[pct-l] Trail Magic Advice

[Herb Stroh]

For Section hikers--I intended to leave my car at the Donner Summit California Snopark referenced below. When I arrived I founds signs indicating I needed a parking pass to leave a vehicle there--which created a logistics issue since I was there pre-dawn and had to catch transportation to Chester for my hike back to Donner Summit. Permits can be acquired in sporting shops in Truckee.

Note that there is long-term parking available for free at the Amtrak station in Truckee. One can hitch or take a cab to the Donner trailhead from there, maybe 8-10 miles.

Herb

-----Original Message-----
From: Pct-L [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net] On Behalf Of Marcus Schwartz
Sent: Wednesday, June 14, 2017 11:44 PM
To: Melanie Clarke
Cc: PCT MailingList
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Trail Magic Advice

It's hard to explain the junction without a diagram, but the main point of confusion is that the Westbound and Eastbound rest areas on I-80 are not connected to each other.  You can't walk across the freeway.

So, there are separate turn-offs from the PCT depending on which way you want to hitch.  Also, it's surprisingly far between the rest areas by trail (about a half-mile if I recall), even though they're right across the freeway from one another.

Lots of people want to hitch west, and take the first turn off ("first" 
being the more southerly one) to the rest stop, but the first one goes to the eastbound rest stop.  So lots of people go the wrong way.  If I recall, the sign at the first junction is unclear about which rest stop it goes to.

Also confusing, if you're going to the eastbound rest stop:  There are several junctions after you've left the PCT, and you can get to either the I-80 rest stop or a less-used trailhead parking lot that's not on the freeway (Google Maps calls it the "Donner Summit California State Snopark", on Bunny Hill Drive).

In short, if you're trying to head west on I-80, go under the freeway before you exit the PCT.  If you're trying to head east, take the earlier turn-off, and take the first right turn after that.