Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Getting to and from the trail heads..

Hey All!

A friend and i are planning to do the HST this July and (obviously) are looking for a way around the $$ shuttle cost. We will be flying from Philadelphia and can make it to Fresno and Visalia easily. What are my transit opitions to get to the east head and then back from the Mt. Whitney Sumbit option to either Fresno or Visalia.

Thank you in advance for all your he

Hi First it will take a plan that where you fly into or out of that makes it work and the days you exit the Eastside Whitney Portal.
A bus goes North 4 days a week and one South 3 days a week these will link you to the airports LA or Reno very easy and low cost.

So fly into the West side/LA take the bus to the start do the hike, exit and fly out of the Eastside/LA

The bus service on the East side is Eastern Sierra Transit...

ESTA They have a website that was just put on line so check it out . wwww. estransit.com Thanks Doug

An option that will add a few miles.

Fly into Vegas, drive to LP and pickup permit #1(you start this leg on NF land). Overnight at Onoin Valley. Hike 22 miles (first 4 up 2k, last 18 downhill) and overnight in Cedar Grove. Day 3, hitch a ride out of the valley (not hard) to lodgepole (pick up HST permit) overnight. Day 4, start HST and you will have car when you finish.

I did this the last time I did the HST and I'll do it the same way next year when I do it again.

I'm from Houston, doing the HST mid-August. The cheapest easiest solution I found was to do an open-jaw flight.

We're flying into Fresno, then taking a Greyhound to a Visalia motel, then a $7.50 shuttle early the next morning to Lodgepole.

Eight days later, we exit at the Portal, hitch to Lone Pine, stay a night at the Whitney Hostel, and take a 6am CREST bus ($59) to the Reno airport.

Caplen,

Sounds like a great trip, but you forgot a few things.

1. Say hello to Doug and the crew.
2. Eat a Mooseburger.
3. Pizza and beer at Pizza Factory.
4. Sneak into the hot tube at The Dow Villa.
Have a great trip!!!!

THE SILENT HIKER

1. Say hello to Doug and the crew. ~ Well, that's a given - been looking forward to that for over a year!
2. Eat a Mooseburger. ~ As a vegetarian, I'll be enjoying that vicariously through my boyfriend/hiking partner. But I'm really hoping Doug serves the fabled Pancake in the afternoon.
3. Pizza and beer at Pizza Factory. ~ Good tip - thanks!
4. Sneak into the hot tube at The Dow Villa. ~ Great tip - thanks!!!