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An historic piece of Yosemite’s backcountry has been placed under fire protection, even as crews make progress on containing the Dome Fire and reopen a major road inside the national park.
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The National Park Service announced on Friday that Glacier Point Road would reopen after being closed for just over two weeks. The 16-mile road, which is popular with tourists during the summer (and closed by snow for winter) was deemed unsafe due to reduced visibility and the increased presence of firefighting personnel and equipment along the route.
It reopens 7 a.m. Oct. 10, according to the park service.
Visitors are being warned to “watch for firefighters working along the road.”
Other Dome Fire closures remain in effect, including all southbound trailheads off Glacier Point Road (except the Panorama Trail).
Fire crews defend Ostrander Ski Hut
At the same time, fire crews have taken precautionary measures to ensure the safety of the historic Ostrander Ski Hut, a nearly 90-year-old stone structure, popular with overnight skiers.
Firefighters wrapped the porch rail, firewood shed, and nearby pump house in fire-resistant material as safety against the fire, which is burning near Ostrander Lake and 1 1/2 miles from the hut. A sprinkler system has been set around the structure’s stone walls and metal roof and the hut’s ski sign has been temporarily removed.
The hut, originally built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1940, is open through the winter as a popular stopover for backcountry skiers hitting the slopes above Ostrander Lake.
That’s not every visitor.
The hut is 10 miles from Badger Pass or 12 miles from Chinquapin trailhead and getting there requires “considerable stamina and cross-country skiing experience.”
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“The trip is not recommended for novice skiers,” according to the Yosemite Conservancy, which oversees operations at the hut.
Reservations to stay at the hut are typically done via lottery. The application window for this year’s lottery opens 9 a.m. Monday, according to the conservancy website, with the season slated to run Dec. 23 to April 4 of next year. It is unclear if or how the Dome Fire will affect that schedule. A message to Yosemite Conservancy was not immediately returned.
Dome Fire reaches 61% containment
The Dome Fire has stayed within its basic footprint for the week, gaining minimal acreage as fire crews expanded containment to 61%. As of Friday, the fire is listed at 6,829 acres, burning near Chilnualna Falls at the southern end of the park.
For days, fire activity has been minimal, though officials warn “new ignitions that occur outside the fire line will have potential to grow.” The fire’s east side (near Ostrander Lake) remains a priority as crews do mop up and patrol on the north and west sides.
Two pilots were killed early in the firefighting efforts, when their helicopter crashed while they conducted water drops.
This story was originally published October 9, 2026 at 2:30 PM with the headline “Dome Fire threatens historic ski hut even as main road to reopen in Yosemite.”
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