SoCal Hiker friend Jason Fitzpatrick (you might remember him from MILE, MILE & A HALF) recently made a short documentary called UNSUPPORTED that looks at the other end of the spectrum: that strange breed of hiker that goes for the FKT–Fastest Known Time. This short documentary follows a number of men and women who have pursued the unsupported fastest known time on the John Muir Trail. That “unsupported” modifier is important, because it means they do it completely on their own. No pacers. No resupply teams. They can’t even accept a candy bar from a stranger without losing that important unsupported qualifier.

This video did not inspire me to go out for a FKT on any trail, really. I’m more of a saunter-er most of the time. But I was inspired by their stories, their grit and determination–qualities that many adventures share. Even though I’ve got no plans of attempting an FKT on the JMT, the documentary was highly entertaining and well put-together.

One of my favorite bits from the film comes right in the beginning, when Reinhold Metzger compares the John Muir Trail to a beautiful woman. I remember him sharing that same analogy when Joan and I met him on the JMT back in 2010.

Watch UNSUPPORTED

So… what’s your next big adventure? 

DAY FOUR on the North Lake/South Lake Loop

We woke early and it was cold at Sapphire Lake.  There was ice all over the outside of the rain fly and it took a few minutes for me to warm my clothes inside my sleeping bag before I wanted to put them on.

Bishop Loop Day 4 Details

Distance: 11.1 miles
Time: 6-9 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Gain/Loss: +936’/-3,104′
Dogs: No
When to go: Late July-Early October

The gentle 500 vertical foot ascent to Wanda Lake was beautiful – the only thing slowing us down was a long wet crossing where we had to change shoes just below Wanda Lake.

At 11,426 feet in elevation, Wanda Lake is high and massive!  And, coming off this big winter made it even more so!  The peaks surrounding Wanda Lake were still spotted with snow, and the trail at the east end of the lake heading up past Lake McDermand to Muir Pass had several nice snow fields to cross, although the sun cups weren’t as big and high as they probably were a month earlier.

The anticipation of seeing Muir Hut for the first time doesn’t drag on – you can see it from a long ways a way as you slowly ascend from Wanda Lake.  It’s pretty cool to see it that far away and have it as an ascent target as you slowly make your way up the bowl and across the snow.

And just like that, there we were!!  Muir Hut at 11,955 feet!  Mountain pass #2 accomplished!  There were about 8 to 10 other people hanging out at the hut, and we got a nice girl to take our picture together.  We checked out the inside of the hut – and you would definitely appreciate having it if you got stuck on the pass in bad weather.

After a snack and some photos, we decided to chat with a few other folks as they got set to head down the east side towards Helen Lake.  There was a pretty large snow field and we wanted to make sure that we checked for the safest way down.  There was a good set of footprints well to the right of the main trail, and that appeared to be the snow path that everyone was taking.

The descent was pretty steep, but slushy enough to make microspikes not particularly helpful.  My wife put hers on – and it seemed to give her some good confidence.  We slowly made our way down the steep snowfield until it married up with the trail at the bottom after a bit of boulder hopping.  It was nice to get that out of the way!

The trail down to and past Helen Lake would be off and on snow fields and some partial route finding.  We used our GPS and kept our eyes open and slowly and safely made our way down and around.  We also encountered several wet crossings – some of which could be avoided with some bouldering, but for us it was easier just to put on the Tevas and plow right through.

A dozen or so hikers were coming up the other way, and we were glad to share our beta on the snow fields and Muir Pass.  As they were all going up, they would certainly have no problems with the snow.  As we continued down the trail, there were some amazing shots of the runoff melting away the snow – areas that were snow bridges and snow crossings a few weeks ago were now washing away fast.

Eventually we hit the tree line and started the long winding descent down into the gorgeous Le Conte Canyon.  It is really quite a spectacular and beautiful canyon, surrounded by majestic and jagged Sierra peaks on both sides.  Incredible waterfalls and water features – along with a few more wet crossings – followed us all the way down.

The first campsite at the north end of Le Conte Canyon features the famous Monster Rock – and so of course I had to take the obligatory photo in the mouth of the beast!

The next campground is Big Pete Meadow – but a group of backpackers had beat us to it, so we kept going in hopes that Little Pete Meadow would be empty.  Minutes later, we arrived at Little Pete – and it was all ours!  It was a great campsite with a great water source, a fire ring, and another family of deer to keep us company.

Little Pete is also just a short hike from the Le Conte Canyon Ranger station and the Dusy Basin / Bishop Pass trail junction – so again we had positioned ourselves perfectly for a morning ascent the next day up to Dusy Basin.

Our friends Mark and Brian arrived not long after us – and we shared a fire and dinner.  They were looking pretty beat up, and weren’t sure if they wanted to keep going all the way to Kearsarge and then Whitney.  We invited them to go out with us at Bishop Pass and they happily agreed.  Eleven days would be enough for them on their first backpacking adventure – and we were glad that we could help them exit safely and give them a ride back to Bishop.

Sapphire Lake to Little Pete Meadow Trail Map & Elevation Profile

Originally hiked on Wednesday, August 23, 2017.

Continue to Day Five: Little Pete Meadow to Upper Dusy Basin

DAY THREE on the North Lake/South Lake Loop

The trail up to Evolution Valley starts off with a 1,000 feet of switchbacks that dig in right away!  The switchbacks follow the waterfall that is Evolution Creek flowing out of the valley – and some of the views are breathtaking.  As you top out, you then hike along the creek – watching your map to see how close you are to the famous “Evolution Creek Crossing”.

Bishop Loop Day 3 Details

Distance: 10.9 miles
Time: 5-8 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Gain/Loss: +2,696’/-135′
Dogs: No
When to go: Late July-Early October

After hiking about two miles, we reached the crossing. The creek didn’t look too deep, but it was running a bit faster than we’d like.  There was a solo hiker camped about 25 years upstream, and where he was camped looked like a perfect place to cross.  We walked over and started to change our shoes, and had a nice chat with our new friend – he agreed it was a good spot.  Knee deep at the outset, and then quite easy after that – we were across in seconds!  Evolution Creek, done!

As the trail opens up and enters Evolution Meadow, it’s an incredible view!  And, the views just keep getting better and better as you approach McClure Meadow.  It’s hard to believe this hidden gem of a valley sits right in the middle of the High Sierra.  Absolutely breathtaking!

After you pass the McClure Meadow ranger station, the valley opens up to Colby Meadow – another spectacular view.  Evolution Creek continues to wind through the valley and our anticipation grows as we know that the climb up to Evolution Lake is coming – and that the views looking back as we climb will be incredible!

A series of switchbacks take you up and out the West end of Evolution Valley – and you have to stop every few minutes and look back over the expanse of the Valley.  It’s simply amazing.

Finally, you top out above the tree line at the west end of Evolution Basin and the huge expanse of Evolution Lake.

At 10,852 feet, this giant lake has a short round section on the northwest end and a long center section that runs west to east – the trail goes all the way around the north side of the lake – and it’s quite a distance.

This north side trail had several snow fields to cross and the beautiful blue sky began to give way to some pretty ominous monsoonal storm clouds.  At the southeast end of the lake is a great water crossing with large rocks that is really fun.

The trail continues to climb gently to Sapphire Lake at 10,966 feet.  By this time, we were feeling rain drops and small hail – so we felt that the additional 500 vertical foot ascent to Wanda Lake was out of the question for today.  It was time to pitch camp at Sapphire Lake before the big rain or hail would hit.

We found a flat spot off the trail with close access to lake water and we set the tent up quickly.  I wanted to try a few fishing casts, but the wind was too strong.  Soon after, the hail started to pelt us and we took shelter in the tent.

When the hail finally stopped, we hopped out and had a quick dinner. We layered up as it was pretty cold, and invited a couple of other hikers to join us at the camp spot we had found.  Mark and Brian were childhood friends from SoCal on their first backpacking adventure!  They were already 9 days in from Mammoth and looked happy to find some other folks to get them off the trail before the weather hit.

By the time we finished eating, the rain arrived.  We hunkered down in our tent for about an hour of pretty decent rain.  Everything stayed dry and soon it would be a calm, clear and cold night at Sapphire Lake.

In the morning, we would make our ascent of the iconic Muir Pass!

Goddard Canyon to Sapphire Lake Trail Map & Elevation Profile

Originally hiked Tuesday, August 22, 2017.

Continue to Day Four: Sapphire Lake to Little Pete Meadow

Do you want more adventures in the year ahead? Maybe you’ve finished the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge, and you’re looking for a new challenge−something that takes you out of your comfort zone and pushes you beyond what you thought you could do?

Big adventures don’t happen by dreaming−they require planning and preparation. Many big adventures require months of advance planning to line up permits, train physically, and acquire the equipment and know-how you’ll need for success. The first step is to choose adventure. Then take the step to move that adventure from a dream to a plan.

Here are four big adventures and the details you’ll need to make them a reality in the year ahead.

Trans-Catalina Trail

The Trans-Catalina Trail is just off the coast of Southern California on Santa Catalina Island. On a clear day, the island beckons you from the mainland. But make no mistakes−the Trans-Catalina Trail is tough, with steep climbs that will make your quads burn and descents that will test your knees as you criss-cross the island from one end to the other.

The Trans-Catalina trail is 37.2 miles from Avalon to Starlight Beach on the west end of the island, but you’ll rack up another nine miles to get back to Two Harbors for the ferry back to the mainland. It can be done in four days (or less, if you’re really ambitious) but I recommend taking five days, with overnight stays at Black Jack, Little Harbor, Two Harbors and Parsons Landing.

Because of the mild climate, you can hike this year-round, making it a great choice when snow shuts down access to other trails.

Get all the details in our Trans-Catalina Trail guide.

Lost Coast Trail

Rogue waves carry unsuspecting hikers out to sea. A coastline so rugged that Highway 1 was routed 30 miles inland. Beaches where it’s not uncommon to find bear prints in the sand. This is the Lost Coast Trail. You’ll need to acquaint yourself with the tidal charts as the waves crash right on the foot of the cliffs during high tide.

Until recently, you could pick up self-issued permits at the Mattole Beach trailhead on the north end, but as of January 2017, an online permit system and quota has been instituted. The good news is that the trail should be less crowded. The bad news? You’ll have to jump through a few extra hoops to get your permit.

Getting to the Lost Coast Trail is a part of the adventure. It’s quite remote. It took me two days of driving to get there from Los Angeles with a stopover in San Francisco. Even after parking our car at the southern trailhead at Shelter Cove, we still had a nearly 3 hour shuttle ride to our starting point at Mattole Beach.

The weather is unpredictable. The forest (which comes right down to the beach) is considered a rainforest. Yes, it can rain. A lot. But the payoff is a spectacular coastal trail with sights rarely seen in California. The Lost Coast Trail is roughly 24 miles long and can be hiked in about 3-4 days.

Get all the details in our Lost Coast Trail guide.

High Sierra Trail

This 72-mile thru-hike traverses the mighty Sierra Nevada from west-to-east (or the reverse), with two big ascents and topping off on Mt Whitney. You’ll hike over Kaweah Gap and descend into Kern Canyon−territory that the JMT and PCT hikers miss entirely.

Getting from one end of the HST to the other is a challenge. Many people team up and swap cars with a group of friends; one group hiking east-to-west, the other hiking west-to-east. If you can swing it, this is the most economical option. The payoff for the extra legwork? The High Sierra Trail is much less crowded than many of the other big trails in the Sierra Nevada range.

The High Sierra Trail can be thru-hiked in about a week, fitting well into almost anyone’s vacation schedule. It’s the perfect introduction to mountain thru-hiking.

Get all the details in our High Sierra Trail guide.

John Muir Trail

The 211-mile John Muir Trail is a sentimental favorite of mine. I’ve thru-hiked it twice, and I’ll probably do it again. It takes time−most people take about three weeks to hike it−a lot of planning and a bit of luck snagging a permit. But the JMT takes you through some of the most beautiful scenery you can imagine. Crystal-clear streams. Alpine lakes reflecting magnificent, craggy mountain spires. Views that don’t quit, even when your legs want to.

The Six-Pack of Peaks was an essential part of my training for the John Muir Trail, giving me the distance, the net vertical gain, and a taste of the altitudes we would be backpacking at. It’s an adventure of a lifetime, and one that like me, you’ll probably want to hike again someday.

Get all the details in our John Muir Trail guide.

Wrapping it Up

I hope these four adventures have whet your appetite for some extended time on the trails. If you are new to backpacking and unsure about how to get started, join the discussion forums and get answers to your questions, and share your big adventure goals!

Planning an epic backpacking trip on the John Muir Trail is not only essential to a successful trip; it’s also part of the fun. Learning about where and how to ship resupply packages; planning your itinerary; poring over the maps and elevation charts all add to the sense of adventure and excitement.

Disclosure

Where possible, I’ve used affiliate links for these resources. Purchases you make through these links help support SoCal Hiker. In any case, I only list resources that I actually recommend.

In my research, I ran across The John Muir Trail Through the Californian Sierra Nevada by Alan Castle and published by UK-based Cicerone. You might think that a “foreign” guidebook would be an odd choice for a trail in my own state, but I found the detail and insight to be not only extremely useful, but entertaining as well. Written from the perspective of someone traveling from the UK to hike the JMT, they leave no details out. As it turned out, we closely modeled our itinerary after that in this book. The book itself is sturdy, vinyl-clad and compact. It’s not feather-light, but I did carry a copy on our JMT trek.

On the trail, there were two references that we found indispensable. The first was the Tom Harrison John Muir Trail Map Pack. These detailed topographic maps are durable and water-resistant. The entire trail is clearly marked across a set of 8.5″ x 11″ map sheets, each one quite light. Because they are individual sheets, you don’t need to carry them all — pack the sheets you’ll need for each segment in with your resupply box.

The other reference we used regularly was Erik the Black’s John Muir Trail Pocket Atlas. This 3-ounce book packs a ton of useful information into a tiny package. There is no narrative or description of the trail — just maps, elevation profiles and distance tables, with a guide to resupply points and other useful info. Some people have taken issue with the Atlas, but it is beautiful, convenient and really handy. Joan carried a copy as well as Jeffrey, and we found that its convenient form factor made it our go-to resource when checking our position.

If possible, I would recommend getting all four of these resources. Each provides a different bit of information, from a different perspective. If your JMT crew includes several people, spread the joy around. One person gets the Cicerone guide, another the Harrison Maps, and so on.

A Few Words About Digital Resources

Some of these books are now available digitally, for display on a Kindle or a smartphone. I love e-books, and most of the books I purchase are downloaded to my iPad (my preferred reading device). But you should not rely on this as your sole means of navigating the John Muir Trail. Get a digital copy of the Cicerone or Wilderness Press guides, but bring physical maps and the Atlas. If your phone goes dead on the trail (it’s happened), you won’t have to worry — IF you have real maps with you.

On our JMT thru-hike I did bring along my iPhone, and had installed the John Muir Trail iPhone app. This app includes all of the Harrison JMT map sheets, but provides integration with the iPhone’s GPS to show you where you are on the trail. I never relied solely on this, and there were only a few times when I actually consulted the app to verify our location (and there was that one time when I should have checked it). The rest of the time, the iPhone was completely powered off. I didn’t bring a solar charger or other means of charging, so other than at the resupply points, I had no way to recharge. So I used it very sparingly. Would I bring it again? Probably, but I’d never count on it as my sole means of navigation.

