Yosemite Forum

Yosemite National Park has announced that the Mist Trail is now open.

There is only one problem, which is that the whole park is closed to visitors. But maybe that will change soon...

Next they'll be announce the Half Dome cables are up, but you can't use them anyway.

It's like they are taunting us.

I almost wonder if they'll have to limit day use when Yosemite reopens to limit the crowds. You'd need a reservation at one of the lodgings or campgrounds or a wilderness permit to come into the valley (or even the park itself). They might still have to reduce the number of campsites and tents at Curry Village to keep some distance between people.

We just got back from a local road hike. The snow is melting fast, so I'd expect everything to be snow free within a few weeks as there wasn't much to begin with.

I'm holding out hope that my permit for June will be usable, instead of refunded.

The Valley is going to be an interesting prospect on the reopening. I don't see any way for them to maintain any semblance of physical distancing, either through ability, the will of the participants, or even a massive enforcement effort. Hell, people there lose their minds and are rude enough on a good day....in "normal" times. They're sure not going to be able to pull this off when they need a shuttle ride or the best view in the house is shoulder-shoulder with the next person.

And since I've been so eerily silent on the subject since this whole thing began (but with no shortage of opinions), and since I've had so much free time in which to become a rather prescient expert on virology and immunology for the past couple months , I say open it, let's get to herd immunity, and see if we can't somehow manage to avoid the next couple waves that Sweden in particular is going to largely take in stride, because they did it right the first time.

Unless it's like the measles, and we need vaccinations for herd immunity.... Only countries with vaccination programs are protected from measles. And since indications are that there is no immunity in folks who have had covid.... I say keep it locked down, do it gradual, and make yourself a wardrobe of masks. Not going away.