Re: Logistics. Hiking from Tuolumne to Yosemite Valley

Hi,

I am hiking from Tuolumne to Yosemite Valley. Does anybody know the best way to get transportation back to my car? I looked at the bus but it only runs in the morning and takes for ever. Does anybody plan on doing the reverse trip the weekend of Sept 1st? That way we might be able to help each other by moving the car? I just do not want to waste a day getting back to my car, rather spend that time hiking. Let me know if you have any ideas, Rudy

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Rudy

Rudy,
Think about parking your car at the valley end of your hike and getting to TM by bus at the beginning of your hike. That way all the uncertainty is out of the way.

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Old Dude

mrcondron wrote:

> Rudy,
> Think about parking your car at the valley end of your hike and
> getting to TM by bus at the beginning of your hike. That way
> all the uncertainty is out of the way.

I took the bus and it was fine for my purposes. I left my car in the Valley and eventually hiked back to it. Others I had met on the hikers bus had left their cars along Tioga Pass and were going to back to retrieve them.

However - anyone have a better idea of when the hikers bus ends service for the season? They say July to Labor Day, but it sounds like service is stopped when they don't feel that it's worth the expense to run it. There were less than a dozen people on the bus when I took it in mid-June.

There might be the option of using YARTS. The hikers shuttle actually works well even though it's only in the mornings. Trying to coordinate transportation is a nightmare.

http://www.yosemitepark.com/Activities_GuidedActivities_TuolumneMeadows.aspx

I wouldn't expect it to be dropped before Labor Day.

I made a tuolumne-to-valley trek two summers ago, and I liked having my car at tuolumne so I could coordinate my gear, have lunch at the grill, and have a dip in tenaya lake at the end.

The YARTS bus ride from the valley was really enjoyable - it was a tour bus, and the driver has lots of interesting info to share the entire way. We stopped at White Wolf briefly, and the driver stopped the bus right next to my car for me. I was parked at Murphy Creek, and I think it only took about an hour to get there.

If I remember correctly, the bus only takes about 2 1/2 hours (give or take).

Here's the problem I've found with leaving my car in the Valley.

1) You need to have your permit before you park your car (so you can put parking permit on dash)

2) Wilderness Center opens at 7:30 or 8:00; and there could be a long line.

3) Bus leaves at 8:30.

4) The Backpacker parking lot is a LONG walk (and could be long wait for shuttle) from where you need to get the bus.

Of course, if you can stay in the Valley one night before you begin your trip, this wouldn't be an issue, but that's not always possible.

sierranomad wrote:

> If I remember correctly, the bus only takes about 2 1/2 hours
> (give or take).
>
> Here's the problem I've found with leaving my car in the
> Valley.
>
> 1) You need to have your permit before you park your car (so
> you can put parking permit on dash)

Not usually a problem. You do this while you pick up your permit. BTW - I didn't see that many permits displayed. It was mostly day use people using the backpackers parking lot.

> 2) Wilderness Center opens at 7:30 or 8:00; and there could be
> a long line.

If you've got a reservation, pick up the permit at Big Oak Flat or Wawona.

> 3) Bus leaves at 8:30.

8:00 at Curry Village, 8:05 at Yosemite Village, and 8:20 at Yosemite Lodge. They make a stop at the Ahwahnee if called in by a guest there.

> 4) The Backpacker parking lot is a LONG walk (and could be long
> wait for shuttle) from where you need to get the bus.
>
> Of course, if you can stay in the Valley one night before you
> begin your trip, this wouldn't be an issue, but that's not
> always possible.

That's the ticket. Trying to get all that done (pick up permit, park, get ready, take the hikers bus) in one morning seems a bit unrealistic.

A good solution is to call ahead to have your permit held for late arrival. Park in the long term dirt lot at Curry Village (don't really need a dash permit but you can lay a copy of your permit confirmation on the dash) then catch the hiker bus to Tuolumne and get your permit there.

The key is to call for late arrival as the bus doesn't make Tuolumne Meadows until 10:30 or so and you'd risk losing the permit otherwise.

Of course, if you don't have a reserved permit this may not work!