Lassen National Park Closed Due To Park Fire

Above, Manzanita Lake Campground store in 2017. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

It seems that just about every year there's a wildfire at Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California.

I visited there in 2017 during my Great American Eclipse trip. I also visited Crater Lake National Park.

During my 2017 trip, I stayed at Lassen's Manzanita Lake Campground. Now that campground is threatened by the Park Fire.

According to YubaNet:

MINERAL, Calif. – Three years after the Dixie Fire consumed much of the eastern portion of Lassen Volcanic National Park, the massive Park Fire is approaching the park’s western edge, prompting National Park Service officials to close the park. 

Visitors have been evacuated from all campgrounds, and reservations have been canceled. All park employees have been evacuated from park housing and their homes in the community, most staying in hotels. 

Fire officials speculate that the fire has potential to reach both Manzanita Lake and Mineral Headquarters. These are areas that were not hit during the Dixie Fire. 

The historic district at park headquarters in Mineral in the southwest portion of the park includes structures built by the California Conservation Corps in the 1930s. On the northwest side of the park is the pristine Manzanita Lake campground and historic district that was spared by the Dixie Fire during the summer of 2021. Staff are scrambling to save historic artifacts stored in the 1927 Loomis Museum.

To read more, go here.  

Half Dome 2019 Preseason Lottery

Above, a view of Half Dome from North Pines Campground. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Want to hike to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite National Park? Well, here's your chance!

The park just announced when the preseason lottery for permit tickets will take place.

YubaNet.com reported:

March 5, 2019 – Yosemite National Park announces that the 2019 preseason lottery for Half Dome permits will open at 7:00 am PDT on Wednesday, March 13, 2019. For the latest information on the Half Dome preseason lottery, please visit https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/hdpermits.htm.

To read more, go here. 

Winter Storms Forcing Closure of 2 Yosemite Roads

Above, The Beast at a pull-out off Tioga Road. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Some winter storms are approaching California (they sure can use the water) and two roads in Yosemite National Park will be closing as a result.

YubaNet.com reported:

November 19, 2018 – The Tioga and Glacier Point Roads in Yosemite National Park will close to all vehicular traffic beginning at 6:00 pm on Tuesday, November 20, 2018 due to incoming winter weather. The road will reopen as weather and road conditions permit. This is not necessarily a seasonal closure.   

A series of winter storms are expected to pass through the Yosemite Area, beginning on Tuesday evening through the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

To read more, go here. 

Half Dome Permit Fees Going Up

Above, Half Dome from North Pines Campground in Yosemite Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

For those who plan to hike/climb to the top of Yosemite National Park's Half Dome, it's going to cost a little bit more to do so.

According to YubaNet:

May 11, 2017 – Yosemite National Park will increase the permit fees for ascending Half Dome to a $10 application fee and a $10 permit fee. These fee increases will take effect when weather and snow conditions allow the Half Dome cables to be installed, at the end of May or early June 2017. 

These fee increases are necessary to meet increased contractor costs. Currently, the application fee is $4.50 online and $6.50 by phone. The permit fees are currently $8.

To read more, go here.