Daily Report - Yosemite National Park
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Weather
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY - HANFORD CA
500 AM PDT THU APR 10 2008
...WARMER WEATHER TO BRING AN INCREASE IN MOUNTAIN STREAM FLOWS..
A TRANSITION FROM NEAR NORMAL TEMPERATURES TO MUCH WARMER WEATHER WILL TAKE
PLACE OVER THE REMAINDER OF THIS WEEK AS HIGH PRESSURE BUILDS OVER CENTRAL
CALIFORNIA.
ALTHOUGH IT WILL BE MUCH WARMER IN ALL AREAS...THE MAIN CONCERN FROM THIS
WARM UP WILL BE AN INCREASE IN SNOW MELT...AND THE RISE IN WATER LEVELS OF
MOUNTAIN CREEKS AND STREAMS. ALTHOUGH FLOODING CONDITIONS ARE NOT
ANTICIPATED...MOST STREAMS AND RIVERS WILL EXPERIENCE MUCH HIGHER FLOWS.
THIS WILL CREATE A CONCERN FOR
PEOPLE VENTURING INTO THE SOUTHERN SIERRA NEVADA...INCLUDING THE KERN
RIVER...THIS WEEKEND AND EARLY NEXT WEEK.
PLEASE REMEMBER THAT EVEN THOUGH A STREAM OR RIVER LOOKS COOL AND INVITING
DURING WARM WEATHER...THE WATER IS ACTUALLY VERY COLD AND MAY BE
DANGEROUSLY FAST. OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS ARE ADVISED TO USE EXTREME CAUTION IN
AND NEAR STREAMS AND RIVERS. IF YOU ARE BOATING OR RAFTING...ALWAYS WEAR
LIFE JACKETS OR VESTS...AND KEEP OTHER FLOTATION GEAR HANDY.
IF YOU ARE PLANNING ON CAMPING NEAR STREAMS...REMEMBER THAT THE HIGHEST
WATER LEVELS OCCUR AT NIGHT...USUALLY WITHIN AN HOUR OR TWO EITHER SIDE OF
MIDNIGHT. A CAMPGROUND MAY LOOK PERFECTLY DRY AND SAFE IN THE LATE
AFTERNOON...BUT CAN QUICKLY TAKE ON WATER AT NIGHT.
STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...OR YOUR FAVORITE NEWS SOURCE...FOR
FURTHER INFORMATION.
Yosemite: TODAY...SUNNY. NOT AS COOL. HIGHS 58 TO 68 IN YOSEMITE VALLEY...
45 TO 55 IN THE HIGH COUNTRY.
TONIGHT...CLEAR. LOWS 30 TO 40 IN YOSEMITE VALLEY...20 TO 30 IN THE HIGH
COUNTRY.
FRIDAY...SUNNY. HIGHS 66 TO 76 IN YOSEMITE VALLEY...50 TO 60 IN THE HIGH
COUNTRY.
FRIDAY NIGHT...CLEAR. LOWS 34 TO 44 IN YOSEMITE VALLEY...25 TO 35 IN THE
HIGH COUNTRY.
SATURDAY...SUNNY. HIGHS 68 TO 78 IN YOSEMITE VALLEY...52 TO 62 IN THE HIGH
COUNTRY.
El Portal: Today: Sunny, with a high near 71. Calm wind becoming west
between 7 and 10 mph.
Tonight: Clear, with a low around 35. Light wind becoming east northeast
between 10 and 13 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 80. East northeast wind at 8 mph becoming
west.
Friday Night: Clear, with a low around 39. Calm wind becoming east
northeast between 10 and 13 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 82. East northeast wind 6 to 10 mph
becoming west southwest.
Happening Today/This Week (Check the Community News section for other
events)
Wawona Northwest Prescribed Fire Notification
The National Park Service announces plans to conduct a 2000-acre prescribed
fire near the community of Wawona. Weather and air quality
permitting, this burn is planned to begin April 9. It is estimated this
project will take one to two weeks to complete. It is to be burned in three
units. Unit I is 737 acres. It is bounded to Northwest by the Jack fire,
west to Highway 41, and south, along the Chilnualna Falls Road.
