Permits, Quota, and Ski Hut

If you approach the Tuolumne Meadows Ski Hut from the east in Lee Vining (only), permits are available by self-registration at the Tuolumne Meadows Ski Hut.

If you approach from the west (from Yosemite Valley), the Snow Creek trailhead climbs out of the valley. For this trailhead, you must go to the Yosemite Valley Welcome Center to pick up a first-come, first-served, self-registration wilderness permit. The welcome center is open 9 am to 5 pm daily. Permits are available one day in advance of your trip. Limited access is available to stay at the Snow Creek Cabin.

If you are entering from other areas, learn more about wilderness permits and access in winter, or you may contact the wilderness reservation office at 209/372-0740.

Always leave your itinerary with a responsible party.

Ski Hut

If you’re visiting the Tuolumne Meadows Ski Hut, be prepared for a self-reliant winter wilderness experience. The winter rangers who maintain this hut may be away on patrol or out conducting snow surveys. Due to short days, equipment failure, weather, gloppy snow conditions, etc., many people don't make it to their cabin destination. Alternatively, during the holidays and other times, the hut can be full and some visitors may have to sleep outside and share the communal area. Bring everything you need to bivy for the night with you. That said, try to travel as light as possible to make your trip pleasant and successful. Stay flexible with your itinerary.

The Tuolumne Meadows Winter Ski Hut has a wood stove (with limited firewood) for warming and a pot for melting snow. Be sure to boil or filter water. Otherwise, the cabin does not have kitchen supplies. Bring your own pots, pans, utensils, and backpacking stove with fuel for use there and/or en route.There is a two-burner electric stove and outlets for charging devices. Be aware that both electricity and cell service are not reliable and may not be available during your visit. It is best to check the latest update for current conditions.

Getting There

Getting to Tuolumne Meadows Ski Hut in winter can be difficult. Most visitors access the area from the east from Lee Vining. Be prepared for a fifteen-mile (24 km) one-way trip with 3,000 feet (915 m) of elevation gain, typically covered with snow above 9,000 feet elevation, necessitating skis, split-snowboard or snowshoes. Bicycles are not allowed west of Tioga Pass inside Yosemite National Park (once the road is closed to motorized and wheeled vehicles). You’ll need expert navigational skills; there is no marked trail to the Tuolumne Meadows Ski Hut. Even if you plan on traveling during a sunny day, you must be prepared to navigate in stormy weather and/or at night using a map and compass because weather can change quickly and/or it may take you longer than expected to reach the ski hut. Many people stay the night at Tioga Pass where there is NO ski hut. During some storms, winds can exceed 50 mph with white-out conditions. Always secure gear from blowing away especially if unattended.

The ski hut is located just west of the Tuolumne River bridge at the entrance of the Tuolumne Meadows Campground (which is closed in winter).

Make sure you are prepared with appropriate equipment prior to your trip.

Avalanches, Weather, and Other Hazards

When snow covered, Tioga Road (extension of Highway 120 inside the park) is not always a "road grade," especially east of Tioga Pass, east of Tenaya Lake, and below Olmsted Point. Slope angles can exceed thirty degrees and require special equipment such as crampons and/or an ice axe if not on the way in, on the way out. These areas in particular can be avalanche prone as can anywhere in Yosemite National Park. A forecast is only a forecast and not always accurate in winter or with regards to cloud cover, which can affect whether snow is soft or firm.

Whenever you enter a wilderness area, you are responsible for your own safety and should be prepared and experienced for the conditions you will encounter. Yosemite does not provide information regarding avalanche conditions. For snowpack information, see the California Cooperative Snow Survey page. The Eastern Sierra Avalanche Center, operating out of Mammoth Lakes, can provide general avalanche risk for the area. Additionally, the Bridgeport Avalanche Center provides avalanche advisories for this part of the Sierra Nevada.

Additionally, be prepared for winter travel and weather. Prior to overnight travel, check the weather forecast for the Tuolumne Meadows area and surrounding mountain passes.

