Yosemite Buses Lure Backpackers by Micheal Mello Modesto Bee - August 8, 2000 With six weeks left before the season ends, the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System has nearly met its ridership goal. The announcement was made during the YARTS board meeting in Lee Vining on Monday. The fledgling bus service intended to lower the number of motor vehicles in Yosemite National Park has recorded 18,323 one-way trips to date. The YARTS goal was 18,900 for the entire season, which ends Sept. 17, said Merced County Supervisor Deidre Kelsey, who represents the county on the YARTS board. Much of that ridership is coming from a source the YARTS board had not considered. "We've discovered that we're picking up backpackers moving through the area," Kelsey said. "They're taking the train (into Merced) and not bringing a car at all." The backpackers are staying about a week in the park -- longer than the average visitor. "We didn't think of that," Kelsey said. "We were thinking of day-use people. YARTS is a good option for (backpackers)." The YARTS system also is considering several possible sites for staging areas -- essentially large parking lots where passengers can leave their cars and board YARTS. The first step will be environmental reviews of the proposed sites. "It generated quite a bit of discussion," Mariposa County Supervisor Bob Stewart said. "There was some concern exactly what the environmental reviews were going to discuss. We want to make sure the public is well aware of what we're doing when we're looking at property." Merced County plans a staging area with full services in addition to parking, Kelsey said. At present there are plans for six staging areas: one in downtown Merced, two in Mariposa County, two in the Yosemite Valley, and one in Mono County. YARTS stops at several locations along its route, including the Merced Transportation Center and parking lots in Mariposa and at motels just outside the park.