AUTUMN AND EARLY WINTER IN YOSEMITE

Updated October 27, 2005                                                                                                                                                       

Plan for cool and changeable weather from now until mid-December.  Storms in the Pacific may bring snow to the park on and off for the next 2 weeks.  Always carry chains this time of year and be prepared for icy roads.  A freak snow storm already hit the higher elevations of the park in mid-October (although it melted off quickly), and another one descended on the Sierras October 26th and 27th leaving the high country under a coating of the white stuff.  I recommend that you no longer venture into the high country or do any day hiking off of Tioga Road unless you are an experienced back country adventurer and you are prepared for an emergency bivouac.  

The text below is from November 2004, but it is applicable for mid to late Autumn every year.

Several groups of hikers have already had to be rescued in various parts of the Sierras as a result of poor planning and venturing too far into the wilderness in advance of the most recent snow storms.  If you do go backpacking this time of year, I recommend that you camp no more than 7000 feet high in elevation and that you bring extra food, clothing and a space blanket, even if you are a very experienced  winter mountaineer.  Remember, in deep snow a hiker can expect to travel as little as 1 to 2 miles per day at the most.  Don't become a statistic, come back to enjoy the park another day.     

Watch out for road closures, especially Tioga Road and Glacier Point Road which are closed until Spring 2005.  Recent snowstorms have descended on the park with winter like weather during October and November.  Bring layers to wear and lots of water before you hit the trail.  Tuolomne Meadows is getting buried in snow and will not be open to vehicle traffic until 2005.  This is a great time of year to take a walk around Mirror Lake and do the hike to Snow Creek Falls, weather permitting.  Anticipate seeing just the remnants of fall foliage.  Mt. Dana is a great place to go skiing if you are an experienced mountaineer and back country skier.  Temperatures are fluctuating wildly within the park and at higher elevations it gets cold quickly in the afternoon and evening.  Bring a hat and gloves with you wherever you go in the park.

The park is very empty this time of year except for weekend crowds in the valley.  I recommend that you visit the redwoods in Mariposa Grove or Tuolomne Grove this time of year.  With the aspen trees changing color, the hikes and drives to and from these areas will be especially visually appealing.  Be prepared for cool temperatures, dress in layers and enjoy the scenery without the crowds.

My favorite day hike during October and November is to go up to Columbia Rock in the late afternoon.  If you bring a flashlight and wear sturdy hiking boots, the walk down after sunset is a little less frightening.  Otherwise, plan to descend before it gets dark, otherwise the lack of visibility can make it treacherous.  In the late afternoon, the sun is at a low angle and the colors in the sky and off of Cathedral Spires and Half Dome, along with the changing foliage 900 feet below you on the valley floor make for a wonderful contrast.  Bring a camera and some water as there is usually no water this time of year on this steep one mile hike to a spectacular vantage point.

The link for Tioga Pass Area will take you to several photos of the High Country in Autumn.

Click Here For More Autumn Pictures and Trip Planning Tips

For general Autumn Trip Planning Tips click here.

You can no longer park overnight along Glacier Point Road or Tioga Road.  We've been trying for years to get the park service to allow limited parking for wilderness travelers until the first snow is imminent.  Some years it doesn't snow until December or even January, and several months of access for backpackers in the Tioga Road area are lost.  This year the first snow did not arrive until November 9th, thereby depriving visitors of access to the high country for over 3 weeks of gorgeous autumn weather.

If you would like to be able to park your car overnight along Tioga Road after October 15th please copy and paste the text below, print it and mail to:

Superintendent  PO Box 577  Yosemite National Park, CA 95389

Dear Superintendent,

I respectfully request that overnight parking be allowed along Tioga Road until the first snow storm of the season is approaching, rather than arbitrarily eliminating overnight parking after October 15th.  There are three areas that are very suitable for parking during the late season and I have listed them below:

1. Sunrise Lakes Trailhead parking lot near the west end of Tenaya Lake.

2.  The parking lot by the Tuolomne Meadows Store.

3.  The parking lot at the Mono Pass Trailhead.  

All 3 of these areas are off the main road so in the event of a snowstorm the plows will easily be able to clear the roads, driveways and parking lots, then trapped cars can promptly exit the park when the owners return.  These 3 areas provide access to most of the high country and together have adequate parking for late season backpackers.  After the first snow, Tioga Road needs to close for safety purposes anyway, so once the people return to their cars and exit the park, the road would close and not reopen until the following Spring as is the norm.  