The prime benefit of this burn is to enhance defensible space, providing
important fire protection for the community of Wawona. Fire managers want
to take advantage of last fall’s Jack fire and last spring’s prescribed
fire near the community. Fire personnel will utilize these burned areas as
barriers to fire spreading north and east of the project area. It will also
burn through recent fuel treatments, including thinning and pile burning,
in addition to recent prescribed fires. These recent projects will increase
the margin of safety for firefighters by reducing fire intensity along the
project boundary.
The burn units are composed of grass, brush, pine, oak and other mixed
conifers. Prescribed fire is designed to thin forests and reduce
unnatural fuel loads in areas that are in close proximity to public and
private structures as well as visitor use areas. Fire helps recycle
nutrients to the soil which aids the sprouting and re-growth of plants,
shrubs, and trees, as well as create a mosaic of diverse habitats for
plants and animals.
The spring offers the best opportunity to conduct this particular burn due
to the Southwest exposure. Burning at this time of the year takes
advantage of prevailing Southwest winds to mix, lift and disperse the smoke
production. Park staff will monitor smoke on a consistent daily basis.
However, smoky conditions may exist for the duration of this project,
particularly in the morning, and continue for several days.
Smoke impacts to the roadway may occur. Drivers should use caution and
abide by posted speed limits. Residents and visitors are advised to take
precautions to minimize smoke impacts. People with respiratory problems
should use caution when exerting themselves in smoky areas.
For the safety of the public and for firefighters, the Alder Creek trail
will be closed until this prescribed fire is complete.
For further info: Prescribed Fire Office: (209)375-9574 or 375-9576 (M.
Beasley - 4/8/08)
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Valey Shuttle: Due to the closure of Southside Drive, Shuttle Stop #12 (Le
Conte Memorial/Housekeeping Camp) will be closed and guests and patrons are
directed to Stop 13A (Curry Village). Effective 4/7 - 4/17. (G. Rosenfeld
- 4/8/08)
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El Capitan Shuttle: The El Capitan Shuttle has begun limited service from
the Visitor's Center and Camp 4 to the El Cap Picnic Area. Service
operates daily every thirty minutes from 9:00 to 6:00. After the
construction is completed along Northside Drive, the Shuttle will expand to
include the remaining stops at the cross-over and the four mile trail head.
(G. Rosenfeld - 4/8/08)
New Today
It has come to our notice that announcements are being posted at the
Midpines Post Office on behalf of "the management" of Yosemite National
Park. These did not come from Yosemite's management team and should be
disregarded. (M. Tollefson - 4/10/08)
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TUOLUMNE MEADOWS WINTER CONDITIONS UPDATE
April 9, 2008
Weather: (April 2 to April 9)
High temp: 49° (April 3)
Low temp: 5° (April 9)
New Snow: 1” (April 8)
Total settled snow depth: 40” as of April 9
Ski Conditions and Weather: It has been another cool, windy, and cloudy
week at Tuolumne, with afternoon highs in the forties and overnight lows in
the teens and single digits. We have had a couple weak storm systems blow
through the area, leaving behind a dusting of snow. The overall snowpack
depth has not changed much in the past week, so spring runoff is still on
hold. The latest conditions report from the east side is that the Tioga
road (Highway 120) has melted out from the road closure gate outside of Lee
Vining up to the Warren Fork of Lee Vining Creek, with patches of snow from
Warren Fork up to Ellery Lake. Skiers coming in from the east side should
be prepared to walk the first 4-5 miles of road above the gate before you
hit the good snow near Ellery Lake. 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.
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: Birds seen in the past week include the Common Raven, Mountain
Chickadee, Brown Creeper, White-breasted Nuthatch, Red-breasted Nuthatch,
American Robin, Brewer’s Blackbird, Townsend’s Solitaire, Clark’s
Nutcracker, Stellar’s Jay, Northern Flicker, 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 - 4/10/08)
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Background Investigations for Non-Federal Staff
Volunteers, SCA employees, interns, park partners, contractors and others
must have at least an Advanced Fingerprint Report completed if the answer
to either (or both) of the following questions is yes:
Will he/she require access to Federally controlled information systems
(i.e., the NPS LAN, Lotus Notes, etc.)?