Snow Bridges

Snow bridges over creeks and rivers are often unreliable and more difficult to find beginning in mid- to late March. If you do locate one, make an assessment. Is there a better one up or downstream? As you scout for others, look to see how thick the first one you found is. What hazards are underneath it and/or downstream if it collapses or you fall? Would it be safer to just wade across with the water shoes you are carrying in your pack? After a cold, below- freezing night, some of these snow bridges may be sufficient in the morning but may collapse under their own weight during the afternoon. Keep that in mind for your return. If you can safely do so, use your avalanche probe to see how frozen and/or thick it is. In bigger snow years especially, you might not even realize you are crossing a snow bridge. Listen for water sounds underneath and pay attention to where gullies or trails become undercut by water seasonally. For bigger rivers and/or crevasses elsewhere, ropes and technical gear and experience may be needed in some years. Sometimes an ice axe can come in handy just getting up and down a steep snowbank.

Equipment and Snow Travel Tips

The following gear recommendations and equipment information and tips are based on items our Tuolumne Meadows winter rangers use during their ski patrols and travels, and experiences they have had over more than a decade in Yosemite's high country.

Additional Equipment Information and Tips

The following information and tips are based on the experience our Tuolumne Meadows winter rangers have had over their time spent working in the high country.

Climbing Skins

Climbing skins are typically made of either nylon, mohair (Angora goat hair) or a blend. Nylon is more durable, offers more traction in icier conditions but is heavier. Mohair glides better, works well in powder, and is lighter, but usually pricier. These skins have a reusable adhesive on one side that sticks to the base of the ski and attaches to the tip and tail. The other side of the skin has soft fiber-like fur. The hair feels smooth as your hand glides over it one way. But, if you change directions the resistance you feel against the grain, is what allows the fur or hair to grip or stick to the snow. You attach skins for the uphill climb. You “peel and squeal” for the descent.

Skins are a finicky piece of gear that require a bit more care. When originally fitted to your ski, the more surface area that is covered by the skin, the more traction it will provide. You can cut them to be narrower for better glide and to reduce weight but that is certainly a big tradeoff (ski edges are not meant to be covered). Our winter rangers often use kicker skins for undulating terrain or an icy road grade when fish scales alone don’t suffice.

In the field, especially on cold days, it is good to store your skins in a warm place like your jacket. Otherwise, when you deploy them, they may not stick as well to your skis. Conversely, when it’s warm out, applying skin wax can be crucial to keep them from retaining water and glopping up. When drying out skins in the noonday sun after a climb or at the end of the day, it is best to take them off of your skis otherwise the glue may be left behind on your bases. Fold them up and use a mesh skin saver at the end of the day. Out of doors, this simple task can prove difficult on a windy day. Ask your friend to grab the middle of the skin while you grab the tip and tail to fold it or shove your ski tail in the snow, peel it halfway off, pinch the middle and peel off the rest.

Hats, Gloves, Socks, etc.

It is often windy in the high country in winter. When the temperatures drop along with the wind chill factor, it’s nice to throw a balaclava or neck gaiter and a pair of goggles into your pack. Occasionally, there are days when there can be ground blizzards with clear blue skies. And frostbite or nip can be a hazard along with poor visibility. During such conditions, batten down the hatches in camp and make sure everything is secured when opening your pack. It’s always a good idea to carry an extra pair of waterproof gloves in case the others get wet. A nice dry pair of wool socks can also be useful, especially if you get wet crossing the streams that start to open up later in the season.

Ice Axe, Whippet, Helmet

While ski or boot crampons may help you from losing traction with the snow, there is no guarantee. A common mistake when using boot crampons is to hook them on a pants leg. Then, it’s as if somebody lassoed your legs from under you and it’s off to the races! What then? Hopefully, you’re carrying either a ski pole/ice axe hybrid and/or an ice axe to arrest your fall. Whether or not you have trained to do so (again, in a more controlled environment with a clean runout), employing those tools does not necessarily mean they will slow or stop your slide before you get hurt. And there are different techniques involved depending on whether you fall with or without crampons on. For example, if you try to dig crampons in when already sliding it may flip you over versus if you aren’t wearing them. As with all wilderness travel, prevention is your lightest and best tool of all. But, in some conditions, a helmet doesn’t hurt either.

