View Full Version : Red's Meadow Shuttle
Is the Red's Meadow shuttle likely to be operating by July? I'm looking to finish a trip on July 9th there.
Anybody know roughly the earliest/latest time of the day they operate? Really just concerned about it operating by July.
Thanks,
Matt
The shuttle operates...
Fri-Sun : June 13th - July 2nd
Daily: July 3rd - Sep 7th
Jester2000
01-06-2010, 22:45
Is the Red's Meadow shuttle likely to be operating by July? I'm looking to finish a trip on July 9th there.
Anybody know roughly the earliest/latest time of the day they operate? Really just concerned about it operating by July.
Thanks,
Matt
Good lord, they better be. In 2009 service operated from June 13th through September 9th. If you're getting there July 9th, that's good because they should be on their "High Season" schedule, which involves more, and more frequent shuttles. In 2009 the earliest shuttle leaving Red's was, I believe, 8:15am, and the latest was 7:45pm, with shuttles running every 20 minutes in the middle of the day, and less frequently as you get earlier or later.
I don't think the 2010 schedule has yet been posted.
Here's a link with info:
http://www.fs.fed.us/r5/inyo/recreation/redsmeadow.shtml
Jester2000
01-06-2010, 23:10
The shuttle operates...
Fri-Sun : June 13th - July 2nd
Daily: July 3rd - Sep 7th
7:15am - 8:30pm
To clarify those posts a little bit ('cause it is confusing) the shuttle operated in 2009 on the "High Season" schedule Fri-Sat-Sun from 6/13-28, But during the week during that time period (6/15-7/2), they operated on the "Low Season Schedule." After July 2nd (the last Thursday before July 4th), they operated on the "High Season" schedule every day of the week, except for the last two days of the shuttle season, which I am going to refer to as "the mystery days."
The 2010 schedule has not been released, but if they're keeping to the same format (stick with me here!), they would run on the "High Season" schedule on Fri-Sat-Sun on June 11th, with the "Low Season" schedule running Mon-Thurs until July 1st, at which point they go to the "High Season" schedule all the time.
Don't count on that though, because as I said there's no 2010 schedule yet to my knowledge. But there will definitely be shuttles.
As for the times, again, it will depend on whether or not they make changes, but in 2009, the earliest the shuttle left from Red's Meadow was 8:15.
Phreak's note (saying the shuttle starts at 7:15) actually references when the shuttle starts in the morning, but it starts from the Village at 7:15, and has to get to Red's. Since you said you'll be ending your hike there, 8:15 should be the right time.
That was one of the most complicated things I've ever written on whiteblaze. When really the original poster probably just wanted someone to say "yes."
Thanks a lot, that's exactly what I needed.
Since you've been soo helpful ha.
I would need to catch the CREST bus north at 8:20am from Mammoth so I'm assuming I should stay in Mammoth the night before since it would probably be pretty close as to whether I would make it to the bus on time using the first shuttle in the morning.
Is there camping options in Mammoth?
Jester2000
01-07-2010, 11:59
Since you've been soo helpful ha.
I would need to catch the CREST bus north at 8:20am from Mammoth so I'm assuming I should stay in Mammoth the night before since it would probably be pretty close as to whether I would make it to the bus on time using the first shuttle in the morning.
Is there camping options in Mammoth?
Boy. I don't think so. I stayed at the Motel 6. I know someone who stealth camped pretty close to the Motel, but I don't recommend that. If you have the funds I'd get a room. Mammoth isn't the worst town to be stuck in for a day, and you might want to shower before you subject other people on the bus to your post-trip stank.
"Is there camping options in Mammoth?"
I stayed in the Motel 6 there (Mammoth Lakes isn't a cheap town, pretty touristy), but my recollection is that there is (or at least was in 2008) camping there --- I think near the McDonald's ?? Yogi's guide has this info. My vague recollection (looking at a town map) is that this is near the intersection of Main street and Minaret Road. A bit of a hoof, but depending on hours there's a free local shuttle bus I think.
My personal experience getting from Red's to Mammoth and back was the bus ride part-way to town, then hitch hike into town, and ditto going back --- the hours I happened to be going didn't connect with any local bus or bike shop options.
Showering before getting on the bus: certainly a good idea but not an easy option on the way *in* to town.
