordinator at 379-1863 or by email at
Tom_Pimentel@nps.gov. (T. Pimentel - 3/27/08)
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National Weather Service SkyWarn class - Anyone with an interest in the
weather can become a volunteer Weather Spotter for the National Weather
Service (NWS)!
The Hanford office of the NWS has numerous weather spotters throughout the
San Joaquin Valley, southern Sierra Nevada, and Mojave desert. The training
takes about two hours and will familiarize you with the identification of
hazardous weather for the purpose of reporting these observations to the
forecasters at the NWS office in Hanford. The contribution of Weather
Spotters is significant and can make a huge difference during severe
weather by giving the forecasters eyes and ears in local areas that may
have a lack of quality ground reports. The purpose is the same as the whole
purpose of the NWS as an agency: to save lives and property and enhance the
US economy.
Two training sessions will be held in Yosemite National Park on Thursday,
April 3: at 10:00 am in the El Portal Maintenance and Administration
complex (large break room) and at 2:30 pm in the auditorium behind the
Yosemite Valley visitor center. Spotters that have previously had the
training are reminded that NWS policy is for you to have a refresher
training course every two years to be a renewed spotter.
The training is open to the public. However, due to space limitations, you
must RSVP via e-mail at henk_parson@nps.gov or via phone at 209-379-1140.
(J. Meyer - 3/18/08)
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Leave Share Participants
Currently, YOSE leave share participants are:
Shari Baudoux
Kevin Bowman
Kimberly Cunningham-Summerfield
You can find leave share participants Servicewide on InsideNPS at:
http://insidenps.gov/index.cfm?handler=leaveshare
If you are interested in contributing annual leave, please do so by
completing a Request to Donate Annual Leave to Leave Recipient (Within
Agency) Under the Leave Transfer Program, OPM Form 630-A. A fillable PDF
version of the OPM 630-A may be found at:
http://opm.gov/forms/pdf_fill/opm630a.pdf (T. Hawkins - 1/31/07)
Community News
The 6th Annual El Portal Spring Fling and 3rd Annual El Portal Spring Run
-off will be held Saturday April 26, 2008. This awesome community event
will begin at 7 am with a pancake breakfast sponsored by the Yosemite
Lion's club. A 1 mile fun run, 5K and 10K races starting at 9 am. The
festivities will continue with a fun filled day with artisans, excellent
local food vendors and an exciting evening of music sponsored by El Portal
Live and beverages provided by YEA. Come on out and enjoy spring with all
of your friends and neighbors. For more information about the spring
run-off contact Claudine Ronay 379-2967. For spring fling info contact
Rosemary MacCallum 379-2665. (C. Ronay - 3/27/08)
Acting Designation
Ann Roberts will be Acting Branch Chief for Environmental Planning and
Compliance from 4/2 to 4/4. Ann may be reached in her El Portal office at
379-1383 or you may leave a message with Doyle Harrison at 379-1202.
(D.Harrison - 4/2/08)
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Acting Fire Chief designation - Mike Beasley will be acting Fire Chief
from March 31 - April 5th. He can be contacted at 209-375-9574
Deron Mills will be acting Fire Chief from April 6th - April 12th. He can
be contacted at 209-379-1902 (K. Martin - 3/31/08)