Other Resources

There are other resources that could prove useful. It’s good to have a good picture of your bail-out points on the JMT, should something go wrong. That’s one area where the Atlas definitely falls short. The topo maps in the Atlas follow the narrow JMT corridor, and not much beyond that. The Harrison maps do a bit better in this regard, but even they won’t take you clear over Kearsarge Pass.

To fill the gaps, study the maps online or supplement by printing your own. For this, I used National Geographic’s TOPO! software. It’s a pricey solution, but lets you create precisely the maps you need.

These are the resources we used to plan our itinerary and as reference on a day-to-day basis while hiking the John Muir Trail, but as I always say, you have to hike your own hike.

If you’ve discovered other resources that you think should be included here, please leave a comment and let me know.

Day 22 on the John Muir Trail…

Technically, this day begins at the end of Day 21. We went to bed early last night, sleeping lightly for a few hours and waking to our alarm at 11:30 PM. We ate Clif Bars and packed up our sleeping gear and tent. Donning our headlamps, we made one final check to make sure nothing was left behind. We headed up the John Muir Trail towards the tallest peak in the contiguous 48 states — Mount Whitney — 14,505 feet above sea level.

John Muir Trail Day 22

Distance: 16 miles
Cumulative Distance: 222.23 miles
Total Ascent: 4,201 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 60,597 ft
Harrison Map Sheet 1

Our headlamps did a great job of illuminating our steps. As we climbed higher, we could see other headlamps down below, bobbing up and down as other hikers started out in the wee hours of the morning. Apparently we weren’t the only ones who thought to get a very early start on Whitney.

We hiked along, our heads down and our eyes on the trail for several hours. Our pace was slow, but steady. Suddenly, I practically walked into the Whitney Trail Crest junction sign!

We were shocked! The climb went by quickly. From here we thought we would wait for sunrise, then hike the last 2 miles to the summit in daylight.

We dropped our backpacks and pulled out our sleeping bags. It was cold up at the crest, especially since we had stopped hiking. We sat there and tried to sleep, but it wasn’t going to happen. Soon, we had hikers who were coming up from Whitney Portal marching past us in the darkness. We decided if they could handle the trail in the dark, we could too. Besides, we weren’t going to sleep.

So we packed our sleeping bags and left our backpacks near the junction. We took a fanny pack and water, slack-packing to the summit. And along the way there, the sun rose.

Turning around, I captured this view looking west toward the sun-kissed mountain tops.

The trail was treacherous, but we took our time to be safe. By the time we reached the shelter on the summit, we no longer needed our headlamps at all. We headed for the true summit, and greeted a few other hikers who arrived just before us.

Our thru-hike on the John Muir Trail was complete! We hiked the entire JMT, from Yosemite to Whitney. We were standing on the summit of the tallest peak in the contiguous 48 states. We learned new things about ourselves and each other, and expanded our understanding of what we were capable of.

Our mission was complete. But our journey was not yet over. We still had to hike 10.6 miles down to Whitney Portal, where we had parked our Xterra three weeks earlier.

Summit Register?

I have one regret about our summit of Mt. Whitney… we forgot to sign the summit register! We had seen the aluminum “desk” next to the shelter, but I didn’t realize that the top opened. And so we never signed the register. Doh!

In our original itinerary, we had planned to stop at Trail Camp below Mt. Whitney, but before Whitney Portal. This would leave an easy six mile hike out on the final day. But we had opted to shave some miles off previous days, so to stick to our original exit schedule, we were hiking all the way out to Whitney Portal.

First, we headed back to the Whitney Trail Crest. Our packs were waiting for us, undisturbed by other hikers. In fact, a number of other backpackers had also left their packs here, since you have to come back this way in any case.

We hoisted our packs one more time and began the descent.

As we hiked down, we passed what seemed like a hundred people hiking up to Whitney. There were some solo hikers but most were in groups of 2, 3 or 4. Most of them carried day packs rather than backpacks. We wound our way down the infamous 99 switchbacks, including an icy patch with a handrail for safety. There was no snow on the trail though.

Looking back, it was hard to believe that we were “up there” just a few hours earlier. Wow.

Descending from Mt Whitney with a full backpack was challenging, even though we weren’t carrying much food at this point. We descended 6,300 feet over those last ten miles. It took a toll on our bodies. Our feet were swollen and sore. Our joints creaked and ached. But the thought of a cheeseburger and beer at the Whitney Portal Store kept  us moving.

Finally we could see the Whitney Portal parking area. We must be close. We placed bets on how long it would be before we were there. “30 minutes!” I announced confidently. I was wrong by about an hour.

That last stretch winds down along the longest, slowest switchbacks ever designed. There were times when I swore we were actually moving further away from our destination. Like a desert mirage, it tantalized us with promises of greasy food and cheap calories, but we never seemed to get any closer.

Finally we saw a sign of “civilization.” Ironically, it was a sign declaring (to those hiking in the upward direction) that they were now entering the John Muir Wilderness. But for us, it meant we were getting closer to civilization.

We made it to Whitney Portal. We ate that cheeseburger, and drank that cold beer. And it was good.

Trail Map: Guitar Lake to Mt Whitney to Whitney Portal

The John Muir Trail official ends on the summit of Mount Whitney, but we still had to hike down to Whitney Portal where our car was parked. This map details the route up to the top of Whitney, as well as down to Whitney Portal.

JMT Day 22 Photo Gallery

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Got a question about the JMT? Something you’d like more info on? Post a question in the JMT forum!

Our thru-hike on the John Muir Trail is complete, but the story is not finished. Watch for details on gear, food and what we will do differently next time.

Originally hiked August 17, 2010.

Day 21 on the John Muir Trail…

Last night we camped in the shadow of Mt. Whitney. We woke up excited, knowing that we were so close to our goal. We had been hiking on the John Muir Trail for three weeks. We had come a long way from that first day in Yosemite. We met many challenges — both physical and mental. Now there was no question about whether we would finish the JMT — but when. 

John Muir Trail Day 21

Distance: 7.23 miles
Cumulative Distance: 206.23 miles
Total Ascent: 2,147 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 56,396 ft
Harrison Map Sheet 1

Guitar Lake sits at 11,500 feet on the west side of Mt. Whitney. Our hike today to the lake would be a relatively short seven miles, so who knows what we’ll do!

After breakfast, we broke camp and headed out. We had a bit of hiking up-and-down, roller coaster-style today. Up and over a ridge, then down to Wallace Creek.  Up and over another ridge, then down to Crabtree Meadows.

Wag Bag Distribution Center

Near the Crabtree Ranger station, we picked up a wag bag. This is a cleverly designed contraption that you poop into. That’s right, we would be required to carry any poop we created from here until the end of the trail.

Fortunately, we only had one more night on the trail.

From Crabtree, the JMT climbs steadily beside babbling Whitney Creek. We passed several smaller lakes, and stopped for lunch in a shady spot near the creek.

At this altitude, the trees were sparse. They clustered around ponds, leaving much of the trail exposed to the hot sun.

At about 3:30 PM, we reached Guitar Lake. We setup camp near the “guitar body” portion of the lake, by a cluster of large boulders that would provide a bit of shade later in the afternoon.

At this point, Joan agreed that hiking straight to the top of Mt. Whitney was not going to happen.

We set up the tent, filtered water, soaked our feet in the lake and rested. We ate an early dinner, and decided that we’d start hiking up Mt. Whitney at night. We cleaned up and packed up everything so we could easily break camp in the darkness. We set our alarms for 11:30 PM, then laid down to nap for a few hours before our final ascent.

A Plan is Hatched

The first time I hiked the John Muir Trail back in 1980, we started up Mt. Whitney at midnight. There was a full moon, and we wanted to get up in time to see the sunrise. Having done it once, I suggested we could give it a try this time. We wouldn’t have the sun beating down on us. We had headlamps. So we decided to give it a shot.

Trail Map: Wright Creek to Guitar Lake

JMT Day 21 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we summit Mount Whitney and complete the John Muir Trail!

Originally hiked on August 16, 2010.

Day 20 on the John Muir Trail…

At 13,200 feet above sea level, Forester Pass may not be the highest point on the John Muir Trail (that would be Mt. Whitney) but it is the high point of the Pacific Crest Trail.

John Muir Trail Day 20

Distance: 12 miles
Cumulative Distance: 199 miles
Total Ascent: 3,869 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 54,249 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 2 and 1

Our goal this morning was to reach Forester Pass before noon, and we got there just before 11:30am. The route up looks like piles of gravel with the occasional patch of snow and lake a the bottom of the slope, but there is a surprising amount of life flourishing in the high altitude.

The trail cuts across a steep slope of scree that is often covered in snow, making it even more treacherous. Keep your eyes on the trail. When you want to look around, stop and steady yourself first.

In our case, we had a few patches of snow, but their were plenty of boot prints leading the way and it wasn’t too bad.

When we reached Forester Pass, we celebrated! We took the requisite photos, ate a snack,  and communed with the marmots.

On the south side of Forester Pass, the John Muir Trail drops down a series of expertly engineered switchbacks in a narrow chasm, then winds around the steep sloping scree to the basin below.

Once in the basin, the trail continues downward on an easy grade to Tyndall Creek. There were patches of trees, and we were able to find a shady spot for lunch.

As we headed on, we passed a couple trail junctions, and our first sign announcing the distance remaining to the top of Mt. Whitney! It was thrilling to realize that we were actually going to complete the JMT! We could practically smell it. Oh wait, that was just us…

Although we had already hiked over Forester Pass, we weren’t finished climbing for the day. We had about another 600 feet of elevation gain up to Bighorn Plateau.

Are We There Yet?

There was no car to pull over, but this last stretch up and beyond the Bighorn Plateau seemed to never end. It was one of those points on the trail when you think to yourself, “How much further?!” To which the reply is typically, “Oh, about a mile… mile and a half.”

Prepare yourself. It’s always more than a mile and a half. Or at least, it feels that way.

Finally the trail dipped down into a valley and we reached Wright Creek. Tonight we would sleep in the shadow of Mt. Whitney.

Trail Map: Forester Pass, Bighorn Plateau and Wright Creek

JMT Day 20 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we head to Guitar Lake, just below Mt. Whitney.

Originally hiked on August 15, 2010.

Day 19 on the John Muir Trail…

We awoke early, determined to get a jump on Glen Pass (11, 970ft.). Last night we camped at 10,600ft. just above Upper Rae Lake and were looking forward to reaching the pass early before it got too warm.

John Muir Trail Day 19

Distance: 9 miles
Cumulative Distance: 187 miles
Total Ascent: 3,212 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 50,380 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 3 and 2

This morning I awoke before sunrise. Our camp was very close to the trail, and even in the darkness, there were hikers headed up toward the pass, their headlights bobbing up and down with each stride. That was not our definition of early. We called it sheer madness.

In all seriousness, there are some people who like to wake up, pack up and start hiking immediately to help warm their body. After they have hiked for one or two miles, they stop and cook breakfast. It works for them, and it maybe it would work for you.

Today we got up and were on the trail before the sun hit our campsite, and that was early enough for us.

Being above the tree line, we knew there would be lots of exposure, and it helped to get the pass out of the way early. And there was quite a crowd already at the top of Glen Pass.

We climbed about 1,500 feet in 1.5 miles. Not a bad warm-up. Looking north from Glen Pass, we were treated to a tremendous view of where we had been.

From Glen Pass, we headed south and down towards Vidette Meadows. Our goal was to camp at Upper Vidette Meadows, positioning us well for Forester Pass tomorrow.

As we descended, we saw more and more smoke in the air from a wildfire to the west. It was disconcerting for two reasons. First, we didn’t know how far away the fire was, or if it threatened any part of the John Muir Trail further south, posing danger to us and requiring a change of plans. Second, Joan suffers from asthma, and smoke didn’t help matters. We were concerned, but pressed forward.

Whenever we passed other hikers, we’d enquire about the wildfire and try to glean some knowledge about where it was, and whether it posed danger to us. Information is limited on the trail. There is no cell coverage. There is no Internet. But the reports we heard confirmed that the fire was far enough west that it posed no eminent threat.

We paused near the junction to Bullfrog Lake to refill our water bottles and eat lunch. It was good to be in the shade, and the mosquitos weren’t even too bad.

On our way down to Bubbs Creek, we ran into a couple who was section hiking the PCT. Last summer, they hiked the entire Oregon section. This year, they were tackling the section that more or less tracks along the JMT, though they started at the southern end of the Sierras and were headed north-bound. They were happily feasting on cheese and crackers, which they had rummaged from a bear box in Lower Vidette Meadows. “Look for it! There’s still some good stuff left in there…” they promised. Visions of a delectable backcountry smorgasbord danced in our heads as we headed down the trail.

One of the questions that I’m often asked about is how easy (or difficult) it is to follow the John Muir Trail. For the most part, the trail is very easy to follow and extremely well marked. However, not all junctions identify which direction the JMT follows, so you still need a good set of maps and basic navigation skills.

On this section of the JMT, there are an unusually high number of trail junctions. We made a point of sticking together and checking the map at each to ensure we were headed in the right direction. We didn’t want another Cloud’s Rest detour.

We made our way to Lower Vidette Meadows, and sure enough, we found the bear box with a cache of leftover foodstuffs. We were excited to rummage through this left-behind food. We salvaged some tea, some ramen and a few other goodies. There was cheese, but it looked very suspect. Not exactly the smorgasbord we imagined, but still a nice bonus.

Hiker Trash

There’s an old hiking joke that goes something like this…

“What’s the difference between a backpacker and a homeless person?” The answer? Goretex.

As we excitedly rummaged through days-old food left in a bear box, I realized were weren’t far off from “dumpster diving.” It’s all a matter of perspective.

We followed Bubbs Creek up the valley, climbing 1,300 feet in just over three miles. The trees were growing sparse when we found a great established campsite for the night.

Trail Map: Rae Lakes to Glen Pass to Upper Vidette Meadow

JMT Day 19 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we climb Forester Pass — over 13,000 feet high!

Originally hiked on August 14, 2010.

Day 18 on the John Muir Trail…

Yesterday we discussed our plans for today’s hike. We had originally planned to hike over Glen Pass to Vidette Meadow, but decided to modify the itinerary to have an easier day and leave us just below Glen Pass. Even with the modification, we would meet our original exit date to Whitney Portal.

John Muir Trail Day 18

Distance: 8.5 miles
Cumulative Distance: 178 miles
Total Ascent: 2,434 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 47,168 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 3 and 2

On the other side, we paused for our first break, well aware that the remainder of our hike we would climb over 2,400 feet.

It was a warm, dry day, and the forest thinned as we climbed.  At the 5.8 mile mark, we stopped at Dollar Lake (10,200ft.). There were some beautiful shady spots, so we stopped and actually cooked a dinner for lunch — a first for us.

After a leisurely lakeside meal, we headed back up the JMT towards the Rae Lakes. This chain of three lakes are renown for their beauty, and the Rae Lakes Loop is a popular backpacking route in Kings Canyon National Park.

