Roads to Yosemite National Park reopen for visitors after severe weather
Until this past week, severe weather made it too dangerous for travelers to make the trip up to Yosemite National Park.
MARIPOSA COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- Inside Yosemite National Park, picturesque snow-capped mountains greet visitors at Tunnel View.
Until this past week, severe weather made it too dangerous for travelers to make the trek inside the park. But now the roads are back open.
Max Andriamahefa and his friends drove over two thousand miles from Chicago to visit Yosemite. He said California is a gold mine for outdoor activities.
"It's got any landscape that you could think. It's got desert, it's got ocean, it's got lakes, it's got mountains, what else do you want, right?" said Andriamahefa.
Andriamahefa has been to Yosemite before. He said he's been monitoring the weather on the drive to California.
"We don't take risks. No way, we listen to the weather, how the weather condition is. If not, you know, we just stay out for a while," said Andriamahefa.
Kari Kisela is with the Mariposa Chamber of Commerce. She's lived in Mariposa for eight years now. She said local businesses have taken a hard hit this winter season.
"We're hoping to get our public back. We're hoping to get the people from the surrounding areas," said Kisela.
Jacob Hawley is the manager for the Mariposa Visitor Center. He said the weather has definitely led to smaller crowds in the city.
"We've seen some days where we've had limited to like four visitors come through which is very abnormal for this. We're normally use to at least 60 to 70 people visitation coming through the visitor center," said Hawley.
But Hawley said, there is light at the end of the tunnel. With all the snow and water, the summer season is expected to be one the best in recent decades.
As long as weather permits people to visit Yosemite, Hawley said the best time to visit the park is right now because There are no reservation requirements.
