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Now that Tioga Pass is open, ditch your car and enjoy expanded bus service into Yosemite, courtesy of the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) and gateway community, Lee Vining.

Recently, Yosemite National Park Superintendent Don Neubacher announced a partnership with gateway communities designed to enhance visits to the Yosemite region and reduce traffic congestion. Each of the four primary gateways to the park, along Highways 120 east and west, Highway 41, and Highway 140, has designed a program tailored to their specific community, according to a press release from the National Park Service. The objective of these programs is to entice visitors to spend time in the communities before and after their Yosemite visit, which will help ease traffic congestion and expand parking availability within the park, not to mention boost business in those gateway communities.

According to Mono County District 3 Supervisor, Vikki Bauer, the desire for the program came on the heels of a road rage incident in the park last summer that left park staff unnerved. High levels of traffic congestion are not unheard of in Yosemite during the summer months.

YARTS, which has provided bus service into the park since 2000, will be an integral part of the new program, NPS said. There will be expanded runs to supplement the existing YARTS service along the Highway 120 east and Highway 140 corridors leading into Yosemite Valley. Highway 120 west, originating from Sonora, will offer YARTS runs for the first time.

Specifically for Eastsiders, YARTS will offer one new route, seven days a week during July and August, according to Bauer.

The route will go from Mammoth to June Lake to Lee Vining to Tuolumne Meadows. It will then go back and forth between Tuolumne and Lee Vining several times before making a final evening run from Tuolumne to Lee Vining to June Lake and back to Mammoth.

“There will be two opportunities from Mammoth, two from June Lake and four from Lee Vining,” Bauer said.

The bus will stop at the visitor center and the store in Tuolumne. A free park shuttle system connects the Tuolumne Visitor Center and the YARTS bus stop with nearby Tenaya Lake and Olmsted Point.

Additionally, each of the gateway communities designed specific programs tailored to visitors that pass through their region on their way to Yosemite National Park, NPS said. Mono County has produced an informational brochure highlighting activities for visitors to experience in the region and National Park Rangers will be staffing the Mono Basin Visitor Center throughout the summer.

“The $35,000 in marketing that we received from the park will be used to pay our intern, Jeff Simpson’s salary,” Bauer added. Simpson plans to begin program outreach in the next few weeks.

The overall goal of the expanded YARTS bus runs and programs in the communities is to alleviate heavy traffic congestion the park receives during peak hours of summer days. It is hoped that visitors, en route to Yosemite Valley, will enter the park either early in the morning or late in the afternoon, thus avoiding the peak congestion times. Additionally, the program emphasizes that a trip to Yosemite National Park is more than just a trip to Yosemite Valley.

This is the first formal program between the park and the gateway communities, which aims to smooth the peak travel times into Yosemite Valley, NPS continued. Each of the programs will run through the 2012 summer season. At the end of the season, the programs will be evaluated for their effectiveness in reducing traffic congestion in Yosemite Valley.

For a complete YARTS schedule, including the expanded runs, visit www.yarts.com. –NPS/LK

Sheet writer Katie Vane takes the long bus to Yosemite Valley. 

Three weeks ago I sat down with YARTS Transit Manager Dick Whittington to hear his pitch for the merits of YARTS. For those who might also be in the dark, Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS) offers public transportation from Mammoth Lakes and Merced to Yosemite Valley. On the Eastside, it runs once a day, seven days a week in July and August, and once a day on weekends in June and September. But because of the late winter, YARTS is extending its daily service through Sept. 9, which means there’s more time than ever to discover a surprisingly convenient local service.

According to Whittington, YARTS offers the following:

“Connectivity between services,” for instance, allowing JMT hikers to link Eastern Sierra Transit Authority (ESTA) to YARTS to travel from Mt. Whitney to the Valley.

An alternative to driving during traffic-heavy summer months.

A relatively cheap means of entering the Valley: $30 one way and $20 round trip from Mammoth to Yosemite Valley, with no extra gate fees.

A different way to see Yosemite. Or, as Whittington said, “You see different views on the bus; it releases you to enjoy the ride.”