There is no reason to deny backpackers access to the high country when the weather in California is so incredibly beautiful in the fall prior to the arrival of the first snows.  Please change the existing policy so that  backpackers and hikers will have access to one of the most spectacular sections of the park during the autumn months. 

Very truly yours,

Please write to the Superintendent and let's change this ancient policy.

______________________________________________________________

Autumn Weather and General Park Conditions

This is a very quiet time in the park.  Most of the visitors have left, the Aspens and other deciduous trees are starting to change color and drop their leaves, and the nights in the park become very cool and crisp.  Few people camp in the high country this time of year.  It's a great time to find solitude, but you must be prepared for early season snow storms and possibly frigid night time temperatures.  

The waterfalls have dwindled and in most cases disappeared.  Do not come to the park expecting to find raging torrents of water, you will be severely disappointed.  Instead, look forward to a peaceful time where the sunlight is lower in the sky and the colors of the mountains and valley walls take on a special glow.

If you plan to go hiking in the autumn, make sure you take plenty of water with you.  Most streams have dried up or are exceedingly low.  The trails can be dry and dusty after minimal rainfall during the summer months.  Take lots of water with you when going on a day hike, you won't find sources readily available anywhere in the park this time of year.

Below are archives from previous autumn weather and trip reports.

Autumn 2001 Report - October 31, 2001

A recent rain storm system has diminished the colors a bit, and the cold weather will make the life cycle progress quickly during the next few weeks.  Expect daytime temperatures in the 50's and 60's, dropping at night to the 30's (lower if you go above 6000 feet elevation).

Prior to the rain on October 30th, the weather had been pleasant throughout the park.  During the week the valley has not been crowded, so it's an excellent place to make base camp this time of year.  

As long as the shuttle bus to Glacier Point continues to run, it's a great day trip to hike Panorama Trail.     Take the early morning bus (around 8 or 8:30 a.m, be sure to call and check the time) starting at Yosemite Lodge.  The fare one way is $15.  Bring lots of water and snacks and hike Panorama Trail all the way back down to the valley starting from Glacier Point.  It's about 9 miles, all except 1.5 are flat or downhill.  The vistas along this trail are staggering even without the raging waterfalls.

Changeable weather and early snow may close Tioga Road, so call the park ahead of time to make sure the road is open and passable.  You can't park along Tioga after October 15th, so if you want to start a backpacking trip from the high country you'll need a car shuttle.  Make sure your destination is one of the many lakes as they are the only reliable source of water at this time of year.  Watch out for sudden snow storms and bring lots of warm clothing, you'll need it with the early sunsets now that we've turned back the clock an hour.

The waterfalls throughout the park are non-existent, and water sources everywhere are low or dried up, so plan to bring lots of H2O with you when hiking.  Only those hikes along the Merced River can be counted on to provide a consistent supply of drinking water (which should always be treated prior to consumption).  Virtually all of the creeks and streams are completely dry, the lake levels are dropping, and the Merced is only inches deep in many places.  The trails are dry and dusty, but they are also devoid of people.  Only the Mist Trail to Vernal Falls has any traffic, anyplace else you go it's easy to find quiet and solitude.

This is a great time of year to hike up to Little Yosemite Valley and camp out for a few nights.  It's an excellent base camp for the hikes to Half Dome (cables are down, but the intrepid can still make it to the summit), Clouds Rest, Merced Lake and Moraine Dome.  

If you have the stamina and the time to backpack to Merced Lake, you'll find beautiful views, cold clear weather and very few people.  At night the stars have been spectacular, and the firewood is abundant so you can stay out past sunset and enjoy the view.