Lone Pine to Yosemite, better options?

[Jeff Cathcart]

First and foremost, great website! I’m in the final preparations of my JMT thru-hike, leaving on September 3rd. Travel to and from, during my initial research, seemed pretty straight forward but I seemed to have hit a snag. YARTS only runs on weekends from Mammoth to Yosemite during September which throws a major monkey wrench in my planning. It seems as if there is no good way to get from Lone Pine to Yosemite? It looks as if I would have to take Eastern Sierra Transit to Reno, then take a bus or train to Merced followed by YARTS to Yosemite? This requires multiple buses and train connections and a very long time! Does anyone have any better options?

Thanks,

Jeff
P.S. Was planning on dropping my car off in Lone Pine.

[Jeff Hester]

Hey Jeff — thanks for the kind words about the site!

Are you traveling solo? If so, you may be able to hitch a ride up the 395. Another option is a private shuttle. It’s pricey, but you can reserve in advance and it’s easy.

Here’s what we did on our JMT thru-hike. I parked my Xterra at the Whitney Portal, then hitched a ride into Lone Pine. Spent the night there, then took Mt. Whitney Shuttle service all the way to Yosemite Valley.

You might be able to find someone else who you can share a ride with. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to also check out the excellent JMT Group.

[rosed]

Hi Jeff

Don’t know if you figured out your transportation problem yet. My JMT trip starts September 4 on the trail. I’m taking AMTRAK from L.A. on September 2 to Merced, then taking YARTS to Yosemite on September 3. Will be camping in the backpackers campground before starting my trip on the 4th. At the end I plan on trying to catch a ride into Lone Pine and then take Eastern Sierra Transit bus to Lancaster and then Metrolink to L.A.

Sounds like a lot but it is very doable. Anyway, good luck!

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