Yosemite National Park: Our smoke-free vacation
My family and I have just returned from four days in Yosemite National Park, where our stay was largely smoke-free. We arrived on Tuesday, July 29, 2008, three days after the large Telegraph Fire, west of the park, began, uprooting Mariposa County residents and burning over 34,000 acres.
In Groveland, 23 miles from Yosemite’s Big Oak Flat entrance, everyone we talked to said the whole park was smoky. We heard you couldn’t even see Half Dome from Yosemite Valley. From all the talk, we expected to wade through a thick haze on Tioga Road, but it was clear. At White Wolf Campground, where we had planned to stay, we were surprised to see blue, not brown, skies above.
A camp-store staff person reported that a change in wind direction had cleared up the smoke that had shrouded the campground over the weekend. And, though it was now clear, he warned that the tide could again turn.
We decided to chance it, sticking with our plan to stay at White Wolf, where we ended up for three nights, sticking to trailheads on and just off of Tioga Road for day hikes. We thought we’d avoid the usually tourist-rife Yosemite Valley because a cloud of smoke hovered over it. But on Thursday, our last full day in the park, we looked yonder toward the valley, and the skies looked promising. We headed down, hiked a couple of the waterfall trails and, again, stayed smoke-free. Half Dome and the magnificent rest were in perfect view.
On our way out of the park on Friday morning, we stopped at the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees, where we ooohed and ahhhed at woody giants whose tall crowns soared high toward the visibly blue skies.
As of today, according to the fire information line, the blaze is 80% contained. If you are planning to head to Yosemite soon, you shouldn’t have much to worry about with this fire. But be sure to check Yosemite’s fire activity page for updates.
— Susan Derby, Special to the Los Angeles Times
[Photo: View of Half Dome from the Lower Yosemite Falls trail by Susan Derby]
3 Comments on “Yosemite National Park: Our smoke-free vacation”
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August 3rd, 2008 at 1:43 pm
Great story, good to be getting the word out that our air is clear and skies blue. Thanks for taking the time!
Lynn, Hotel Charlotte in Groveland.
August 3rd, 2008 at 3:55 pm
I am thanking the Lord and the Firefighters for getting the fire contained before crossing The Park Line!!! Thank you for the letter on Your Smoke Free Vacation. Lived in Mono Co. from ‘78 - 00 and will always carry that E. Sierra Spirit! Been stuck in Anchorage 8yrs now and sure loved reliving what I used to do for fun back there. Worked in Yosemite summer of ‘78. Been telling so many people about the Moonbows and it’s amazing how most people didn’t even know they exist and alot of them were from CA! They don’t even know that Mono Lake is one of “2″ lakes like it in the whole dang world!! What the heck are they teaching kids on State Geography down there? hmmm Thanks again for the great info. Now I’m off to look for more info to make sure the fire is still being contained….God certainly Blessed Yosemite National Park! It is one of the 7th wonders of the world, right? ;o)
Kaye Witherspoon
PS Man, I sure do miss that place. Haven’t swam since June Lake, ahhhh, cuz there just isn’t a clear lake up here without glacial silt to the max and lovely, blood sucking, leeches! oh boy!
August 5th, 2008 at 3:00 pm
Hey, any update on the park? I actually don’t arrive till the 18th, but trying to keep track of what’s going on.