I decided to see if any of this was true for myself, and three weeks later, on Wednesday morning at 8:30 a.m., I caught the YARTS bus from the Shilo Inn to Yosemite Valley.

An important note: two weeks ago, just one week after I met with Whittington, I broke my ankle rock climbing. Thus I embarked upon this journey with crutches and a “moon boot,” and only a vague idea of what I could do on one foot in the Valley.

The day turned out to be a pleasant surprise. For one thing, the YARTS bus was comfy: a 45-foot over the road coach with a bathroom, reclining seats and air conditioning For another, the drive really was beautiful. I’ve been to Yosemite before, but what Whittington said was true … not having to pay attention to the gas pedal, brakes or steering wheel, I was liberated to enjoy the scenery without interruption.

The other thing Whittington was right about: people really do use YARTS to connect to other services and areas on the East and Westside. A young couple on the bus was returning to Berkeley; they’d parked their car in Tuolumne and had taken YARTS to Mammoth to relax for a few days. An older gentleman was using YARTS to “putz” around Yosemite before returning to Mammoth to catch a flight back to Seattle. He’d also hiked the John Muir Trail from the Valley to Whitney, and taken ESTA from Lone Pine to Mammoth, just as Whittington described.

The bus ride from Mammoth to Yosemite Valley isn’t short. It takes about four hours, with stops at June Lake, Lee Vining, and Tuolumne. But it certainly isn’t stressful. By the time we arrived in the Valley, I was beginning to feel ambitious. In spite of the smoke—a combination of Sequoia, Avalanche, and Hodgdon prescribed burn mingling to almost conceal Half Dome—the Valley was stunning.

I decided to hop on the Yosemite Valley Hybrid Shuttle, which picked up about two feet away from where YARTS dropped off at the Visitor’s Center, and took it one stop to the Yosemite Falls Trail. I didn’t hike the trail, but I did crutch close enough to admire the view. After that I hopped on the shuttle again and took it to the next stop, Camp 4, legendary Yosemite climbing spot, where I watched the pros go at it and felt a little sorry for myself.

Then it was time for lunch. I got back on the shuttle, which swung by every 10 minutes, and took it to the grocery store. I grabbed some grub and found a boulder to relax on in the shade.

The highlight of the trip? When I looked up in the middle of lunch and saw a fellow one-legged crutcher crossing the sidewalk toward me. All day I’d been regarded like some kind of alien by the two-legged Yosemite brethren. Here at last was someone who understood the frustration of being in a place this beautiful without being able to walk.

His name was Aaron, he was from New Zealand, and he and his buddy had gotten into a car crash only the night before. Their sleepy driver had run the car off the road into a tree; according to Aaron, they were lucky to be alive. He’d escaped with a severely lacerated foot, now bound up in a cast, and his buddy showed off a chipped tooth.

We commiserated, describing our war wounds, until the shuttle bus arrived. Then we wished each other speedy recoveries, and Aaron and his friend got on, headed for places unknown.

I was starting to believe that buses were the easiest — and safest — way to get around the Sierra.

An hour later I wandered over to the Ansel Adams Gallery, where a kind employee let me sit on a chair near the checkout counter and page through photography books. Then somehow it was 5 p.m. and the YARTS bus was arriving to drive me back to Mammoth.

As we started up the steep, winding road toward Tuolumne, I asked Will (or “Bob, if you don’t like my driving”) how long he’d been driving this route. “I’ve been driving the Merced route for about five years now,” he said. “I’ve only done this route three times. But I like it … I like it a lot.”

He wasn’t alone.

The bus was packed on the way back, and the ride felt a bit like the end of a school camping trip; everyone sweaty and beat, happy to let the rocking of the bus lull them to sleep. Four hours later, we arrived in Mammoth again, and I parted ways with my fellow YARTS riders. My adventure was complete.

Would I do it again? In a word, yes. It was a smooth, safe, scenic trip. Should you do it? I guess I’ll put it this way: if I can have a good time with only one functioning foot, then I think you’ll have a great time — on YARTS and in the Valley — with two.

For more information, go to www.yarts.com, or call 209.388.9589, or 877.989.2787.

