[pct-l] Safe parking in Mammoth

[Marion Davison]

We have left our stock rig for several weeks at a time over several 
years at the Horseshoe Lake parking lot at the end of Lake Mary road. 
 From this lot you can get on the PCT in a couple trail miles, over 
Mammoth Pass, and head north or south.  We use this point as a self 
re-supply to take figure 8 loop hikes, and leave large amounts of food 
in our hard-sided van.  The only critter issues we had were the mice 
that moved in to eat and make nests the first year.  That year our food 
was stored in cardboard boxes.  In later years we used coolers and 5 
gallon buckets and had no mice.  This van seems particularly bear 
resistant--it's been parked in Yosemite for weeks without incident. 
It's a Ford Econoline.  I wouldn't recommend doing any food storage in 
any passenger car.
A free shuttle from town stops here many times a day, and the lot is 
very busy with tourist traffic, so it seems like a very safe place to 
leave a vehicle long term.  We have never had a problem.  Also, the 
quota on this trailhead rarely ever fills up, so we can just drive in, 
get a same day permit, and start hiking.  So it is our go-to place for 
spur of the moment trips.
Marion