In the spirit of John Muir, we sauntered along the east shore of the lakes, stopping at the ranger station to check for word on Hari and Jeffrey. They outlined their plans for the remaining days, and were actually picking up additional miles with the goal of exiting at Whitney Portal one or even two days early. We added our plans, so the rangers would be aware, and continued on.

We paused to say hello to Steady, a north-bound Pacific Crest Trail thru-hiker from Australia. He and his wife — Slow — had no prior backpacking experience. They had seen a documentary about the PCT and decided it looked an an adventure worth doing. They bought two tickets to San Diego, stopped at REI to buy equipment, and were on the trail a few days later. Slow and Steady had covered a big section of the PCT already, and did quite well in spite of their lack of experience. After 3-1/2 months on the trail, they had become experts.

As we headed past the second lake, we saw two 8-point bucks grazing nearby, unfazed by our presence.

But the best was yet to come, as the John Muir Trail threads between the second and third Rae Lakes, we had stunning views of the dome named The Painted Lady. Why is it called this? This photo says it all.

At the far side of the Rae Lakes, we found a campsite for the night.

In the end, we had logged a mere 8.5 miles. It was an easy day, but we were well positioned to tackle Glen Pass tomorrow.

Flexibility

Having a plan is essential. Our planning prepared us physically and mentally for the rigors of the JMT. But having flexibility is also essential. We took a hard look at our itinerary and decided it would be worth having a lighter day today. Giving our bodies a chance to rest, and camping close to Glen Pass, we could make up the mileage over the next four days.

Plan, but allow flexibility.

Trail Map: Woods Creek to Rae Lakes

JMT Day 18 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we head to over Glen Pass to Vidette Meadow.

Originally hiked on August 13, 2010.

Day 17 on the John Muir Trail…

We awoke just before sunrise, with frozen beads of condensation clinging to outside of our tent. It was chilly. Boil water! Make coffee! Stat!

John Muir Trail Day 17

Distance: 11.1 miles
Cumulative Distance: 169.5 miles
Total Ascent: 2,194 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 44,734 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 4 and 3

As we headed up towards Lake Marjorie, we saw a note from Jeffrey and Hari taped to one of the trail signs. We were instructed to “stop by the ranger station.” We took a break and wandered about a 1/4 mile off trail to the ranger station — no more than a seasonal tent cabin. We chatted with the rangers and learned that Jeffrey and Hari were doing fine (as were we). They would relay a radio message up ahead to let them know all was well. Good communication and collaboration from all involved. Lake Marjorie was a beautiful blue that mirrored the blue skies we enjoyed. The air was brisk, but the sun warm, and with 5.5 miles behind us, we were feeling good. We stopped for lunch on a rock outcropping overlooking the last unnamed lake before Pinchot Pass.

Pinchot was a pretty easy pass, as far as passes go. Our vertical gain was “only” about 2,200 feet. When we reached the pass, we stopped and visited with a trio of backpackers on a week-long trip.

Passes, Peaks, and Creek Crossings

As much as I love coffee, there are (thankfully) no Starbucks on the JMT. But there are natural gathering places where hikers tend to congregate, enjoy a break and swap stories. Throughout our day, we would come to a creek crossing, or a mountain pass, and almost every time there would be other hikers taking the opportunity to rest, take photos, or just take a load off. Take the time to say hello. The people we met on the JMT were an awesome, friendly bunch. When you’re out there, say hello and strike up a conversation. We’re all connected through the shared experience of the trail.

We followed the creek down the basin into a narrow canyon dotted with waterfalls, and stopped for the night at the first campsite we found, sharing with a young couple from Quebec.

Our Evening Ritual on the JMT

Each night at camp, we went through more or less the same routine. Our evening ritual began with setting up the tent. Then, down to the creek to filter water. We would typically fill the four 32-ounce bottles, pumping the water through the filter. It’s a chore, but a necessary part of the routine. After refilling our water, we’d settle down to preparing dinner. Pumping and priming my white fuel stove, then boiling water for a hot beverage and our rehydrated dinner. We’d use our bear canisters as stools as we filled our bellies with a warm meal, then clean everything up. Most nights, we were in bed by 9pm. Sometimes, we’d take turns reading aloud from a cheesy paperback novel we brought along, or simply talking about the day behind… or the day ahead. Sleep comes easily, and is well-earned on the John Muir Trail.

Trail Map: Kings River to Pinchot Pass to Woods Creek

JMT Day 17 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we head from Woods Creek to Rae Lakes.

Originally hiked on August 12, 2010.

Day 16 on the John Muir Trail…

Today we climb the Golden Staircase, past the Palisade Lakes and up over Mather Pass (12,100ft). We will climb 4,682 feet and descend 2,486 feet, logging 12.6 miles in the process. In other words, this will be a big day in every respect.

John Muir Trail Day 16

Distance: 12.6 miles
Cumulative Distance: 158.4 miles
Total Ascent: 4,682 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 42,540 ft
Harrison Map Sheet 4

Why is it called the Golden Staircase? First of all, it’s a steep series of switchbacks that will take you up, up and UP in a very short distance. Some call it Mother Nature’s StairMaster. Second, if you catch it toward the golden hour before sunset, the light reflects off cascading Palisade Creek giving it a golden glow.

We took our time on the Golden Staircase, and while it was tough, we were tougher. Joan and I can tell that two weeks of hiking the JMT has really made a difference. We reached the high shelf above the Golden Staircase feeling strong.

We had logged about five miles, and stopped to enjoy lunch beside Palisade Creek. It was a beautiful day, with a good breeze. Not much shade, unfortunately, as we were above the tree line.

Refueled and rehydrated, we continued on. About a half mile up the trail we came across the first of the two Palisade Lakes. These are beautiful lakes, and the trail follows the canyon wall around their north-east shoreline.

Beyond Upper Palisade Lake the land became increasingly stark and Mather Pass loomed high above us. We would have a lot of climbing yet to do.

When we finally reached Mather Pass, we rested, drank water and took some photos. The climbing behind us, it would be all downhill for the rest of the day.

The descent on the south side of Mather Pass is intimidating. The trail is narrow with a series of switchbacks down a slope that seems impossibly steep. We had to keep our eyes on the trail — one misstep could be catastrophic.

It’s difficult to adequately express how steep this section of the trail is. To give you some sense, after we reached the Upper Basin, I paused to look back towards Mather Pass, and spotted a pack train slowly making their way down the trail. Impressive, and scary.

The Upper Basin looks a  bit like a moonscape.

We headed down along the headwaters of the Kings River. Other than the pack train behind us, we hadn’t seen anyone since the Palisade Lakes. It had been a long day, and while we originally had hoped to camp at the South Fork Junction, the sun was getting low and we started looking for a suitable place to camp for the night.

We were just beginning to get back below the tree line, when we saw a scraggly solo hiker headed up the trail. We stopped and said hello, and talked about where were were coming from. I asked the older gentleman if I could take a photo of him — to which he replied “I should probably tell you who I am…”

It turns out that we had run into Reinhold Metzger. He was 69 years old and on a 14-day NOBO (north-bound) JMT thru-hike — his 12th time. Not only that, but Reinhold previously held the unsupported thru-hike speed record of 4 days, 12 hours and 45 minutes.

The sun was setting, but Reinhold was planning to hike over Mather Pass and see how far he got. His gear was not particularly fancy or new — he even had an old external frame backpack. He was thinking about picking up some ultralight gear and maybe doing a yo-yo of the JMT (in his case, hiking north-bound, then turn around and doing it again south-bound).

Hike Your Own Hike

Some of my friends will hear about Reinhold’s hiking pace and his age, and give me some ribbing hiking the JMT so much slower. Still others will suggest he’s nuts for hiking in darkness and claim he’s missing the point.

The real truth? Our reasons for hiking are vastly different. Our ability to go further or faster vary. What we want to achieve can be very different, as well. So whether you’re hiking locally, or on the JMT, hike your own hike.

Trail Map: The Golden Staircase, Mather Pass and the Upper Basin

JMT Day 16 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we head over Pinchot Pass to Woods Creek.

Originally hiked on August 11, 2010.

Day 15 on the John Muir Trail…

It gets cold at high elevations. We were camped just below Muir Pass, and well above 11,000 feet. We lingered in the warmth of our tent, emerging when sunlight illuminated the tops of the peaks to our west. Our campsite was entirely exposed, and yet completely private. We were in plain view of the JMT, but nobody was up on Muir Pass this early in the morning.

John Muir Trail Day 15

Distance: 11.8 miles
Cumulative Distance: 145.8 miles
Total Ascent: 1,232 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 37,858 ft
Harrison Map Sheet 5

Our itinerary for today involved a long downhill stretch into stunning Le Conte Canyon, followed by a short uphill section along Palisade Creek. We were grateful that there were no passes to climb today.

We broke camp and headed down the JMT.

The trail at times took us across wide sections of snow. The steep incline was intimidating, especially when you think about sliding down into a freezing cold creek or lake at the bottom. Fortunately the sun was warm, and the trail easy to pick up. Our trekking poles gave us additional confidence on the more slippery sections.

Glissading down the snow sounds like fun, except when it leads to this.

The bowl that we hiked down collected the run off from the melting snow fields, which in turn sought out the lowest point in the valley. We were watching the Kings River forming before our eyes.

“The snow is melting into music.” – John Muir

Muir’s words capture the essence of the experience.

We would follow this creek down into Le Conte Canyon and see it transform from a little creek to a raging river.

We paused at this unnamed lake for a late morning snack, being mindful of the lesson we learned yesterday about eating at regular intervals.

Heading down into Le Conte Canyon, there were a series of switchbacks with stunning views like this, with a pack train heading up the trail towards us.

At the 6.5 mile mark we came upon Little Pete Meadow. We had descended nearly 3,000 feet, and the trail smoothed out to a gently sloping valley. This meadow had some beautiful campsites, and we would have loved to stop for the night, but we still had another six miles to hike to stay on schedule. We made a note to return to Le Conte Canyon on another trip to explore this area more slowly.

We stopped at the Le Conte Ranger Station and picked up a note from Hari and Jeffrey. The were doing fine, maintaining their twenty-something pace that meant we probably wouldn’t see them tonight.

Sure enough, a few miles further down the trail we ran across Brian. He was the solo JMT thru-hiker that we shared a campsite with two nights ago, and he had shared the trail with Jeffrey and Hari for most of the day. Brian had found a campsite near beautiful Grouse Meadows and planned to try a little fishing. He confirmed that the other half of our group was doing fine, and were planning to camp near the base of the Golden Staircase.

Feeling the Pressure

Getting on the John Muir Trail meant unplugging from our daily lives. But back at Vermilion Valley Resort, I checked my email. Back home, my car was already packed and ready for me to move to grad school in Utah the very day we returned. Unfortunately, a friend had borrowed the car, and it broke down.

I knew I had to report to school on time, and now had to solve another problem — what to do with my car and all my belongings. I was feeling pressure to finish the trail as early as I could, so I could deal with my moving dilemma. So Jeffrey and I hiked on ahead, partly because we could, but mainly to allow extra time to deal with my car situation. It was another example of being flexible on the trail… and maybe not checking email! 

We continued our hike down Le Conte Canyon. The walls narrowed, the terrain became more rugged, and the King River cascaded noisily over the rocks.

We reached our junction with the trail to Mather Pass and followed it up beside Palisade Creek — our first real ascent of the day. We climbed uphill for about a mile and a quarter, and stopped for the night at an established campsite. We used the rain fly with the tent tonight. The clouds we had seen earlier today looked unpredictable, and getting rain-soaked at night was not in our plan.

Trail Map: Le Conte Canyon to Palisade Creek

JMT Day 15 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we would climb the Golden Staircase and Mather Pass.

Originally hiked on August 10, 2010.

Day 14 on the John Muir Trail…

This morning we warmed ourselves by a campfire as our new friend Brian defrosted his pants, still wet from his creek crossing yesterday. Today we would hike over Muir Pass (11,955′) — our highest pass to date and home to the iconic stone Muir Hut.

John Muir Trail Day 14

Distance: 10.1 miles
Cumulative Distance: 134 miles
Total Ascent: 3,155 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 36,626 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 6 and 5

The  first section of the trail followed the forested floor of Evolution Valley, gradually climbing.

At the two mile mark, we climbed a series of switchbacks, taking us above the tree-line, where we would remain for the rest of the day. The landscape changes above the tree-line, sometimes resembling a moonscape — other than the the lakes dotting our path.

We stopped at Evolution Lake to filter water, munch on some food and enjoy a little patch of green grass under the blue skies.

Joan Considers Homesteading

After leaving Evolution Lake, I wasn’t feeling well. My head ached, and my stomach was uneasy. I didn’t know if I could go on, and at one point I decided I was going to sit down and live in that spot for the rest of my life.

Jeffrey suggested I eat something every hour. There are times when you don’t feel hungry or thirsty, but at these altitudes, it’s more important than ever to provide hydration and fuel.

I ate, rested and we continued on, albiet at a slower pace. And as much as I loved the beauty of the mountains, I’m glad they talked me out of living the rest of my life in that spot on the trail.  

During our break, Hari and Jeffrey were concerned that Joan might not make it to the end of the John Muir Trail. After rest, food, water and some time to think, we reached a decision. Hari and Jeff would hike on ahead as a team. Joan and I would stick together as a team. We would stick with the original exit date, but they would not wait up for us if we took longer.

We hoisted our backpacks and hiked on, now officially in two teams.

Wanda Lake was beautiful, but the weather was becoming bleak. Dark clouds loomed ominously, and the wind chilled us.

The Final Stretch to Muir Pass

I have to pause here to say a few words about that final mile to Muir Pass. It sucks. It’s a dreary, “trail” up an area covered with granite gravel. There is no dirt — just softball-sized gravel that makes each step a chore. It didn’t help matters that we were tired and it was towards the end of our day, or that we were at the highest altitude yet. But we had spied Muir Hut on the pass, and were determined to reach it.

And reach it we did. We took time to take some photos and duck inside where we had protection from the wind.

Muir Hut

Muir Hut is a marvel of construction. It’s built of rocks gathered from the area, but sand and other materials had to be brought in four or more miles. The conical roof structure is amazing, especially from inside. Clark Fork has additional details on the history of Muir Hut.

“This building was constructed in 1930 by the Sierra Club in cooperation with the Sierra National Forest and dedicated to the memory of John Muir.

The Muir Hut is intended as a temporary shelter for hikers caught in storms on this exposed section of the trail. Overnight camping and fires are prohibited.” – From the plaque inside Muir Hut

At this point, the clouds were looking pretty ominous, we decided to hike down the trail and make camp at the first good spot. We didn’t have to go far. We set up near a small unnamed lake just above Helen Lake. We had just barely enough room to clear an area for our tent, but we had an amazing view of the light show as the sun set.

We had two weeks on the John Muir Trail under our belts. It was another rewarding day on the trail.

Trail Map: McClure Meadow to Muir Pass and Helen Lake

JMT Day 14 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we hike through the stunning Le Conte Canyon and up Palisade Creek. 

Originally hiked on August 9, 2010.

Day 13 on the John Muir Trail…

We slept not too far away from Muir Trail Ranch, with the headwaters of the San Joaquin providing our soundtrack for the night. Fortunately, our bear bag was unmolested. We broke camp and hiked about a quarter mile back to MTR to enjoy the promised breakfast (it was well worth it).

