Yosemite Reservations

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YOSEMITE’S BADGER PASS SKI AREA OPENS FOR 2007-2008 WINTER SEASON
Press Release
20 December 2007
California’s first ski resort, Yosemite’s Badger Pass Ski Area, opened today for downhill skiing, snowboarding and cross-country skiing. The snow that arrived over the past 48 hours has given Yosemite skiers a new two to three-foot base for family enjoyment in the crown jewel of the national park system.
“The snow dances we’ve been doing the past week have finally paid off,” said Colin Baldock, Manager of Guest Recreation for DNC Parks & Resorts at Yosemite, Badger Pass’ official concessionaire. “Wax up your skis and snowboards and lay the first tracks in the fresh powder. All of the slopes are groomed, the chair lifts and a handle tow are operational, allowing easy access to more than 85 acres of ski-able terrain.”
Whether guests visit Yosemite for one day or multiple days, new this year to the Badger Pass Ski Area are the following discounted winter packages:
Badger FUN Pass
One-day winter adventures in Yosemite may be enjoyed with the new Badger FUN Pass which is valid Monday through Friday beginning January 7, 2008. For one low price of $59 for adults and $39 for children ages 12 and under, guests receive a lift ticket, equipment rental for the activities of their choice, a ski or boarding lesson and one tubing session (a $93 value). Skiers can order online at http://www.badgerpass.com/ and save and additional $10 on each pass.
Stay ‘N Play Package

Guests looking for a multi-day winter retreat may enjoy all of Yosemite’s great winter activities with the Stay ‘N Play Package. Stay at any of the Park’s lodging venues this winter and add a Winter All-Access Pass for just $29 for adults and $19 for kids. The Winter All-Access Pass is valid during midweek stays and includes a daily lift ticket, a one-day equipment rental, one group lesson, one tubing session, one ice-skating session and one valley floor tour (a $123 value). Guests staying four or more consecutive nights any day of the week (including weekends) will receive up to four Winter All-Access Passes for free.
Annual Park Pass Upgrades
For guests planning on visiting more than once this year, we are offering a free upgrade from the weekly park pass to an annual Yosemite park pass (a $20 value). There are two ways to qualify for this upgrade. Guests making new reservations for stays between now and February 29 for two nights or more can ask for this free upgrade. Additionally, guests visiting Yosemite’s Badger Pass Ski Area can get this free upgrade when they spend $60 or more on activities and rentals.
The Early Bird Season Passes will be available for purchase at Badger Pass through the conclusion of skiing on December 21. Adults are $199, youths (13 to 17) and seniors (65+) are $169, and children (7-12) are $100. Children 6 and under ski free with a paying adult. Prices on December 22 will be $376 for adults, $376 for youths and $118 for children.
All-day lift tickets are $38 for adults, $32 for youths, and $15 per child. Half-day lift tickets are $28 for adults, $22 for youths, and $11 per child. Youngsters 6 years of age and under ski free with a paying adult, and seniors age 65 and older ski free midweek (Monday through Friday, non-holiday).
Food service begins at Badger Pass at 8:00am daily, with ticket sales for downhill skiing beginning at 8:30 for use until 4:00pm each day. Rentals and the world famous Badger Pass Ski School open at 8:30am, with the Sport Shop opening its doors at 9:00am.
The Cross-Country Ski Center is also open at 8:30am for those interested in taking advantage of 90 miles of marked cross-country ski trails in Yosemite’s pristine backcountry. Snowshoe rentals, cross-country ski lessons and the soon-to-open snow tubing area are also offered at the Cross-Country Ski Center. Two-hour snow tubing sessions will take place three times a day once its hill is groomed and will offer a fun and inexpensive alternative for non-skiers.
Founded in 1935, Yosemite’s Badger Pass Ski Area enjoys the distinction of being California’s first ski resort. Badger Pass is the gateway to some of the most beautiful vistas in the High Sierra, offering five convenient lifts and spacious groomed runs for downhill skiers and snowboarders, in addition to snowshoeing, snow tubing and cross-country ski trails.
The Yosemite Ski School was established in 1928 and has trained generations of first-time skiers, snowboarders and telemarkers. Private and group lessons are available daily, with specialized instruction for kids (four to six years old) participating in the Badger Pups program. Babysitting is also available for potty-trained children ages three to nine.

