YOSEMITE – Those traveling to Yosemite through the south gate should be prepared for delays. Beginning Monday, Apr. 1, park forestry crews will be felling hazard trees along Highway 41, working from the Valley floor, south toward Wawona. Traffic control will be in place from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Guest Commentary Submitted by Wendy Brown – Merced River Plan’s Legal History – On June 30, 1864 the United States granted the Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Big Tree Grove to the state of California, “to be held, for public use, resort, and recreation, inalienable for all time.” This act signed by President Abraham Lincoln was the first federal authorization ...

YOSEMITE – Curry Village is open for the season as of Friday, Mar. 22. The Pavilion is now open daily for breakfast and dinner, along with the Curry Village Pizza Deck and Bar and the Curry Village Coffee Corner. Curry Village is at shuttle stops #13b, 14 and 20.

Guest Commentary by Max Stauffer – The Merced River Plan has many elements that will drastically affect the way in which visitors will be able to access and enjoy traditional recreational activities. The National Park Service has presented its “preferred alternative” which calls for removing the swimming pools at Yosemite Lodge and the Ahwahnee Hotel, removing bicycle rentals, day horse- ...

YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park (YNP) Fire Managers are planning the first prescribed burn of the 2013 fire season in the southern portion of the park near the community of Wawona. The 150 acre burn is scheduled to start on Thursday, Apr. 4, with the date subject to change depending on weather conditions, and is estimated to take approximately two ...

YOSEMITE – On Feb. 26, Yosemite National Park released the Restoration of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias Draft Environmental Impact Statement (Mariposa Grove DEIS) for public review and comment. The public comment period for the Mariposa Grove DEIS is open through Tuesday, May 7, 2013. The document is available for public review on the park’s website.

YOSEMITE – The names belie their expertise: Goose, Deuce and Moose. They come from a highly select group of more than a dozen working dogs including Labrador and Golden Retrievers, German Shepherds, an Australian Cattle dog, and one lone Bloodhound. They respond to names like Penny, Chipper, Rondo and Otis. Each has a special power, like scent-specific trailing, water recovery, ...

OAKHURST – There was a packed house Thursday night, Mar. 14, at the Oakhurst Senior Center as people came out to learn and ask questions about changes coming to Yosemite National Park. With the designation of the Tuolomne and Merced rivers as Wild and Scenic in 1984 and 1987 respectively, the National Park Service (NPS) has been working to identify ...

YOSEMITE – National Park Service educational partner NatureBridge has opened registration for the Summer Field Research Course at its Yosemite campus, offering a two-week backcountry expedition designed for teenage students. The immersive program will give young participants the chance to conduct field science investigations for the “ultimate teen summer science adventure,” according to organizers.

YOSEMITE – The Yosemite Conservancy unveiled an exciting line-up of Outdoor Adventures for 2013 that give visitors a rare opportunity to experience Yosemite National Park’s glorious backcountry, wilderness, geology, art and culture in small groups led by renowned experts. “Professional photographers, artists, naturalists and historians lead our Outdoor Adventures to provide visitors of all ages and wilderness experience levels with ...