What to Do in
Yosemite This Winter
Winter projects Yosemite Valley in a different light, the rays suffused through snow-covered conifers, the sun’s beam casting magic upon partially frozen waterfalls. The wildflower seeds may lay dormant and the majority of visitors may wait for spring and summer, but Yosemite remains very much alive in winter.
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The redwoods
In Yosemite
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"It’s a peaceful and restorative rhythm. The evergreen trees, naturally garlanded in fresh snow, often sparkle with icicles."
Yuli Gostev
"These rockfaces, trees, and waterfalls emit a sense of serenity that is hard to describe in words."
Chelsie Layman
"Winter is a season-long celebration and an opportunity to connect with friends and family and commune with nature."
Yuli Gostev
Come
Experience Winter at Yosemite
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Mariposa County
Badger Pass Ski Area, one of three full-service ski areas that reside within a U.S. National Park, unfurls a playground for outdoor enthusiasts, with reliable natural snow and a variety of activities. Cross-country skiers will find 25 miles of groomed trails to accompany an additional 90 miles of well-marked trails.
The groomers even lead from Badger Pass to Glacier Point, a 21-mile round trip that is high on every seasoned Nordic skier’s life list.
Adventurers will find full rental equipment for cross-country and alpine skiing, snowshoeing, and tubing. Rising from 7,200 feet to 8,000 feet, Badger Pass has served as a mythical beginner ski area for 90 years. Established in 1933, Badger Pass is considered the oldest original ski resort in California. Today skiers and snowboarders utilize 5 chairlifts for endless laps – that is, until the sun deck beckons.
“Winter here really is like walking around in a postcard,” says Chelsie Layman, director of sales and marketing for Yosemite Hospitality. “This is my first winter, and I feel that every day looks different. Like I’ve discovered, you have to experience Yosemite in winter for yourself to understand how incredible it is.”
Yuli Gotsev agrees. The longtime marketing manager of The Redwoods in Yosemite, Yuli divides his leisure time between skiing and snowshoeing at Badger Pass and elsewhere in the park. An avid supporter of the Yosemite Winter Club, he says winter moves at its own pace in one of America’s most popular national parks.
“It’s a time when the park naturally slows down,” he says. “It’s a peaceful and restorative rhythm. The evergreen trees, naturally garlanded in fresh snow, often sparkle with icicles. At night the whole scene is topped with all the stars of the Milky Way.”
Photo by Charles Phillips
Many visitors are surprised at how variable the temperatures can be, Yuli says. The valley reaches a balmy average high of 52ºF during the day before retreating just below freezing at night. (This temperature change also accounts for the aforementioned dazzling icicles.)
Temperatures will usually decrease as you gain elevation. Tire chains, even if unused, are required in all vehicles when “chain controls” are posted. The Yosemite Mariposa County Tourism Bureau has created an informative video about putting on chains and other parts of winter preparation.
“Learning the essentials of chain controls in Yosemite is one of the most important tips our reservationists provide to each guest,” Yuli says.
Chelsie says there is minimal need to drive one’s own car during a Yosemite visit, however. Shuttles convey guests throughout Yosemite Valley. YARTS, the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System, carries visitors into the park. The YARTS shuttles collect passengers at various stops on Highway 140.
“People often say they didn’t even think Yosemite National Park was open during the winter,” she says. “But once they come, they discover they have incredible access to trails and tons of amenities. Plus, our famous granite monoliths like Half Dome and El Capitan absolutely light up when the sun shines upon them. These rockfaces, trees, and waterfalls emit a sense of serenity that is hard to describe in words.”
Photo by Chris Migeon
Given the weather changes and winter conditions, packing for a winter sojourn to Yosemite can feel needlessly complicated. To alleviate any unnecessary pre-vacation stress, the Yosemite Mariposa County visitors’ website has prepared a comprehensive Yosemite Packing List.
Originally from Wisconsin and no stranger to winter, Chelsie recommends a series of water-resistant layers for most days, as well as hats, scarves, mitts, or gloves when the temperature dips.
Yuli offers another idea during winter visits. “There is usually enough snow that you’ll love looking out the windows from your cozy cabin to see snowflakes floating gently through the air. Step outside and you’re close to the grand winter beauty of the park.”
A great way to explore even further inside the park is on snowshoes. Yosemite has long been considered a snowshoeing paradise, an environment where broad trails shadowing half-crystallized streams lead to stoic Giant Sequoias that form a wintry cathedral perfect for a break over a thermos of hot chocolate or another warm beverage.
Keep your eyes peeled for deer, lynx, and other wildlife tracks as you stroll through the forest and meadows. Critters often favor the same trails at night that we tread by day.
Offers Yuli, "Winter is a season-long celebration and an opportunity to connect with friends and family and commune with nature."
Nightfall often brings the alpenglow from the bright moon into the white dreamscape, perfect for short walks on well-marked trails – the kind of experiences that, like skiing or snowboarding for the first time at Badger Pass, casts an indelible memory for children, couples, and adults of all ages. Not to worry if you visit during the moon’s wane. Moonless nights bring the carpet of stars into full view.
“One of my favorite trails is to Mirror Lake,” Chelsie says. “It offers a phenomenal perspective of Half Dome. You can certainly snowshoe on fresh snow, but the popular trail is well-maintained so you can usually walk it in your winter boots.”
Several other winter trails cover the gamut of exercise, challenge, and reward. The Yosemite Valley Loop Trail is a mostly flat 11.5-mile loop that courses by familiar and spectacular landmarks like Half Dome and Yosemite Falls. There are plenty of places to join the trail for as few or as many steps as you would like to take. The Vernal & Nevada Falls winter route offers a 2-mile out-and-back trail with an elevation gain of 2,000 feet. The Yosemite Mariposa County website features these and several other winter trails.
One never forgets that first winter visit to Yosemite National Park. The call of Clark’s nutcrackers and gray jays fill the air, streams gurgle past and stubborn autumn boughs still covered in berries resist the mounting snowfall. No wonder winter photographs from Yosemite fill so many calendars, picture frames, and social media outlets. Come take your seasonal portrait of this wintry wonderland. Visit the Yosemite Mariposa County website to start clicking your way to paradise.
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The Redwoods offer vacation home rentals inside Yosemite National Park. Guests will find a vast array of options including fully-equipped cabins and spacious homes that are perfect for larger groups and multi-generational families. Many accommodations are also pet-friendly, feature fireplaces and other resort-level amenities.
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Yosemite Hospitality takes care of all your visit needs from accommodations at the Wawona Hotel, Yosemite Valley Lodge and elsewhere to lift tickets at Badger Pass Ski Area. You’ll also find one stop dining information and reservations at a variety of restaurants, as well as an array of tours like “Discover Yosemite,” “Curry Village Ice Skating” among dozens of other adventures.
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