Daily Report - Yosemite National Park
Friday, June 17, 2011
WEATHER
Yosemite Valley
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind becoming west southwest between 8 and 11 mph.
Tonight: Partly cloudy, with a low around 47. West wind at 7 mph becoming east.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. Calm wind becoming west between 10 and 13 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 74. East southeast wind at 11 mph becoming west.
El Portal
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 87. Calm wind becoming west southwest between 6 and 9 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 53. West wind around 6 mph becoming calm.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 85. Calm wind becoming west between 7 and 10 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 86. East wind 7 to 10 mph becoming west.
Wawona
Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 79. Calm wind becoming southwest between 6 and 9 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 43. West wind at 6 mph becoming east northeast.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 75. Calm wind becoming west between 7 and 10 mph.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 77. East northeast wind at 11 mph becoming west.
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PARK AND PARK PARTNER NEWS
Yosemite National Park Announces Half Dome Cables in Place on Wednesday, June 22 - news releasePARK AND PARK PARTNER NEWS
Scott Gediman 209-372-0248
Kari Cobb 209-372-0529
The cables allowing access for hikers to the summit of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park will be in place and open for the season on Wednesday, June 22, 2011.
The trail to Half Dome from Yosemite Valley is an extremely strenuous hike covering over 17 miles. Hikers gain 4,800 feet of elevation along the trail that passes highlights such as Vernal Fall and Nevada Fall, before reaching the cables on Half Dome’s steep granite shoulder. Metal cables and wooden planks are placed along the steep shoulder of the dome to assist hikers to the summit.
Visitors are required to have a permit to ascend the Half Dome cables seven days per week. Permits can be reserved three months in advance. For more information on permits and availability, please visit www.recreation.gov. Visitors hiking the trail leading up to the base of the Half Dome cables do not need a permit.
Visitors are advised to take appropriate precautions when planning a hike of this length and difficulty, and to be prepared for changing weather and trail conditions. Thunder and lightning are common occurrences in the High Sierra during the summer and fall seasons. Hikers should not attempt to summit Half Dome during thunderstorms and are advised to use extreme caution when the rocks are wet. (K. Cobb - 6/17)
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Anthony (Tony) Brochini Receives Barry Hance Memorial Award at Yosemite National Park - news release
Scott Gediman 209-372-0248
Kari Cobb 209-372-0529
Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher announced today that Anthony (Tony) Brochini is the recipient of the 2010 Barry Hance Memorial Award. Brochini, the Facilities Management Laison in Yosemite, received the award at an employee meeting today in Yosemite Valley. The ceremony was attended by approximately 300 people, including several past Barry Hance Award recipients. Scott Gediman 209-372-0248
Kari Cobb 209-372-0529
“I am extremely proud to present the Barry Hance Memorial Award to Tony Brochini. This award illustrates someone who loves Yosemite National Park, always has a smile on their face, is always willing to help others out, and really makes a difference in the lives of other people. Tony exemplifies all of these qualities,” said Neubacher.
Brochini, born and raised in Yosemite National Park, has worked for the National Park Service in Yosemite since 1972. Throughout his career, he has worked in several positions in the park. He started his career as a seasonal employee working at the Waste Water Treatment Plant in El Portal. Over the years, he moved to different positions in the Facilities Management Division.
“Receiving this award is truly a surprise. I knew Barry well, and he was a very good friend of mine. I worked with him on the Dog Rock Project (Bear Guardian) in the spring of 1995, just before Barry’s accident. It was such an honor to work side by side with Barry,” said Brochini after receiving the award.
The award is named in honor of Barry Hance, a long-term Facilities Management employee who died in an avalanche while plowing the Tioga Road in 1995. This award is given annually to employees who exemplify the qualities and attributes of Barry Hance. These include a positive attitude, a concern for fellow employees, getting the job done, and a love for Yosemite National Park.
Editors Note: Photos of the Tony Brochini are available by emailing Kari_Cobb@nps.gov. (K. Cobb - 6/17)
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Yosemite National Park to Waive Entrance Fees on Tuesday, June 21; Free Day Marks First Day of Summer - news release
Scott Gediman 209-372-0248
Kari Cobb 209-372-0529
Yosemite National Park will offer free entrance on Tuesday, June 21, 2011. This fee free day is a great opportunity for people to visit and enjoy Yosemite National Park on the first official day of summer.
