Is Yosemite Park Bus Transportation Only?

Rumor has it that no cars are allowed now.

If it's done the same way as Zion this is a very good thing.

They may offer special passes to climbers wanting to start early or leaving late. Zion allows this at least.

Thats your opinion. Not mine. Now one cannot even drive thru the park? What the hell does that do with Green or anything else? It's stupid in my opinion!

Where'd you hear this? Road maintenance in the park is a MAJOR employer for the surrounding communities. And, with all the money that has been spent maintaining said roads...They've talked about this for years...it'll never happen.

Thanks for the clarification Ian, it would be a shame it that ever happened.

I'm in the valley, you can drive your cars here. The roads are complicated, though, and parking can be tough, so the buses and/or a bike can be really nice.
-Scott

I live in California and I was there this weekend past. There is no problem driving into the park. Parking can be tough (many many tourists) but you can get around and should be able to park in the village and ride the shuttle bus if you need to get somewhere specific. Roads in and out of the valley are pretty straight forward.

Have to agree with Tyson. Have done the Zion thing enough and no complaints from this dirtbag. Climbers are the only people allowed to board and get off the bus at nonscheduled stops. Drivers like you, turons like you, the park likes you, it's a great system. Guess Jim has never sat in a Valley traffic jam burning gas in a natural setting. Try finding a parking spot on a summer afternoon. We as Americans think we a entitled, especially when it comes to our cars and right to drive. The days of Old in the Valley are gone. Things change and that is the only constant. If the Valley adopts the no car policy and buses turons into the park it won't be the end of having fun and climbing in the park. It will just give climbers another reason to find ways to beat the system, as they have been since climbers started climbing in the Valley.

...and this is in the "Colorado & Rocky Mountain Region" forum because...???

D Winger:

Because I'm an older guy who has difficulty figuring all of this computer stuff out and am lucky I got this far. Sorry about that.

budman:

How come climbers are the only ones to get this special treatment? Do you think that is fair to all? If folks realized a long time ago that the population growth was hurting this planet (when I was in 7th grade and ZPG (Zero Population Growth)was started) and only had 2 children at most; then this country would not have to base its economic structure on building new houses to stimulate itself, therefore not getting ourselves into the trouble we are in now with so much pollution. Sounds tough; but it's just an opinion from a guy with no kids. My family stops with the death of my wife and myself so I feel that I'm not so much the culprit in all of this. Maybe thats why my skin is so thin on this issue. Sorry if I offend anyone with this rant.

this would be a blessing.

Having spent a week in Zion and riding on the FREE buses I can say that they were great! We kept wondering why all national parks dont do this. Arches was a mess when we were there and also Yosemite. Im all for it and I imagine it will come to that sometime.
Free buses running on propane every ten minutes, no traffic or the noise and congestion it creates. GREAT!

hilariously ridiculous

Hi Jim,

Not really sure what ZPG and kids have to do with climbers getting off the bus. It is common knowledge with park staff that the first thing turons leave at home is their common sense. The park is a business and getting people in and out of the park is their business, as well as other things to keep the turons happy. Letting turons off the bus anywhere they please is just trouble. It was nice of the park service to allow climbers access to their projects without the hassle of humping loads from the designated dropoff points to the climbs. This is my opinion, climbers are part of the park and an attraction. Just sit on the bus and listen, we are part of why people come to places like Zion and Yosemite.

As to kids, without them there is no future. Have three myself. You can blame me for over population. Not one is a climber but all three climb with me. Maybe some day one of them will take the lead when I'm too old to do so. Have drug them all to the Valley (ridden the buses) and Moab, as well as my climbing haunts on the East coast where we have spent lots of days on the rock, climbing and hanging out with friends. Have no ready answers for pollution, over population, or other problems that plague us. Kinda old at 57 but as my daughter once said your not old like mom. The one thing I'm sure of is I'm not afraid of change and that's a plus at my age.

If they don't allow cars in the Valley and it is a positive thing for the ecology there then I'll deal. I'll miss the way it was but I'm not going to cry about it. I'd rather climb.

One more vote for no cars and no obnoxious harleys in the valley. I think that crazy old codger Edward Abbey might have had one thing right in Desert Solitaire. He suggested that the national parks be accessed by bicycles.

The noise, pollution and crowding caused by cars detract from the entire point of these amazing places if you ask me. Although I will admit that the quiet shuttle buses in Zion are very reasonable and eliminate the whole disabled access argument.

budman:

Hey budman, as it turns out you are 3 years older than myself, but I probably haven't taken car of my body as well as you. Too many vices!
Anyway I respect your opinion but think that their is a future with just 2 kids. Three is fine also I belive, but the familys with 5 or 6 are the ones I was really talking about. Kids are great and if yours ascend rock, ice, or plastic; they are climbers too in my opinion. I just want to be able to travel thru yosimite park when I get that far away from home. Yes I am spoiled I guess, and if it comes to that I guess I would deal. But after climbing for years I don't need a bus tour informing me on climbing techniques. Last time I was there I just drove thru and stopped for a bit at camp 4 to watch the youth struggle on Midnight Lightning for a couple of hours. Pretty lame for a climber I must admit, but the walls just intimidate the hell out of me there for some reason and am always there with my non climbing wife. Thanks for being understanding with your polite response, I really didn't mean to come off so stern.

jim

budman wrote:This is my opinion, climbers are part of the park and an attraction. Just sit on the bus and listen, we are part of why people come to places like Zion and Yosemite.

Why is this in the Rocky Mountain region? Just curious...

JML:
Read the whole thread.

budman wrote: Kinda old at 57 but as my daughter once said your not old like mom.

Jim, I did.