John Muir Trail Day 13

Distance: 10.8 miles
Cumulative Distance: 123.9 miles
Total Ascent: 4,036 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 33,471 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 7 and 6

Jeffrey and Hari took the purist approach, retracing our steps up the valley to the junction we left the JMT at yesterday. Joan and I opted for the easier trail along the valley bottom. Both trails met up at the 1.6 mile mark.

A bit further beyond that was the John Muir Trail Cabin. This wasn’t a cabin that Muir himself ever stayed in, but it was built in his honor.

Today we would hike into Kings Canyon National Park. This park easily rivals Yosemite in beauty, but is much more wild and unspoiled. We bid farewell to the John Muir Wilderness, and crossed this bridge into Kings Canyon.

The JMT follows along the South Fork of the San Joaquin River for over six miles, and the canyon becomes narrow, steep and rugged.

The trail winds through the canyon, climbing ever higher and crossing the fast-moving water on two more bridges. These bridges are amazing feats of engineering, especially given their remote location. And we were thankful they were there. The water ran high and fast, and I can’t imagine crossing any other way.

At mile 6.6, we crossed the third bridge for the day, and began the super steep switchbacks climbing up beside Evolution Creek. At the crest, you get a little breather and then, a boots-off creek crossing. This was thigh-high water, and while it doesn’t look treacherous, it is flowing fast and has a strong pull.

On the other side of Evolution Creek, we decided to stop for dinner. We fired up the stove and enjoyed some warm food, then cleaned up and hiked on to McClure Meadow.

Dinner: In Camp or on the Trail?

One of the questions thru-hikers grapple with is where to cook and eat. Because the John Muir Trail runs through bear country, it is recommended that you don’t cook or eat where you sleep, as the scents from the food will attract bears.

Some thru-hikers take this very seriously, stopping to cook and eat, then cleaning up, packing up and hiking the final one or two miles to camp, as we did tonight.

For us, we would typically cook, eat and clean well away from our sleeping area, but within eye’s view. We found it easier than stopping and starting again.

Jeffrey, Joan and I finished the final 2-1/2 miles and rolled into camp right at sundown. Hari had already set up camp with another JMT thru-hiker named Brian. We warmed up around a campfire sipping hot chocolate and sharing our tales from the trail.

Trail Map: Muir Trail Ranch to McClure Meadow

JMT Day 13 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we head over Muir Pass!

Originally hiked on August 8, 2010.

Day 12 on the John Muir Trail…

John Muir Trail Day 12

Distance: 8.45 miles
Cumulative Distance: 113.1 miles
Total Ascent: 1,292 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 29,435 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 8 and 7

Carrying that 20 lbs. won’t be the biggest challenge. Our bodies have grown accustomed to the rigors of the life on the trail. We’ve got our “trail legs.” The real challenge will be getting 10 days of food to fit inside the mandatory bear canisters.

Waking up in Rosemarie Meadow was a beautiful start to the day. The sun glistened on the lazy creek. Frost coated the grass.

We warmed up with scrambled eggs (powdered, and not half bad), spiced up with slices of a beef stick and some olive oil;  and our morning coffee (Starbucks Via).

We warmed up quickly as we began to climb Seldon Pass, in what would become our pattern for the days ahead — climb a pass, descend, camp. Rinse and repeat.

En route to the pass the JMT took us by the crystal-clear waters of Marie Lake. It never ceases to amaze me how clear and beautiful these lakes are. We could easily pick out the trout swimming in the water.

We regrouped at Seldon Pass, breaking for a snack (Clif Bar, anyone?) and snapping the requisite photos.

Just below the pass, we paused for yet another photo opportunity at Heart Lake. Yes, that is Joan and I standing in the “V” of the heart-shaped lake. The full view of the lake is at the top of this post.

Descending from Heart Lake, we followed the babbling water of Sallie Keyes Creek, which led to none other that the twin Sallie Keyes Lakes. These scenic lakes sit side by side, and the JMT travels right between them on a narrow band of forest. We stopped for lunch, but not for long — the mosquitos were also hungry.

Finally we began to descend the steep canyon walls through a series of switchbacks. At the 7.6 mile mark, we reached a junction that took us off the JMT and down towards Muir Trail Ranch.

At Muir Trail Ranch, we checked in and they started searching for our resupply packages. Due to the size, we had shipped three 5-gallon buckets. While we waited, we rummaged through the backpacker’s buckets — a set of buckets with “extra” stuff donated to anyone who needs it. We were like kids in a candy shop.

Bad News

They found one of the three buckets — with the supplies for Joan and I. But Hari and Jeffrey’s buckets were nowhere to be found. They double- and triple-checked the storage shed. Nothing in their inventory log, although they could see that we had paid for them. We waited for the tractor to delivery today’s shipment, but it wasn’t on there. We were getting worried.

The wonderful folks at MTR felt bad for this, and promised it had never happened before. They invited us to join them for dinner tonight and breakfast in the morning, and we were welcome to scrounge through the backpacker’s cache for anything we needed.

Joan took advantage of their offer to use the hot baths, and we enjoyed an amazing dinner alongside their regular guests. Jeffrey and Hari were able to pick through the extra supplies and piece together meals for the remainder of the trip.

Now the only challenge remaining was getting it all in our bear canisters.

We did not.

We ended up with some stuff that we threw into a bear bag and hung for the night. We chose the non-smelly, non-essentials, and hoped for the best.

Learning to Expect the Unexpected

We were  disappointed when our buckets didn’t turn up at MTR. Fortunately, there was more than enough food in the backpacker’s cache that we were able to do just fine.

With any big hike like the JMT, it’s important to remember that things will not go as planned. Something will go wrong, somewhere along the way. It’s important to keep a good attitude and be flexible.

Trail Map: Rosemarie Meadow to Muir Trail Ranch

JMT Day 12 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we head from Muir Trail Ranch to McClure Meadow.

Originally hiked on August 8, 2010.

Day 11 on the John Muir Trail…

With our packs on our backs, our bear canisters filled and our bodies rested from our zero day, we settled up at VVR and took the ferry back to the east end of Lake Edison.

John Muir Trail Day 11

Distance: 11.5 miles
Cumulative Distance: 104.65 miles
Total Ascent: 3,843 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 28,143 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 8 and 7

On the other side, Bear Ridge loomed over us, taunting with its gnarly switchbacks. In the next 3.5 miles, we would climb over 2,000 vertical feet. It’s a good thing we were rested. We trudged uphill most of the morning, only stopping to catch our breath, or to adjust the duct tape on Joan’s feet.

Climbing Bear Ridge

Bear ridge is steep-sloped with a lot of switchbacks. Everyone talks about the 99 switchbacks on Mt. Whitney, but there were 60 switchbacks up Bear Ridge (I counted them). It’s steep, but at least we were shaded by the forest.

Once we crossed Bear Ridge we descended through a beautiful grove of Aspen trees (at about mile 5.7), rustling in the wind. The sounds and light patterns were mesmerizing.

Finally, we reached the beautiful Bear Creek at mile 7.3. The JMT parallels Bear Creek for the next three miles, alternating along the way between cascading white water and a tranquil stream.

At mile 10.4 we reached the crossing. This is a “boots off” crossing. We took our time walking across. The river rocks are slippery, so we slowly slid our feet across the bottom of the creek and used our trekking poles to steady ourselves. The crossing wasn’t bad for us, but we’ve heard stories about it being pretty harrowing, depending on the snow levels of the previous winter.

From the Bear Creek crossing, we hiked another mile to our camp for the night at Rosemarie Meadow. We had the entire beautiful area to ourselves, since most people opted to camp further up toward Seldon Pass.

Camping near meadows often is an invitation for mosquito trouble. We all coped in our own ways. Jeffrey holed up in his tent until sundown. I put my pant legs and long sleeves on… and repellent on the exposed areas. We ate our dinner, cleaned up, filtered water and settled in for the night.

Mono Creek to Rosemarie Meadow

JMT Day 11 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we head to Seldon Pass and down to Muir Trail Ranch for our final resupply.

Originally hiked on August 6, 2010.

Day 10 on the John Muir Trail…

Today was a special day. Today was a zero day — hiker-speak for a rest day or “zero-mileage” day. And Vermilion Valley Resort was the perfect place for it.

John Muir Trail Day 10

Distance: 0.0 miles
Cumulative Distance: 93.15 miles
Total Ascent: 0 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 24,300 ft
Harrison Map Sheet 8

When we arrived at VVR, we checked in and they opened a tab for our expenses. You settle up before you leave, and since we would be here for two nights, there would be plenty of opportunities to part with our money.

Last night, we set up camp in the free tent camping area, then feasted on steak and cold beer in the dining hall. The dining hall has a rotating menu and a few optional choices, and the seating is on long benches which you share with your new best friends.

This morning, I awoke at sunrise, and wandered down to the lakefront. The water was still and a mist swirled above it as the sun warmed the surface.

Joan and I managed to book a small room for the night. In addition to a free tent camping area, VVR also has tent cabin and actual rooms for rent. The first thing we did after checking into our room was shower. The second thing was start our laundry. Yes, VVR has a washer and dryer, too.

We picked up our resupply package and distributed it among Hari, Joan, Jeffrey and I. We at breakfast, lunch and dinner in the dining hall, enjoying the extra calories and guilt-free eating. “Yes, I believe I will have a slice of pie, thank you!”

But the best part about VVR wasn’t sleeping in a real bed. It wasn’t the steak or the pie. The best part about VVR was the conversations we had with other hikers at the dinner table and around the campfire at night. These conversations enlightened, entertained and inspired us. The hiker community is bound by the experiences we shared, and those bonds are stronger for it.

We met many thru-hikers, some hiking it for their second or third time. One young  couple were headed northbound. The family who with the “missing” teen hiker on day 7 was there. All of us were glad to share a hot meal for once not cooked over a backpacking stove.

Plan B - Exit the JMT?

Coming off of Silver Pass yesterday, I was in a lot of pain. The blisters on my feet really hurt. I had serious doubts that I could continue, and was  considering exiting the JMT at VVR. Around the dinner table last night, I heard everyone sharing their own stories of blisters, aches and pains. Everyone shared their  remedies for treating blisters, and I was encouraged. I realized what I was experiencing was pretty typical.

That evening, Jeff told me he hoped I would consider continuing, but the decision would have to be mine.Today, I treated my blisters and rested, and made my decision… I would finish hiking the John Muir Trail.

Taking a zero day recharged our batteries, and the experience at VVR was memorable. We were ready to once again hit the JMT tomorrow.

Important! Check Lake Conditions with VVR

In 2010, Lake Edison was at capacity. In 2013, the water levels had dropped quite a bit, meaning a longer walk to the boat launch, especially on the west end of the lake. The moonscape below is actually the lake bed. No, it’s not dried up, but you can see the levels are way down.

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Tomorrow, we head to from Mono Creek to Rosemarie Meadow.

Originally hiked on August 5, 2010.

Day 9 on the John Muir Trail…

Today, we climb 10,900 ft Silver Pass. Our total ascent is 2,272 ft, but we will also be descending 4,121 ft. to Lake Thomas Edison, where we will ferry to the far end of the lake to rest and resupply at Vermilion Valley Resort. VVR takes us several miles off the John Muir Trail, but it’s a detour well worth taking.

John Muir Trail Day 9

Distance: 11.75 miles
Cumulative Distance: 93.15 miles
Total Ascent: 2,272 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 24,300 ft
Harrison Map Sheet 8

It’s a beautiful section of the trail, and we started off feeling good about the day.

We cross Fish Creek at this impressively sturdy bridge, and begin our climb to Silver Pass.

Our trail takes us up about 2,400 feet in just over three miles.  If you’re lucky, you might find a great place to sit and rest.

We were well above tree line, and the sun was warm, but not unpleasant. The views on the trail to Silver Pass are expansive as it winds between a Squaw, Chief, Warrior and Papoose Lakes.

At about 4.25 miles, we finally reached Silver Pass, and took a break for lunch.

From Silver Pass, we headed down to Silver Lake and then alongside Silver Pass Creek. The persistent downhill trail began to take a toll on our feet.

Silver Pass Eats Joan's Feet

Going up is one kind of challenge, but the downhill trail puts a strain on the joints and the feet. My feet were hurting pretty bad on the descent, and even after stopping numerous times to apply moleskin and readjust my boots, each step was excruciating.

Finally, we reached Mono Creek. The trail follows the creek for miles, but with a much more gentle descent. At the 10 mile mark, we reach a bridge crossing the creek, and a junction towards Lake Thomas Edison.

We headed another 1.5 miles to the ferry landing for Vermilion Valley Resort — commonly referred to as VVR. We were feeling pressure to get there before the last boat left at 5pm. We made it.

The Hiker’s Water Taxi

VVR’s ferry service runs from the east end to the west end of Lake Edison and costs $19 for round trip service. It is possible to hike the route, following the trail along the lake, but this adds 4.8 miles to your journey. For details on hours of operation and alternatives, check the VVR Water Taxi site.

The trip to the opposite end of the lake was longer than I expected. It took nearly 30 minutes to get from one end to the other. When we arrived, we found a campsite and headed to the VVR cafe for steaks and cold beer.

Sitting around the communal tables, sharing stories with other thru-hikers we became an instant community. Looking forward to a zero day tomorrow didn’t hurt, either.

Tully Hole to Vermilion Valley Resort

JMT Day 9 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we enjoy our a “zero day” at VVR. 

Originally hiked on August 4, 2010.

Day 8 on the John Muir Trail…

After a “half day” of hiking yesterday, we looked forward to getting back on the trail today. We planned to head from Deer Creek to Tully Hole — about 12 miles. The elevation gain would be mainly slow and steady, and we would be hiking right at the tree line most of the day.

John Muir Trail Day 8

Distance: 11.1 miles
Cumulative Distance: 81.4 miles
Total Ascent: 2,572 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 22,028 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 9 and 8

This was effortless climbing, relatively speaking. As we  headed south along the side of the valley, the trail was climbing the entire way, but with no switchbacks and a gentle grade, we barely noticed.

At mile five we stopped for a lazy lunch break at Duck Creek, kicking the boots off and soaking in the cold, refreshing water.

As we sat in the shade happily munching on our lunch, an older gentleman named Al happened by. He was a solo north-bound — or NOBO — JMT thru-hiker, and he was on track to complete the JMT in 14 days with no resupply. This was Al’s second JMT thru-hike. The first time, years earlier, he had used “traditional” backpacking gear (much as we had) weighing in at over 40 lbs. This time around he went ultra-light. His base pack weight was a mere 14 lbs. 

We pondered the benefits and trade-offs of going ultra-light as we finished our lunch. And as we heaved our packs back up on our backs to continue hiking, we were pretty sure Al was on to something.

At mile 7.3, we came across the beautiful Purple Lake. The steep mountain sides leading to Purple Lake left us wondering whether there were many — or any — good campsites there, but it had a wild feel about it that was attractive.

From Purple lake we ascended the saddle reaching the highest point on today’s hike en route to Lake Virginia. This doesn’t look like much, but it was hot and dusty.

Lake Virginia was big and beautiful. The John Muir Trail passes the inlet to Lake Virginia, then skirts the eastern border before passing over another saddle and the final descent to Tully Hole.

