[pct-l] JMT permits

[Josh]

Few notes & clarifications on Marion's Post:

>2. In Yose Valley the hiker lot is close to Happy Isles, along the shuttle
road between Curry Village and Happy Isles.  They don't want you clogging up
the Curry Village parking.

There is a "Grove" parking area at Curry Village which is about .5mi from
the JMT Trailhead.  The parking is on dirt & among trees...make sure U park
somewhere with consideration to how stupid other drivers can be especially
when there aren't white lines on blacktop...so park in such a manner that it
would have to be deliberate for someone to hit UR car while they're parking.
It's free and as long as UR put UR Wilderness Permit Parking Pass on the
dash U'll be fine...but as Marion said, the bears WILL BREAK IN...so make
sure U don't have anything scented or "Ice Chest-looking" in UR vehicle.  I
almost put "Chesty looking"!  LMFAO!



>4. If you arrive in or want to park at Yose Valley but you want to start
hiking in Tuolumne, there is a hiker bus that leaves Yosemite Lodge every
morning and goes to Tuolumne.  It is not expensive and will drop you at
several spots along Tioga Road.

One-way www.YARTS.org bus ticket from Yosemite Village to Tuolumne Meadows
is $8 (the rates are prorated on distance).  U can pay Cash to the bus
driver so no worries about tracking down a ticket office or anything like
that.  The bus leaves @ 5PM...NOT THE MORNING!!!  So please be aware that U
WILL be camping very near TM if U ride this bus.



>5.  Be sure that you hike at least 4 miles north or south of Tuolumne or
Happy Isles before camping.  You will see an awful lot of people (day
hikers) within 4 miles of either spot.

If U don't have reservations at TM Campground, there is a "4 hiking mile"
min requirement for wilderness camping in the TM area.  The ranger recently
told me that this was to minimize impact to the area around TM.  I believe
that that 4mi is 4 hiking-miles (AKA Trail Miles) from the 120 @ TM (a
trail-mile is opposed to the distance that U can draw on a map).



>8.  I hike with llamas...

Llamas?  Really?  That's awesome!  UR the 1st person I know on the PCT. lol


 

-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Marion Davison
Sent: Sunday, June 28, 2009 1:32 PM
To: Ann Marie; Pacific Crest Trail List
Subject: Re: [pct-l] JMT permits

Ann Marie wrote:
> I simply have to have an answer to these questions. And the hikers who
have been on the JMT will probably know.
>  
> I am one of those hikers hoping to land a walkup wildness permit, since
the online reservations are fully booked for August for Happy Isles,
Tuolumne, and other early trailheads. Everyone wants to depart in August.
>  
> I understand the wilderness office(s) will try really hard to get you on
the trail the day you walkup. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that each
office can just "stamp" the permits for any trailhead even if it's not the
one you are at currently. And I can hardly believe that if I'm at Happy
Isles and the only opening they have is from Tuolumne that day that they
REALLY make the hiker get transportation to Tuolumne to begin the hike. Are
there park rangers at every trailhead, checking permits before allowing each
hiker to step onto the trails ? (seriously, are there?) How much do you
think the fine could be if I have a permit and they find me on the trail
before the place my permit allows me to be?  :)  Has anyone BEEN fined and
for how much ?
>  
> 
> 
>       
> _______________________________________________
> Pct-l mailing list
> Pct-l at backcountry.net
> http://mailman.backcountry.net/mailman/listinfo/pct-l
> 
Just to raise your awareness, although you probably already know these
things:
1. If you arrive the night before in Yose Valley or Tuolumne, both have
backpacker campgrounds.  Park your car in the hiker lot (not closeby) hike
in to the campground and camp.  It is paid per person and does not need
reservations.  So at least you have somewhere to sleep.
2. In Yose Valley the hiker lot is close to Happy Isles, along the shuttle
road between Curry Village and Happy Isles.  They don't want you clogging up
the Curry Village parking.  I have seen cars wrecked by bears in that lot,
so make sure you have no food, boxes or coolers visible in your car.
3. In Tuolumne the hiker parking is by the wilderness office, with overflow
along the trail/road between Tioga Road and north to the stables area.
4. If you arrive in or want to park at Yose Valley but you want to start
hiking in Tuolumne, there is a hiker bus that leaves Yosemite Lodge every
morning and goes to Tuolumne.  It is not expensive and will drop you at
several spots along Tioga Road.  I used it to hike down Yosemite
Creek/Yosemite Falls one day (hiked back to the valley where I had left my
car).
5.  Be sure that you hike at least 4 miles north or south of Tuolumne or
Happy Isles before camping.  You will see an awful lot of people (day
hikers) within 4 miles of either spot.
6.  I have met backcountry rangers many times in Yosemite.  They are
generally friendly.  I have met them most often in Cold Canyon, Glen Aulin,
and Lyell Canyon.  These areas get a lot of bear activity.  Take everything
you have ever heard about bears in Yosemite, and believe it and use a
cannister and keep your camp clean.  They really are as troublesome as they
say.
7.  If you do decide to hike northbound, Trail Pass is an excellent place to
start.  Walk into the Interagency Visitor Center in Lone Pine with a typed
itinerary (where I will be each night of my trip) and they will be impressed
with your preparation and treat you better than the average yahoo hiker.
This is a good idea for Yosemite too.  You certainly don't have to follow
that itinerary to the letter once you are out there.
8.  I hike with llamas and I nearly always get a walk-up permit.  It is not
as hard as it sounds.  I use the trailheads that other people don't use.  If
you just can't get a Yosemite permit, then go up to Leavitt Meadow on the
Sonora Pass road.  In the hiker parking lot you can issue yourself a permit
at the self-service kiosk.  Then hike south ten miles and you will be on the
PCT at the northern boundary of Yosemite.  Hike on thru the park,  no
worries.  Send yourself a resupply at Tuolumne, keep hiking south to
Whitney.
9.  Buy yourself a bear can and use it.
Have a fantastic trip.  We will be hiking Leavitt Meadow to Kennedy Meadow
in August.  I'm drying food right now.
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