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Heavy Snows Likely To Delay Yosemite Road Opening

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, Calif. (AP) — Heavy winter snows will likely be delaying the opening of a major road into Yosemite National Park.

Park officials say Highway 120 through the Tioga Pass, which connects the park to the east side of the Sierra, will open to traffic later in the year than it usually does.

The road is closed during the winter because of snowfall and the threat of avalanches, but normally opens around Memorial Day. A park spokesman says with 15 feet of snow still on the roadway, there's no estimate of when it will open.

Heavy snow on Half Dome has also prevented crews from placing cables on the mountain. The cables are used by hikers to help them climb to the summit. Park officials say it's unlikely the cables will be in place by Memorial Day.

(© Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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