ARTISANS AT THE AHWAHNEE” SERIES BEGINS IN YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK
Press Release
13 December 2007
A new series showcasing a variety of artistic mediums begins this weekend at The Ahwahnee, Yosemite Valley’s grand, historic national landmark hotel. Designed to share the wealth of regional artistic talent with park guests, “Artisans at The Ahwahnee” commences on Friday, December 14 with its inaugural display of cedar Santa sculptures by Calvin and Loretta Lyster. The artists’ works will be on display and available for purchase from 1pm to 6pm, concluding the same hours on Saturday, December 15.

The Lysters originally began crafting “Old World Father Christmas” wood sculptures as gifts for friends and family back in 1991. The cedar wood is collected from their property in Cedar Valley, California, lovingly hand carved into a one-of-a-kind sculpture and carefully hand-painted to give each its own unique personality. Each Christmas season, Calvin and Loretta create a limited number of sculptures available to the public. The sculptures have been welcomed into families’ homes as cherished heirlooms, and have found their way into Santa collections world wide.
Calvin’s wood sculptures have been shown in Carmel, California, the Enthios Gallery in New Mexico, “Back Street Gallery” in Lone Pine, Timberline Gallery in Oakhurst, as well as the Ansel Adams Gallery and The Ahwahnee in Yosemite National Park. He also participated in the “Affaire in the Park” in Beverly Hills for five years and has several pieces represented in the collection of renowned fine wood art collector, Dr. Irving Lipton.
The Lysters have lived in the Yosemite area since 1971. They settled in Cedar Valley and established a pottery shop at the Yosemite Mountain Sugar Pine Railroad, which was in operation until 1990. Their two children were born at the Lewis Memorial Hospital, now the Yosemite Medical Clinic, located in the heart of Yosemite Valley.

YOSEMITE: HISTORY IN OUR BACKYARD
Ramona Frances 9 July 2007 Madera Tribune
The idea behind creating a national park was spawned in Madera County’s backyard, or very nearly so. The home of many “firsts,” Yosemite is also where, in 1916, the National Park Service was born.
“It’s also a place where the first nonprofit organization (Yosemite Association) was formed to support a national park,” said Laurel Rematore, director of membership with the Yosemite Association.
Rematore said the National Park Service, which became the caretakers of Yosemite, was so new in the early 1920s, another nonprofit called Yosemite Museum Association was created to accept a $75,000 grant from the Laura Spelman Rockerfeller Memorial to build a museum at the park. The museum exists today and houses one of the largest collections in the national park system.
Early in the park’s history, the “National Park Service didn’t know how to accept a donation,” Rematore said. “It had never been done before. I assume they did it because it made more sense than the foundation making a donation to the government.”
A museum existing inside a national park was also a new idea.
Out of that idea, a museum was built, providing a place where visitors could learn about history, flora and fauna to better connect with the natural world.

Rematore also has a personal history connected to the park.
Her involvement with Yosemite began as a youth, and later she volunteered for the Yosemite Association which led to her new role as director of member development. Exposure to Yosemite as a youth made “all the difference to me,” she said.
Rematore tells a story of her favorite teacher, Fred Fisher, who worked as a summer ranger in Yosemite. He also taught biology. She credits Fisher for spurring her passion for Yosemite. By the late 1990s, Rematore said she knew she wanted to do more with her life.
After becoming an engineer in the aerospace industry, she decided to make a change.
“I decided I wanted to do something different for my career so what better way than to follow my heart,” she said.
She began volunteering for the association and promoting stewardship of the park. “It is really important to get the next generation involved to carry on the tradition,” she said.
Established in 1923, the Yosemite Association was the nation’s first cooperating association in our national parks and serves as a benchmark for similar organizations nationwide. In collaboration with the National Park Service and authorized by Congress, the Yosemite Association supports interpretive, educational, research, scientific and environmental programs in Yosemite National Park through publishing, retail sales, seminars, visitor services, volunteer programs and other outreach. Each year the Yosemite Association Outdoor Adventures courses offer a wide variety of in-depth classes and outdoor experiences from Yosemite’s natural and human history to backpacking, photography and writing.
The association has donated more than $4 million in programs, services and direct financial support to Yosemite. Recent contributions include: Protecting Yosemite’s bears through the purchase of bearproof food canisters rented to backpackers, providing more than 10,000 hours of volunteer labor for visitor information services and habitat restoration and operating the wilderness information center and wilderness permit reservation system.