Yosemite National Park closed; Curry Village buried under snow

Yosemite National Park has been closed since Saturday and even though park rangers had wanted to reopen this week, there has been so much snow, there is no official date on when visitors can return. 

The latest blizzard dropped 40 inches of snow on the ground of the iconic Yosemite Valley, the most popular section of the park.

Other areas of the park received 15 feet of snow, the park said on Facebook. 

"Park crews are working to restore critical services so visitors can safely return," park officials tweeted. "There is no estimated date for reopening."

The snowfall total for the valley beat the previous record for the date of 36 inches in 1969, the San Francisco Chronicle reported.

Important roads cutting through the park, including Wawona, El Portal, Hetch Hetchy, Badger Pass and Tioga, were also closed as of Wednesday.

MORE: Avalanche strikes Northern California's Olympic Valley

In addition, the park shared some snowy photos of an impassable men's bathroom because of a stack of snow blocking the entrance and a snow-covered Curry Village, which is a section of the Yosemite Valley with cabins, restaurants, and other amenities.

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Snow covers a Yosemite Falls sign. Photo: Yosemite National Park Feb. 28, 2023