JMT Advice Please: How Do I Get back?

[cactuskev]

Greetings Everyone!

I'm excited to be hiking the John Muir Trail later this summer - I'm an avid backpacker but I've never been to the Yosemite area before.

I'm planning to fly into Fresno and take the bus down to the park, but I'm having trouble figuring out how to get back!

I'm guessing that I'll be looking for a way to exit the trail somewhere in the vicinity of Helen Lake with the amount of time I have.

Can someone please provide suggestions on how to get back to Fresno from there?

THANK YOU!

Cactuskev

[AlmostThere]

There is no bus from Fresno into Yosemite. There is a service called YARTS from Merced and from Mammoth Lakes on the east side. There is also an east side transit system called CREST.

[sierranomad]

I don't know of a way to get back to Fresno from that point in the JMT. Someone else on this forum may, but if not, you might try this forum: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/johnmuirtrail/.

[cactuskev]

There is no bus from Fresno into Yosemite. There is a service called YARTS from Merced and from Mammoth Lakes on the east side. There is also an east side transit system called CREST.

Thanks - my current plan is to take Amtrak to Merced and grab the YARTS from there.


How about exiting the trail and hitch to Bishop - rent a car from there?

[dan]

The options are few. Hitch hike or hire the (expensive) shuttle service out of Lone Pine, Mt. Whitney Shuttle. Their webpage shows the nearest bus connections too, to minimize expense. It's better with a small group to split the cost.
http://www.mtwhitneyshuttle.com

[Steve C]

I realize this is an old thread, but for future reference....

The Eastern Sierra Transit Authority runs a bus between Lone Pine and Reno.

JMT hikers might find it easier to fly into Reno and then connect using the ESTA bus to Lee Vining, and then the YARTS system to Yosemite.

I live in Fresno, and flying in and out is very expensive. Reno might even save $$.

I'd post links, but I'm a newbie here.