I've been researching the hike from Agnew Meadows to Shadow Lake and Ediza Lake. Do I need to study and take notes about the trail/route? Is the trail marked/signed? And I may try to drive to the trail head the day before so I know how to get there. I can drive there after 7pm, right? I plan on driving there the day of the hike before 7 AM. Is it more convenient to drive instead of taking a shuttle bus? What are the fees? If riding the shuttle is the cost per person? If driving, per vehicle? Several in my group have senior national park passes. Can we use these there?
You have most likely already done this, but you will get lots of "hits" for internet search of "Shadow Lake Hike" or "Lake Ediza Hike". For instance:
http://www.everytrail.com/view_trip.php?trip_id=1751750Also, map below highlights the trail junctions. They are all well marked, but if you missed one on the return you would end up at Reds Meadow. You would not be happy
I'm not sure how punctual the rangers are at the gate, so you might want to wait until 7:30 PM to check out the trail head and parking. They do accept senior pass, so no cost in any case. Shuttle can be a pain. Adds 1/2 mile to the hike from road to trail head. Not a big deal, but at the end of the day you would prefer to avoid it. It also delays your start, and you may have to wait 30 minutes for return pickup. I think the fees are ~$7.00 each, but I'm not really sure.I would suggest going through the gate no later than 6:30 AM the day of the hike. Plenty of light at that time, so darkness is not an issue. Driving is more convenient, but the road is very narrow, and meeting another car (or the bus) can be tight. There are "wider" spots, so keep an eye out for traffic, and stop at one of these "wide" spots if you see another vehicle approaching.
