JMT dates confirmed, connection questions...

[Megapixel]

I have a bunch of specific questions now, as I"m looking to move forward with booking flights. We are flying out on July 10th and Returning on August 7th. I guess before I ask any more questions, do I have any options getting to the trail out of San Jose? Its the best flight I can find right now for when we need to go from our own airport.

[mts4602]

Are you starting in Yosemite?

Take Amrtrak from San Jose to Merced then the YARTS Bus into Yosemite Valley. If you are going to Tuolumne MEadows to start, you can take a 2nd YARTS route up to there from the Valley. Or you can take the Yosemite hiker shuttle up there.

You just have to work out the times and it can get a little tricky, but its a good way and one of the only ways I know how to get into yosemite.

Amtrak.com
Yarts.com

Matt

[Megapixel]

thanks! the next thing i need to figure out is exit strategy...what exactly can i do from Mt. Whitney area to get to Reno???

[Sly]

thanks! the next thing i need to figure out is exit strategy...what exactly can i do from Mt. Whitney area to get to Reno???


There may be a shuttle from Whitney Portal, or you can hitch, and the Crest bus line goes from Lone Pine to Reno airport

http://easternsierratransitauthority.com/wb/pages/bus-routes/crest-north-lone-pine-reno.php

You may want to contact them to make sure it goes all the way in one day. Before, I think, it split in Bishop and the bus to Reno left before the bus from Lone Pine arrived.

[Megapixel]

The Crest bus line goes from Lome Pine to Reno airport

http://easternsierratransitauthority.com/wb/pages/bus-routes/crest-north-lone-pine-reno.php

is lone pine at whitney portal?

[grizzlyadam]

If you haven't checked out this site, it is quite useful for figuring out transportation-

http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~rbell/JMTTransport.html.gz

You will most likely be able to hitch a ride from Whitney Portal to the town of Lone Pine. From there you can take the ESTA (http://easternsierratransitauthority.com/wb/pages/bus-routes/crest-north-lone-pine-reno.php) from Lone Pine to Reno. That bus only runs on certain days, though...

[Megapixel]

thanks all...i've got everything sured up there now. Now any suggestions on where we should spend the extra day we'll have on our hands at the very end of our trip before the flight??? Two options, Lone Pine or Reno.

[Miner]

Lone Pine is a small town at best with a couple of resturants. Reno is the biggest little city and has Casinos, All You Can Eat Buffets, REI, etc; all you need to spend the rest of your vacation budget in a short period of time.

[grizzlyadam]

Bishop is where I'd spend the extra day. It's between Lone Pine and Reno. Plenty of hotels/motels. Plenty of good restaurants.

And, an amazing gallery from the late Galen Rowell with images of much of the landscape you just traversed- http://www.mountainlight.com/

[Sly]

thanks all...i've got everything sured up there now. Now any suggestions on where we should spend the extra day we'll have on our hands at the very end of our trip before the flight??? Two options, Lone Pine or Reno.

There's lots of cool towns you could hitch to from Lone Pine. On different occasions I've stayed in almost all of them (Independence, Lone Pine, Bishop, Mammoth Lake).

Depending on what time you get to Lone Pine (it's like 13 miles from Whitney Portal) I'd hitch to either Bishop or Mammoth (or stay in Lone Pine). Expect to pay about $75 or more in Reno.

[Sly]

And, an amazing gallery from the late Galen Rowell with images of much of the landscape you just traversed- http://www.mountainlight.com/

Missed that! Next time...

[Megapixel]

One more logistics question... is it possible to get from whitney portal back to tuolumne meadows?

[Sly]

One more logistics question... is it possible to get from whitney portal back to tuolumne meadows?

You could take the bus from Lone Pine to Lee Vining and then there's another bus/shuttle Yarts (http://www.yarts.com/schedules.html). Make sure to eat at the gas station/restaurant at the corner, it's pretty good, and usually busy.

[Megapixel]

] Make sure to eat at the gas station/restaurant at the corner, it's pretty good, and usually busy.

Will look for it!

[Sly]

Will look for it!

Here's a map. Lone Pine is at the 1st left. Drag down for Reno.

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?1c=Whitney+Portal&1s=CA&1y=US&1l=36.589199&1g=-118.224998&1v=CITY&2pn=Tuolumne+Meadows&2c=Yosemite+Ntl+Park&2s=CA&2a=Tioga+Pass+Rd&2y=US&2l=37.87652&2g=-119.3544&2v=ADDRESS&2id=13936187#b/maps/l:::Whitney+Portal:CA::US:36.589199:-118.224998:city::1:::/l:Tuolumne+Meadows:Tioga+Pass+Rd:Yosemite+NTL+Park :CA::US:37.87652:-119.3544:address::1:::13936187/io:1:::::f:en_US:M::/e

[grizzlyadam]

Expect to pay about $75 or more in Reno.

I stayed the night in Bishop this past September and want to say I paid no more than 50 or 55 for a single (king size bed) at the Thunderbird Motel. Clean room too.

That's just me giving another vote for Bishop, though ;)

[Rambler]

Note that the CREST bus to Reno and from does not run on weekends.

It also runs south from Lone Pine and can link you to Amtrak and Los Angeles Airport (LAX) or Amtrak north to Fresno and San Francisco.

[Rambler]

Some transportation links:

http://www.mtwhitneyshuttle.com/TravelSuggestions.htm