One of the joys of thru-hiking is the people you meet along the trail. We had crossed paths with numerous other thru-hikers, some of them several times. And as our JMT crew stretched out, each of us hiking our own pace, we would sometimes encounter the same people, but at different times.

On this day, Hari had hiked up ahead and ran into a Ranger at Lake Virginia. He was checking for two things: permits and bear canisters.  Hari had a long, friendly conversation with the Ranger while he waited for the rest of us to catch up. The Ranger had run across a two guys who were backpacking without a bear canister — a big no-no — and was escorting them back to his camp where he was going to graciously loan them a spare canister. That’s pretty awesome.

Hari and The Secret Ranger Campsite

Being friendly has its benefits. Our intended destination was Tully Hole — which we learned was famous for mosquitos. Talking to the Ranger about our plans, he revealed a “secret campsite” that the Rangers sometimes used. It’s not on the maps.

When we reached Fish Creek, we crossed over and did a short boulder scramble up to a granite outcrop. Here there was enough of a breeze through the canyon to keep most of the mosquitos at bay. 

The trail down to Tully Hole drops 1,000 feet in about a mile with a series of switchbacks. As we got closer to the bottom, we could make out the granite outcrop with our new “secret campsite” destination.

Our “secret” campsite was awesome. We cooked dinner, relaxed and enjoyed an amazing light show as the sun set. Joan did a great job of capturing the changes in colors on the nearby mountains.

JMT Day 8: Deer Creek to Tully Hole

JMT Day 8 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we head over Silver Pass, down to Edison Lake and Vermilion Valley Resort.

Originally hiked on August 3, 2010.

Day 7 on the John Muir Trail…

John Muir Trail Day 7

Distance: 6.5 miles
Cumulative Distance: 70.3 miles
Total Ascent: 2,067 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 19,456 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 10 and 9

As we broke camp, we said goodbye to our new friend and gracious campsite host Chris Ryerson. He was on a 45-day walkabout in the High Sierras. No specific agenda or route, just hiking up and down and over and about from one mountain to the next. We were grateful that he offered to share his campsite with us, and we still keep in touch.

The first stop was about 1/2 a mile away: Red’s Meadow Resort. They have a small market and you can ship resupply packages to them. We ate breakfast at their Mulehouse Cafe, and then divvied up our resupply package.

Sometime that morning, I got in touch with a friend who lives in Mammoth Lakes, and was one of the members of my first JMT thru-hike back in 1980. As it turns out, his mom (who was also part of that 1980 thru-hike) and dad were in town, and they surprised us with a visit at Red’s Meadow.

We ended up spending all morning hanging out with Don and Zandra, reminiscing about our 1980 JMT thru-hike and catching up. Before we knew it, it was lunch time… so back to the cafe we went.

Get the Milkshake

When (not if) you stop at the Mulehouse Cafe in Red’s Meadow, you must order a milkshake. With whipped cream.

It may very well be the best milkshake you have ever tasted. 

After lunch, with full bellies and full packs, we were finally ready to hit the trail.

There are quite a few trails criss-crossing the Red’s Meadow area, and getting on the right one is important. We found the JMT and headed south.

Almost immediately, we emerged in a fire-scarred mountainside. The area is full of new growth, with new pine trees, lupen, and ferns everywhere. And not a bit of shade for quite a while. Being the middle of the day, the sun beat down on us as we climbed out of the valley.

We came upon a mountain spring that percolated into a creek right before our eyes.

After two miles, we finally exited the fire damaged area and entered the cool shade of the forest again.

Crossing Crater Creek at the 3.6 mile mark, we stopped for a break in the shade of the forest.

Lost on the JMT

At the Crater Creek crossing, we met another group of JMT thru-hikers that we had crossed paths with a couple times before. This family group had a teen who it seems ended up on the wrong trail, and they were trying to locate him. Their story has a happy ending. They found the teen (he had headed north instead of south) and were able to continue their journey.

The lesson? Two heads are better than one. If you’re hiking with a group, have a plan to stick together, or meet up at trail junctions. 

The last three miles were easy and scenic. Most of the time we were near either Crater Creek or Deer Creek. There were wildflowers, meadows, and gentle grades. We were all glad to have had an easy “half day” of hiking.

Devil’s Postpile, Red’s Meadow to Deer Creek

JMT Day 7 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we hike to Tully Hole.

Originally hiked on August 2, 2010.

Day 6 on the John Muir Trail…

I woke up before sunrise to take  photos. Thousand Island Lake was still, reflecting Banner Peak like a mirror. The sun cast a brilliant yellow glow as it struck the mountains, and we welcomed the warm rays.

At 9,850 feet, Thousand Island Lake is just below the tree line. It got downright cold overnight, although we were comfortable in our sleeping bags and tent. “Tent-less” Hari awoke to a dust of frost on his pad and sleeping bag, but even he was warm inside. The hard part is getting up and out.

John Muir Trail Day 6

Distance: 13.3 miles
Cumulative Distance: 63.8 miles
Total Ascent: 2,619 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 17,389 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 11 & 10

When you look at the elevation profile, it looks like it’s “mostly” downhill. Beware! Elevation profiles can be deceiving. The scale of the profile might lead you to think that there’s a few little hills, but a largely downhill hike. While there is more down than up on this segment, those “little hills” amounted to nearly 2000 feet of elevation gain. At over 13 miles, this was also one of our longest days so far.

So we struck out early and began the hiking the “roller coaster” trail that strings together the lakes named for precious gems: Emerald, Ruby and Garnet Lakes.

Emerald and Ruby Lakes are small, but stunning. The aquamarine waters run very deep, and we could see the trout swimming about.

Garnet Lake looks similar to Thousand Island Lake, and offers views of both Mt. Ritter and Banner Peak (left and right, respectively). I had summited Banner Peak 34 years earlier, and the area brings back fond memories.

Soon we descended towards Shadow Creek. The JMT follows the creek along a series of beautiful rapids and falls. A perfect spot for our lunch.

The creek empties into Shadow Lake, another beauty, but off-limits for camping due to over use.

The JMT skirts the west and southern edge of Shadow Lake, then heads up over another “little hill.” Finally we were on the descent to Red’s Meadow. This section was seemed longer than it was. Being at a lower elevation, the forest was thicker and shaded us from the afternoon sun. But the trail never seemed to end.

Finally we heard the roar of Minaret Falls. We were on the last steep descent to the valley and Red’s Meadow.

When we reached the junction with the trail to Devil’s Postpile, we strayed from the JMT. The Devil’s Postpile is a National Landmark and one of the finest examples of columnar basalt in the world.

The hexagonal columns rise over sixty feet up. Take time to take the trail to the top, where the tops of the columns have been sheared smooth by glaciers many years ago. The result looks a lot like a tile floor.

Jeffrey, Joan and I finally located the Red’s Meadow campground. Hari arrived ahead of us, and after determining that all the campsites were already taken, struck up a friendship with Chris Ryerson, who shared his site with us. We paid the campsite fee, setup camp, and headed to the Red’s Meadow Bath House.

Red's Meadow Bath House

The Red’s Meadow Bath House is free to use (expect a line). The water is fed from natural hot springs. The “baths” are a little “rustic” and there are no controls on the heat, but it was HOT! It felt really good to wash away the dust and grime. Even though some of us had gone for a dip in a nearby lake, this was the cleanest we felt in a week. We were refreshed and recharged, and thankfully done with hiking for the day. 

UPDATE: Sadly, the Bath House is closed. You can hike over to Reds Meadow Resort and get a shower for $7, but the free, hot spring fed bath house pictured below is closed. Hopefully they’ll reopen it someday.

Thousand Island Lake to Red’s Meadow

John Muir Trail Day Six Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow morning, we would pick-up our resupply package and have breakfast at the cafe before hitting the JMT and continuing our journey south to Deer Creek. 

Originally hiked on August 1, 2010.

Day Five on the John Muir Trail…

Yesterday’s hike up Lyell Canyon was relatively easy. Today, we would hit several big milestones. First, we would hike over our first serious pass. At 11,056 ft, Donohue Pass was still covered with snow, and the altitude was as high as we had been on the JMT so far. We would also pass the 50 mile mark. And we would bid adieu to Yosemite… and hello to the Ansel Adams Wilderness in Inyo National Forest.

John Muir Trail Day 5

Distance: 9.7 miles
Cumulative Distance: 50.5 miles
Total Ascent: 2,200 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 14,770 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 12 and 11

One of the great things about hiking the John Muir Trail is that you are never very far from a water source. There are only a few stretches where we really needed to carry more than a liter of water with us. If we needed more water, we would stop and filter more.

We crossed the bridge over Lyell Fork and headed out.

Some of the creek crossings were a little sketchy. You either hiked through the icy cold water, or carefully stepped one foot in front of the other, placing them on the slippery stones and doing your best not to fall in. We were glad we had our trekking poles. We made a point to always have three points of contact with the ground. 

At some of the lakes, there are feint trails that run around the perimeter. It’s easy to mistake these for “the” trail, but we knew we would be climbing and stuck to our uphill trajectory.

There were numerous rivulets that crossed the trail, as well as a wide range of wildflowers.

Soon we were high above the canyon, and ready to ascend the final incline to the pass. We stopped to look back on the canyon we just climbed out of.

We passed one last lake and started up a granite trail that was fully exposed. Well above the tree line, we were nearing the crest of Donohue Pass.

We reached the pass and took an early (and well deserved lunch break). Our trail mascot Yoda was proud.

From Donohue Pass, we split in two groups. Joan and I hiked on to our camp for the night at Thousand Island Lake. Jeffrey and Hari decided to tackle rocky Donohue Peak. There is no trail up Donohue Peak; it’s mainly boulder scrambling (no technical climbing required). Even so, it’s a slog up and back down. They were rewarded for their efforts with some amazing views.

From Donohue Pass, there is a long downhill trudge. The sun was warm and our spirits were high. And we still had about six miles to go. The scenery changed as we once again descended below the tree line and crossed Rush Creek.

Watch the trail signs carefully. Several trails converge in this area, and you don’t want to take the wrong trail. From the creek, we climbed towards Island Pass. This pass is easy to miss, because it’s really a wide, broad saddle dotted with little ponds. The distinctive feature? Jaw-dropping views of the majestic Minarets, their jagged peaks rising dramatically above you to the west.

Finally, we came into view of Thousand Island Lake.

This is a huge lake. No, it doesn’t really have a thousand islands. Yes, it does have a LOT of islands–more than I care to count. And it sits directly below the spectacular Banner Peak.

The trail winds down to the outlet of Thousand Island Lake. There is no camping around the outlet, so we had to follow the northern shore for about half a mile before we found a suitable campsite. We settled in, refilled our water bottles and pitched our tent. Jeffrey and Hari strolled in just in time for dinner — tired but proud to have bagged Donohue Peak.

Repelling Mosquitos: A Natural Approach

The mosquitos were pretty bad at Thousand Island Lake. I chose not to use repellent. My approach? Long pants and long sleeves. When I needed, I wore a mosquito net over my head. Once at camp, I could get into my tent until sundown. Most of the mosquitos disappear when the sun sets and the temperature dips, so I could cook and eat my dinner in peace.

Thousand Island Lake is one of my favorite places. It’s beauty always inspires me. And it’s a popular destination that many people hike to out of Mammoth Lakes. For these reasons, it’s crowded and attracts bears. We were all using bear canisters and didn’t have any problems, but we did hear some noise from other campsites that had to chase off bears.

The map below shows the general route we took, and the gallery below includes additional photos in chronological order.

Upper Lyell Canyon to Donohue Pass, Island Pass and Thousand Island Lake

JMT Day 5 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we hike to Red’s Meadow.

Originally hiked on July 31, 2010.

Day Four on the John Muir Trail

I was looking forward to this day. The mileage was a little easier, and the first nine miles were up the almost imperceptible incline of Lyell Canyon. Getting in later than expected on Day Three meant hanging around until the Tuolumne Meadows Post Office opened so we could pick up our resupply package.

While we waited, we feasted on tasty breakfast burritos at the café. The post office doesn’t open until 9am, and then we had to divvy up the foodstuffs, squeeze everything into our bear canisters and reload our packs. As we were repacking, we met some fellow JMT thru-hikers also picking up their resupply. I’ve found that camaraderie amongst backcountry hikers is effortless.  As John Muir said, “One touch of Nature makes the whole world kin.” You feel that kinship among just about everyone you meet on the trail. I think Muir was on to something.

John Muir Trail Day 4

Distance: 10.25 miles
Cumulative Distance: 40.75 miles
Total Ascent: 1,475 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 12,570 ft
Harrison Map Sheet 12
GPX file

The trail up Lyell Canyon was heavenly. Well, the first nine miles or so.

First off, the trail is soft, smooth and straight. It’s as close to level as you’ll see on the JMT. And it parallels the sublime waters of the Lyell Fork creek. The waters of Lyell Fork were so clear and so stunning, it was difficult to keep out of the water. So we jumped in! 

At our lunch break, Joan and I (Jeffrey and Hari were up ahead, as routine) found a secluded boulder outcrop next to a wide, deep section of the creek. We kicked our boots off and stretched out on the boulders like lizards in the sun. When it got a little too warm, we jumped into the invigorating water, washing away the trail grime and sweat. It was heaven on earth.

We lazily lounged about for two hours, enjoying the perfect setting, and then decided we’d better hit the trail again if we were going to make camp before nightfall.

Enjoying the Journey

We found that by the end of the day, we were so exhausted, that after cleaning up from dinner, we just wanted to climb into our tent to sleep. I loved our long lunches when we lounged, soaked our tired feet in the water, and took some time to enjoy the moment.

Our elevation gain for the day was modest by JMT standards (about 1,475 ft). But most of it was in the last mile. The trail is made up of granite steps better suited to horses than humans. This makes sense because both the JMT and the PCT were designed specifically to support horses, explaining in part the giant-sized steps we climbed to our camp for the night.

We made camp at Upper Lyell Canyon, just before the wooden bridge. There are a number of great camp sites here, and they are spread out far enough that although we had seen other hikers there, we weren’t aware of their presence when we were at our camp site.

Lyell Fork runs rapid here, so filtering water required extra caution. We didn’t want to fall in or lose any equipment.

And at an elevation of 9,670 ft, we were nearing the tree line. Tomorrow we’d be heading over snow-covered Donohue Pass and saying good-bye to Yosemite.

Tuolumne Meadows to Upper Lyell Canyon

This map details our journey on Day 4 of the JMT, from Tuolumne Meadows to Upper Lyell Canyon. You’ll notice that the trail follows a nice, gentle slope for the first nine miles, then ends with a strenuous climb. Phew!

JMT Day 4 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we hike over Donohue and Island Pass and down to Thousand Island Lake. 

Originally hiked on July 30, 2010. 

Day 3 on the John Muir Trail and we were starting a long way from where we originally planned to camp. Our unauthorized off-trail camp dubbed The Middle of Somewhere was beautiful and quiet, but we had 3.5 miles to hike just to get to Sunrise High Sierra Camp, where we should’ve been starting. If you do the math, that means that yesterday’s little excursion to Clouds Rest turned today’s easy 8.6 mile trek into a more rigorous 12.1 miles.

John Muir Trail Day 3

Distance: 12.1 miles
Cumulative Distance: 30.5 miles
Total Ascent: 2,124 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 11,095 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 13 and 12
GPX file

The water on Sunrise Lakes was still, reflecting like a mirror.  We hiked quietly, passing only a few other backpackers, and felt as though we had the mountains to ourselves.

