Yosemite’s Tioga Road to reopen May 11

Officials at Yosemite National Park say snow plows will begin clearing Tioga Road next week and hope to reopen the highway by May 11.

The road across Tioga Pass is a crucial one for tourists crossing the Sierra Nevada range. Park officials said a dry winter should speed the work.

Plowing on the road to Glacier Point began this week, according to Yosemite spokeswoman Kari Cobb, with a projected opening of May 3. Mariposa Grove road is already open

Cobb cautioned that the opening dates are subject to late spring storms, road damage and other safety concerns.

A dry winter left the park with about 53% of the normal snowpack.