The best time to visit Yosemite Valley? It’s now. Although the approach of spring in April usually means incredible waterfalls with relative sparse crowds, nothing beats winter for solitude on the valley floor. And with the storm that just passed by dumping plenty of snow, Yosemite Valley is a feast for the eyes with snow blanketing meadows, accenting trees, and softening the surrounding granite outcroppings.
It’s a feast for the eyes and a photographer’s dream.
But there’s more to Yosemite than just visual enjoyment this time of year.
The valley at 4,000 feet isn’t burdened with tons of snow. Nor is it so low that there is only a smattering. It makes walking around trails a delight especially if you’ve seen Yosemite Valley’s grandeur before in either the spring, summer of fall.
And there are unique experiences you can only savor in the winter.
That includes the world-famous Bracebridge Dinner at the Ahwahnee Hotel that takes place Dec. 13, 14, 16, 20, 23, 24, and 25. Forget Christmas Eve and Christmas if you already haven’t made reservations. They are booked three to four years out.
What makes the four-hour feast special? Besides being a formal meal with menu options in addition to the main offerings that are vegetarian, gluten free, and nut free produced by world class chefs it is the cast of 100 that present Christmas carols and Renaissance rituals.
It’s been a Yosemite tradition since 1927.
And it doesn’t come cheap. Dinner is $389 per person including tip but excluding taxes. You can book a night at the Ahwahnee that includes dinner for $634 per person based on double occupancy or $1,268 per night. Similar packages are available at the Yosemite Lodge at the Falls for $490 per person and the Wawona Hotel for $524 per person. The last two lodging options include shuttle service.
For hotel-dinner availability and booking go to www.yosemitepark.com. Dinner only reservations must be made by calling 801.559.4884.
The Curry Village ice rink has been around since the 1930s and is open through mid-March. It offers 2.5 hour sessions for $10.50 for adults and seniors and $10 for children. Skate rentals are available for $4 each. Helmets are available on request.
Weekday sessions start at noon and end at 9:30 p.m. Weekend and holiday sessions begin at 8:30 a.m. and go until 9:30 p.m. More information is at www.YosemitePark.com.
If snow sports are your thing, Badger Pass on the Glacier Point Road is expected to open after this week’s storm.
It features 10 runs with five lifts and an elevation drop of 800 feet start at 8,000 feet. It offers beginning, intermediate and expert runs.
All-day passes are $48.50 for adults, $43 for seniors 65 and older, $43 for teens 13 to 17, $28 for children 7 to 12 while those 6 and under are free when accompanied by an adult.
They also offer ski rentals for downhill skiing plus package rentals for classic and telemark cross country skiing. You can also rent snowshoes for $24.
If you’ve never tried cross country skiing, you can break into it with relative ease when the balance of the road to Glacier Point is covered with snow. Actually you can’t go wrong cross country skiing anywhere along the Glacier Point Road.
Badger Pass also offers one and two overnight cross country skiing packages that include access to warming huts to spend the night at Glacier Point. The prices start at $350 per person for the guided tour and $146 per person for self-guided tours.
You can also snowboard, snow tube and snowshoe. They even have equipment rentals for overnight cross-country skiing in the wilderness including child pull sleds, sleeping bags, and backpacks.
For more information go to www.YosemitePark.com.
The only bad thing about winter in Yosemite Park is that the Tioga Pass Road is closed due to snow.
That means access to the solitude of the high country is out. But if you still want to stay away from the crowds in Yosemite Valley that are at their lowest of the year as well as steer clear of the ski area, there are options along the valley route once you enter the park via Highway 120 to do some cross country skiing or snowshoeing.
Two destinations are the Merced and Tuolumne redwood groves located near Crane Flat. Although each has just over 20 of the giants and is considerably less smaller than the popular Mariposa Grove, they are nevertheless impressive especially when dressed in snow.
If you’re not into cross-country skiing and there’s ample snow on the ground, an option is snowshoes.
If you’re thinking tennis racquets, those are from your grandfather’s era. Today’s versions are much easier to use and have high tech designs.
While you can rent them at Badger Pass, there isn’t place in the 209 that you can. REI does rent them but the closest stores are in San Francisco, Mountain View, and Milpitas. The Stockton REI store does have a large selection of snowshoes for sale. Expect to spend around $100 to $200 for a pair.
Snowshoes allow you to explore Yosemite from wherever you can safely park your vehicle.
Even if you just want to do a windshield tour with little outdoor activity, it sis till a good time to go to visit Yosemite Valley. To avoid tire chains just check the weather forecast and make sure you have a window between storms.
The entrance fee is still $20 per vehicle for a seven-day privilege.
