Three Sierra Nevada Passes Open Early

All three passes across the central Sierra Nevada were opened to traffic Friday, several weeks earlier than usual because of the season’s light snowfall.

Tioga Pass in Yosemite National Park, Sonora Pass in Tuolumne County and Ebbetts Pass in Alpine County were opened by mid-afternoon, reported Dan Waterhouse, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

All three usually stay closed until around Memorial Day or even later in a heavy snow season. The earliest they were opened was April 8, 1977, during the last major drought.