Crews clear major rockslide early, reopening key route into Yosemite

Construction crews working all night have made faster-than-expected progress clearing a major rockslide that closed one of the primary routes into Yosemite National Park for more than a week.

Hundreds of tons of rocks crashed down March 17 across both lanes of state Highway 140, a scenic winding route along the Merced River between the town of Mariposa and Yosemite’s Arch Rock entrance, just as the spring travel season was beginning to ramp up. Highway 140 is one of the two main routes into Yosemite for most Northern Californians.