transit to/from (and storage in) Fresno: 28 days in the Sierra Nevada

[Bjorn W]

I’m in the final week before a month-long mostly off-trail adventure in the Sierra Nevada. A friend (female) and I (male) are starting at Kings Canyon’s Roads End (Copper Creek Trail). She’s finishing ten days later at Lodgepole VC (Sequoia NP). I’ll continue from there for twenty more days, over Whitney, north eventually into Yosemite.

Three questions:

1. I’m flying back to my doctoral program after the trip, so I have to bring non-backpacking items with me on the plane. Looking for a storage solution in Fresno. Ideas? It’s just a backpack full of non-backpacking stuff.

2. Any ideas of how to get to Roads End? We’re obviously especially interested in a ride. We could provide modest compensation, or pay for gas for example.

3. We’re also looking for a ride (primarily for my friend but I might come along, then head back to Sequoia to continue the trip) from Lodgepole VC to Visalia, or ideally Fresno. There appears to be a bus from Three Rivers (25M out) to Visalia, then transit to Fresno.

I’ve done lots of hitchhiking, but my friend is less comfortable with that. Uber is possible but very expensive. Ideas?

Apologies if you’ve read my similar post on HST. Posting here with a few different questions, since that one appears to have dead-ended.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

What kind of non-backpacking stuff? If it’s just clothes, why not just wear your hiking clothes on the plane and then when it’s time to go, buy some clothes for the way home.

Can’t help much on the ride myself. I would probably have to rent a car and/or use Uber myself.

[Bjorn W]

Good idea, but actually it’s stuff I need for my work in Arizona: a bunch of philosophy books, clothes not suitable for hiking, etc.

[HkNewman]

If not too big a package and not luggage, a hotel at the end of your trip will likely store it with a reservation.  Call first, but that’s what I do with my “street“ clothes at the end of a long hike (tattered hiking clothes into the recycle bin at Patagonia or Columbia store).  No issues besides smaller San Francisco hotels when hiking the coast.

USPS Priority with insurance and then photograph the contents before sealing.

[Bjorn W]

Yes, storing it with my friend’s hotel might be a solution. I’ll look into it.

I didn’t explain the logistics very clearly. I’m taking the non-backpacking stuff with me to the start of the trip (flying into Fresno). I’m leaving it there, somehow. Then when my friend finishes her bit with me, she’s going to fly it back to Tucson for me. I’ll finish my trip much later way up north, and so I’ll be flying out of SFO instead of Fresno (and so couldn’t pick up my own stuff). Hope that makes sense.

[Bjorn W]

Figured out #2 and possibly #1. #3 anyone? (A ride from Lodgepole VC to Three Rivers / Visalia / Fresno on 23 July – moderate compensation offered.)

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

You should mail those things to your office in Arizona. Or mail them to the nearest post office General Delivery and pick them up when you arrive.

[Bjorn W]

Diane – fair enough. But I’ve been away from AZ for a year and a half with Fulbright in Germany, and I’m going to be aiming for the checked-bag weight limit of 50 pounds. I’m practically moving. So mailing is prohibitively expensive. (Again, these are the things I’m *not* taking backpacking with me!)

Thanks for the response!

 

[Russ W]

Bjorn – you may have already figured this out, but for shorter (10) trips where I’ve had a hotel room for 1 night on the front end and 1 night on the back, the hotel had no problem with storing my additional suitcase. Longer trip… maybe?

[Author]

Posts