Doug posted this on his BB:

"Hi The Crest bus will now link with the YART service in Mammoth without the overnight stay. So You will be able to get on the Crest bus in Lone Pine and into Yosemite in one day, four days a week . This is a great service for the JMT hikers and many others traveling into the Sierra . Also the Southbound bus now takes you to the Train station in Lancaster 3 days a week , that gets you into LA the same day or links to the Greyhound at Mojave. Thanks Doug"

Here is the official website.

No new routes shown, but there is contact info.

Thanks, Kevin for posting that.

It was pretty annoying last year, that the YARTS bus left Lee Vining for Yosemite Valley just 20 minutes before the bus from Lone Pine and Mammoth arrived in Lee Vining.

I get a kick out of the schedule listing Inyokern as Inyo Kern.

So, should Yosemite become Yose Mite? Bishop become Bis Hop? Independence become Indy Pendence?

Hmmm...Lonepine?

Reduced air fare LAX to Mammoth.

That's a good rate. You can't buy gas for that.

I wonder how you get anywhere once you land at the "Mammoth airport". Do they have shuttle to take people up the hill? It's not like you can walk from the airport to Mammoth.

Whenever I drive by that airport I get this sense that landing there where would be like getting dropped in Benton - "Now what?"

Call Scottie
Mammoth Sierra Express 760-937-TAXI (8294)

I have used him before. Not sure they have a website, but see:

http://local.yahoo.com/info-21240167-sierra-express-transportation-mammoth-lakes

http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Sierra.Express.Transportation.Inc.760-924-8294

SO, let me understand this. Mammoth is being promoted as the gateway to Yosemite between now and June 30? Am I missing something?

maybe the part that Tioga Pass won't be open before mid July?

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/tioga.htm

Thanks, Salty, I was just waiting for that comment!

If I had to make a WAG, I'd say they're (the airlines) promoting low rates as a way to entice people to ski thru the spring/into the summer. For the same reason Tioga Pass might not open until Labor Day (am making that up - maybe) Mammoth is having a stellar snow year. I've been away on a trip for the past couple of weeks, but I believe I read that they got over 600" of snow at the base of the ski area. That's 50+', so ... might be a few days before they see grass again on those slopes.

The opening of the Tioga road depends on the ability of Park service and Caltrans crews to clear the road of snow and rockfall. They do their best. A Memorial Day weekend opening looks doubtful. The opening of the road has nothing to do with Mammoth Mountain activity.

Ulmstead Point and the east side of Tioga Pass are especially problematic, because of avalanches and rock slides. If you've even driven into the Park from the east on opening day, you'd know what I mean.

Again, the Tioga road opening has nothing to do with Mammoth Mountain ski activity. It's just another conspiracy theory. It's all about snow and rocks on the road. I've watched the history of this problem since 1975; it's presents the same situation year after year.

The two airlines that service Mammoth, Horizon and United, operate year-round. Mammoth has much more going for tourists than skiing: hiking, climbing, fishing, etc. The airlines are responding to the present ski market.

Bob: Let me clarify. The cheap airfares into Mammoth are good through June 30. And the hype covering them is expressly promoting Mammoth as the gateway to Yosemite as well as the mountain. In the last few years in which April 1 Tuolomne drainage snowpack approached this years (178%) opening days were June 24, (163%), July 1 (156%), and June 30 (178 %).

Thats what the one has to do with the other.

And despite the NPS disclaimer, the correlation between April 1 snow pack and opening day is pretty good. As of today, the cats (which precede the plows) are at Crane Flat

I wish the crews and the Mammoth Lakes CofC the best, but any June opening would be an achievement, and Memorial Day would be the Miracle on Snow.