Will the individual require unsupervised access on a regular basis to
Federally controlled space that is not open to the general public or to
Federally controlled records?
If the answer to both questions is “no” then no background investigation is
required.
If the answer to either question is "yes" then please send the individual's
name, current physical address, and e-mail address to Lynette Jackson and
Tami Barton so we can initiate a background investigation for these
non-Federal staff. Also, please tell Lynette and Tami if the individual
will be handling government funds. The background investigation paperwork
for these individuals is slightly different than that we use for Federal
staff, so the Human Resources Office will be responsible for mailing out
the forms and other documents and notifying you when adjudicated. This is
effective immediately.
If you have any questions or would like additional information, please
contact me. (H. Whitman - 4/10/08)
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Wawona School Silent Auction/Barbecue Fundraiser
Care to bid on great merchandise and services while helping to support
Wawona School?
Want to enjoy a delicious barbecued chicken luncheon before or after you
peruse the tables full of auction items?
Please join us on Saturday, April 19, 2008 for Wawona School’s annual
Silent Auction and Barbecue Fundraiser. A variety of local and regional
hotels, restaurants, shops, businesses and artisans have donated fantastic
merchandise and gift certificates.
Doors open for bidding at 11:30 and close at 2:30, with special bidding
incentives provided in the last half hour.
A complete lunch prepared by the Wawona Hotel, including barbecued chicken,
corn, salad, bread, and dessert, will be served at a cost of $8.00 for
adults and $6.00 for children.
Auction results will be ready at 3:30, and the doors will reopen at that
time for payment and pickup.
For more information, please call the school at (209) 375-6383. We hope
you can participate! (Wawona School - 4/10/08)
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Earthdance Film Festival Returns - Presented by the National Park Service,
Yosemite Association, and EarthDance, the EarthDance Short Attention Span
Environmental Film Festival heralds sustainability with its juried
compilation of short comedies, documentaries, mockumentaries, animations,
thrillers, and family-friendly films that invite you to celebrate your
relationship to the natural world. Last year's event was standing room
only, so arrive early as the event will sell out. No advance ticket sales.
$5/person, children 12 and under are free. Join us Earth Day, Tuesday,
April 22, Doors open at 6:30, films begin at 7:00pm, Yosemite Valley
Visitor Center Theater. (T. Medema - 4/10/08)
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Bicycle for Alternative Transportation (BAT) will be tabling at Spring
Fling April 26! We will be offering flat tire repairs from 12-4 and leading
a mountain bike ride up Foresta Rd at 9:30. To learn more about BAT, stop
by our table at Spring Fling or contact Suzanne at 209.769.2353 or
bat.suzanne@gmail.com. (S. Thomas - 4/10/08)
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: 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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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. 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 programs:
Thursday April 10, 7:30p.m. AWFUL NORMAL. (FREE ADMISSION) (Not rated, but
with mature theme; 90 min.) This film is being presented in partnership
with Mountain Crisis Services in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness
Month. Twenty-five years later, feeling unresolved, two sisters begin their
quest to find the man who took advantage of their innocence as children,
and to ask him something that has haunted them for almost their entire
life: "Why?"
Friday-Saturday, April 11-12, 7:30 p.m. MY KID COULD PAINT THAT. (PG-13, 82
min.) In 2004, four-year-old Marla Olmstead of Binghamton, New York, took
the art world by storm. After a New York Times feature, Marla's paintings
began to be compared to the likes of Picasso, and she began raking in
hundreds of thousands of dollars. Then, 60 Minutes did an expose raising
doubts about whether she was a child star or a fraud. This documentary is
outstanding in its capacity to make the viewer think. In the end, this is a
story about adults, not the child artist.
