What's New in Yosemite
Yosemite is the vacation we all need right now and Clouds Rest Retreat puts you in the heart of Yosemite National Park
1600 feet above Yosemite Valley!
June 26, 2021 –
Two San Francisco brothers set a record this month for the longest highline traversed in California.
Their highline – 1600 ft above the Valley floor below – stretched across 2,800 feet in Yosemite National Park, from Taft Point across gullies to an old tree on another outcropping nicknamed “Your Mom.”
Moises Monterrubio, 26, and Daniel Monterrubio, 23, led a team that spent six days running the line across the complex terrain below, which involved rappelling from cliffs and hanging 1,000 feet in the air.
Highline work has long been popular in Yosemite and is another reason that Yosemite is one of the premier outdoor adventure spots in the world.
Yosemite Park Entry Rules
June 27 , 2021 ( updated)
Beginning May 21, 2021 and continuing through September 30, 2021, all visitors to Yosemite National Park will need either a “day use” reservation or or a lodging reservation within Yosemite.
The following will give you access to Yosemite:
- A reservation at CLOUDS REST RETREAT or other similar private residence INSIDE Yosemite – at the Park Entrance you will present a copy of your reservation and a copy of your valid ID. Note that if your party is coming in more than one vehicle, you will need that copy of the reservation and the copy of the ID of the individual who’s name is on the reservation. The National park Service is using an online database to manage park entry.
- A reservation at one of Yosemite’s hotels or reservable campgrounds with an entry process like that above.
- A Yosemite Wilderness Permit of Permit to Hike Half Dome. ( Congratulations for getting one of those permits this year!)
- A “Day Use Pass” which can be obtained through recreation.gov. The pass is valid for unlimited day entries over three consecutive days, and every vehicle entering the park must have one. The first day to reserve for August is May 5 and September reservations become available on May 12. As of today, there are no longer available weekend reservations for May or June, but a limited number of reservations will be added daily at 8 am PDT for arrival dates 7 days in the future beginning May 14. Finding lodging inside the park will allow you to get the most out of your vacation. Entry lines are exceptionally long at all Yosemite entrances and long daily waits to enter the park can be expected especially on weekends.
- Keep in mind that the normal entry fees for Yosemite still must be paid and that park passes alone do not grant entry to Yosemite.
glacier point road closure
June 21, 2021 – The National Park Service will be closing Glacier Point Road from the Badger Pass Ski Area to Glacier Point to all traffic for 2022. Now is the time to be inspired by the views from Glacier Point, Sentinel Dome, Taft Point, and Dewey Point.
Clouds Rest Retreat is less than a half mile from Glacier Point Road and the perfect place to return to after a day of exploring Yosemite’s South Rim.
TIOGA PASS OPENS
May 27, 2021
June 1, 2021 – The National Park Service opened Tioga Pass for the 2021 season on May 27, 2021. This opens up park access to some of Yosemite’s finest hiking opportunities and allows entrance to Yosemite from the Eastern Sierras.
Some of the hikes not to miss while Tioga Pass is open:
Clouds Rest – Our namesake hike is just over 14 miles round trip and offers spectacular views from Clouds Rest. It is a strenuous trek and not for those who fear heights, but it is more manageable than Half Dome and requires no permit. Bring binoculars and you can watch Half Domers climb the cables.
Mono Pass – This hike will take you from the Western Sierra to the Eastern Sierra with a stark change in the landscape at the top of the Pass. The hike is 7.4 miles round trip and tops at 10,600 ft. ( It might not be your Day 1 hike if you are coming from sea level). Hike a little past to the shelf above Upper Sardine Lake to get an impressive view of Mono Lake.
Tenaya Lake – Tenaya Lake is considered by many to be Yosemite’s most beautiful lake. As the North shore of the lake is bordered by Tioga Pass Road, the best views are merely a walk. Views are best from the West shore of the lake.
HALF DOME CABLES GO UP
May 20, 2021 – The National Park Service has put the iconic Half Dome cables back into place for this climbing season. The cables allow for ascent of the 440 foot granite slab that completes the 8.5 mile hike to the top of Half Dome from Yosemite Valley A maximum of 300 hikers are allowed to climb the dome each day. Permits are required and available on a lottery basis through Recreation.gov.
Mariposa Grove Reopens
May 18. 2021 ( Update) – The Park Service announced that the shuttle service to the grove won’t operate this season. Instead, the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias can be reached by a 4 mile hike ( 500 ft of elevation gain). The famed Grizzly Giant and California Tunnel trees can be reached via a service road which adds an additional 1.5 miles to the hike
May 6, 2021 – The Mariposa Grove trails have been closed during Covid but reopened on May 5. Located at the Hwy 41 Park Entrance, this stand of Giant Sequoias is a great stop on the way to Clouds Rest Retreat and Yosemite West if you are entering Yosemite from the South.
Yosemite Climbing Gets more Complicated
May 7, 2021 – Like so many other aspects of life, Covid had its impact on Yosemite climbing with the continued closure of Camp 4. Now , another wrinkle will make climbing a little harder before the climb begins. Starting May 21, the National Park Service will require those planning overnight or multi-day climbs to obtain a permit in advance. There are no initial plans to limit the number of available permits, but the future may bring limits on the number of climbers on popular routes like the Nose on El Cap.
Southern Sierra Fisher
“YoYo”, Clouds Rest Retreat’s resident fisher has been around more in the late evenings this Winter and early Spring enjoying the late snowfall this year. During Covid, deer, foxes, and coyotes have also been much more present in Yosemite West. Pacific fishers are tree dwelling carnivores found only in two parts of California – near then Oregon border and South of the Merced River into parts of Sequoia National Park. There are only an estimated 150 to 300 Southern Sierra Fishers left, with just a small number in Yosemite National Park. We are honored to get a peak at YoYo on our cam every now and again.