From Sunrise Lakes, we pass over a saddle and down to Sunrise High Sierra Camp. Finally we were back on the JMT. We stopped for lunch but didn’t linger — the mosquitos were as hungry as we were.

From here the trail winds along the perimeter of the meadow, slowly and steadily climbing towards Cathedral Pass — the first of many mountain passes on the JMT. From the pass it’s a well-shaded, downhill trek to the Tuolumne Meadows.

When we reached Tuolumne Meadows, it was tempting to think we had “arrived.” We caught glimpses of Tioga Road through the trees and could hear passing cars. There were more casual hikers in the area, but we still had a full mile yet to go before we would reach the backpacker’s campground. It was one of those times when a mile seems longer than it really is.

Hari and Jeffrey were already there and had staked out a spot for us. Unfortunately the Tuolumne Post Office had closed about 15 minutes earlier, so we would have to wait to pick-up our resupply package until the morning. Fortunately, the diner was open. We feasted on cheeseburgers and fries. We earned it.

Three days on the John Muir Trail were under our belts. We summited Half Dome and Clouds Rest. And we made it to our first resupply point — Tuolumne Meadows.

Resupply at Tuolumne

You might wonder why you would bother resupplying at Tuolumne — a mere three days into a three week trek on the JMT. Consider this: you will carry on average two pounds of food, per person, per day. The next resupply point is Reds Meadow — three days further. Skipping this resupply point would mean carrying an extra six pounds. The math says, resupply at Tuolumne.

Middle of Somewhere to Tuolumne Meadows

This map details our journey from our off trail camp to Sunrise High Sierra Camp, over Cathedral Pass and down to Tuolumne Meadows.

JMT Day 3 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we head up Lyell Canyon.

Originally hiked on July 29, 2010. 

It’s day two on the John Muir Trail. We woke up feeling creaky but confident. Hiking up Half Dome on day one tested our mettle. Today, we planned to hike 10.4 miles to the Sunrise High Sierra Camp. We ate our super-charged oatmeal breakfast and broke camp. As we were getting ready to leave, we saw a bear wandering near the western edge of the camp.

Black bears are common along the JMT, especially in the more popular areas such as Little Yosemite Valley. That’s one of the reasons they have bear lockers for your food in some places, and require an approved bear-proof canister for food storage everywhere else.

This bear was getting ready to wander into the campground to snag some unsuspecting camper’s breakfast or an open bear box — both reasons to be vigilant with your food in the mountains.  Black bears won’t chase you down unless they or their young are threatened. We chose to keep a safe distance and admire the bear from afar.

John Muir Trail Day 2

Distance: 6.8 miles
Cumulative Distance: 18.4 miles
Total Ascent: 3,971 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 8,971 ft
Harrison Map Sheet 13
GPX file (official JMT)
GPX file (Clouds Rest)

There is also a junction here with a trail to Clouds Rest. 

Hari and Jeffrey — armed with the energy of youth — were well ahead of us.  Joan and I hiked at our normal slow-and-steady pace. Joan suspected we were too far from Sunrise Creek, and questioned my navigation skills. I reassured her that we were on the correct trail, and we kept hiking onward (and upward).

The climb was suspiciously relentless. We weren’t supposed to be gaining this much elevation, were we? Soon, I was second-guessing myself. We consulted with some hikers coming down the trail toward us. “Hi! Where ya’ coming from?” is the typical refrain when passing other hikers on the trail. “Sunrise” they replied. I took this to confirm that we were in fact headed in the right direction, since we were headed towards Sunrise High Sierra Camp.

We continued on, hiking even higher.

There’s a peculiar truth about the psychology of climbing thousands of feet of elevation gain. You don’t want that climbing to be for nothing. You sincerely want to be right, so you haven’t “wasted” that effort, only to have to retrace your steps and hike even further than you had planned. That’s where I was at, and the higher we hiked, the more committed I had become.

Another group of hikers came down the trail toward us. “Where ya hiking from?” “Oh, we’re coming down from Clouds Rest.”

Ugh. Not what I had wanted to hear. 

I ate humble pie and we revisited our map to come up with Plan B. It turns out, we were well on our way to Clouds Rest and miles up the wrong trail. We decided to continue on and past Sunrise Lakes (obviously the “Sunrise” the earlier hikers had referred to). From there a trail looped down to Sunrise High Sierra Camp. We wouldn’t make it today, but we wouldn’t be too far off, either.

Jeff Eats Humble Pie

The John Muir Trail is very well marked, but you still need to know how to navigate… and listen to your girlfriend! Although Joan will be the first to admit she is generally “directionally challenged,” she was 100% right on this one. I chose the wrong trail, then stubbornly insisted on following it. There’s a lesson in there…

Always Look at the Bright Side of Life

The benefit of our “alternative” route is that we got to summit not only Half Dome, yesterday, but Clouds Rest today. Clouds Rest has magnificent views of Half Dome, Yosemite Valley, and 360 degrees of pure wilderness beauty. And although Jeffrey slack-packed up here yesterday afternoon, we could boast that we summited with our full backpacks. Hah!

Impromptu off-trail camp

I discovered that I once again had cell reception on Clouds Rest (thank you AT&T) and left a message for Jeffrey and Hari explaining that we would meet them at Tuolumne Meadows tomorrow.

After Clouds Rest, we continued until on past an tiny unnamed creek and setup an impromptu and unauthorized camp for the night off trail. This is strictly against the rules in Yosemite, but we weren’t prepared to hike through the darkness. We were very careful to choose a spot where we would leave no trace. We setup camp for the night in a little place I like to call The Middle of Somewhere, because we knew where we were, but weren’t where we planned to be.

Little Yosemite Valley to Clouds Rest and the Middle of Somewhere

This map details our journey from Little Yosemite Valley to Cloud’s Rest and on to our impromptu off-trail camp.

Jeffrey and Hari managed to stay on the JMT, but decided to power on past Sunrise (too many mosquitos) and camped at the Cathedral Lakes (also too many mosquitos, but not enough energy or time to continue further). Jeffrey captured some great shots of the lake at the golden hour.

This also set them up for an easy 5 mile hike downhill hike to Tuolumne Meadows the next day.

Little Yosemite Valley to Cathedral Lakes

This is the “correct” route along the JMT which Jeffrey and Hari followed.

JMT Day 2 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we head to Tuolumne Meadows for our first resupply.

Originally hiked on July 28, 2010. 

The night is fading as we awaken, excited to finally start hiking the John Muir Trail. I slept like a log at the backpacker’s campground, but Jeffrey and Hari heard people chasing a bear away from the car campground. We eat a quick breakfast, break camp, don our backpacks and walk along the road to our official starting point, the trailhead at Happy Isles.

John Muir Trail Day 1

Distance: 11.6 miles
Cumulative Distance: 11.6 miles
Total Ascent: 5,000 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 5,000 ft
Harrison Map Sheet 13
GPX file

At the backpacker’s campground, getting ready to pack up and hit the JMT!

While not part of the official mileage, first we had to get to the trailhead.

We reached the trailhead took the obligatory starting photo.

The “trail” starts out as a paved, asphalt path due to the sheer number of people who head up this route to visit Vernal and Nevada Falls. Most of the other people on the path are day hikers, gawking at our packs and gear. We’re on an emotional high, as months of planning, training and preparation finally bears fruit.

As we climb higher, we hear and see the mighty falls, with Liberty Dome and Half Dome. The thought races through our minds — “We’re going to be up there later today?!”

We buzz along, taking photos and stopping for a snack at the top of Nevada Falls. Although we’ve been here before, it feels great to be back, this time on a bona fide adventure.

Above the falls, the trail climbs a bit more, finally leveling out along the headwaters of the Merced River. The John Muir Trail splits here. To the right, it runs close to the river through coarsely ground granite — difficult to hike in. To the left, it gets more sun exposure. Both lead the final mile to the campground at Little Yosemite Valley.

Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley

This map details our journey from Happy Isles to the Little Yosemite Valley campground.

At this point, we’ve hiked a modest 4.4 miles, but gained over 2,000 ft in elevation. We found a suitable campsite (don’t expect solitude — this campground is booked solid, and nearly as cramped as the backpacker’s campground in the valley), dropped our backpacks and stowed our food in the bear locker.  We put together a slack-pack with water and snacks, and headed up Half Dome.

Little Yosemite Valley to Half Dome

After dropping our gear and setting up camp, we hiked this route up Half Dome and back.

Half Dome Permits

Because of the volume of foot traffic Half Dome gets, a permit system was introduced. When we hiked this, you were allowed to include Half Dome if you had a permit for the John Muir Trail.

Today  you must specifically request this as part of your wilderness permit if you plan to include a side-trip to Half Dome. See Half Dome Permits for Backpackers for details.

Heading up Half Dome is a 7.2 mile round trip from Little Yosemite Valley, with another 2,700 ft of elevation gain.

We reached the shoulder, and climb the series of steep switchbacks with big steps carved into the granite. This section is a little gnarly, as one mis-step and you’re in for a nasty tumble. From the top of that, you actually descend to the saddle and the base of the cables.

While the practice is discouraged, it’s common to see a pile of gloves at the base of the cables. Pick up a pair and use them. I’ve seen the bloody hands of those who chose to skip using gloves, so either suck it up and borrow a used pair or bring your own.

Going up the cables is pretty simple and also pretty safe — as long as you use common sense. The two cables are elevated to “railing” height, and there are wood boards laid at roughly 12 foot intervals where you can stand on the steep granite and give your arms a rest. The dangerous part is that there are many other people going up and down these same cables, and each time you pass someone, the negotiation takes extra care. We made a point to stop at those boards when meeting someone coming down the cables.

Jeffrey and Hari were already at the top as Joan and I ascended the cables. About half way up, I heard Joan call out. She was feeling nervous and wanted to go back down. I came back down the cables to her and we talked through it. Finally, she decided to give it another try, with me right behind her. She made it!

Joan on Day 1 of the JMT

“Even though we had trained extensively, I was nervous and not really sure what it would be like. Just walking to the trailhead along the road my pack felt really heavy! As the day went on, it got easier… until we hiked up Half Dome. It’s a tough hike, and I got really scared on the cables. I felt like I was holding up the line. When I made it to the top, I felt great!

“I was exhausted when we got back to camp, but felt like if I could do Half Dome, I could do anything.”

The top of Half Dome is broad — about the size of a football field. You can wander around pretty safely as long as you’re careful around the edges. We enjoyed the views, took lots of photos, then headed back down.

Half Dome Tips

• Going down the cables, a lot of people get really uptight and nervous. What I’ve found works best is to face downhill and “walk” down Half Dome using my gloved hands as brakes. Instead of standing upright, my body is perpendicular to the slope. This seems a little unnatural at first, but gives you a lot of control and worked well for Joan, also.
• There’s no reliable water source between Little Yosemite Valley and Half Dome, so plan accordingly. Once you reach the saddle, you’ll have a lot of sun exposure and with the elevation and climbing, it’s easy to get dehydrated. We had about a liter each, and wished we could’ve had just a bit more.

Back at Little Yosemite Valley, we wandered down to the Merced and took a refreshing dip in the water. As we filtered water, we spied a deer and fawn casually crossing upstream. An idyllic scene.

Hari, Joan and I cooked and ate dinner. Jeffrey had a goal to hike up Cloud’s Rest in addition to Half Dome (insane, right?). The sun set and we began to get a little worried when Jeffrey didn’t show up. We checked with the rangers at the Little Yosemite Valley ranger station, and they basically said to wait. We actually had cell phone coverage up here (I’m on AT&T) and left him a voice message as well as a text. Finally about 9:30pm, Jeffrey made it back to camp.  Yes, he climbed Half Dome and Cloud’s Rest on his first day of the JMT.

JMT Day 1 Photo Gallery

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Tomorrow, we head from Little Yosemite Valley to Sunrise.

Originally hiked on July 27, 2010.

This day, three years ago…

We woke up early and at 6am, were the first customers at the Alabama Hills Cafe. There’s something great about guilt-free eating, knowing that you’ll be running a caloric deficit for three weeks and, why yes you can have the pancakes and an omelet. What the heck! We gorged ourselves to the point of feeling ill, then wobbled back across to the Dow Villa, grabbed our backpacks, and waited for our shuttle.

One of the logistic challenges with hiking the John Muir Trail is transportation. If you’re lucky, you might be able to coordinate with friends who want to spend a day or two in Yosemite to see you off. Even then, you’ll need room for your crew, your stuff, and all of their gear as well.

Or you can take two vehicles, dropping one off at the end (Whitney Portal in our case) and then carpooling up to Yosemite. The problem with this is that when you finish the JMT, you’ll have to drive all the way back up to Yosemite to retrieve the other car.

200 miles from Lone Pine to Yosemite Valley

Public transportation is an option, but this too, is challenging. You’ll save money, but need more time to make your way, as you switch from bus to shuttle and so forth. If you have more time than money, it’s probably the best option.

In our case, we had scheduled just enough time to drive up to Lone Pine on one day, drive to Yosemite the next day, hike the JMT and then drive directly home.  That meant hiring a driver to shuttle us from Lone Pine to Yosemite Valley. We booked Mt. Whitney Shuttle, and the fare for all four of us ran a whopping $595 bucks! Split four ways, it worked out to roughly $150 apiece. Gulp!

Our driver — Richard — was awesome. He was waiting for us right at the scheduled time — 7am, and kept us entertained with his stories on the way up. When we reached Tioga Pass Road, we made a stop at The Mobil and then joined the throngs snaking our way up and over Tioga Pass.

Before dropping down into the valley, we stopped at Olmstead Point and took in the views. There were some tourists who had setup telescopes pointed at Half Dome, and you could make out the hikers clambering up the cables to the top — something we hoped to be doing this time tomorrow!

The Weigh-In

Jeffrey’s back-breaking “winner”

Richard drove us down into the Yosemite Valley and dropped us off at the Ranger Station. We picked up our permit (you get an email confirmation, but still have to show up in person to claim your actual permit). They grilled us about our plans and whether we had bear canisters (we did). Permit in hand, we took turns weighing our packs on the scale out front.

The results?

• Hari: 33 lbs
• Joan: 35 lbs
• Jeff: 45 lbs
• Jeffrey: 69 lbs — The Winner!?

Clearly Jeffrey was either an animal or slightly demented. Time would tell.

Backpacker’s Campground

We headed to the backpacker’s campground. This is a small campground where hikers with backcountry permits may spend one night (since you typically have to pick up your permit the day before you start). It’s pretty close to a car camping area, but you take a beautiful bridge over a stream where there are no cars, and it’s a little more quiet. We stowed our food and smelly items in the bear locker, setup our tents and relaxed a bit.

As I laid on my back, looking up a the clear blue skies, I watched and listened as the towering pines swayed in the breeze, dancing to the rhythm of nature.

For our last dinner before the trail, Joan and I ambled over to Curry Village for a cold, hops-based beverage, crowds and pizza. This place is insanely crowded in the summer, but it’s an awesome place to people-watch. Joan got lucky, and nabbed a couple seats at the bar while I waited in line for pizza.

