CENTRAL SIERRA — Heavy precipitation is expected near northern California over the next few days with significant snowfall in the Sierra Nevada into Friday morning, says the National Weather Service, as a wet, active pattern is expected to continue through the weekend for the West. Heavy rainfall across California A frontal boundary approaching the West Coast is currently bringing heavy ...

MARIPOSA — With the recent change in weather conditions, fire officials with the Sierra National Forest are declaring the Ferguson Fire out, terminating Forest Order No. 05-15-51-18-15, dated August 15, 2018. Visitors are once again permitted to travel in the Sierra National Forest where the Ferguson Fire burned. The Ferguson Fire started on the evening of July 13, 2018 near ...

MARIPOSA – Caltrans is pre-emptively closing State Route 140 in Mariposa County in the area of the Ferguson Fire burn scar, for approximately 17 miles from Bear Creek (south of Briceburg) to Foresta Road (on the west side of El Portal). The closure begins overnight at 2 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 29, and will end depending on the impact of ...

YOSEMITE — With several storm systems having moved through Yosemite National Park over the past two weeks, officials announced today that Tioga and Glacier Point Roads in the Park are closed for the winter season. The Tioga Road is a seasonal road that closes each season, based on weather and road conditions. The road is closed from Crane Flat junction to ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — Winter weather is on its way again this week, with a potential for flash flooding in the lower country and heavy snow in the higher elevations. The National Weather Service in Hanford has issued a Flash Flood Watch for towns including Ahwahnee, Coarsegold, Mariposa, North Fork, Oakhurst, and O’Neals. The Flood Watch is in effect from Wednesday ...

YOSEMITE – Yosemite National Park has announced the release of the Big Oak Flat Welcome Center Complex Environmental Assessment (EA). The public comment period for the EA is open until Dec. 20. The EA describes and analyzes one action alternative to improve visitor experience, address deferred maintenance, improve safety, and increase operational efficiency at the Big Oak Flat Welcome Center ...

“Ramble to the summit of Mount Hoffmann, eleven thousand feet high, the highest point in life’s journey my feet have yet touched.” (John Muir: My First Summer in the Sierra, 1911, p. 199.) We rambled in John Muir’s footsteps but didn’t make it to the top. We did explore around beautiful May Lake, up along the mountain, and even spotted ...

MOUNTAIN AREA — The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the Sierra Nevada above 7,000-feet, from Yosemite National Park to Kings Canyon and the Tulare County Mountains. The Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 4 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 21 through 8 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 22. Heavy snow is possible with total snow accumulations of ...

With so many special events and activities taking place over the next several weeks, we thought it would be helpful to compile a timely list of all the entertainment-related and community-oriented holiday happenings in the mountain area between now and December 25. If we missed anything, let us know and we’ll gladly add it to the Big Local List of ...

YOSEMITE —  As Yosemite National Park officials work to protect bears by reducing the number of incidents between bears and humans, bear activity in Yosemite National Park continues to decrease. Compared to this same week in 2017, the lowest year on record, bear incidents in 2018 are down by 43 percent and damage amounts in dollars are down by 64 ...