BASS LAKE – Centered around breathtaking vistas on the Bass Lake Ranger District, the 5th Annual Yosemite Half Marathon race will take place on Friday and Saturday May 10-11, produced by Vacation Races. New this year is a free shuttle around the Oakhurst area on Saturday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., sponsored by Visit Yosemite | Madera County, so it’s easy for visitors to get around town for shopping, dining, socializing and celebrating. There’s also a big party to mark the anniversary of one of the area’s favorite businesses. See flyers at the end of the article for more information, as well as an FAQ regarding the race.
Residents of and visitors to the Bass Lake area on Saturday, May 11, will want to be aware of all the excitement as well as know about activities that may disrupt travel during the morning hours. The planned course will take runners on fire roads through the Sierra National Forest just north of Bass Lake, then down Beasore Road and around part of Bass Lake, ending at Recreation Point.
Starting with a race expo on Friday, May 10 at Recreation Point, runners and spectators from 50 states and 16 countries will begin arriving around the lake area. According to organizers, about 43 percent of them have never been to Yosemite before.
The race will take place on Saturday from 6 to 11:30 a.m. and, during these hours, thousands of runners will start on 6S40 off Sky Ranch Road, come down Beasore Road and cross onto Road 274 from Beasore Road to The Pines Resort. The road will be closed for the runners’ safety. If needed, please use the detour around to North Fork in order to get to Oakhurst.
North Shore Road (Road 432) will be open but will have heavy runner traffic from The Pines Resort to Recreation Point Campground. Traffic will continue to operate, but drivers should expect delays. If at all possible, plan to avoid traveling in these areas during these hours. The event coordinators would like to express their apology in advance for any inconvenience this may cause residents.
“This is our fifth year holding this race. We wouldn’t be able to create such a wonderful experience for our runners without the support and cooperation of the Bass Lake and Oakhurst communities,” says race director Dehn Craig. “We really appreciate being allowed to hold this event and help our runners discover, or re-discover, the beauty of the Sierra National Forest and Yosemite! We hold these races all across the country and the communities of Oakhurst and Bass Lake are the best to work with!”
The event has over 3,000 running participants and will bring around 6,000 people to the Bass Lake area.
Vacation Races operates this activity under a U.S. Forest Service special use permit with the Sierra National Forest. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact event director Dehn Craig at (775) 544-1139 or email dehn@vacationraces.com.
Producing beautiful half-marathons against the backdrop of our country’s majestic national parks, Vacation Races is motivated by their vision of promoting health, natural beauty, well-being and creating memories.
Photos courtesy Lucid Images Photography
After the half marathon, stop by South Gate Brewing Company and help celebrate their 6th anniversary with a lot party featuring entertainment by Reverend Tall Tree and Kat the Musician from 1:30 p.m. to sundown.
The event includes an outdoor barbecue, craft beer and wine, and a portion of the day’s proceeds will be donated to benefit Wasuma Elementary School’s music programs. South Gate Brewing Co. is located on Enterprise Drive off Highway 49 in Oakhurst.
FAQ:
WHERE IS THE RACE EXPO?
The race expo will be held at Recreation Point Campground in Bass Lake.
WHAT TIME IS THE EXPO?
The race expo will be from noon to 6 p.m.. Runners can pick up their bib until 7 p.m.
WHERE IS THE START LINE AND FINISH LINE FOR THE HALF?
The start line is off of Sky Ranch Rd near Gray Mountain Campground. There is NO PARKING at the start line OR runner drop off. All runners will take a shuttle to the start before the race. The finish line is the same place as the expo – Recreation Point Campground.
WHERE DO I PARK AND WHAT TIME DOES THE SHUTTLE LEAVE?
There will be TWO STARTING HEATS and the parking/shuttle details depend on which heat runners are in.
WHAT TIME DOES THE RACE START?
Heat 1 starts at 6 a.m. sharp. // Heat 2 starts at 7:30 a.m. sharp.
WHAT SHOULD SPECTATORS DO?
Spectators are not allowed at the start and the course is not spectator friendly. We do however encourage all spectators to cheer on their runner at the finish line! There is limited day use parking around Rec Point. *Rec Point itself will be closed to vehicle traffic – no parking.* Those spots will likely fill up fast. Spectators can park at Tommy Tuso’s lot (corner of Rd 222 & Rd 274 – 40679 Road 222, Bass Lake) and WALK to the finish line or they can park at the shuttle locations in Oakhurst and be SHUTTLED to and from the finish line.
WHERE SHOULD WE EAT? WHAT SHOULD WE DO?
Runners were given a race guide that has suggested restaurants and activities in it. If they do not have it they can find it online at yosemitehalfmarathon.com – runners should check with NPS to check on current trail conditions and closures. They can find out more about the park and the surrounding community at Visit Yosemite | Madera County.
