Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon Under Winter Weather Advisory

Above, one of the lakes along Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Two winter storm (even though we're technically still in autumn) systems have loaded the Sierra Nevada mountains with snow, which should bring a smile to Southern California since that's where they get their drinking water.

Already, Glacier Point Road and Tioga Road in Yosemite National Park have been closed for the season.

The Visalia Times Delta wrote:

A week into December, several nearby areas for winter recreation have already gotten more than their fair share of snow, and like the song "Let it Snow" poetically states, "it doesn't show signs of stoppin'." 

Yosemite, Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks are under a winter weather advisory from 10 p.m. Friday to 7 p.m Sunday, according to the National Weather Service.
Between 1 and 3 feet of snow is expected above 7,000 feet, and about 1 foot is expected above 6,000 feet.  

It's the second big storm to sweep the Sierra Nevada so far this season. Here's a look at how winter weather has hit the parks and other popular snow play places this year.

This latest storm system is expected to hit New Mexico tonight and tomorrow.

To read more, go here. 

Closed Campgrounds and Hazards At Sequoia and Kings Canyon

Above, Dorst Creek Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Visitors to Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks will feel the squeeze this summer as some of their campgrounds remain closed.

Bakersfield.com reported:

Sequoia and Kings Canyon parks are starting the summer season with one-third fewer campsites and very dangerous river conditions, the National Parks Service announced Thursday. 

Work on the campgrounds is ongoing, but the amount of trees killed by drought, insect activity and a heavy winter have created more hazards than expected, NPS said in a press release. 

Sequoia National Park campgrounds in Foothills are open, but Dorst Creek and Cold Springs are closed. 

The closed campgrounds in Kings Canyon National Park are Sunset and Moraine.

To read more, go here. 

Sequoia and Kings Canyon Digital Park Passes

Above, the General Grant tree at Sequoia National Park. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

In these days of Internet and cellular technology, new means of ordering tickets, passes and other goods and services are making life easier.

The latest is purchasing national park digital visitor passes.

Yahoo! Finance reported:

OLATHE, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- 

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks have partnered with digital government services provider NIC Inc. (EGOV) to offer digital park passes to visitors through “YourPassNow.” YourPassNow provides an option where visitors can now purchase their park entrance pass online. 

Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, which lie side-by-side in the southern Sierra Nevada in Central California, serve as a prime example of nature’s size, beauty, and diversity. Over 1.8 million visitors from across the U.S. and the world visit these parks for the world’s largest trees (by volume), grand mountains, rugged foothills, deep canyons, vast caverns, the highest point in the lower 48 states, and more. Sequoia and Kings Canyon join several other National Parks to launch YourPassNow, a digital solution that provides an alternative to the traditional paper-based purchase method. 

Visitors can now use their personal computer or mobile device to purchase an entrance pass online, at no additional cost. Once purchased, the pass can be used immediately, stored on a mobile device or printed for later use.

To read more, go here.