Transit system looks into the valley of its future

After 10 years of being in service, the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System, or YARTS, hopes to turn itself into more than just a novelty shuttle. Currently, consultants from the Transit Resource Center and Transit Marketing are gathering data to develop YARTS’ short-range transit plan for the next five years. The hope is to expand use beyond the backpackers that are mostly using the system now.

Several workshops were held in the Eastern Sierra in the last week in order for Clifford Chambers of the Transit Resource Center and Selena Barlow of Transit Marketing to talk with community members to determine what is, and is not, working with YARTS. Workshops were held in Lee Vining, June Lake and Mammoth, and the consultants rode the buses themselves to get a first-hand look at the system.

At the Mammoth workshop on Monday afternoon, Danna Stroud pinpointed one of the system’s major flaws. “There are a lot of pieces that do fit together in this system, but many may not be understood by the general public,” Stroud observed. This is why Barlow’s piece of the puzzle will be so crucial to the system going forward. Marketing tools such as sample itineraries, a website with some teeth, and social media outlets will need to be developed to help riders understand exactly what their options are when using YARTS.

For example, many people may be unaware that the Amtrak connects with the YARTS system in Merced, which means visitors can get to Mammoth from anywhere in the country via a train and a bus. It would make for a long trip, but it can be done.

Another huge flaw in the system is that no one is assigned to keep watch on what information is being disseminated to the public regarding YARTS. Currently, according to YARTS Transit Manager Dick Whittington, who visited the Eastern Sierra to take part in the workshop process, wrong phone numbers for YARTS are being listed in directories and front desk managers at hotels in Mammoth are telling people to go and wait in wrong locations for the bus. John Urdi, Executive Director for Mammoth Lakes Tourism suggested sending these employees out on the bus for them to experience the process themselves and be able to relay information to guests more accurately.

YARTS has two routes, the abovementioned route along Hwy 140 that hits Merced and Mariposa and ends up in Yosemite where, if you chose, you can hop onto the YARTS 120 route that would then take you to the Eastern Sierra. The two routes have a stop at the Yosemite Valley Visitor Center where a transfer can be made.

Day trips on YARTS from the eastside are currently tough, which is why the system is more often than not used by hikers who are only traveling one way, usually into the park to then hike their way back out. If you do choose to take a day-trip on YARTS you would endure a four hour trip each way, with about four hours to actually hang out in the Valley. While the trip is not bad for a single rider (I did it a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it), it may be disheartening and exhausting to families who want to bring their kids along.

Mono County Supervisor Vikki Magee-Bauer, who represents Lee Vining, June Lake and a portion of Mammoth, was at the Mammoth workshop and suggested that YARTS look at creating a hub in Lee Vining.

“Perhaps we could use the Eastern Sierra Transit Authority [ESTA] to get people from Mammoth to Lee Vining and then YARTS would take you from Lee Vining to the Valley,” Bauer suggested. “It would give flexibility to have several shuttles running back and forth throughout the day rather than just one.”

The idea was expanded upon and others thought perhaps it would be even better to have YARTS just run from Lee Vining to Tuolumne Meadow. Riders who wanted to go all the way to the Valley could then jump on a park bus to ride the rest of the way. Those at the workshop thought the Lee Vining to Tuolumne route would be good for Eastside locals looking for day trips. This route would cut the travel time on YARTS down to about two hours.

Currently the YARTS shuttle picks up at several locations in Mammoth, then goes to June Lake and then Lee Vining before heading to Yosemite.

“We would just still need to be able to say that you can get to Yosemite from Mammoth,” Stroud said, with her marketing hat on. Which would be true, it would just mean taking several buses rather than one.

The flaw in the Lee Vining hub plan would be that while YARTS currently stops on the June Lake Loop to pick up passengers, the CREST bus that is operated by ESTA and would be the alternative for getting people from Mammoth to Lee Vining, does not. This means June Lake would be cut out of the equation if that idea was implemented. Breaking up the current YARTS route would also mess up the Amtrak connection to Mammoth.

“I always do this to myself,” Bauer, who represents Lee Vining, June Lake and a portion of Mammoth, said in regard to trying to help one area, while inadvertently raising issues for another.

Overall the general feeling was to try to coordinate the ESTA and YARTS entities in order to make them work together rather than against each other.

