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Trip Planning: HST Shuttle
#10603 02/03/11 12:14 PM
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We are doing a W to E through hike on the HST in August, and looking into transportation options. I have often heard second or third hand of groups going in opposite directions trading cars at opposite ends (swapping keys in the middle). Does anyone really do this? Is anyone up for an E to West on the HST in August? (No, we won't switch our direction for too many reasons to go into)


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Re: Trip Planning: HST Shuttle
saltydog #10604 02/03/11 01:20 PM
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Welcome to WhitneyZone, SaltyDog!

Some years ago when I was leading Sierra Club day hikes, wagga and I would do Trans-Sierra Day Hikes that way. We would swap cars before the trip, and drive to the opposite trail heads, usually camping at or near the trail head to get an early morning start.

Then we would hike the same trail in opposite directions, and trade car keys when we met. Each group would then proceed to the end and get in the other car and head home. (I even recovered wagga's sandal that had dropped off his pack on one trip.)

I must say, this is the ideal way of getting to/from a one-way hike like that. All other situations involve extra cars and extra driving -- for several other people.

Maybe you could get lucky and find someone here willing to do that with you, but it may be a slim chance.

- - - - -

How many hikers to you expect to come along on your trip?

Re: Trip Planning: HST Shuttle
saltydog #10605 02/03/11 01:24 PM
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I'd be very interested in this. Are your dates set in stone? If your dates are set in stone, a lot would depend on my ability to get the MMWT permit for the right dates.

Are you looking to take a full 7 days on the trail?

Another way to do it would be for me to meet you at the HST trailhead (wolverton or crescent meadow?), park my car there and then take your car to whitney portal. That way there is no requirement to actually meet up on the trail (and possibly miss each other). And there would also be no requirement to meet after to exchange vehicles.

Re: Trip Planning: HST Shuttle
tdtz #10606 02/03/11 01:38 PM
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Mercy, Tom. You made a liar out of me already! smile

Re: Trip Planning: HST Shuttle
saltydog #10612 02/03/11 03:59 PM
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The first time I did it West to East we had two cars drive to Whitney Portal to leave a truck then went home and got dropped off at Lodgepole the next day. Lots of driving and you need someone willing to drive you around.

There is a shuttle that will take you from Fresno to Lodgepole and then to Crescent Meadow.

I don't know how many days you have or how many miles you can hike because i'd say make it a loop hike. On your way back take Colby Pass through Cloud Canyon into Deadman Canyon, up the Western side by or through Big Bird Lake and across the Table Lands down to Pear Lake and back to Lodgepole. That is all amazing country.

Re: Trip Planning: HST Shuttle
Steve C #10620 02/03/11 10:06 PM
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Steve,
I am still in my planning stages for this summer, but the HST was on my list. I was trying to figure out the logistics without having my wife drive up in a separate car. This works out pretty well for me if the schedules line up.

I'm thinking that I will probably try to do a two-day MMWT in July and then the HST in August.

If I do an east to west via MMWT, I do need a regular ole whitney permit, right?
Tom

Re: Trip Planning: HST Shuttle
tdtz #10621 02/04/11 07:44 AM
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RP wrote:
> There is a shuttle that will take you from Fresno to Lodgepole and then to Crescent Meadow.

RP, isn't that shuttle out of Visalia, not Fresno?

td wrote:
> If I do an east to west via MMWT, I do need a regular ole whitney permit, right?

Yes, that is right.

Re: Trip Planning: HST Shuttle
saltydog #10626 02/04/11 10:09 AM
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Wow, so much info so soon. Glad I joined here at Steve's invite.
There will be six in the party, and we are actually allowing 10 days, mostly so we could take it easy for the first couple. We were considering a loop, even thinking about Pants Pass for the return. We could do a loop, but a more leisurely trip and my kids first view of the MWT (they know I have done it 4 times)
are strong considerations. (Kids, BTW are 18-22). If it turns out we are all in great shape and can blow by Bearclaw on the first day, then we were planning the extra time for a side trip to Lake South America. Will consider the loop, but meanwhile, strong preference is the traverse. Start date is not set in stone, but must be after Aug 1 and end before 18, or maybe 20 at the latest.


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Re: Trip Planning: HST Shuttle
saltydog #10627 02/04/11 10:10 AM
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Oops, sorry, that would be Bear Paw, (somehow we started naming after the pastry favorite and it stuck) and we want to go in at Crescent Meadow, although Lodgepole would be OK


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Re: Trip Planning: HST Shuttle
saltydog #10640 02/04/11 04:50 PM
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Quote:
RP, isn't that shuttle out of Visalia, not Fresno?


I'm not sure, I always thought it was Fresno but I could be wrong.

Continuing up the Kern River to Lake South America then loop back on the PCT is a nice idea. The section of trail from Junction Meadow up to the PCT junction at Wallace Creek is an exposed and very hot slog.

If you do continue up the Kern River by the time you near in on the first little lake up there it's mostly a class 1 trail so it takes a bit longer to navigate up hill.

Re: Trip Planning: HST Shuttle
RoguePhotonic #10654 02/06/11 06:35 AM
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Thanks for that tip. A major reason for this trip is that I got stormed out of a planned two week trip to the Lake SA area in 1964 and haven't made it back since. Two summits from the MMWT, but never got back in, so that is a very attractive possibility. SO is any loop trip. Know anything about Pants Pass?


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Re: Trip Planning: HST Shuttle
saltydog #10656 02/06/11 07:36 AM
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Way long ago, 1957, I took a group of young campers over Pants Pass from 9 Lakes Basin down to Colby Pass trail and over to Whitney and back. Secor has a good description and photo in his book. You have to be careful in picking the correct chute to the best pass as there are two right near each other. I am sure in the past 50+ years that Pants Pass has not gotten any easier to travel over. I would think it now would rate a Class 3 designation or at least a 2+/3-


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