New Book By The Yosemite Conservancy

Above, low clouds shroud Yosemite Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When planning trips to any of our national parks, one really doesn't have enough reference material to aid in the planning.

Happily, a new edition of a guidebook on Yosemite National Park by the Yosemite Conservancy is now available.

The Sierra Sun Times reported:

March 27, 2018 - In 2017, US national parks hosted 330 million visitors, 4.3 million in Yosemite alone. Anyone heading to the crown jewel of the national parks system needs to know with where to go, what to do, where to stay and to eat, and all the other details that make a vacation in a popular park more enjoyable. For years now, Yosemite visitors have relied on the advice in The Complete Guidebook to Yosemite National Park, published by Yosemite Conservancy.  

This eighth, revised edition includes all the major and minor recent updates, such as the new concessioner, Yosemite Valley road changes, how to visit the newly restored Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, and Ackerson Meadow, a lovely destination now open to travelers. 

To read more, go here.

Yosemite Nat. Park Gets $12.5 Million From Yosemite Conservancy

Above, Yosemite's Bridalveil Fall. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Yosemite National Park is the recipient of $12.5 million from the Yosemite Conservancy.

The funds will be used for improvements for Yosemite's Bridalveil Fall trail, among other projects.

According to the Sierra Sun Times:

March 26, 2018 - Yosemite National Park - Yosemite Conservancy is providing $12.5 million in support to Yosemite National Park to improve the Bridalveil Fall visitor experience, rebuild a section of the trail around Tenaya Lake and collect data using 3-D aerial mapping to improve resource management parkwide, among 36 projects funded in 2018. 

“We want everyone’s visit to Yosemite to be inspiring, just like the park itself, today and for future generations. Our grants focus on protecting and preserving the park and enhancing the visitor experience,” said Yosemite Conservancy President Frank Dean. 

Projects funded by donors to the Conservancy include trail and habitat restoration, wildlife management and education programs, among others. In 2018 funding will go towards a major project to restore Bridalveil Fall involving improvements to trails, viewpoints and traffic circulation, and habitat protection at the 620-foot waterfall in Yosemite Valley. Another grant will help scientists use data from airborne laser scanning to produce a 3-D map of Yosemite to learn about and help manage forest health, drought impacts and rockfall hazards. Support also will help complete the trail loop around Tenaya Lake, Yosemite’s high country “jewel.”

To read more, go here. 

Yosemite Conservacy Donating $12 Million To Yosemite National Park

Above, a Yosemite Valley meadow. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The Yosemite Conservancy has announced  $12 million donation to Yosemite National Park to fund park projects this year.

According to the Fresno Bee:

Yosemite Conservancy announced a $12 million donation to Yosemite National Park to fund dozens of projects, including a new trail to the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias along the historic Washburn Road stage coach route. 

Other projects include restoring bee, butterfly and hummingbird habitat, and studying species in Ackerson Meadow, the newest area of the park. 

“Incredible work is being done in Yosemite to protect habitat and wildlife and to make it an even better experience for visitors through our successful partnership with Yosemite National Park,” said Frank Dean, Yosemite Conservancy president. “Gifts from Yosemite Conservancy donors make this important work possible.” 

The money will be used for 34 projects this year.

To read more, go here.