We made it back to the backpacker’s campground in the dark, and were surprisingly tired. Maybe it was the anticipation of what was to come, but we went to sleep pretty early.

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Tomorrow morning, we  start hiking the John Muir Trail! 

Originally hiked on July 26, 2010. 

Precisely three years ago this day, my girlfriend and I and two hiking friends were driving up to Lone Pine, getting ready for a 22-day thru-hike of the epic 211-mile John Muir Trail. Over the next three weeks, I’ll be sharing a day-by-day guide to our JMT backpacking trek, with each day covered exactly on the three year anniversary of the actual hike. Each daily post will break down the route we hiked — with an interactive trail map; where we camped, what we ate and the stories that went with it.

Some of you are already planning your own JMT trip. For you, these day-by-day trail guides will give you a good sense of what to expect. You’ll learn what worked well, and what we will do differently the next time.

Some of you are day hikers and weekend backpackers, thinking about tackling a bigger goal. For you, I’ve got good news. The John Muir Trail is indeed an epic backpack trip, but it’s within the reach of mere mortals. While it’s not a trek to hike on a whim, if you are a fit hiker, you can do this. In your case, I hope these day-by-day posts give you the added push to seriously consider hiking part (or all) of the JMT.

A few of you are armchair adventurers, with no aspiration to spend three weeks in one of the most beautiful sections of the Sierra mountains, challenging your body and spirit and finding new confidence and strength. I hope you’ll follow along just the same, and find the stories that go with each daily post entertaining and engaging.

The Cast

Our motley crew included my then-girlfriend (and now my wife), Joan; San Diego resident Jeffrey, a recent hiking friend who discovered my desire to hike the JMT and connected to us via SoCalHiker; and a late-addition: Hari who just finished his degree at USC and was getting ready for grad school. Joan and I were in our late 40’s. Jeffrey and Hari were both in their 20’s. All of us had done plenty of hiking, but I was the only one who had hiked this far before.

The Story Begins

First leg — Driving 270 miles from San Clemente to Lone Pine.

We started our day in San Clemente. Jeffrey was dropped off at our home, and we piled into the Xterra and headed up to Los Angeles to pick up Hari. From there, we weaved through traffic, out of the city and headed north to Lone Pine.

The JMT extends from Yosemite Valley to the summit of Mt. Whitney — the highest peak in the contiguous 48 states. You can hike it northbound  — or NOBO — but must hikers choose the south-bound (SOBO) route because you start at a lower altitude and work your way up. We were going to follow the traditional SOBO route, but were starting off by dropping off our car at the Whitney Portal.

The Dow Villa Motel

When we arrived at Lone Pine, we checked in at the Dow Villa Motel (map). While the rest of the group got dinner, I drove up to the Whitney Portal and parked. Parking here is free, but you need to check to make sure you’re parked in the right place. And you must make sure to clean your car of anything smelly or anything that looks remotely like food (or a food container). That includes coolers, empty food wrappers or cups, and even deodorant and toothpaste. This keeps bears from trying to pry open your car, and helps you avoid a costly ticket from the ranger.

Once I parked, I hitched a ride back down to Lone Pine with a couple guys who had just hiked down from Mt. Whitney.

We slept well that night, knowing that we had an early start in the morning with a shuttle to Yosemite, picking up our permit and getting one day closer to our JMT adventure.

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Next up: Day Two – Lone Pine to Yosemite Valley

Original date of travel July 25, 2010.

One of the questions everyone asks me about hiking the John Muir Trail is “What should I wear?” It’s not usually phrased so bluntly. Sometimes it’s couched in more specific terms, like “Should I wear down or fleece?” or “trail shoes vs. boots?”

While I can’t tell you what’s right for you,  I will share what I wore, and what worked well for me.

The photo below shows Reinhold Metzger and I on our respective JMT thru-hikes. Metzger was headed northbound, while I was taking the traditional southbound route. I’ve pointed out the key parts of my hiking “outfit” that you can see, and included a couple that you don’t.

The astute observer will notice that Reinhold’s gear has a certain vintage quality about it. He’s using an external frame backpack and a mashup of clothes and gear that he’s cobbled together over the years. This tried-and-true approach is the same one you should use. Start with some basics components and add to it over time, keeping what works and replacing what doesn’t. You’ll find that quality gear lasts for years. If you watch for sales and closeouts, you can pare down the costs considerably.

Here are the details

Item	Description	Weight	Price
Wide-Brimmed Hat	There are some great choices here, but mine happened to be an REI hat that includes a drawstring for those windy mountain passes (much needed), and the brim can be snapped up and out-of-the-way when needed. Looked a little goofy, but very functional. Recommended.	8 oz.	$25
Buff Multi-Function Headgear	This awesome headwear can be worn as a headband, a bandana, a baclava, a dust screen, a neck gaiter and even more. Highly recommended.	3.2 oz.	$25
ExOfficio Boxer Brief	I had two pair. They wash, rinse and dry very quickly. They are pricey, but they hold up for a long time. Highly recommended.	3 oz.	$26
Under Armour Tech T-Shirt	This short sleeve shirt dries quickly and was a perfect base layer. It remains one of my favorite shirts to hike in. Highly recommended.	6.5 oz.	$23
White Sierra Kalgoorlie Long Sleeve Shirt	This lightweight wind shirt helped keep the sun off and cut the wind. It can be unbuttoned or removed when temperatures rise. The White Sierra brand was a great value. Recommended.	3 oz.	$30
Marmot Radiator Polartec Fleece Jacket	This fleece provided added warmth when temperatures dipped in the evenings. Most nights, the t-shirt, wind shirt and fleece provided all the warmth needed. Highly recommended.	18 oz.	$125
White Sierra Trabagon Jacket	This shell (not pictured) gave a final layer of protection in the coldest situations. There were only a few nights where this came in handy, as well as up on Mt. Whitney. Recommended.	11.2 oz.	$60
prAna Convertible Pant	These pants have zip-off legs, which most of the time stayed off. There were two times when those legs came in handy: when the mosquitos were bad and when it was really cold. These got really dirty after three weeks on the trail, but washed up looking like new. I was amazed. Recommended. Read my full review.	16.1 oz.	$85
Keen Pyrenees Boots	I debated using trail shoes or boots. In the end, I opted for a bit more support. These waterproof boots were super comfortable, especially after upgrading the insole. I had zero problems with blisters. Read my full review.	35 oz.	$140
Superfeet Green Insoles	These insoles made the boots feel like butter. Preparing for the JMT was the first time I splurged for them, and now I'm sold. Highly recommended.	3.4 oz.	$40
Smartwool Hiking Sock	I sometimes combined these socks with a lightweight silk liner sock. They fit and performed well the entire 211+ miles. Recommended.	3.6 oz.	$12
	Total worn on body weight/costs:	6 lbs. 15 oz.	$591

Ultra-lighters will probably be aghast at the nearly 7 pounds of clothes (boots included) I wore. It’s a typical question that most thru-hikers wrestle with — trying strike the right balance between function and lowering weight. In my case, it was easier for me to lose 10 pounds that I didn’t have carry — not by cutting tags off my clothes or shortening my spoon handle, but by losing the weight personally through training.

As for what I wore, note that I didn’t create a shopping list and go out and buy all this gear. My gear acquired over time and trail-tested as we trained for the JMT. And every single one of these items is still in service today.

How does this compare to what I wore 30 years earlier? That’s a post for another day…

Disclosure: The links in the table above go to Amazon using my affiliate link. If you do decide to purchase there, you’re also supporting SoCalHiker.net. Many thanks to those who support this website! 

I’ve thru-hiked the JMT twice. The first time was in 1980. I was young and fit, and loved every mile. It was the experience of a lifetime. Three decades later — almost to the day — I hiked the JMT once again. I was older, wiser, and while no longer the strapping lad I once was, I still completed the trail three days faster. Another experience of a lifetime.

Sharing the JMT experience is a challenge. When you return from the mountain, you want to share this experience, but words alone cannot express the grandeur. Photos can delight, but they don’t capture the majesty of the soaring crags or the ache in your bones after descending from Silver Pass. How do you share the magnificence of sunrise over Thousand Island Lake? How do you convey the real and perceived highs and lows as you climb over Forester Pass? How can you describe the physical and mental challenges, and the sheer triumphant joy of hiking the John Muir Trail? This is the challenge a team of creative artists took on.

The Muir Project

In October of 2011, I learned about The Muir Project — a group of multi-media artists who undertook their own epic journey on the John Muir Trail. They hiked the JMT that summer — one year after my most recent trip, and had just released the initial trailer. The trailer was amazing, and really brought the memories of my own JMT hikes alive.

Rick, Jen, Jason and the rest of the team took the project to Kickstarter to raise the funding they needed to complete their labor of love. Fellow hikers, already inspired by the trailer, jumped on board and helped them exceed their goal by over $7k, giving them the resources they needed to convert hundreds of hours of video, thousands of photos, music, paintings and memories into something that might actually inspire people to consider hiking the John Muir Trail themselves.

Nearly two years later, the film is finally making its premier at the Hollywood Chinese Theater as part of the Dances with Films independent film festival. And on National Trails Day, no less.

Mile…Mile and a Half

The MMAAH team began their JMT trek in July 2011–a year notable for a 200% snowpack. What does this mean? Twice as much snow as usual. Higher water crossings. A challenging trail, made even more challenging. Which at least in part, led to the film’s name. As in, “How much further ’til we reach camp today?” “Oh, about a mile…mile and a half.”

The film follows the team on their southbound hike, from Yosemite Valley, up and over 10 passes, over 80,000 feet of elevation change, resupply points, meeting friends — both old and new — on the trail, and ultimately reaching the highest point in the contiguous United States — 14,505 feet tall Mt. Whitney.

“People are amazing. That was the biggest impression this experience left on me.” – Hiroshi, a Japanese solo hiker who joined the team for the trek up Mt. Whitney

After both of my JMT hikes, I had a sense of sharing this experience with those who hiked these trails before me, and those who will hike them after. I longed to share the experience.  Mile…Mile and a Half gives you a very real sense of what it’s like to hike the John Muir Trail. The film expresses the beauty, the challenge, and the joy of this beautiful trail better than anything short of hiking it yourself.

Mile…Mile and a Half is beautifully filmed, scored and edited. It features fantastic titles illustrated by trail journal extraordinaire Kolby “Condor” Kirk. MMAAH is not a dramatization. It’s the real deal–real people doing something amazing, and sharing the journey.  As their story unfolds, you feel like you’re there with them. It grips you, and inspires you.

“You don’t need to go to the Himalayas. You don’t need to climb Mt. Everest or go to the deepest jungles of Africa to find adventure. You can find it in your own backyard.” – Jason Fitzpatrick

You can probably tell, I love this film. I REALLY LOVE this film. Should you see it? Hell yeah! Mile…Mile and a Half is for anyone who loves the outdoors and the beauty of the mountains. It might even inspire you to lace up your boots and hike the JMT as well.

#JMT2015 anyone?

Kudos to Ric, Jason, Jen, Durand and the entire team who made this kick-ass film. Find out how you can see this amazing film at  TheMuirProject.com, and follow their latest on Facebook.

Mile…Mile and a Half
Running Time: 87 minutes
Premiere: June 1, 2013

In 1980, I spent 25 days on a thru-hike of the 211-mile John Muir Trail. The JMT was my first taste of long-distance hiking. And it is a truly epic hike. But the JMT pales in comparison to some of I Hike author Lawton “Disco” Grinter’s backpacking trips. Grinter has hiked over 10,000 miles, including the “Triple Crown” of the hiking world: the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail (twice!) and the Continental Divide Trail. All of these trails take four to five months (or more!) to hike from one end to the other. What drives someone to hike one of these trails? What is it like to spend nearly half a year on the trail? I Hike provides a glimpse into what it’s like to hike one of these truly, long trails.

I got a copy of I Hike for my birthday last month (thanks to Mom, who checks my Amazon Wishlist). I’d first heard about the book through the always-entertaining Trail Show podcast, where Disco, POD, Mags and D-Low wax philosophical on the life of a a hiker. On the show, they go by their trail names — traditionally bestowed on a hiker by other hikers on the long-distance trails.

Unlike some of the other popular books representing these long trails, Disco chose to share anecdotes from here and there, not necessarily in chronological order. I Hike is not a journal of any particular journey, but a sampling of the experiences along the trail. It’s easy to imagine hearing these stories told around a campfire–some making you laugh out loud, others keeping you on the edge of your seat.

What happens when Disco hits the town and downs a 1/2 gallon of ice cream in one sitting (guilt-free, no less)? Let’s just say, there can be consequences that can come along with the indulgence.

You’ll learn that there really are angels among us — trail angels who give selflessly and generously to help thru-hikers along their journey.

Disco gives us a taste of what its like to be stuck in the wilderness in day after day of rain, or low on food and water. And the cast of characters that populate the trail, each hiking for their own reasons, and each with a unique personality.

What I loved most about I Hike? Disco’s description of the camaraderie on the trail in the community of thru-hikers. It rang true to my own experience on the JMT, and might even tempt you to consider a long hike yourself.

If you enjoy hiking–even the casual sort–you’ll enjoy I Hike. Get it. Read it. Thank me later.

• Get I Hike on Amazon
• Visit the official I Hike web site
• Follow Lawton “Disco” Grinter on Twitter @lawtong
• Subscribe to The Trail Show podcast (great for road trips)

I have long wanted to go back and hike the JMT again, and after years of planning, it finally came together — 30 years later. My girlfriend Joan and two friends from a local hiking club — Jeff A. and Hari — joined me for this epic, 21-day backpacking trip.

We got back home late this past Tuesday, and I’ve been thinking about how best to share the experience. There are so many stories, and so much to tell. I’ve decided to start with an overview of the experience (something everyone can appreciate), and I’ll follow up in the coming weeks with day-by-day details, field notes on our equipment, food and logistics for those interested in the nitty-gritty details.

Trail Details

Distance: 233 miles
Time: 21 days
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 46,700 ft
When to go: July through Sept.

We started by driving up to Lone Pine and dropping of the car at Whitney Portal, so it would be waiting for us when we reached the end of the trail. We spent a night at the Dow Villa Motel. It’s a clean and comfortable place with a history of catering to Hollywood stars up for filming Westerns in the nearby Alabama Hills. I drove the car up to the portal and hitched a ride back into Lone Pine with Tex from one of the backpacking clubs in San Diego. He and a friend had just come down from a two-night backpacking trip that included Mt. Whitney — where we would be headed in three weeks.

Monday, we woke up early, grabbed a hearty breakfast and met Richard from Mount Whitney Shuttle for our ride to Yosemite Valley. The ride up took about five hours; the hike back would take 21 days.

After picking up our permit, we dropped our equipment at the backpacker’s campground and headed to Curry Village for our “last supper.” It’s a great place to people watch, with folks from all over the world converging for pizza, salads and cold beverages in this beautiful little corner of the outdoor world.

Day One – July 27

Tuesday morning, we woke early. Our permit required we spend one night in Little Yosemite Valley — after that, it was up to us and our legs. We reached camp, had lunch and then headed uphill for a bonus hike up Half Dome. Half Dome is an amazing side-trip that’s well worth the extra time, but it made for a long first day. In total we covered about 15 miles and over 5,000 feet of vertical gain. When we got back to camp, we went for a quick swim in the Merced, ate and slept well.

