High Sierra Topix

Any suggestions on the best way to plan for a shuttle or taxi on a one way thru hike starting at Onion Valley and exiting at Horseshoe Meadows. Our plan would be to facilitate the shuttle on the front end and leave our car at Horseshoe. Doesnt seem like there is a taxi service in that area of 395 that I could find. Thanks!

Hi,

I have used prearranged shuttle services to get to both these trail heads.

There is a variety of shuttles available. Some are bonded, insured, and have permits to operate in Inyo National Forest. Others will operate when a driver has downtime in his personal life and access to a vehicle. To locate these resources, contact the Inyo National Forest, the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce, the Mount Williamson Motel in Independence, or in Lone Pine, the Dow Villa Motel or Whitney Portal Store Hostel.

Be wary of paying any part of the negotiated fee in advance. Have a back up plan if the shuttle is a no show,, or if your group decides to turn around and return to the starting trailhead.

Jim

It did that exact shuttle 5 years ago, and used Paul of East Side Sierra Shuttle. I had an interesting conversation with him on the drive about archaoology being done at Manzanar. His website seems to be current in 2023 with prices posted etc. This year, Onion Valley to Horseshoe meadow was $140.

Thank you both for your suggestions - super helpful and gives us confidence for our trip planning for summer 2024. THANKS!

I would recommend AGAINST the East Side Sierra Shuttle service. Although I had used him successfully twice before, the last time he just cancelled, a couple of weeks before my trip.

Six months prior to my trip, I made reservations with him and paid in full. I ran into a couple at Kearsarge Pass that said he didn't go to the Taboose Pass trailhead anymore. I thought that "surely East Side Shuttle would tell me if they cancelled that trip." So I emailed him and he wrote me back that he wasn't going there anymore. No apologies, no notification. He refunded my money, but now my trip was cancelled and I had to plan a different one. Lame. This was about two weeks prior to my planned trip. Caveat emptor!

In defense of the shuttle driver - the road to Taboose is baaaad. (Yes, of course he should've communicated earlier, he's a jerk.)