Navigational Tools

In late spring, as the warm temperatures of the lower elevations lure more people into the high country, it is easy to forget there is still snow up there. In dry years, footprints, snowshoe, and ski tracks can be found going every which way except the right way. Carry a personal location device (PLD) and/or smartphone with a navigational app. Make sure you have already downloaded maps of the area prior to your trip. A map and compass are still important tools in case batteries or electronics die (often due to cold or water) or for when there is poor satellite coverage. Bring a spare battery pack and/or solar charger and cords. Many smartphones now have satellite SOS features that you should know how to use and activate prior to an emergency. Practice with all of these tools when you know where you are, not when it’s getting late, dark, cold and/or cloudy. Even if you’re on a day trip, be prepared to spend the night out if you get lost. Nobody plans on getting lost.

Repair Kit

As the days get longer and the snow more spring-like in March, it is easier to cover the miles. But what happens if your binding breaks way out in the middle of the wilderness? Did you bring a screwdriver or multi-tool appropriate for your binding, extra binding screws, bailing wire, epoxy or strong glue, and/or duct tape? Could you fashion a pair of snowshoes out of dead and downed willows or pine boughs as a last resort if you’re unable to ski out? Our winter rangers have seen scenarios like this almost every season in Tuolumne Meadows. So, just in case a friendly ranger isn’t around to lend a hand, don’t forget to bring the repair kit and be self-reliant.

Skis, Boots, and Bindings

Wide, fish-scaled waxless backcountry skis are the most user friendly. However, there are still many applications for using temperature ski wax especially among the Nordic ski community. Fish scales don’t eliminate the need for skins on steep uphill terrain, but in the right snow conditions, one can travel for miles without them. Skins are still recommended for dynamic weather and snow conditions. Split-snowboards and/or snowshoes are less popular alternatives due to increased energy expenditure.

Although most travelers access Tuolumne Meadows via Tioga Road in winter, without grooming it should be considered off piste. With high winds and deep snow, in places even along the road corridor most skiers prefer more than skinny cross-country skis and bindings. Along with a shaped, metal edged fish scale ski, our winter rangers prefer either a telemark or alpine touring (AT) binding.

Our winter rangers recommend the lightest boots and bindings within your price range. It is personal preference as to whether the binding is releasable (most lighter telemark bindings are not, although there is a hybrid version that is). It can be advantageous in certain situations for a binding to release (e.g., in an avalanche or a twisting fall) but there are cases in which you would absolutely not want to lose a ski (e.g., in more extreme, consequential mountainous terrain). Last but not least, comfort is key. Wear your ski boots around before embarking on a long tour. Make sure your boots fit and that you bring plenty of blister bandaids (colloidal ones versus moleskin work best if used BEFORE they pop!). The most popular approach from Lee Vining (accessing the park from the east) can be much harder on one's feet than skiing downhill at a resort.

Ski/Boot Crampons

Many companies manufacture ski crampons, which are U-shaped metal pieces that clip into one’s bindings and drape over the ski. These are slick (or are not so) because they have a hinge that allows for a gliding motion when moving forward, but they bite into the snow when stepping down. They grip more than skins alone do and are typically used together. Ski crampons are nice when the top layer of wind affected snow can be greased up by a light dusting of powder. In places you might be able to take your skis off and boot pack, but then you waste all your energy post-holing. Ski crampons are especially handy on traverses, provided they aren’t so steep to where most of the teeth don’t bite. They are also nice for skipping the wide switchbacks and heading straight uphill. The only catch to this strategy can be when they can allow a person to ascend to a point where they are stuck, when it becomes too steep to transition gear either to boot crampons or ski descent mode. It’s a good idea to be calculated beforehand and look for a natural terrain feature to do so. Otherwise, a shovel can sometimes work in a pinch to excavate a platform. Like all mountaineering equipment, it is good to practice in a more controlled environment with a safe runout.