Fees being waived for June 21 include only the fees associated with entrance into Yosemite National Park. All other fees associated with camping, lodging or activities within the park are not waived. The fee waiver is good for June 21, 2011 only. (K. Cobb - 6/17)
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Half Dome Update
Snow melt over the past week has been significant, however hazards still exist along the upper sections of the trail. The Half Dome Cables are not expected to be in place before June 22. Installation of the Half Dome cables is scheduled to begin Wednesday, June 22 and we anticipate the cables will be in place and ready for access to permit holders by late afternoon, conditions permitting. The cable route will be closed early on the morning of June 22 in order to allow trail crews to work unimpeded during the work day. Once the cables are in place and the trail crews have completed their work, the cables will be open for the public holding valid permits for that day. (E. Dunlavey - 6/17)
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Bear Facts: June 5th –June 11
Weekly Total:
| | # Incidents | Damage |
| Upper Pines | 1 | $5 |
| | # Incidents | Damage |
| Parking Lots | 7 | $7,100 |
| Campgrounds | 14 | $1,285 |
| Other Areas | 8 | $760 |
| Backcountry | 0 | $0 |
| Total | 29 | $9,145 |
Bear Activity Summary
Bears have been reported frequently in the West Valley during daylight hours. Many of these bears have been causing traffic jams, as they are highly visible in meadows along roadsides. Please drive cautiously and remain aware of other drivers, people along the road, and the bear during these “bear jams”. If you decide to stop, pull completely off the road before exiting your car. Never approach a bear, stay at least 50 yards away. If you see a bear during your visit please report it to the Save-A-Bear Hotline at 209-372-0322. (C. Lee-Roney - 6/17)
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Valley Loop Trail Resurfacing
The Valley Loop Trail will be closed during work hours (8:00am-5:00pm) Mon thru Friday, from Church Bowl to Lower Yosemite Falls loop. Detour signs are in place. This is due to trail resurfacing project. Expected time frame is four weeks starting June 13. (R. Kish - 6/16)
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Yosemite National Park Pavement Preservation Project Update
El Portal Road
Next week, crews will work on the El Portal Road Sunday night thru Wednesday night (June 19th thru 22nd) from the hours of 10:00pm to 7:00am as they work thru the Arch Rock Kiosk Area. They will then go back to the current daytime work hours (5:30am to 3:30pm).
Hodgdon Area
Starting today crews will begin working from 7:00am to 5:00pm and they will continue crack sealing this week and next week they will continue with pothole repairs.
El Portal Area
Beginning next week June 20th crews will begin crack sealing and patching at various locations in Rancheria and Old El Portal. They will be working in multiple areas throughout the communities and the current work hours will be 7:00am to 5:00pm. The patching and crack sealing will continue for 2-3 weeks and then it is likely there may be a 1 or 2 week period with no work before they start the actual pavement surface treatment, which is anticipated to be an additional 2-weeks of work in the communities. (M. Pieper - 6/16)
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Tioga Road to Open in Yosemite National Park; Visitors urged to take safety precautions while traveling on road - news release
Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher announced today that the Tioga Road will open for the season on Saturday, June 18, 2011, at 8:00 a.m. for all vehicle traffic. The Tioga Road, bounded on both sides by State Highway 120, is the popular east-west crossing of the Sierra Nevada. Vault toilets are available in several locations along the road. There are several no-stopping zones along the road, which are clearly marked with road signs. Due to the heavy snowpack this past winter (199% of normal) and a cool spring, there is still several feet of snow in the Tuolumne Meadows area. Hiking opportunities are extremely limited and visitors are urged to use extreme caution in the area. Additionally, ice is prevalent throughout the area and stream crossings are treacherous. All campgrounds along the Tioga Road are closed. All commercial services, including the gas station, store, and village grill, are also closed. There are no anticipated opening dates for any of these facilities at this time. (K. Cobb - 6/16)
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EMPLOYEE NEWS
Glacier Point Housing
We have a good news! By the end of today electric, water, and sewer are expected to be up and running in the Glacier Point housing area. This means employees can now be housed at Glacier Point starting tomorrow, Friday, June 17 . Please remind employees moving up to call Housing to schedule an appointment to check in and make arrangement to sign their rental contract. If you have an employee currently in NPS housing and will be moving up to Glacier Point, please remind them to also call Housing to schedule an appointment to check out of their current unit before they move up. Give our office a call if you have any questions. (C. Baker - 6/17)
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Training Records/Certification
A few years back DOI converted exclusively to electronic training files. Per DOI, your supervisor is required to:
- set up your DOI Learn account, if your account hasn't been set up yet, and
- enter your completed training information into your DOI Learn transcript.