None of the ideas that were generated at the workshop were set in stone. It was merely a collaboration of thoughts and ideas that the consultants recorded for their recommendation reports that they hope to have generated by the end of the year.

According to Barlow, Yosemite is also in the midst of conducting a transportation study as well, which may play into what she and Chambers will recommend in their reports.

VillageFest a real Ribs-tickler

The 7th annual VillageFest, California’s highest-altitude Rib Cook-off, a summer tradition, returns to the Village at Mammoth Saturday, July 31. Starting at noon, the festivities include the debut of the highest-altitude Chili Cook-off, and an afternoon and evening of live music from local bands, such as: Lava Moon, Jeffrey James and The Wanted Gang, the Luca Band and Hurricane Hoover’s Blues Party.

At 7 p.m., watch the sunset as the lights come up on Eastern Sierra favorite Pink Froyd, the ultimate Pink Floyd tribute experience! Also on the menu, a Beer & Wine Garden, Kids Crafts, a Music Demonstration, Fun Zone and Raffle! Admission’s free, so bring some bucks to spend on local restaurants … The Sheet highly recommends you sample some of the outstanding ribs, chili, chicken, sides and desserts! Info: 760.914.3122 or www.mammothvillagefest.com.

YARTS Transit Plan meetings

Transit Marketing, LLC and Transit Resource Center are working on a Short Range Transit Plan for Yosemite Area Regional Transit System (YARTS).  This will include looking at possibilities for expanding the service from three counties (Merced, Mariposa and Mono) to other neighboring counties, including Tuolumne and Madera.

Part of the process includes holding public meetings in each county to get the view of various stakeholders regarding improvements to current services as well as the possibilities for future expansion of services.

There will be three separate meetings in Mono County on July 26:

8-9 a.m. in the Lee Vining Community Center, 296 Mattly Ave., Lee Vining

10-11 a.m. in the June Lake Community Center, 90 W. Granite Ave, June Lake, and

3-5 p.m. in the 3rd Floor Board of Supervisors Conference Room, Sierra Center Mall, 452 Old Mammoth Rd., Mammoth Lakes.

Land Tenure Workshop

Family, friends, neighbors and fellow community members are invited to an informative and interactive workshop to discuss how land ownership adjustments might relate to your community’s future on July 28 in the Lee Vining Community Center from 6-8:30 p.m.

The Land Tenure Project is a collaborative effort by partners including Inyo and Mono counties, Inyo National Forest, Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest, Bureau of Land Management, and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power.

The Land Tenure 101 workshop will introduce basic land tenure principles and explain how land tenure adjustments may be used as a planning tool. Small groups will identify criteria that may guide land ownership adjustment decisions, land tenure strategies, constraints and opportunities as related to community visioning, expansion and goals, and identify the next steps necessary to achieve these goals.

The workshop will include time for additional questions from 8:30-9 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

More info: contact Vickie Taton @ 760.258.1363, or e-mail vtaton@sbcouncil.org. Take part in a brief land tenure survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/landtenure.

Sierra Cycle (& barber) challenge

Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra takes off on its annual three-day fundraising Sierra Cycle Challenge bike ride, July 24-26. Riders must raise a minimum $1,000 to enter, and DSES Director Kathy Copeland agreed to shave her head to provide additional inspiration! (See this week’s cover!)

Fundraising pages were set up on www.Firstgiving.com. Info: 760.934.0791 or www.disabledsportseasternsierra.org.

Moomaw improving

For the many Richie Moomaw fans out there, Spike Todd reports that Moomaw is due to be released from the ICU in Reno by today and will spend the next little while recuperating down at his sister Kathie’s place in Southern California. If you’d like to help Richie with his medical expenses, there are donation jars at Mammoth Liquor, Rick’s Sport Center and Mammoth Chevron.

Illuminated Landscape

Authors Gary Noy and Rick Heide will present dramatic readings of Sierra Nevada local and well known literature from Native American origin myths to contemporary writings placed in an historical context, accompanied by a slideshow, as part of “The Illuminated Landscape: A Sierra Nevada Anthology,” on Friday, July 23, 6:30-8 p.m. at Spellbinder Books in Bishop.

