SEGMENT 1 – MERCED RIVER ABOVE NEVADA FALL
CSERC recommends decreasing Wilderness permits between Little Yosemite Valley and Merced Lake to decrease overall use on the trail. CSERC recommends incorporating High Sierra Camp users into the trailhead quota count.
CSERC recommends closing or reducing down to 30 beds or less the Merced Lake High Sierra Camp, which would remove or reduce a core development amidst wilderness. It would also reduce the need for stock needed to maintain the Camp.
For the Merced Lake Backpackers Campground, CSERC recommends keeping the Campground so that visitor use is concentrated, but lowering quotas for trailheads that lead to the Merced Lake area. We recommend retaining the composting toilet to meet the need of concentrated camping and avoidance of resource pollution.
SEGMENT 2.1 - EAST YOSEMITE VALLEY
CSERC recommends leaving all woody debris so that the natural conditions along the river can re-establish. We support active restoration of woody debris where appropriate.
In response to multiple questions raised by Park planners about camping, CSERC consistently and strongly opposes new campground locations or expansion of existing campgrounds in the Valley except for minor expansion at the Camp 4 climbers camp.
For the Sugar Pine Bridge and Ahwahnee Bridge, CSERC supports removal of both bridges to restore free-flowing natural river conditions, with replacement of both bridges with foot bridges designed to protect the river conditions.
SEGMENT 2.2 - YOSEMITE VILLAGE AREA
At Housekeeping Camp, we support strategically removing up to 93 lodging units now located within the riparian area.
We support fully restoring the floodplain and riparian areas at Upper and Lower Rivers campground areas where the 1997 flooding shows that these areas are within the natural floodplain.
We oppose any new campgrounds within the river corridor.
CSERC supports consideration of a roundabout and pedestrian undercrossing at the Camp 6 intersection.
SEGMENT 2.3 - YOSEMITE LODGE AREA
At Leidig Meadow, we support removal of social trails and installation of boardwalks.
At Swinging Bridge, we support removal of the existing picnic area and parking lot and relocation of the bathrooms to Sentinel Beach area.
For paddling and floating, we support limiting paddling and floating to a limited section of the river that has minimal resource impact concerns.
At the Yosemite Lodge intersection, we support relocation of the Lodge entrance and the creation of a pedestrian promenade and an under pass for pedestrian access to Yosemite Falls.
As elsewhere, to protect already degraded resources and to reduce noise, smoke, and congestion, we oppose adding any more camping in the Valley except limited expansion at the Camp 4 climbers’ camp.
SEGMENT 2.4 - WEST YOSEMITE VALLEY
CSERC supports restoration fencing and boardwalks at El Cap Meadow to help the meadow recover from trampling and social trails.
At Cathedral Beach Picnic area, we support redesigning the picnic area at its current size to better manage visitor use and to protect sensitive areas.
SEGMENT 4 - EL PORTAL
CSERC supports repurposing the site where the current stand of Valley Oaks survives and restoring the area when infrastructure is removed in the future.
SEGMENTS 5, 6, 7, AND 8 – SOUTH FORK MERCED RIVER WAWONA
At the Wawona Campground, we support relocating or closing camp sites too close to the river.
For paddling and floating, we support continued paddling and floating without any management of large woody debris, but with designated put-in and take-out for boats as well as limits on the number of boats per year to assure proper management during peak periods.
For any questions, please contact our Center: johnb@cserc.org
