Tahoe/Reno Weather in May
 

Suzie / Anyone

Looks like we'd better forget getting into Yosemite at the snowy Tioga Pass end of May.

Are the roads ok from Reno/Tahoe, using Rts. 88 & 49 to get into Yosemite?

Rt. 49 will be ok a few days later to get to Sacramento from Yosemite?

That's a great route.

Leave south lake Tahoe via 50 going west, turn left onto 89 when you get to Meyers. Then turn right onto 88 all the way to Jackson where you'll turn left onto 49. From 49 keep your eyes on the lookout for 120 which will be a left. 120 will take you inot the park. Should be gorgeous and green in May. Beautiful drive.

The issue with Tioga Pass is not that snow will be falling in May, but that they just don't plow the road in the winter, so it can only open once the spring plowing is completed. That depends on how late spring comes (when they can start the process) and how much snow there is to plow (how long it takes to complete the job).

Coming into Yosemite from the west it is unlikely that you will see any snow at all since you will be travelling through lower elevations.

and for hwy 49 back north from Yosemite - it will be fabulous. Hwy 49 runs through the foothills and is not high altitude. There won't be snow on that route.

(You may see <i>some</i> snow on Hwys 89/88 but most likely just patches on the ground, if any)

It's not only plowing of Tioga, it's also removing the avalanches, rocks, and downded trees across the road. Some winters that can be a very big effort.

There is a big metal gate across the road, so until they actually open road, you can't get through.

Dolores:

Just play it by ear and see if the road is open. If so - Tioga Pass. If not - Hwy 50-89-88-49-120. The roads are good and May is a perfect time to do this.

Don't worry ...... Your friends here at Fodor's are here to help.

:)

MY

The average opening date for Tioga Pass in the past ten years has been May 26th. This year (2008) it opened for a few days on May 21 and then closed for a couple of days due to a late season storm and then reopened again.

Before Tioga opened this year, both Ebbetts Pass (Hwy 4) and Sonora Pass (108) opened a couple of weeks earlier. So those might be alternate routes if you want to enjoy some high country on relatively slow roads.

However, you just won't know until they actually open them. So, it's difficult to plan far ahead.

Most of us in California are hoping that those passes will stay closed until July because that means we will have a huge snowpack which we so desperately need.

I was up at Tahoe this past weekend and I've never seen the lake that low. We need plenty of snow this winter.

For getting back to Sacramento from Yosemite, I would take Hwy 120 or 4 down to CA 99 and then head north to Sac. It's a lot quicker than taking 49. I guess I'm one of the few who doesn't think 49 is all that scenic in that part of the foothills.

Supercilious: They are taking hwy 49 so they can spend some time in the foothills and visit vineyards/wineries in Amador County.

Yes. I had not read the OP's previous threads before replying to this one.

If the OP really dislikes roads like the Going to the Sun Road in Glacier, they should probably avoid this area of California entirely.

First of all, the highways like 50, 88, 49, 4, 108 and 120 are all mostly two lane roads while in the mountains and are often quite twisty with locals racing along at high speeds. And the higher altitudes of some of them may be uncomfortable for folks coming from sea level states like Florida.

They might be more comfortable staying in the flat delta area between Sacramento and Turlock.

Oh that's silly. The 2 lane roads are wide and well maintained and except of a couple of short areas they do not have sharp drop offs.

suzie: shh :$ - you don't want Supercilious to be -- well, supercilious.

Turlock??

If they want flat and vineyards near water, then they should visit the vineyards in the Delta, just south of Sacto. :)

MY