Day Two – July 28

On Wednesday, the young guns Jeff A and Hari hiked ahead, while Joan and I took an alternate route that swung by Cloud’s Rest. This was only our second day of the JMT, and it was our second day of >3000′ of vertical gain in a row. It kicked our respective asses, but was worth it. The views from Clouds Rest are even more impressive than from Half Dome, and the are no crowds (there were a handful of people at the top), no cables, no fuss. The Native Americans who called Yosemite their home in centuries past felt Clouds Rest had spiritual importance. I can’t argue with the sense of awe and wonder the views inspired.

We originally had planned to reach Cathedral Lakes, but Joan and I ended up camping near one of the Sunrise lakes, catching up to Jeff A and Hari at Tuolumne Meadows the next day.

Day Three – July 29

We traversed our first of many passes — Cathedral Pass — on our way to our Tuolumne Meadows. Tuolumne was our first resupply point. Many people skip resupplying here, being so soon into the trip, but why carry more food than you need to, especially when starting out? As we were sorting our resupply package, we bumped into Bob and Cheri from the Yahoo! JMT group — the first of several times our paths would cross.

Day Four – July 30

Most of this day was easy hiking along the idyllic Lyell Creek. The waters were clear and beckoned you to jump in. It felt good to take a long lunch, stretched out on a rock like a lizard letting the sun dry our bodies. At about the 10th mile of the day, we finally hit a serious vertical climb up to our destination — Lyell Forks.

I met a number of others also hiking the JMT at Lyell Forks, although most of them I did not see again. It was interesting that we would cross paths with some people day after day, and others we would never or rarely see at all.

Day Five – July 31

We finally left Yosemite Park, climbing over the 11,073′ Donahue Pass. Jeff A. and Hari took a side trip to bag Donahue Peak, then met up with us in the evening at Thousand Island Lake. This is one of my favorite areas of the Sierras. I’ve been here many times and will never tire of the beauty of the Minarets. This is an area we will come back to again and again to explore in depth.

We hit Thousand Island Lake at the perfect time for mosquitoes. There were huge swarms of them, making nets and Deet a necessity.

Day Six – August 1

Day 6 was a long day, hiking up countless ridges past the many “gem” lakes and finally a long descent through Devil’s Postpile National Monument to the crowded Red’s Meadow campground. We shared a site with “Chris” who was on a 45 day ramble around the Sierras. Chris was just one of many examples of the friendly people met along the trail.

The Red’s Meadow campground isn’t particularly scenic, but it’s worth stopping at if nothing else than for the free, hot spring fed showers. It felt great to get really clean, and the water was almost too hot!

Day Seven – August 2

We lazily hung around Red’s Meadow, picked up our second resupply package, and enjoyed both breakfast and lunch at the cafe. As an added treat, Don and Zandra Wilson took the shuttle down from Mammoth and met us for lunch. Zandra was one of the people I originally hiked the JMT with 30 years earlier, and it was a real pleasure to reminisce and catch up.

After filling our guts with non-dehydrated food and one of the best milkshakes you’ll ever enjoy, we headed up the trail for a relatively light 9 mile day to Deer Creek.

Day Eight – August 3

At lunch Joan and I met “Al” at Purple Creek. Al was an older guy who was doing his second JMT. His first time, two years earlier, he was “traditionally” equipped with a heavy pack and a 21-day itinerary. This time he was going lightweight, wearing trail runners and a base weight of 14 lbs. and a 14-day itinerary with no resupply points. He inspired us to look more closely at reducing our own base weight.

At the popular and beautiful Lake Virginia, Hari met a ranger who tipped us off to a “secret” ranger campsite on granite bluffs above Tully Hole. The breezes kept the mosquitoes at bay, and the views were amazing. It took a little scrambling to reach them, but it was a beautiful, special place to camp for the night.

Day Nine – August 4

Climbing Silver Pass was relatively easy. Descending was a bitch. This longer-than-expected downhill set a pattern for the JMT, where seemingly innocent downhill trails turned ugly, with deep steps and ankle-challenging gravel forcing you to slow to a snail’s pace. Eventually we reached the detour to Lake Thomas Edison, where we caught the ferry to Vermillion Valley Resort.

VVR was our third resupply point, and the site of our only “zero day” — a chance to rest and let our bodies heal a bit. They cater to JMT and PCT thru-hikers, and the camaraderie and food were fantastic. We were able to wash clothes, shower and catch up on the caloric deficit we had been running.

Day Ten – August 5

Our one-and-only zero mileage day. No hiking, just rest, eating, cleaning, and camaraderie. It was a welcome respite!

Day Eleven – August 6

Friday morning, we took the ferry back across the lake and climbed the 60 switchbacks up to the top of Bear Ridge. Most of the afternoon we followed the beautiful cascades along Bear Creek, finally reaching our first of only two creek crossings that required us to remove our boots. We camped in complete solitude at Rosemarie Meadow.

Day Twelve – August 7

From Rosemarie Meadow, we climbed Selden Pass and then a long descent to Muir Trail Ranch — our final resupply point.

MTR is the last place where you’re close enough to easily detour off the JMT and pick up a package, but it’s difficult for them. Packages must be shipped to an address in Lakeshore, they are picked up at the post office, loaded into a truck, driven to Florence Lake, loaded onto a boat, carried to the other end where they are loaded into a WW2-era Mercedes 4WD truck that carries it the last four miles to the remote ranch.

It’s also challenging for us, as it meant we had to somehow carry almost 10 days worth of food (and get it to fit in our bear cannisters)! A good rule of thumb is 2 lbs of food, per person, per day. That means we’re each carrying 20 lbs of food alone!

As if this wasn’t challenge enough, when we reached MTR, we learned that only two of our five 5-gallon resupply buckets could be found! The good people at MTR were wonderful, checking and double-checking their storerooms and the post office, but the three buckets could not be found. They refunded our handling fees for the three missing packages, and graciously invited us to join them for dinner that night, as well as breakfast the next morning. And fortunately, there are many packages that end up donated to the “hiker bins” and we were able to scavenge enough food to get us through the second half of the trip.

Day Thirteen – August 8

Following the South Fork of the San Juoquin River, we entered Kings Canyon National Park. One of the great things about the JMT is that you’re never far from water, and today was no exception. The entire day we hiked in parallel to a river or creek of some sort.

As we ascended to Evolution Valley, we also made our second “no boots” creek crossing before reaching our destination — McClure Meadow. We shared a campfire with Brian, another JMT thru-hiker from the Bay area whose path we we cross again several times in the next few days. This was also the night of the “big salami” story, which generated laughs for days afterwards.

Day Fourteen – August 9

Muir Pass was tough. It’s not particularly steep, but the trail to the pass is largely composed of course gravel about the size of a baseball and very difficult footing. Making it even tougher, Joan was hit with a bout of major indigestion. We reached the pass late, and decided to camp at the first level spot with water below the pass. As luck would have it, we found a stunningly beautiful little tarn which we had all to ourselves.

Day Fifteen – August 10

Most of this day followed the Middle Fork of the Kings River through Le Conte Canyon — another place I would like to return and spend more time in. Beautiful meadows, towering granite canyon walls that rival Yosemite with none of the crowds. We camped about two miles below the infamous Golden Staircase.

Day Sixteen – August 11

This was another tough day, with the Golden Staircase (which goes on and on) and then Mather Pass. Both were long, arduous climbs. When we finally reached the 12,100′ Mather Pass, we felt a real sense of accomplishment. Thankfully, the descent was smooth. On our way to the Upper Basin, we met an older guy who turned out to be Reinhold Metzger. Reinhart was hiking the JMT for his 14th time. He used to hold the record for the unsupported JMT thru-hike — 5 days, 7 hours and 45 minutes. This time, he was hiking a “yo-yo” trip from Mt. Whitney to Yosemite and back again in 14 days. A little more than I want to tackle, but pretty amazing for a 69 year old. Terrific guy.

Day Seventeen – August 12

Another day, another mountain pass. Today’s pass was 12,086′ Pinchot.

As you may have noticed, the southern half of the JMT includes a lot of mountain passes, higher elevations and lots of exposure above the tree line. The sun is brutal, and it gets hot. I highly recommend doing your best to hit these passes in the morning.

The route down from Pinchot was also long and tough; another example where the elevation profile for the trail only tells part of the story. We camped at White Fork, about 2 miles from the Woods Creek junction.

Day Eighteen – August 13

Originally we had planned to traverse Glen Pass (part of the “pass a day” program), but after reassessment, we modified the itinerary slightly. We camped at Upper Rae Lake, another beautiful area that we plan to revisit in the future. Along the way, we ran into PCT thru-hiker “Steady” (his wife is “Slow”). They hail from Western Australia, and before they started the PCT in April, neither had any backpacking experience. Needless to say, they are now both experts!

Day Nineteen – August 14

We got an early start and made it up Glen Pass before noon. It was tough, but we could feel our bodies getting stronger.

As we made our way towards Vidette Meadow, we could see and smell smoke from a forest fire. This caused some alarm in that we didn’t know exactly where the fire was, and the smoke could wreak havoc with Joan’s asthma. We watched the situation throughout the day, and fortunately by the next morning, the prevailing winds changed direction and the skies were clear.

Along the way, we ran into two PCT section hikers from Portland who had just finished munching down a snack of delectable cheese. Apparently, someone had left a bunch of food in one of the bear boxes in Upper Vidette Meadow and backpackers were scavenging for goodies. Of course, when we reached the campsite, we were no exception, and snagged a few packages of ramen to supplement our food supply.

The whole experience reminded me of the old joke that asks “What’s the difference between a backpacker and a homeless person? The answer: Gore-tex.” As we were rummaging through cheese, hotdogs and other questionable foodstuffs with relish, I realized this was a short step away from “dumpster diving.” Still, the ramen was a great addition to our dinners.

Day Twenty – August 15

The end was in sight as we climbed the 13,118′ Forester Pass. In keeping with our goal, we reached it before noon. The southbound descent was very similar to Mather Pass — smooth and easy hiking. We hiked another nine miles to Wright Creek. The excitement of Whitney was building.

Day Twenty-One – August 16

After relatively short 7.3 mile hike we reached Guitar Lake mid-afternoon. We ate an early dinner, and went to bed early. It may have been the earliest we made camp on the entire trip.

Day Twenty-Two – August 17

After napping for a few hours, we woke up at 11pm. Technically, it was still the 16th, but not by much. We broke camp, donned our headlamps and began the ascent of Whitney. We reached the Trail Crest about 3:30am, napped fitfully for a couple hours as we awaited the sunrise, then finally headed to the summit.

The sunrise from Mt. Whitney was simply stunning. At 14,505′ Whitney is the highest mountain in the contiguous 48 states. We saw range after range in the distance.

At the summit we soaked in the sunshine and the views and rested a bit. After 21 days and over 211 miles, we had officially reached the southern terminus of the John Muir Trail. Now we simply had to hike out to our car at the Whitney Portal — 10.6 miles away and a descent of over 6,000 feet.

I have just one thing to say about the trail down to the portal. It. Is. Brutal. Not a smooth, well maintained trail. Gravely with giant steps. Hard on the feet, the knees, and the back. Grueling. We kept on, knowing that a hot cheeseburger and cold beer awaited us at Whitney Portal. The last two miles were endless switchbacks that teased us with views of the cars in the Portal parking, while never seeming to get us any closer.

Of course, we did arrive there. We ate the greasy food and cold drinks, and marveled at how wonderfully comfortable the car seats felt on the drive back home.

Observations

Here are a few of my observations from the trail:

• The John Muir Trail is challenging, but rewarding. It really lives up to it’s epic status. Many of the PCT thru-hikers we spoke with regarded the JMT as the best part of the PCT. We trained hard, but I was still surprised by how challenging the trail was.
• No matter how light you go, you can probably still get lighter. And lighter is almost always better.
• Elevation profiles do a really poor job of describing the difficulty of a trail, particularly the downhill.
• Plan, but be flexible.
• The people you meet on the trail are the best in the world.

Photo Gallery

You can click on any image to open a larger version, and you can leave comments on any photo.

That’s me, second from the left. On top of Mt. Whitney.

I’ve hiked the JMT before, way back in 1980. I was 18 years old, and after running on the cross-country and track teams for four years of high school, I was in great shape. Thirty years later, my shape has changed, but the fire still burns. And that means that I need a training plan to make sure me and my companions are fit for the journey.

A good training plan will make sure that not only can I handily cover the average daily distance, but do so at altitude, with elevation gain, and day-after-day. There are three key components of this training plan:

1. Distance – I need to be able to cover the distance, while carrying a fully-loaded backpack.
2. Elevation – The average elevation gain will be 1,300 ft, but there will be two days with over 5,000 ft. of elevation gain. That’s a lot of climbing, and the training plan needs to prepare me for that.
3. Durability – That’s how I describe the impact of long backpacking trips. Anyone can suffer for a 2-3 night trip, but how will your body respond to getting up and doing it again for 21 days in a row?

As a regularly hiker, I’m in decent shape already, but I live by the coast at sea level, so altitude will be a factor. On this trip, I’ll be hiking north-to-south. It’s the direction preferred by most JMT thru-hikers, because you start out at the lower elevations of Yosemite Valley and progressively work your way up as you make your way towards Mt. Whitney. This helps mediate some of the effects of altitude, but I will be doing some high-elevation trips beforehand to make sure the entire team performs well way up there.

The Plan Thus Far

• 2-3 conditioning hikes during the week, close to home. For this, I favor local hikes and routine, so I’m hiking the 6.5 mile Colinas Bluff trail and the 4.5 mile Roller Coaster Ridge trail, and occasionally mixing in a random local trail for variety. On some of these, I’ll carry a backpack weighted with water to simulate a full load.
• One longer weekend hike (~10 miles+). These
• Once a month, a “Hell Week” — 5-6 consecutive days of hiking to address the durability issues
• A few backpacking trips to test my equipment

This is covering the general fitness pretty well, but I need to know how my body will react at higher altitudes. Fortunately, there are some pretty good local trails with decent elevation gain. For example, the Holy Jim Trail to Santiago Peak — which I hiked in January — gains 4,000 feet. But the summit is still only 5,689′ — not enough to really test the lungs. To do that, I’ll drive about an hour away and hike some of the other local ranges.

Upcoming Training Hikes

Over the next three months, I’ll be tackling the Six-Pack of Peaks to help us condition for hiking at higher altitudes. In sequential order:

• Mount Wilson via Chantry Flats – 5,712 feet
• Cucamonga Peak – 8,859 feet
• Mount San Antonio (aka Mt. Baldy) – 10,064 feet
• San Bernardino Peak – 10,649 feet
• Mount San Jacinto – 10,834 feet (I’ll probably combine this with some backpacking)
• San Gorgonio Peak – 11,499 feet

The hikes above 10,000 feet will be scheduled for the end of May, June and early July to avoid snow. I’ll be posting some of these with the Hiking OC meetup if you’re interested in joining me.

In addition, I’m hiking the Cactus to Clouds in two weeks. It’s rated the 5th hardest day hike in the country by Backpacker magazine. It’s a slightly crazy 20 mile hike from Palm Springs to Mount San Jacinto with over 10,000′ of elevation gain.

Following this training plan I will be well-prepared for the JMT. Can’t hardly wait!