UPCOMING FILMS:
Deliver Us From Evil, April 17 FREE ADMISSION
Juno, April 18-19
Lars and the Real Girl, April 25-26 (T. Arfsten - 4/8/08)
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On Friday morning, April 11, the Upper Merced River Watershed Council and
Yosemite Area Audubon invite community members to learn bird sketching
techniques from an expert. Join wildlife artist and naturalist John Muir
(Jack) Laws at the Ag Complex conference room adjacent to the Mariposa
County Fairgrounds from 9 am to noon for a hands-on workshop. He’ll teach
you tricks to get down the shape and proportion of birds in a quick sketch
and then fill in details with an improved understanding of bird anatomy.
You’ll learn proportion basics, drawing wings, the bright-eye trick and
feather tricks of the head. Bring binoculars, a soft pencil, colored
pencils or watercolors, and a small sketch book (about 8 1⁄2 x 11”).
Weather permitting, some time will be spent outdoors observing birds. The
cost is $25 per person. Space is limited. Please call the watershed office
at (209) 966 2221 to reserve your place in the class. Directions: Enter the
Fairgrounds parking lot and stay to the right. The Ag Complex is straight
ahead on the left. Please call (209) 966-2221 or email watershed@sti.net if
you have questions. (A. Steed - 4/2/08)
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California Native Plant Society Flower Walk, Saturday April 12, 2008 Join
naturalist and author, Michael Ross, on a spring wildflower walk in the
Merced Canyon. Meet at the gas station in El Portal at 9:00 am. Those
wishing to carpool from Mariposa should meet at the Midpines Community
Park at 8:15 am. The walk will be moderate in difficulty. Bring water,
lunch, hat. For more information call Ann at 209-742-7734. (M. Ross -
4/8/08)
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Hike in the Foothills this Weekend!
Birding the Mariposa Foothills. Saturday April 12th. 8am-12 noon. $10
Individual/$20 Family
Birding experts Len McKenzie 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 Lusetta Nelson
lead this fun day exploring our local flora. After the wildflower class,
we will enjoy a luncheon and spend the afternoon tasting local vintages
with the vintners themselves, Harold and Kris Casto, at Mt. Bullion Winery.
Space is limited for this special event, so make your reservation today!
Meet at the Mariposa Rest Stop in the middle of town at 9am.
To Register: Contact Bridget Fithian at (209) 742-5556 or
bridget.fithian@sierrafoothill.org
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 10,500 acres in Madera and
Fresno Counties. All proceeds from SFC's classes and events benefit out
land conservation work. (B. Fithian - 4/8/08)
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Saturday, April 12, 2008 live music at the Yosemite Bug Hostel - Come see
the dynamic acoustic trio THICK SOUP at the Bug Hostel. An honest acoustic
mix of bluegrass, blues and jazz. Show starts at 9:00 pm, NO COVER
CHARGE.For more info call the Bug Hostel at (209) 966-6666 (G. Torres -
3/28/08)
Acting Designation
Katy Warner acting RMS Management Assistant April 10-18th . She can be
reasched at 379-1421 (C. Knipper - 4/10/08)
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While David Thorpe is out of the office, Nancy Bissmeyer will be the acting
Communications Branch Chief and Tolleman Gorham will be the Telecom
Supervisor. (N. Bissmeyer - 4/8/08)
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Katy Warner will be the Acting Branch Chief for Physical Science and GIS
from April 8-11. Katy can be reached at 379-1421.
Lee Tarnay will be the Acting Branch Chief for Physical Science and GIS
from April 14-17. Lee can be reached at 379-1420. (J. Meyer - 4/8/08)
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Craig Anthony will be acting Safety Officer while Roger Farmer is on
training. Craig can be reached at 379-1064 Roger will be back in the
office Monday April 14. (C. Ronay - 4/7/08)
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Leslie Reynolds will be the acting Deputy Chief Ranger April 7-10 while I
am out of the park. Eric Gabriel will be acting on April 11 until my
return that day. (C. Cuvelier - 4/7/08)
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Jim Allen will be Acting Utilities Branch Chief from Monday April 7th
through Thursday April 10th. He can be reached at 379-1039 or leave a
message with Katie Bablitch at 379-1055.
Stuart Foster will be Acting Utilities Branch Chief on Friday April 11th.
He can be reached at 379-1828 or leave a message with Katie Bablitch at
379-1055. (K. Bablitch - 4/7/08)
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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)
