Yosemite Fire -Contingency Plan
 

I am reading about the fire near Yosemite. I truly hope everyone is safe and no one loses their home.
We are heading to Yosemite next week.
This is our itinerary based on input on this forum.

We are a couple from The Toronto area, huge outdoor lovers.
Aug 1 and 2 Portland and Columbia River Gorge . Staying at the Inn at Northrup Station
3 and 4 Fireside Motel Yachats
5 Requa Inn Klamath, Redwoods. Will have dinner at he Inn
6 Benbow Inn Gaberville
7 and 8 , 9 Yosemite View Lodge
10 Tahoe. Pepper Tree Inn
11 Fly home Reno.

Should we consider dropping Yosemite?
if so I thought in a pinch we could head to Mendocino , and then over to Lake Tahoe. Would there be a scenic route to Lake Tahoe?
Then perhaps we could drive some of the scenic route towards yosemite as a day trip.
I'm just going off the top of my head right at the moment . Any thoughts suggestions?
If we stick to Yosemite , should we create a new strategy to see it? Area to avoid?
Thank You

Consider coming into Yosemite via the south entrance (Rt. 41).
As soon as you come in the entrance turn right to see the Mariposa Grove. I would not waste the time to go to Sequoia/Kings Canyon. The Giant Sequoias in Mariposa Grove are just as big but not as many of them.
Head toward the Valley from Mariposa Grove and just as you exit the tunnel, turn left into the viewpoint. See how much smoke is down there. Recently there was enough smoke that you could not see Half Dome from the viewpoint.
Heading for Tahoe from Yosemite, it might be fun to drive up through the California Gold Country on Rt. 49.

Things are very fluid right now. I'd keep Yosemite for now and decide next week.

But first I'd contact Yosemite View and ask what the situation is . . . they had evacuation orders in place for El Portal.

Thanks for the advice. I called. The hotel is fine the fire is heading away from them and further into Yosemite at the moment. So the hotel is open, but it sounds like things are pretty smoky. There is a 2 hour detour to Tioga Pass.
Not sure whether to make hotel reservations elsewhere just in case or wing it. One concern is that if we are displaced many people will be displaced.
If nothing else I would like to at least do the Tioga Pass drive somehow.. Might be a stupid question but is there a better way to access it?

>>is there a better way to access it?<<

Nope - really only one way to access the road.

I'd keep things as they are for now -- there is another wild fire nearer my area and things were terribly smokey for 2 days - today it is almost crystal clear even though that fire is only about 60% contained. wind direction being the main variable. So a week can make a HUGE difference.

If you have to ditch Yosemite you could easily add a day near Lassen and then more time at Tahoe (which you are cutting short IMO)