Daily Report - Yosemite National Park
Thursday, March 20, 2008 - Welcome to the 1st day of spring
Weather
Yosemite: TODAY...MOSTLY SUNNY. BREEZY. HIGHS 60 TO 65 IN YOSEMITE
VALLEY... 38 TO 44 IN THE HIGH COUNTRY.
TONIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. COLDER. LOWS 24 TO 34 IN YOSEMITE VALLEY... 14 TO
24 IN THE HIGH COUNTRY.
FRIDAY...SUNNY. HIGHS 58 TO 63 IN YOSEMITE VALLEY...39 TO 44 IN THE HIGH
COUNTRY.
FRIDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLEAR. LOWS 23 TO 33 IN YOSEMITE VALLEY... 11 TO 21
IN THE HIGH COUNTRY.
SATURDAY...SUNNY. HIGHS 62 TO 67 IN YOSEMITE VALLEY...43 TO 48 IN THE HIGH
COUNTRY.
El Portal: Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 64. Calm wind becoming
west southwest between 7 and 10 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. Calm wind becoming east
between 7 and 10 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 66. East northeast wind 5 to 9 mph becoming
west.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 32. West wind 5 to 11 mph
becoming northeast.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 70. East northeast wind 5 to 11 mph
becoming west.
Happening Today/This Week (Check the Community News section for other
events)
Hop on over to the Annual Easter Egg Hunt sponsored by the Rotary Club of
Yosemite National Park this coming Saturday, March 22. The hunt starts
promptly at 10:00am at the Yosemite Valley School. As in past years there
will be a limited number baskets available, tons of eggs, loads of great
prizes, and 3 bikes! Open to kids of all ages. For questions call Claudia
at The Ansel Adams Gallery, 372-4413. (AA Gallery - 3/20/08)
New Today
TUOLUMNE MEADOWS WINTER CONDITIONS UPDATE
March 19, 2008
Weather: (March 12 to March 18)
High temp: 53° (March 17 and 18)
Low temp: 6° (March 16)
New Snow: 3”
Total settled snow depth: 50” as of March 19
Ski Conditions and Weather: Winter made a brief appearance in Tuolumne over
the weekend, dropping 3 inches of new snow and bringing cold winds out of
the north. That storm cleared out fast however, and we are now back to
spring-like weather with afternoon highs in the fifties and overnight lows
in the teens the past few days. The forecast is for this warm and dry trend
to continue for the next week. The snow has firmed up, providing great
touring conditions. Be prepared for soft-to-slushy snow by the middle of
the afternoon. We are beginning to see patches of bare ground open up for
the first time, as well as stretches of open water along the river.
Caltrans has plowed the road from the road closure gate outside of Lee
Vining up to the Warren Fork of Lee Vining Creek, so skiers coming in from
the east side should be prepared to walk the first 3-4 miles of road above
the gate before you hit the solid snow where you can begin to ski.
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: Our first bird of the spring has finally arrived- a male Robin
was spotted on the south side of Lembert Dome yesterday. Other birds seen
in the past week include Common Raven, Mountain Chickadee, Brown Creeper,
White-breasted Nuthatch, Townsend’s Solitaire, and Clark’s Nutcracker.
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 - 3/20/08)
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The Yosemite National Park Fire Management Program, the Division of
Resources Management and Science, and the USGS Yosemite Field Station are
sponsoring the 2nd Yosemite Fire Science Symposium Tuesday March 25th and
Wednesday 26th at the Cliff Room in the Yosemite Valley. The purpose of the
Fire Science Symposium is to share research and information on issues
related to fire and smoke management in the Sierra Nevada, including
Yosemite National Park. This is an opportunity for Park and National Forest
fire managers, along with regional and local airshed managers, to interact
with researchers and discuss the latest information on the latest issues,
including climate change, fire ecology, and smoke management.
The Yosemite Fire Science Symposium will be open to the public and free of
charge, however RSVP will be greatly appreciated. Please contact Leland
Tarnay, Air Resources Specialist (209-379-1422, Leland_Tarnay@nps.gov) or
Kent van Wagtendonk, Fire GIS Specialist, (209 379 1046,
kent_van_wagtendonk@nps.gov) to RSVP or for further information. (P.