The essays, poetry, and stories presented in “The Illuminated Landscape” encompass the entire Sierra Nevada … an ancient creation myth involving an unlikely contest between Hawk and Crow, vignettes of life in mining camps, a curious deer taking a stroll through Beetle Rock, the impact a simple camping trip can make, the unexpected solace felt by a family held in an internment camp, and an enlightening attempt to climb Matterhorn Peak.

Refreshments will be served. Books are in stock, and available for purchase and autographing. Special note: “The Illuminated Landscape” is illustrated by former Devil’s Postpile Ranger Joe Medeiros! More info: www.spellbinderbookstore.com or 760.873.4511.

Snowcreek Nine & Dine!

Snowcreek Golf Course hosts Nine & Dine, a fun and social tournament that includes 9 holes of golf and dinner afterwards. Open to all golfers, there is a different format every time, and a different restaurant! Couples welcome and having a handicap is preferred, but not necessary. Upcoming dates: Aug. 12 and 26, and Sept. 9 and 23. Info/registration: 760.934.6633.

Postcards from the lake

The June Lake Library, located in the Community Center at Gull Lake, will host an exhibit of old, historical post cards of Silver Lake. Frequent June Lake Loop visitor Ken Harrison, of Cardiff by the Sea, has a collection of post cards of Silver Lake ranging from the 1920s up to the 70s.

The unique collection will be on display between Saturday, July 31, and Saturday, Sept. 4, on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons.

A reception to meet the Mr. Harrison will be hosted by the June Lake Friends of the Library on Thursday, Aug. 5, from 4:30-6:30 p.m., just prior to a meeting of the June Lake Historical Society.

The collections shows the reflecting lake, Carson Peak, Devil’s Slide, and the old large pine trees on the east side of the lake. Only the card’s printing color and style differ. “Mountains don’t change in 80 years,” Harrison notes.

Harrison’s favorite shot is one of the resort’s Trailer Park from the early 60s. It shows old, round trailers with 50s and 60s style trucks parked in the spaces. “Anything with a ‘59 El Camino and a canned ham-style travel trailer is worth money,” describing the camping images on the card.

Having a constant supply of older cards doesn’t help auction prices.

Many people collect travel post cards as reminders of family trips from bygone days. Serious collectors may not purchase for specific place, but for the age or style of the image, or the type of printing or paper used. Harrison purchased most of his for under $5, but will bid as high as $25 for a historical image he hasn’t seen before. “Both the Silver Lake Resort and I missed a one of a kind image of a big flood in the 30s that went for $50.We’ve never seen that image come up for auction since,” says Harrison.

A river runs through it

Beat the heat of summer with the world’s coolest chamber music programs at Mammoth’s Cerro Coso College during the 2010 Mammoth Lakes Music Festival.

The festival kicks off with “A River Runs Through It” on July 21, featuring Haydn’s String Quartet in D Major, opus 50 no. 6, “Frog” (played by Aimee Kreston, Emma Noel Votapek, Rebecca Hang and Brian Schuldt), Beethoven’s – Sonata in C Minor for Violin and Piano, opus 30 no. 2 (played by Corey Cerovsek & Steven Vanhauwaert), Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E Flat Major, opus 44 (played by Sarkis Baltaian, Cerovsek, Lina Bahn, Andrew Picken and Mark Votapek).

On July 23, “Over the Rainbow” has music for Soprano and Piano (performed by Maria Jette & Sarkis Baltaian), Lalo’s Piano Trio no. 3 in A Minor, opus 26 (performed by the Felici Trio) and Ravel’s String Quartet in F Major (performed by Cerovsek, Kreston, Picken and Mark  Votapek.

Complete artist, schedule and ticket information is available at www.ChamberMusicUnbound.org.

FOOD PANTRY OPEN

The Salvation Army and Church on the Mountain have opened a food pantry in Mammoth to serve those in need of food assistance. The food pantry has a well-stocked facility at 220 Sierra Manor Rd., adjacent to Higerd Plumbing, to provide assistance and accept food and cash donations. Hours of operation: Monday/Wednesday 2-5 p.m. and Saturday noon-4 p.m.