wrote in :
will be done in late september or early october.

Depends on where in Yosemite you are starting from, but I would take
US-395 even it were longer than I-5. I-5 is really boring.

But Tioga Pass is usually closed by October.

Definately check road conditions before you travel in the mountains, but as
far as I know, Tioga Pass has been open through the end of October every year
in this century. See: http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/roadinfo/clsdates.htm
Sometimes it is still open in December.