Meierding - 3/20/08)
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Saturday, May 10, 2008: Merced River Plan - Public Planning Workshop
Please join the National Park Service on Saturday, May 10, 2008, from 9:30
a.m to 3:30 p.m. in the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center Auditorium for the
next Public Planning Workshop for the new Merced River Plan. (NOTE: The
Saturday, April 5, 2008, Public Planning Workshop has been COMBINED with
this workshop to accommodate those who must travel long distances to
attend; Therefore, no workshop will be held on April 5).
During the March 7, 2008, Public Planning Workshop, participants began to
create desired condition statements for the river's Outstandingly
Remarkable Values (ORVs). Desired conditions lay the groundwork for
developing management prescriptions, which are combinations of ORV desired
conditions. Management prescriptions prescribe what future natural and
cultural resources conditions, and visitor experiences are to be achieved.
Additionally, management prescriptions articulate the types and extent of
management activities and/or facilities that would be required to achieve
the desired resource and visitor experience conditions.
On May 10, 2008, draft management prescriptions will be presented.
Participants will review and revise those as necessary, and then apply the
different management prescriptions to the river corridor on maps, thereby
creating different management zoning concepts. These management zoning
concepts will then be circulated for public review and comment. Once
refined, they will form the basis for the alternatives to be analyzed in
the draft plan/environmental impact statement for the new Merced River
Plan.
For more information about these planning elements and how to get involved
in Public Planning Workshops, please visit our web site at
http://www.nps.gov/yose/parkmgmt/newmrp.htm. Please RSVP to Elexis Mayer by
phone at 209/379-1377, or by email: elexis_mayer@nps.gov, no later than
Wednesday, May 7, 2008. (P. Meierding - 3/20/08)
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Selection of GS9/11 Botanist: M. A. B. Hutten - I am very pleased to
announce that Martin Hutten has accepted a permanent GS9/11 Botanist
position with the Branch of Vegetation and Ecological Restoration in the
Division of Resources Management and Science. This Invasives Botanist
position was funded by the recent OFS increase to Insure Protection and
Management of Imperiled Resources at Yosemite.
Martin has a Bachelor's of Science degree in Forest and Nature Management
from the Larenstein International Agricultural College in the Netherlands
and a Master's of Science in Forest Science from Oregon State University.
Martin has years of experience working as a botanist at a number of federal
land management units including quite a number of National Park units.
Most recently he has been working as the team leader of the Craters of the
Moon National Monument unit of the Northern Rocky Mountain Exotic Plant
Management Team in Arco, Idaho. Martin brings to this new position a great
deal of experience in taxonomy, sampling design, communications skills, and
team leadership skills.
Please join me in welcoming Martin to Yosemite National Park. (N. Nicholas
- 3/20/08)
Announcements
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
6th STREET CINEMA is a non-profit theater located in downtown Mariposa,
atop the historic Masonic Lodge on 6th Street. We are the presentation arm
of the Rural Media Arts and Education project, a 501(c)(3) corporation, and
are supported by the California Arts Council, County Bank, Sierra Tel, the
James Irvine Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, and Mariposa
County. We are also generously supported by Iron Mountain Systems and
Stonecutter.com. 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
Upcoming Programs:
March 21 - 22 (Friday - Saturday) 7:30 p.m. NO COUNTRY FOR OLD MEN. - The
Coen brothers film adapted from Cormac McCarthy's novel with a title by
Yeats. Academy Awards. Tommy Lee Jones. Evil. Violence. Sheer brilliant
filmmaking.
March 27 (Thursday) 7:30 p.m. LIVE FROM THE NYPL: THERE YOU GO AGAIN.(FREE
ADMISSION). - Sixth Street Cinema has partnered with the New York Public
Library to broadcast exciting, thought provoking discussions of topics
relevant to our times. 60 years ago, George Orwell published "Politics and
the English Language", in which he described political speech as consisting
"largely of euphemism, question-begging and sheer cloudy vagueness." Today,
many symptoms of manipulation and propaganda diagnosed by Orwell persist on
the American political landscape, along with new disinformation techniques
enabled by modern technology. Historians, scientists, philosophers,
linguists, cognitive experts, journalists, image-makers, and public figures
will debate in three separate sessions the current state of political
discourse — and journalism's response to it — on the dawn of a bitterly
contested presidential campaign. This month, we will be screening Part I:
Propaganda Then and Now: What Orwell Did and Didn't Know, with a panel
including George Soros.
