Re: From SoCal: 99 or 395 to TM

I was going to take 395 up to Tioga to get to TM. Mapquest says its almost 2 hours shorter and 100 miles less to go up the 99.
Any recommendations? What about road closures due to road repair/rock slides in the valley?
Thanks in advance!

This year, I would probably use the 395. There is road construction on the 41 within the park, causing delays of anywhere from 0 to 30 minutes each way. That's the main reason. The park is more crowded this year than last year, so you would want to avoid some of the traffic by taking the east entrance. Normally I think the 5-99-41 is a better way to get there, because there are services all along the way, even though it's a long, hot, boring drive through the valley. The 395 is also a long, hot, boring drive, at least until you get to Lone Pine, then it becomes much more interesting, with plenty of things to stop and see along the way. But from Los Angeles to Lone Pine the drive is deadly dull and seems endless. There are almost no services so if your car broke down you would be in trouble. I would start early in the morning, to get through the Mojave desert before the heat of the afternoon. By the time you get up to about Mammoth, the elevation is higher so it's not as hot. That's probably the route I would take even though I detest the 395 south of Lone Pine.

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Bob Weaver
There are almost no services so if your car broke down you would be in trouble.

Try I-5 if you want desolation.

I go 395 whenever I can. Where are you coming from that makes Mapquest think 99 is shorter?

Just north of Burbank. 91040 zip code. Weird huh. I like going up the 395. I love the Sierras. No BP trips this year on the Eastern side.
Because of all the great snow we got this year, I had to reschedule my BP trip from TM through GA HSC to this week. Now we have to drive up same day as permit start date. See how work gets in the way. Sooo, I'm trying to pick the fastest way up so I can hit the trail as early as possible without having to leave at 2-3 am in the morning.
I'm counting on the hike "down" past GA HSC won't take too long.

It will take easily an hour from the valley to TM. The speed limit is not that high and the park rangers patrol the 120 to keep drivers from driving crazy. Oh and good luck if you get stuck behind motorhomes. I would go 395, make sure you get gas in Bishop it was actually cheaper than in Ventura County (5/30). Gas past this point will increase at least .70

Agree on 395. Better views,and better food!

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ERICG
Agree on 395. Better views,and better food!

And no Bakersfield!

uh oh. I'M from Bakersfield. It was a great place to grow up. Sorry I didn't grow up "street-wise" there. Just had fun, running around barefoot and enjoying the outdoors. We were the country bumpkins compared to my nerdy cousins in Berkeley and San Francisco.

395 is my preference. It's about 6 hours to Lee Vining from the Inland Empire. Another 30-45 minutes from Tioga Gas Mart to Toulumne Meadows.

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wrecksduke
I was going to take 395 up to Tioga to get to TM. Mapquest says its almost 2 hours shorter and 100 miles less to go up the 99.
Any recommendations? What about road closures due to road repair/rock slides in the valley?
Thanks in advance!

Undoubtedly 395 from your 91040 starting location when going up to the high country.

Google Maps puts the distance to Tuolumne Meadows along the I-5 to SR14 to US395 to SR120 route at 338 miles. (The shortest SR99 route is pegged at 10 mi. longer... and probably 1+ hour longer by my experience/estimate). It should take you a shade over 6 hours.

The beauty along the 395 is incomparable to the 99 route, as you well know.

The Mobil near my house here in Thousand Oaks was $3.23 on 7/2, but In Lone Pine and Big Pine Mobil was $3.19! Bishop's Giggle Springs gas station was $3.09. I agree that 395 is more interesting a drive, and because of how slow 41 and 120 in the park will be you're better off with 395. But gas up no later than Bishop as the price starts going up north of there.

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mtn man
The Mobil near my house here in Thousand Oaks was $3.23 on 7/2

How high is the station at Rancho Conejo and Hillcrest?

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eeek

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mtn man
The Mobil near my house here in Thousand Oaks was $3.23 on 7/2

How high is the station at Rancho Conejo and Hillcrest?

What sucks was being in Bullhead City, AZ, this weekend for the 4th, and the gas there is $2.63/gallon. Then having to come back to Hollywood prices.

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eeek

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mtn man
The Mobil near my house here in Thousand Oaks was $3.23 on 7/2

How high is the station at Rancho Conejo and Hillcrest?

I'll check them out tomorrow... (7-11 and USA)

Just FYI, the gas in El Portal this morning was $4.06 for regular.

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Dave
Just FYI, the gas in El Portal this morning was $4.06 for regular.

I've seen worse:

If I am ever in Yosemite and need gas, I drive past El Portal about 10 minutes to that little store on the south side of the highway, I am not sure if it is Midpines or what it's called, but their gas is usually 50 cents lower than El Portal.

We left 91040 zip code area (north of Burbank) at 4:30 am. Friends left at 5am from similar location. We headed up 5, 14, 395, to 120 Tioga pass. We got to the ranger station at about 10:15. They took the 99, 41 etc. They didn't arrive until around 12:40.
We got stopped on Tioga for about 15 minutes. I think they got stopped several times. Phew, glad I opted for the scenic AND ultimately faster route.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/11/2010 03:05PM by wrecksduke.