At Yosemite National Park, the road to Glacier Point was opened for
the season this weekend and visitors again have access to America's
greatest lookout.

After 6 months of winter, Yosemite is springing to life.

From this perch at 7,214-foot Glacier Point, you get a pay-off
everywhere you look. Across the valley to your left is 2,425-foot
Yosemite Falls, close now to peak flow. Directly below is the Merced
River, which leads upstream to 317-foot Vernal Fall, 594-foot Nevada
Fall and beyond to Liberty Cap and the awesome Half Dome. Across the
high country, the Clark Range is a brilliant white against a cobalt
blue sky, crowned by Cathedral Peak (10,940 feet), Unicorn Peak
(10,910), and the distant Matterhorn Peak (12,264 feet) on the horizon.

If you want to see Yosemite as spring takes hold, now is the time.

The waterfalls will be spectacular from now through the third week
(or so) of June, and hit peak flow this year around Memorial Day
Weekend.

Each entry point to Yosemite is special, but the best in spring is
on Highway 140 out of Mariposa and through the Merced Gorge. You emerge
for the perfect view of Bridalveil Fall, the ultimate welcome sign that
you have arrived.

As you enter Yosemite Valley, you will drive through Chapel Meadow
and its jaw-dropping view from the valley floor up at the north rim,
Upper Yosemite Fall and the Lost Arrow Spire. The meadow is glowing
different shades of green, and the cottonwood trees along the Merced
River are just now budding out their first leaves.

Here's the latest on Yosemite, including lodging, camping, bears and insider news:

Glacier Point services: The store and restrooms
opened Friday at Glacier Point, and tour bus operations from the valley
to Glacier Point also started trips.

Warming trend: It was in the high-70s last weekend
in Yosemite Valley. One forecast predicted temperatures reaching the
lower 80s this weekend. That would release tremendous amount of water
locked up in the high-country snowpack.

Peak waterfall viewing: Fieldscout Kenny Karst,
who lives in Yosemite Valley, provided the key to projecting the period
for peak waterfall flows. "Indian Creek runs through Yosemite Village,
right next to the medical clinic, before it enters the Merced River.
It's a good barometer for the waterfalls. It just started running high
last weekend, so that means now through June is the time for peak
waterfall flows. Indian Creek also dries up first, so you also know in
advance when the waterfalls will start to tail off."

Insider's note: The watershed that feeds Bridalveil
Fall is composed of more sediment than the hard granite that feeds
Yosemite Creek, Karst also noted. As a result, much of the snowmelt
above Bridalveil is absorbed into the ground and then is released from
the water table gradually over several months. That is why Bridalveil
can continue with good flows in summer even when Yosemite Falls becomes
a wisp.

Merced River rafting: The best projection is that
rafting in the Merced River will start around Memorial Day Weekend. The
water temperature this past week was only 38 degrees. To open rafting
season in the park, the water temperature must be at least 45 degrees
and the air temperature at least 55 degrees.

Mariposa Grove: The road to the Mariposa Grove opened last weekend.

Bears showing up: Bears have been making their
routes at the Pines Campground and had two successful food raids last
week. Bears also broke into an unoccupied tent cabin that had food
stored inside. Store your food in metal bear-proof lockers, not in your
car, or you face bear-caused damage, and getting a ticket. The best way
to break the bears' addiction to people food is to not let them get any
of it.

Road construction: Just before entering Yosemite
Valley on Highway 120/Big Oak Flat Road, you can face a half-hour wait
at the signal light for the 1-lane section west of the Pohono Bridge.
The hope is the work will be completed with two-way traffic by Memorial
Day Weekend. In addition, Northside Drive is closed by a rock fall, and
that has the traffic flow detoured (Southside Drive is temporarily
two-way) and slowed.

Go slow anyway: Last year, several bears were hit
and killed last spring by drivers going too fast in Yosemite Valley.
That's simply not acceptable. Park rangers will use radar, just like
city cops, to slow down traffic and write tickets to the worst speeders
this spring.

Tioga Pass: Rangers hope that snowplow operations
get Tioga Pass open by Memorial Day Weekend, but the better bet is
early June. The road has been cleared 28 miles from the Crane Flat Gate
(at the parking lot at Olmstead Point), with an average snow depth of 6
feet.

Insider's know-how: Reservations for the Ahwahnee,
Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, Wawona Hotel, Curry Cabins, and Curry
Village Tent Cabins are available 366 days in advance. Note that
everything is typically sold-out for spring and summer in advance. If
you are shut out, a great trick is to call 10 or 11 days in advance of
your hoped-for date. That is because those with reservations can cancel
10 days ahead of their date and get a refund. So surprise openings can
pop up right then.

Best Lodging option: Yosemite Vacation Homes

Campsites: The advance booking window for camps in
Yosemite is five months out, with the clock starting on the 15th of
each month. So starting May 15, for instance, you could book for any
date from Sept. 15 to Oct. 14. You can reserve through a new Web site
at recreation.gov (former Web sites will link you to this
site) or at (800) 436-7275 (same number). Cancellations are common, so
if you work the system, you can still score a campsite in Yosemite.
Yosemite has 13 campgrounds. Seven are on the reservation system.
Follow the "Camping" link.

Tuolumne Meadows: At 8,600 feet at Tuolumne Meadows, temperatures reached a high of 59 and a low of 6 in April. Wilderness Ranger Jeff Kamps reported
large arrivals of birds and Painted Lady butterflies in the past week,
and animal tracks verified include coyote, pine marten, chickaree, mice
and hare. "No sign of any bears up here yet."

Tom Stienstra, San Francisco Chronicle