Yosemite Reservations

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WINTER COATS YOSEMITE VISTAS WITH SNOW, ICE
The Columbus Dispatch
23 December 2007
Many people make Yosemite National Park, with its sheer granite cliffs, thundering waterfalls and endless forests, their summer destination. But the park, which encompasses almost 1,200 square miles in the Sierra Nevada, can be just as breathtaking in winter.
“A lot of people don’t understand how spectacular Yosemite can be in the winter,” said Kenny Karst, public relations manager for Delaware North Companies Parks & Resorts at Yosemite Inc., the park’s primary concessionaire.
For those planning a winter trip to the park, there are several things to remember, said Dick Ewart, a Yosemite National Park ranger since 1975.
“You need to be prepared,” he said.
This includes carrying chains (practice putting them on before your trip), flares, jumper cables, a shovel, a windshield ice scraper and extra food and water in your vehicle. Bring a warm coat, gloves and shoes that will withstand winter.
Here are seven ways to enjoy Yosemite in winter.
Lower Yosemite Falls walk

Open year-round, this 1-mile paved loop trail is wheelchair-accessible and stroller-friendly. Park your car in the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls lot in Yosemite Valley. Start your walk at the Yosemite Falls trail head, across from the lodge at the entrance to Camp 4. You will meander among Ponderosa pines, incense cedars, California black oaks and canyon live oaks, gaining about 50 feet in elevation as you make your way to the base of Lower Yosemite Falls. Depending on temperature and precipitation, you might see ice buildup on the falls; the best time for this is early in the day.
“The sun starts to melt it,” Ewart said, “and you can hear the ice melting and cracking and falling off.”
Bridalveil Falls stroll
Leave your car in the Bridalveil Falls parking lot in Yosemite Valley and go to the trail head at the lot’s southeastern corner. This is a 1-mile out-and-back walk on a paved trail among oaks, incense cedars and Ponderosa pines. You’ll climb less than 50 feet — with 20 to 30 feet of that at the end of the “out” portion. Depending on temperature and precipitation, there can be ice buildup on the falls; as the temperature rises, the ice breaks off. The trail is open all year.
“You can walk up pretty close to the waterfall,” Ewart said. “You’re on the shady side of the canyon, so the ice stays frozen a little longer.”
Curry Village skating
Since 1928, visitors have ice-skated in the shadow of Glacier Point and Half Dome at this outdoor Yosemite Valley rink.
Weather permitting, the rink is open seven days a week from mid-November to mid-March. Sessions last 2 1/2 hours and cost $8, $6 for ages 5 to 12, free for kids 5 and younger. Skate rental costs $3. Season passes are available.
There is a warming tent and outdoor fire pit. Concessions include hot chocolate, apple cider, coffee and s’more- making kits. A Zamboni grooms the ice.
Mirror Lake hike
When embarking on this 3-mile out-and-back winter walk, leave your car in the Yosemite Valley Stables parking lot (the stables are closed in winter). You will walk along a paved road that is mostly flat; there is about a 200-foot incline at the end of the “out” portion.
Depending on temperature and water level, some or all of the lake might be frozen, said park spokesman Scott Gediman. There also are spectacular views of Half Dome and Mount Watkins.
Badger Pass snowshoeing
Ranger-led snowshoe excursions are an enjoyable, educational way to spend a few hours at the Badger Pass Ski Area, which is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from mid-December to April 1. Badger Pass is on Glacier Point Road, 5 miles from where it intersects Calif. 41. Glacier Point Road is 17 miles from the park’s south entrance at Calif. 41. Ranger-led trips, which last two to 2 1/2 hours, cost $5 and leave at 10:30 a.m. daily. They are open to ages 10 and older.
“It’s just a smooth landscape. Everything’s soft and white. You’re walking among white snow and green trees,” said Ewart, who leads excursions. “We look for animal tracks and talk about the plants and animals. It’s a fun, beautiful hike.”
Visitors can venture out on their own by renting snowshoes from the Badger Pass Cross-Country Ski School. These cost $19.50 (all day) or $16.50 (half day). Downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding and snow tubing are other activities offered at Badger Pass.
Crane Flat sledding
Located on Big Oak Flat Road (10 miles from the Big Oak Flat entrance to the park at Calif. 120), the area is closed to campers and used as a sled run seven days a week from about mid-December to late March. Plows keep the road and parking area clear of snow. Visitors bring their own sleds. Some folks pack picnics.
“There generally are three or four runs. You make your own,” said Gediman, who also is a ranger.
The campground sits on a hill at a little more than 6,000 feet elevation. In winter, snowbanks and forests of Ponderosa pines and incense cedars make it a wonderland.
Columbia Rock hike
Leave your car in the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls parking lot in Yosemite Valley, and start this 2-mile out-and-back hike at the Yosemite Falls trail head, across from the lodge at the entry to Camp 4. Follow the trail one-third of the way to Upper Yosemite Falls, climbing 1,000 feet among Ponderosa pines, incense cedars, California black oaks and canyon live oaks. When you reach the railing overlooking the valley, you’re at the Columbia Rock viewpoint.
“It’s on the sunny side of the valley,” Ewart said, “and you’re looking at Half Dome and Glacier Point.”
If you go
Yosemite in winter
The national park in California is a popular one in summer, but it offers much in winter, too. Just be prepared. Already, some roads in the park have closed for winter.
The National Park Service has a fleet of snowplows operating 24 hours a day; road and weather conditions can be checked by calling 209-372-0200. Trail conditions can be checked by calling the Valley Visitor Center at 209-372-0299 or stopping by the center, located in Yosemite Village.
For more information, visit yosemitepark.com.