March 29 (Saturday) 7:30 p.m. TED: Technology, Education and Design... and
beer and wine. (FREE ADMISSION). - TED (which stands for Technology,
Entertainment, Design) began in 1984 as a bringing together of people from
those three worlds, but since then its scope has expanded to include
science, business, the arts and the global issues facing our world. It also
has expanded to global venues and conferences. The "main" Monterey annual
conference brings together 40 of the world's most fascinating thinkers and
doers, over four days, each of whom fill an 18-minute slot, interspersed
with many shorter pieces of music, performance and comedy. "Just be
profound" is the technical advice offered to presenters. TED attendees can
normally expect to pay upwards of $6,000, but Sixth Street Cinema (in
partnership with TED) is offering the best of the best program selections
for free, as a thank you to the community. Come and be prepared to be
wowed! Then enjoy stimulating conversations with your neighbors over a
beverage. (T. Arfsten - 3/11/08)
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Spring Fling - Spring is right around the corner and we have an awesome
community event to plan! The spring fling will be held on Saturday April
26, 2008, at the Carroll Clark Community Hall in El Portal. The events
will include but are not limited to:
A pancake breakfast sponsored by the Yosemite Lions Club
The 3rd Annual El Portal PTG Spring Run-off
Many local vendors with arts, crafts and services
Angel and Norma Ortiz = fabulous Mexican lunch
Joella's Famous Indian Fry Bread for Dinner
An amazing musical line up for the evening
If you would like vendor information or to sign up for a booth please
contact Rosemary McCallum 379-2665
If you are interested in designing this years Run-off shirt please contact
Claudine Ronay 379-2967 (C. Ronay - 2/25/08)
Acting Designation
Craig Anthony will be acting Safety Officer while Roger Farmer is on
Special Assignment through March 28. He can be reached at 379-1064, or you
can contact Claudine Ronay 379-1072. (C. Ronay - 3/20/08)
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Brian Martin will be the acting Buildings and Grounds Facility Manager
while Tom Darcy is out of the office from 3/24/08 thru 3/28/08. He can be
reached at either 379-1076 or 375-9508, or you may leave a message withTara
Hawksley at 379-1054. (T. Hawksley - 3/19/08)
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Dan Benitag will be acting PCO supervisor March 20th-30th while Alan
Hawksley is out of the park. Please call 209-372-0533 with any problems.(C.
Gonzales - 3/19/08)
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Leslie Reynolds will be the Acting Branch Chief for Operations March 17-20
while I am out of the park. (C. Cuvelier - 3/17/08)
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While I'm away from the office March 14 through 21, 2008, Tami Barton is
acting Human Resources Officer. (H. Whitman - 3/14/08)
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I will be out of the office starting 03/07/2008 and will not return until
03/22/2008.MIke Beasley is the acting Fire Chief He can be reached at
209-375-9574 (K. Martin - 3/10/08)
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George Harders will be acting supervisor until further notice at the El
Portal Wastewater Treatment Facility starting on March 3rd, 2008. He can
be reached at 379-1825 or leave a message with Katie at 379-1055
Ron Parkey will be acting superviosr until furnter notice at the Wawona
Water/Wastewater Treatment Facility effective immediately. He can be
reached at 375-9510 or leave a message with Shawnessy. (K. Bablitch -
2/26/08)
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Dave Baker has been detailed for 60 days in the position of Heavy Equipment
Lead Mechanic. He can be reached at 379-1155. (G. Tilley - 2/26/08)
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Victoria Mates will serve as acting Branch Chief for Interpretive Field
Operations Feb. 10 - May 10. (T. Medema - 2/8/08)
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From January 13, 2008 until mid-May, Tom Medema will serve as acting Chief
of Interpretation and Education while Chris Stein in on a detail to
Washington, D.C. working on a "connecting children and nature" project. (C.
Stein - 12/31/07)
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