Ski Poles, Climbing Bars, Duct Tape, and Ski Straps

Adjustable ski poles are useful. You can raise them for the flats, shorten them for the descents, or use one short and one long for a traverse. Many new versions have grips in a couple locations for a similar purpose. But duct tape rolled around your pole can work as well and then you have some on hand for repairs or an emergency. Ski straps wrapped around poles are yet another option and have countless applications. Some ski poles have grips that have a hook to switch binding modes, which is nice when you’re not feeling limber.

Skin Wax and Scraper

When there are constantly fluctuating temperatures, it’s a good time to wax your skins (with skin wax) before heading up that hill. Lunchtime is a good time to re-apply glide wax to the bases while basking in the sun. But sometimes that skiff of powder that is usually our friend, stubbornly clings onto your equipment, so don’t forget the scraper. If you don’t have one, you can always use the opposite ski to scrape the other perpendicularly.

Sunglasses and Sunscreen

April is the time of year that the Pacific Crest Trail and other ambitious hikers decide to posthole into the mountains without the pleasure of gliding on skis. Many of these folks come from other parts of the country or world where the skies can often be overcast and gray. Little do they realize how intense the UV light can be at high elevations especially when reflected by the snow. After a few days traveling their eyes feel gritty and start to water if they aren’t wearing sunglasses. One year our winter rangers encountered a person who had sunburned their eyes so badly that they could barely see. This phenomenon is known as snow blindness (keratoconjunctivitis photoelectrica). If you lose or forget your sunglasses you can make a version like those that have been made for thousands of years by people who inhabit more northerly latitudes. You can carve a slit or poke fine holes into carboard, fabric or duct tape and fashion your own pair of snow goggles. At a minimum, don't forget your sunscreen. You may not feel the burn as it is happening to your eyes or skin, but you may pay the price for years to come if you don’t protect yourself from the sun.

Water (Insulated Bottle, Water Bladder, Electrolytes)

On cold mornings, you may want to fill up an insulated bottle of hot water before venturing out. Not only does a late afternoon drink warm the insides but it helps power you up to get back home on a long day. And, if your hydration hose that you forgot to blow back on and tuck away freezes up, you can just dip that in the hot water! Is your telemark binding not switching into downhill mode on a spring day? Pour a little hot water over it. Same with a wide mouth (less likely to freeze) water bottle. If it has a handle, a stick acts as a nice lever to twist that open as well. Our winter rangers also always carry an emergency energy and electrolyte packet or two.

Proper Food Storage

At the ski hut, be sure to store food in a rodent-proof container provided. Yosemite is a natural environment with wild animals, including rodents. Be aware of safety information relating to visiting Yosemite, ranging from snow safety to bear awareness and hantavirus awareness.

Bear canisters are required all year, but there is a limited exception in the winter. If you're skiing or snowshoeing above 7,200 feet or above 6,800 feet and within a ½ mile of a marked ski trail, between December 15 and March 30, you're not required to use a bear canister. During this time, it's still strongly recommended that you store your food in a bear canister, as some bears remain active all winter. Bear canisters are available for rent at the Yosemite Valley Welcome Center (open 9 am to 5 pm). If you don't use a bear canister, you are required to hang your food at least 10 feet above the ground and 4 feet horizontally from a tree trunk.

If you rent a bear canister from the Valley Welcome Center, we encourage you to return it there between 9 am and 5 pm. Otherwise, 24-hour drop bins are available at the Valley Wilderness Center (also in Yosemite Village), Wawona Visitor Center, Big Oak Flat Information Station, and Hetch Hetchy Entrance Station.

If you leave the park with a bear canister, mail it to Yosemite Conservancy, PO Box 545, Yosemite, CA 95389. You can place the mailing label directly on the side of the canister (not the top or bottom).

Winter in Tuolumne Meadows Video (Yosemite Nature Notes, Episode 37)

Additional Winter Videos

Learn more about from a series of videos that showcase what it takes to open Tioga Road and Tuolumne Meadows each spring.