[pct-l] Reno to PCT connections

[wpsnotebook at charter.net (Richard Woods)]

There isn't a direct, one-shot way to reach the PCT from Reno/Tahoe 
International Airport. There are many alternatives that will get you 
into the neighborhood tho.

Local taxi and two buses:
Personally, I'd say getting to the PCT the most direct way without 
hitchhiking, will be through Truckee and a local bus to North Lake 
Tahoe. Taxi to Greyhound or Amtrak (a bus they call a train) Reno to 
Truckee is about an hour and $10, and a Tahoe Area Rapid Transit bus 
will take you by a Tahoe Rim Trail trailhead in Tahoe City near the 
bridge. The TRT will take you from there up to the PCT in Granite Chief 
Wilderness.

Getting from the Airport to S. Lake Tahoe, Nevada: Tahoe Casino Express
14 departures daily between the Reno/Tahoe International Airport and 
South Shore Lake Tahoe Resorts: Caesars, Harveys, Harrah's, Horizon, 
Embassy Suites and Lakeside Inn. 775-785-2424 or 800-446-6128. I'm 
speculating that they might be willing to let you off at Spooner 
Summit, if not there is a local bus that will take you from Stateline 
across town to the Hwy 50 junction with Hwy 89. Another hitch from 
there up to Echo summit and the PCT.

If you don't mind a short hitch, and your intention is to reach the 
Tahoe Rim Trail, a trail that connects with the PCT, your closest 
approach will be South Carson City, not Garderville. Also applies if 
you intend to head for South Lake Tahoe and up Hwy 50 to Echo Summit.
I've used the CREST bus between Carson City and Bishop. If you're 
flying into Reno, Tahoe Regional Transit (TRT) covers the same route 
from Reno to Carson City, is more frequent, but ends in S. Carson City. 
Both make a stop at KMart in S. Carson City very close to the 
intersection where Hwy 50 heads up the hill to South Lake Tahoe. I 
don't know of any public transportation (the above is a commercial 
service) that will get you over Spooner Summit to the lake basin, but 
the hitch up the hill from the 395/Hwy 50 intersection should be an 
easy one-ride shot. Another post in the digest suggested picking up the 
Tahoe Rim Trail, which has a trailhead at Spooner Summit on Hwy 50. You 
could go either north or south around the lake (which I highly 
recommend!) possibly a four day hike southbound to the PCT at Meiss 
Meadows for a slow guy like me, probably more like two if you're 
conditioned for a through hike. Northbound takes you over Mt Rose to 
Tahoe City, and from there to the PCT in the vicinity of Granite Chief 
Wilderness. Southbound is probably closer, maybe 50 miles to Meiss 
meadows, with some spectacular views of the lake. Yes, you could get 
off the bus in the center of Gardnerville, but from there you've got 30 
miles of rural backroads to reach South Lake Tahoe. Stay on the bus for 
another 30 minutes.


> There is also public transportation up 395 to Reno.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Steve Peterson <steve_peterson@sbcglobal.net>
> Sent: Jun 8, 2005 8:06 PM
> To:
> Cc: Pctl <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] neo-flop strategy?
>
> Why not this: from wherever (probably not KM south) fly or rent a car 
> to Reno.
> Get (bus? rent a car?) to South Lake Tahoe. Hitch to Echo Lk Resort 
> and hike
> from there. If you did skip from KM south, you skip only about 400 
> miles which
> would be doable in Sept (in a normal year).
>
> You could also get from Reno to Truckee via Greyhound (a couple of 
> hours and
> about ten bucks). Truckee is only 10-15 miles from Donner Pass. This 
> would be a
> skip of about 450 miles from KM south.
>
> --Steve
>