Hello all,
Just wondering if anyone can give advice on getting from the Whitney Portal to Onion Valley (below Kearsarge Pass outside of Independence) this summer.
I want to leave my car at the portal and start my hike at Onion Valley, finishing back at the portal (and my car) in about 3 days. Any tips?
I suppose I could also do the opposite car drop: start at Onion Valley, leaving my car there, and try to get a ride back from the portal at the end.
Any tips on transportation services in the Lone Pine/Independence area?
Thanks.

The owners of the Mount Williamson Motel in Independence run a shuttle service (for their guests only) to both Onion Valley and Whitney Portal. See http://www.mtwilliamsonmotel.com

I'm told it is sparkling clean(the owners are Swiss), comfortable place, and they include a full breakfast in the rate of $69. Supposedly there is only a
Subway store for dinner in that little town, so you might have to go into Lone Pine for meals.

Edited by wandering_bob on 05/17/2008 13:42:37 MDT.

The owner of the Courthouse Hotel in Independence will also shuttle you to Onion Valley. It's easy to hitch from the Portal to Independence, then shuttle to Onion Valley.

Also, there was a complete shuttle service that operates out of Independence a couple of years ago. The owner lives on the Indian Reservation just north of town. Nice guy. He will pick you up and shuttle you anywhere in the Sierras. A couple of years ago he shuttled me and my wife from Independence all the way to Yosemite Valley in his deluxe Cadillac when we were hiking the JMT. It was a great ride!

Don

you may want to check out the Whitney Portal Message Board. There has been discussions about what shuttle services that are still operating. They can be quite expensive. I would look at hitching a ride into town from the trailhead and if I remember correctly there is a bus system on Hwy 395

Thanks everyone...
Yeah, from past experience I figuredd I could easily hitch from the portal to Lone Pine and from there find transport to Independence; from there I haven't seen too much traffic to Onion Valley though.
It seems like it might be easier for me to leave my car at Onion Valley.
Thanks for the tips, I'll look into them.

enjoy the hike! I have been over Kearsarge and really enjoyed the hike. Beautiful country there. As for Whitney, I did it a few years ago, it too is awesome. I am jealous!

Hi Craig,
If you don't want to stay at the Mt Williamson Motel, call the Lone Pine Chamber of Commerce. They can give you a list of shuttle services in the area. Sorry I don't have their phone number at hand.