When I got on the bus to go to town in Reds Meadow it was a pretty surreal experience. I'd been hiking alone through the Sierras for days since my last brief resupply at MTR--- over snowy passes, fording creeks, etc, and then suddenly I was on a bus crammed full of well-fed, clean, chattering tourists. Culture shock. Oddly enough, even though the bus was almost crammed full, no one sat next to me! :-)
Not so much the smell, I think, when I got into my motel room and looked in a mirror I just looked pretty dirty.
Helmuth.Fishmonger
01-07-2010, 16:35
there is a campground just below the Shilo Inn bus stop area, left side of the road as you drive into town before the McDonald's. It looks like an RV park, but it has been confirmed to me by locals that they have tent sites, too.
Jester2000
01-07-2010, 17:56
there is a campground just below the Shilo Inn bus stop area, left side of the road as you drive into town before the McDonald's. It looks like an RV park, but it has been confirmed to me by locals that they have tent sites, too.
Good to know! I thought that was RV only. And since it's an RV park, I imagine it has showers.
When I went into Mammoth this year on the PCT, another hiker on a really tight budget chose to camp out in town. He walked out to the edge of town and camped out of sight in the forest only he discovered he had company. Other people (not thru-hikers) were camping up there at night and collapsing their tents during the day so they wouldn't be visable. They were mostly of Mexican appearance so his theory was that they probably worked in town for a low wage during the summer. They didn't mess with him and he camped that way for 2 nights though he always took his gear with him in the morning.
Is there camping options in Mammoth?
Yes, as HM has pointed out, Shady Rest CG administered by the Forest Service(I believe part of Inyo NF) is almost across the street from MCDs. For the frugal backpacker it has backpacker campsites for $5/night. It's close to the CREST northbound bus stop and within short walking distance of everything else(restaurants(some good Mexican ones, several good pizza joints, bars), VONS grocery store, library w/ internet, motels(Motel 6 next to the PO is the cheapest I could ever find), outfitters(Mammoth Outfitters lets hikers use their computer to access the Inet for free), PO, laundromats, good coffee shop, pharmacy, etc) in compact thru-hiker convenient Mammoth Lakes. There is a free trolley looking bus around town too.
Double check the CREST northbound times because I think it runs on a funky schedule.
For a shower after your hike I would strongly suggest you take the bus down from Reds Meadow(a short easy hitch and easy short walking are also options) to the free piped hot water springs showers near Reds Meadow. Like I said it's an easy hitch on the dead end road to Reds Meadow(everyone is going your way) but their are multiple bus stops where you can get off/on the bus.
Every time I've taken the bus from Reds it has only gone as far as Mammoth Lakes Ski Resort. From the ski resort I have always gotten an easy ride into downtown Mammoth Lakes by hitcing. A cab costs me $12 to go from downtown Mammoth Lakes up to the ski resort. In the winter(when the ski resort is hopping) there is a bus that goes from/to the resort from/to downtown.
If you never have, I would also suggest you take in Devils Postpile Nat. Monument very close to Reds Meadows. Kinda neat!
Jester2000
01-07-2010, 18:44
We got the bus to the resort, the Mountain Biking Shuttle Bus to the trolley stop, and then the trolley/bus thing into town. When we were there it was pretty hoppin' even though it wasn't winter, due to all of the downhill mountain bikers.
grizzlyadam
01-07-2010, 18:49
Is there camping options in Mammoth?....
In the winter(when the ski resort is hopping) there is a bus that goes from/to the resort from/to downtown.
Like Dogwood said, there are free piped hot water springs showers near Reds Meadow. They're great.
There is also a bus/trolley that runs in the summer between the resort and downtown.
And as for additional camping options you can take the free trolley from downtown up to the multiple campgrounds in the actual Mammoth Lakes Basin. My friends and I spent a week camping there this summer. The Twin Lakes campground has a campstore with $4 showers. Fantastic showers at that.
Completely off topic from the OP, but...
Shoeless Jon and I had just spent a week on the JMT when we decided to call our trip short and hike out over Duck Pass instead of finishing at Reds Meadow. We came down into a huge campground with lots of vacant sites. We were a little surprised since it was the day before labor day weekend.
We found a campground host and asked about a site and he said there were plenty available. We then asked about a shower and he taught us about the beauty of the trolley system that runs between the various campgrounds and into town all summer. He pointed us to the Twin Lakes Campground and, like I said, their amazing showers.
We found the store, got our showers, claimed a campsite and took a trolley into town where we found pizza, beer, groceries, gear, and everything else one could hope for.