A few recent visits by friends couldn't locate the painting. Some searching online came across the Merced Wild and Scenic River Comprehensive Management Plan with this blurb and an important section bolded:
Yosemite Village Day-use Parking
Under the Selected Action, the NPS will redesign the existing Yosemite Village Day-use Parking area and restrict all development to at least 150 feet away from the river’s ordinary high-water mark (Figure 1).The redesigned parking area will provide 750 parking spaces and a new comfort station. Northside Drive will be realigned to the south edge of the parking area where it will connect with Sentinel Drive and continue west. A new three-way intersection will be constructed connecting Sentinel Drive with the re-routed Northside Drive and the shuttle bus road into the Village. A roundabout will be constructed at the Village Drive/Northside Drive intersection to improve traffic flow. The Concessioner General Office, Valley Garage, and Art Activity Center will be removed.
Construction activities at the Yosemite Village Day-use Parking area will result in direct, temporary and permanent losses of about 1.6 acres of federally protected wetlands. There will be an estimated 1.22 acres of direct impact to palustrine emergent wetlands adjacent to the Northside Drive and Sentinel Crossover intersection with new road and parking alignment. There will be an estimated 0.38 acres of direct impact to riverine intermittent wetlands flowing through the area.
Was this building mentioned the one that housed the painting? Where is the painting now? Is it elsewhere in Yosemite? Is it in a private collection? Was it destroyed?
Update: This San Jose Mercury News article seems to confirm:
In the name of restoring the park’s natural setting, a new proposal by the National Park Service would ban bicycle and horse rentals in Yosemite Valley and remove the ice rink at Curry Village. Swimming pools at the Yosemite Lodge and Ahwahnee Hotel would be torn out. Rafting rentals on the Merced River would end. The longest stone bridge in Yosemite Valley would be demolished. Even the Yosemite Art Activity Center, where families learn water colors, would go.
Update2: The painting has been found at the Yosemite Lodge, Garden Terrace conference room. More later.
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