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Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ THIS!)

PostPosted: Fri Jun 03, 2016 5:15 pm
by Phil
Okay, straight from the NPS-

The 2016 schedule for the Tuolumne Hiker's shuttle is:

Beginning June 10th -September 20th, there will be only ONE bus per day in each direction.

The shuttle from the Valley will Leave Curry Village at 8:00am, with only one other stop in the Valley at the Yosemite Lodge at 8:20. Safety permitting, and by letting the driver know when you board, all regular trailheads on Tioga Rd will still be served.

From Tuolumne Meadows, the shuttle to the Valley will now leave from the Tuolumne Lodge at 2:00pm instead of from the Visitor's Center.

The NPS and Aramark have only contracted for that one run in each direction per day. The cost will be $15 one-way, and $23 round-trip. Tickets must be purchased in-advance at the transportation kiosks.

That's it until further notice and/or Aramark gets up to speed. This sucks!!!! There are going to be lot's of people missing their ride, and the demand will probably lead to long lines and very crowded buses.

YARTS will be running weekends only from the Valley at their regular 5pm departure time until sometime in July when it will change to daily service. Stay tuned. Here's YARTS complete schedule for all routes and schedules: http://yarts.com/routes-schedules/

Re: Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ TH

PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2016 11:47 am
by MadDiver
Wow, way to really drop the ball... "pathetic" comes to mind... :roll:

Re: Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ TH

PostPosted: Sun Jun 05, 2016 1:19 pm
by Phil
It really is. I can't imagine that necessity isn't going to force them to add more runs. We'll have to go ahead and write it off to Aramark just getting started, but for the NPS to not know what's needed logistically and have that reflected in their contract is inexcusable. It's no wonder that DNCY was able to trademark names with contract writing like what we're seeing here.

Here's what I foresee happening: Besides people missing buses altogether because of the schedule and the fact that they'll be crowded and booked solid with only one bus, it'll be like the reservation system...lines, fully impacted, unavailable within too short a time, frustrating... I also see what I can't really call anything but mass-strandings. People will be trapped with no way back. That'll be tourists, day-hikers, backpackers that missed their exit times...all the way up and down Tioga Rd. They'll start freaking out and making 911 calls. Also, calling it a "hiker's bus" is ridiculous; bus leaves at 8 am from the Valley, gets to Tuolumne about 10-ish, the only return bus leaves at 2 pm. "Hikers" who plan on returning better not plan on doing much "hiking", unless it's maybe a few hundred yards out into the meadow. Forget a quick day-hike up to Cathedral or Glen Aulin, forget Elizabeth Lake, most people probably couldn't even make it to the top of Lembert Dome and back in time to catch the last bus. More apt is to call it a "tourist's bus", because unless the drive itself and a few quick photos of Tuolumne Meadows and a t-shirt is all you're riding for, not much else is feasible or functional. Backpacker's will end up missing entry dates, camping illegally, hitchhiking or walking the road everywhere.

And that's just what I can think of off hand. It'll be a mess.

Re: Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ TH

PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 8:15 pm
by YoseWeerjin
Had this sent to me from Aramark... :cry:

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Re: Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ TH

PostPosted: Tue Jun 07, 2016 10:19 pm
by Phil
Sounds like something interesting, but it won't post from your personal files, and didn't show up. Can you type it up or transfer it to some kind of public image sharing app? It can't be good since you added the sad face.

Re: Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ TH

PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 8:10 am
by YoseWeerjin
Sorry about that. Still trying to get the hang of this posting thing. Try this...

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Re: Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ TH

PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 2:39 pm
by Phil
What, no backpack surcharge or boarding fees?

Re: Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ TH

PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 3:43 pm
by PHGNYC1
I'm assuming that the TM shuttle bus between TM Lodge and Olmstead Point still runs as they claim (every 30 mins. between 7am and 7pm) https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tmbus.htm. Correct?

Re: Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ TH

PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 7:01 pm
by Phil
Yes, so I was told. Still every half hour and the same route, but it's going to cost money as well. How much, they had no idea as of last Friday.

Re: Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ TH

PostPosted: Wed Jun 08, 2016 7:29 pm
by PHGNYC1
Thanks, Phil. Does that mean it hasn't started running yet??

Re: Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ TH

PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 7:51 am
by Peasy
For the Yosemite Valley to TM hiker's bus, the site says:

"Additional Information: For pick-up at The Majestic Yosemite Hotel, please call 209.372.1240 in advance."

How far does "in advance" mean. That's kind of vague. We will be there in August and will need a lift from the valley to TM to start our hike. Should I call now? A couple of weeks before? Thank you for any insight.

Re: Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ TH

PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 8:52 am
by Phil
Just called Aramark. What an absolute mess.

For the hiker's shuttle from the Valley, the date was supposed to be the 10th. Now they're saying that they need to wait and see when services will be open to make it worth running to. It's supposedly imminent. It might still be the 10th, but the Tuolumne Meadows shuttle is scheduled to begin running the 14th, and that's currently supposed to be with all operations up and running. It'll run the same route from Tuolumne Lodge to Olmstead Point every half hour from 7am-6pm. Cost is yet to be determined, but the woman I spoke to said she's heard that it might be a flat-rate, might be mileage based, or might be fixed by trailhead...or, maybe it'll be monkeys throwing darts at random numbers on a sheet of paper. Who knows? Just shove a bunch of dollar bills in your pocket and be ready for whatever.

As far as "in advance" from the Ahwanee goes; that statement has been there for years, long before this whole debacle. I have no idea what that means. Best to call now. The standard stops include Yosemite Village, which is right down the road from the hotel. It's easy enough to stroll on over, knowing that if you're not there, ticket in-hand, by 8:05am, you're not going up to Tuolumne Meadows that day. Be sure not to go too far, because if you miss the one and only return shuttle at 2pm, you've got a long, cold night ahead of you.

Re: Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ TH

PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 9:44 am
by Peasy
Good grief, thanks. Yes, guess I better call. We just need the ride up to TM, not a round trip. We are hiking out of Cathedral down to Happy Isles. I was hoping to get there the day before, pick up our permits, leave our car at Happy Isles and take the shuttle up to TM, spend the night there in backpackers camp and then take off from the Cathedral Lakes trailhead first thing the next morning. Sounds like we had better make sure we are there at Happy Isles, parked and settled well before 8:00am, waiting for the bus up to TM. That's going to be a long day because we have a 4-5 hour drive to get to the park in the first place.

Re: Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ TH

PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 10:21 am
by Phil
By August all the kinks should hopefully be worked out.

You don't want to be at Happy Isles by 8am, you need to be out in front of the Lodge at Curry Village no later than that. You can also park the car up in Tuolumne, stay at the backpacker's camp, then hit your trailhead at the same time the next morning. When you exit Happy Isles, catch the 5pm YARTS shuttle back up to the car, and then either drive out or stay another night under your permit at the backpacker's camp. I'm one to have my trip logistics under my control, on my time and schedule, going into a hike, then worry about sorting out getting back when it's all said and done. It always seems to work out better that way, and then I can deal with any last minute packing and sorting from the car, and not have to rush to catch a bus and maybe forget something. On the way back, you already have whatever you have with you in your pack, and getting ready is just a matter of throwing your pack in the bus and finding a seat.

Re: Official 2016 Tuolumne Hiker's Shuttle Schedule (READ TH

PostPosted: Thu Jun 09, 2016 4:15 pm
by Peasy
I didn't know there was a 5pm YART shuttle, thank you so much! Do I need to reserve that in advance?