Suzie

I guess I really hate that section of I 5. It's always so congested and then negotiating through Stockton- ugh. It feels like more than 2 miles difference, that's for sure. I suppose it's all in what you're used to.

janisj

I agree w/ Suzie. Even tho' the distancea are nearly identical I much prefer 99 for this route. Either the crosstown in Stockton, or crossing from I-5 to 99 at Manteca can be a real pain.

utahtea

OK, you guys convienced me that 99 would be better. When we travel to Sac we are already on I-5 because we are coming from the Bay Area.

Utahtea

utahtea

GOOD NEWS ON HWY 120!

From CAL TRANS: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/

"SR 120 IS REOPENED FROM THE SOUTH JCT OF SR 49 TO 2.5 MI WEST OF GROVELAND
(TUOLUMNE CO) AT 2320 HRS ON 5/8/06"

Utahtea

sunbum1944

Utahea- we'll be there the same time- at least some of it -
We are staying at Yosemite View Lodge
Driving a little red Subaru Impreza- Oregon plates - maybe we'll bump into each other somewhere.
Have a fun trip- I have never been there before but mothers day with my daughter in Yosemite sounds wonderful
and yahoo! At least 1 of the roads is open

utahtea

Sunburn,

We are camping but in 3 different campsites in two different campgrounds in Yosemite Valley...we didn't get our reservations in early enough to get one campsite for the whole visit. No biggy, we've had to move to 3 different campsites in other years too. Last year we did two different campsites...just because we wanted to try a different campground.

My best guess this will be our 29th time to Yosemite in the last 29 years. We skipped some years, but went twice in other years. I still get excited about going...especially in the spring. It's my favorite time.

Our DS, DIL and grandson are going to be there at the same time. We are celebrating our grandson's 3rd birthday in the park! This will be his first visit.

Utahtea

J_Correa

Just adding my agreement for 99 over I5 south of Sac for all the reasons above. It is just easier when going to the mountains. Plus, although not scenic per se, has nicer scenery than I5.

Catbert

Over the years I've been up and down Old Priest Grade in a series of cars. It is so stressful to me (both directions!) But I just quit taking it down because the 5 or 6 miles is saves isn't worth the stress to me.

Barbara

Does anyone have any idea what the current status is with 140? I've looked at the Caltrans site, which tells you nothing other than the road's closed. Duh! I've listened to the latest road update on the Yosemite site, but all it says is that the road's closed indefinitely.

We're going in about four weeks, and we'll be staying in El Portal unless rooms at Yosemite Lodge open up for the days we'll be there! If the road is still closed then, what would be the best way to get to El Portal from Monterey?

Suzie

Expect 140 to be closed when you arrive. Rocks continue to slide down the hill making cleanup impossible. The expectation is that the slide could take many months to clean up as the hill must be secured.

News is that the south entrance, which would be the easiest for you coming from Monterey, has experienced backups of 1 mile. Imagine how long it would take to pass through the entrance and tehn it's another hour to the valley. Maybe if you arrived late in the day the backups wouldn't be as bad but who really knows. The other possibility is to take 120 into the valley.

Barbara

Thanks, Suzie. Depressing news, but it's always better to know in time to plan an alternative!

Barbara

I'm still crossing my fingers that the Tioga Road will be open by then, but that's looking like a long shot too.

Suzie

Barbara you are coming at the end of June? I think most think that Tioga Pass would be open by then. Last year it opened on June 24th and lots of people think it will be open by then this year.

Barbara

That's good to read, Suzie. We should be arrive at the Park on June 26 and leave, hopefully by the Tioga Pass, on June 29.

JimF

Let me be sure I understand what we are facing. (We drive in on Sunday, 6/18 to Yosemite View Lodge and leave 6/21.)

Coming from Bakersfield, is it best to come up 41, enter the park, and then take 120 west and out of the park to El Portal?

We will be coming from the Grand Canyon. I am assuming that 120 will not be available to enter the park from the east, driving across the pass to El Portal. Or would that be a bad idea, regardless? My current plan is driving from Grand Canyon to Bakersfield, stay overnight and then to Yosemite.

Thanks,

Jim

J_Correa

Hwy 140 is closed between Mariposa and El Portal - the road is clear between El Portal and the valley. So, coming from Bakersfield, enter the park from the south (Hwy 41) and then when you get to the valley, take Hwy 140 west to El Portal where the Yosemite View Lodge is located.

If Tioga Pass is open, then you can come up Hwy 395 to 120 west, then take 120 over Tioga pass, come into Yosemite Valley and take Hwy 140 to El Portal.

Suzie

Just be aware that due to the lack of access to the Arch Rock Entrance via 140 (except if you are east of the slide) the south entrance has experienced large traffic backups. Assuming you arrive later in the day from your drive from Bakersfield you may not have that experience. Apparently it's like up to 1 mile long. eeeek!

Barbara

I suppose the plus is that, once you get to El Portal, it's going to be pretty easy to get into the Park each day!

Any idea what the YARTS bus is doing now?

sunbum1944

I stayed in El Portel over Mothers day weekend - there was usually only a car or two ahead of each day as we entered the park - things may have picked up since then though. It appeared the YARTS bus was running as we saw people getting on at Yosemite View Lodge .

Barbara

Here's a link to a picture of the slide and the latest info.

http://inciweb.org/incident/236/