[pct-l] Ride to/from JMT in June

[Craig Stanton]

Thanks Bob. I'm really keen to spend as much of my holiday as possible on the trail so staying overnight in ML is not in my plan. And it looks like we'd actually have to wait until Monday afternoon to get that bus so it's either a trail angel I have been introduced to or those shuttle services you suggested. 

~Craig


On 3/05/2013, at 2:57 AM, Bob Bankhead <wandering_bob at comcast.net> wrote:

> Craig:
> 
> From the Yosemite Valley Visitors' Center,  you can take the 17:00 (5:00 pm)
> YARTS bus to the McDonalds in Mammoth Lakes. There is only one bus per day
> and it is the main transportation link for park employees so it is crowded.
> Get to the VC early to line up.  
> http://yarts.com/schedule/2013/Hwy%20120%202013-04-08.pdf
> 
> From Mammoth Lakes McDonalds, take the 17:20 (5:20pm) ESTA bus to Tom's
> Place at 1740 (5:40pm). Note this is also one bus per day, running M, T, Th,
> and F only - no service on Wednesday or the weekend. It leaves ML long
> before YARTS can get you there, so you'll have to stay overnight in ML. I
> highly recommend the Shilo Inn next to the McDonalds.
> http://www.estransit.com/CMS/content/395-routes
> 
> Alternatively, you can get one of the commercial shuttle services to meet
> you up in ML and take you to Tom's and/or 9.2 miles further to the trailhead
> itself.
> http://www.mtwhitneyshuttle.com/
> http://eastsidesierrashuttle.com/
> 
> 
> Here's what the latest (2007 4th) edition of Elizabeth Wenk's "John Muir
> Trail" says about the Mono Pass route to the PCT/JMT:
> 
> "The Hike: 15.1 miles. (allow one to two days); go east up Mono Creek and
> over Mono Pass (12,000 feet) to Mosquito Flat trailhead. There are campsites
> along the way."
> 
> "Trailhead Amenities: Toilets; and down Rock Creek Road, campgrounds,
> lodging, cafes and stores."
> 
> "Getting to the trailhead:  From Hwy 395 at Tom's Place, turn west on Rock
> Creek Road and follow the road past Rock Creek Lake. Beyond the turnoff for
> the lake, the road shortly becomes one lane. Continue all the way to the
> roadend parking lot, 9.2 miles from Hwy. 395." 
> 
> 
> 
> Wandering Bob
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
> On Behalf Of Craig Stanton
> Sent: Thursday, May 02, 2013 3:23 AM
> To: PCT MailingList
> Subject: [pct-l] Ride to/from JMT in June
> 
> Hello hiker buddies,
> 	I'm coming over to the states in June to hike the last bit of the
> JMT with my dad (a.k.a. Walks With Son) which he's been doing in small
> sections each time his work send him to California. We're planning to head
> from Oakland to Tom's Place (on 395) on Saturday June 15th and then up to
> Mosquito Flat to get in over Mono Pass and join the PCT where we left off 2
> years ago near VVR. I know there is public transport from SF to Yosemite and
> as far around as Mammoth and we can hitch down 395 but I thought it would be
> a good idea to cast about to see if anyone here happens to be driving that
> way, maybe as support crew for a thru-hiker or to get out in the woods
> yourself. Going to up VVR would be good too. I think I heard they charge a
> lot of money to come pick you up from the nearest town before the mountains.
> 
> 	And while I'm writing, has anyone taken this side trail? Mosquito
> Flat to Mono Creek. I've looks up some photos and it seems really pretty,
> I'd just like to know if there is anything I particularly need to know like
> steep sections or dangerous fords. I only know the sierras from the PCT.
> 
> 
> 
> Cheers,
> 	Craig/SunWalker/Heaps PCT Class of '07
>