Yosemite Valley eastern section to close Friday due to California flood threat

Much of the famed valley at California's Yosemite National Park will be temporarily closed starting Friday due to a forecast of flooding as rising temperatures melt the Sierra Nevada's massive snowpack.

Park officials said Tuesday that the eastern section of Yosemite Valley will stay shut at least until May 3. Reservations for campgrounds and lodging in the eastern valley will automatically be canceled and refunded.

Other sections including western Yosemite Valley will remain open, officials said. Day hikers who have purchased wilderness permits for areas that will be off limits can have them rescheduled for alternate trailheads as space allows.

HAWAII HIKER DIES AFTER TUMBLING 40 FEET ON LANIKAI PILLBOX TRAIL: REPORTS

Spring weather is quickly melting huge amounts of snow that accumulated in mountains from a series of epic winter storms.

California’s state climatologist Michael Anderson warned this week that rising tempera...