He/she may do so by going to: http: //www.doi.gov/doilearn/index.cfm. Should you/your supervisor have any difficulties with this, you may contact Jon Youngblood in IT. Please do not send any training certificates/records to HR as they will be returned to you. (T. Hawkins - 6/17)
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Volunteer SharePoint Site Has a New Home
As one of our final steps in the transition from the Division of Business and Revenue Management to the Division of Interpretation and Education, the Volunteer Program's SharePoint site has now moved under the Interpretation tab, and the web address has changed. Please update any shortcuts you have, and let us know if you find broken links we need to update: http://sharepoint.yose.nps.gov/intp/vip. (H. Boothe - 6/16)
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Wawona Housing For Bid
House #4097 – 2580 River View Road. 2 Bedrooms (1 used / 1 with egress concern) issue; 1.75 Bathrooms – 1148 Sq. Ft. – Built in 1967. $301.14 bi-weekly, plus utilities. The deadline for bid submission is this Friday, June 17 (Close of Business / 3:30 p.m.). Eligible Employees must be NPS Permanent, Term, or SCEP (Student Career Experience Program). For bid forms, please contact the Housing Management Office or click on: http://sharepoint.yose.nps.gov/admn/housing/Forms/Forms/AllItems.aspx. For additional information, please call 379-1839 or 379-1879. (C. Baker - 6/16)
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ACTING DESIGNATIONS
Randy Fong will be acting Superintendent and Ed Walls will be acting Deputy Supt on Friday June 17.
Sue Beatty (379-3290) will be acting Branch Chief for Vegetation and Ecological Restoration on June 17.
Dayna Jackson will be the Acting Administrative Officer from June 13 through June 22 while Dale St. Vincent is out of the office. Dayna can be reached at 379-1872.
Ed Walls will be the point of contact for the Tioga Road Corridor from June 13th through 17th while Tony Brochini is on leave.
Jim Roche will be acting branch chief of Physical Sciences and Landscape Ecology through September 30th.
Jay Shields will be Acting Mather District Ranger until further notice.
Brenna Lissoway (379-1283) will be the Acting Park Archivist while Paul Rogers is on a detail as the Acting Regional Archivist (PWR). If you have need to access the Archives, or have archive related questions, you can call 379-1282 or 379-1104.
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COMMUNITY NEWS
This Weekend is the Merced County Fair
"Saddle Up For Fun" is the theme of the 120th fair and there's tons of fun for everyone. General admission is $10, $3 for kids 6-12 and children 5 and under get in free. For information call (209) 722-1507 or go to www.MercedCountyFair.com and connect with us on Facebook. (K. Baker - 6/17)
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Calling All Gardeners
Monday June 20 at 6pm at the El Portal School/Community Garden (beside the library) is the first meeting of the El Portal Community Gardeners! This is your chance to become a gardener this summer if you don't have enough space for a garden, or want to share the labor it takes to enjoy homegrown tomatoes! If you just want to find out what this is all about, come to this meeting and see if you would like to join in the fun or contribute in any way you want! We will brainstorm how to make this experience work for everyone. Each monthly meeting will have a topic like weed identification or composting or soil building. Everyone is welcome to come to the meetings. The meeting will last for about an hour. (K. Amstutz - 6/16)
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For Rent
Gorgeous, 2 bdrm, 1 bath, 1500 sq ft. home on 2 acres in Lushmeadows. 1 acre is fenced, 2.5 car garage, knotty pine interior with stained glass windows, laminate floors, wood burning stove, clawfoot tub, custom office built in. $1100 -- avail. Aug or Sept 1. 209-742-4594. (K. Marcis - 6/16)
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