Backpacking the Wonderland Trail in Mount Rainier National Park is a great way to test the thru-hiking waters to see if it’s for you. Joan and I visited Mount Rainier National Park for the first time in 2018, as we were scouting trails for the Pacific Northwest Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge. We were awestruck by this majestic mountain. The 14,411 foot active stratovolcano is so massive that it creates its own weather systems. I knew I’d be back.

The Wonderland Trail is a 93-mile trail that loops completely around Mount Rainier. You might assume that it’s easier because it’s going around a mountain rather than over mountain crests. You would be wrong. The Wonderland Trail climbs and falls 23,000 feet over those 93 miles. You are constantly either going up or going down.

Wonderland Trail Overview

Distance: 93 miles
Time: 3-14 days
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain/loss: 25,593 ft
Dogs: No
When to go: July-September

Jason had previously attempted a thru-hike that was aborted due to his hiking partner’s illness, so this was a sort of “redemption hike” for him. He suggested modifying our route from the official trail, taking more scenic Spray Park route between Mowich Lake and Carbon River. This guide covers the Wonderland Trail using the Spray Park alternate.

Wonderland Trail Map & Elevation Profile (Spray Park Alternate)

Itinerary

After hiking the John Muir Trail and many other trips in the Sierra Nevada mountains and elsewhere, I was surprised to learn that there is no dispersed camping along the Wonderland Trail (there is dispersed camping in the park, but by specific permit, and generally well off the Wonderland Trail). On the Wonderland Trail there are 18 established camps (plus two more on the Spray Park Trail), each with a specific number of sites.

Campsites are designed to accommodate up to five people and two tents, with some camps also having group sites that could accommodate up to 12 people. Your permit requires a detailed, day-by-day itinerary that states which campsite you will stay at on each specific date of your trip.

When we did our original planning, we were using an 11-day itinerary using this excellent online itinerary planner. It provides some really useful tools, including the distance between camps, sunrise/sunset times and hours of daylight.

Clockwise or Counter-clockwise? When you plan your itinerary, you’ll need to decide where you want to start, and whether you want to hike clockwise or counter-clockwise. Most folks hike clockwise, where the biggest inclines are not as steep. Either way, you’ll cover the same mileage and climb (and descend) the same total vertical feet. We happened to hike clockwise.

Permits

Scoring permits for the Wonderland Trail turned out to be our first challenge. You can submit your permit request beginning on March 15th. Permit requests are only accepted online, but there is no rush to submit. Submit your request anytime between March 15th and March 31st. Rangers begin processing the requests on April 1st in random order. Each permit request includes a non-refundable $20 fee that is paid whether you are awarded a permit or not. You increase your odds by having flexibility in start dates and avoiding peak times (weekend and holidays).

In our case, the three of us each applied for a permit, with different start dates and slightly different itineraries. Our hope was that at least one of us would get a permit. Sadly, none of us got a permit. 

Fortunately, 30% of the campsites are reserved for walk-in permits. We had allotted two weeks for the trip to give ourselves flexibility, and decided to take our chances. Jason and I drove to Longmire on Sunday and found an open car campsite at Cougar Rock Campground. Once we reserved that, we drove down to Longmire, walked into the Wilderness Information Center at 2pm and walked out 30 minutes later with a permit to start the trail the next day.

Instead of doing the trail in 11 days as originally planned, we opted to maximize our available time off and take 13 days to hike the trail. Because of the lengthy duration of our trip (most trips on the Wonderland Trail are closer to 6-9 days), we were able to score some of the most-coveted campsites along the way. Your permit lists your day-by-day itinerary, and must be attached to the outside of your pack when hiking, and your tent when camped. And in case you’re wondering, rangers checked our permits two times along the trail.

For walk-in permits, the ranger handed us a blank itinerary and a print-out showing current availability for each campsite by date. We were warned to be quick about filling it out, as there are three ranger stations on the trail where hikers can request walk-in permits. All are working from the same availability data, so while a site might be available when the ranger hands you the list, by the time you turn in your itinerary, someone at a different ranger station may have already taken that last campsite. In our case, we were pretty lucky. First, we were starting on a Monday (rather than a weekend date). Second, we had 12 nights of camping along the way. While the first two days would require a lot of miles, we would have plenty of short, easy mileage days on the second half of our trip.

Resupply

There are three main locations to ship or cache resupply packages: Longmire, Mowich Lake and Sunrise. Our hope was that we would start in Longmire, so we shipped resupply packages for both Mowich Lake and Sunrise. Another option would be to drive to the location(s) where you want to put a cache, which is feasible if you have day before you begin your thru-hike. Following the directions on the NPS website, we shipped in 5-gallon plastic bins, taped shut, via Fedex. It was expensive (~$158 for four buckets) so that might factor into your decision on the number of resupply packages, or whether you want to hand-deliver them the day before your trip begins.

One important tip: The NPS website tells you to write the date that the cache will be picked up on the container, but it doesn’t explain why. They have bear-proof storage boxes that are not large enough to store all of the caches. The rangers will fill the storage boxes with the caches based on the pickup date, and store the remainder in a secure area that you cannot get to. Since we were shooting to get walk-in permits, we didn’t know exactly what dates we would pick-up each cache, so we put down a date range.

Resupply at the Mowich Lake Ranger Station

As it turned out, all three of us got our resupply shipments at Mowich Lake, but Derek’s package was not in the storage at Sunrise. Fortunately he was able to track down a ranger who was able to open up the building where the other caches were stored, and his resupply package was found. The date of pickup is important, or else be sure to get there before the ranger station closes.

If you ship your resupply packages, bear in mind that you cannot ship fuel. We planned for this and carried a bit extra from the start. We were able to purchase additional canisters as well as snacks at the small store at Sunrise.

Planning Resources for Backpacking the Wonderland Trail

• Wilderness Camping & Hiking – Overview and essential info from the Mount Rainier National Park website
• Caching Food and Fuel – Official Mount Rainier NPS site
• Hiking the Wonderland Trail by Tami Asars – The Mountaineers Books
• Wonderland Trail Itinerary Planner
• Essential Wonderland Trail Resources – includes the tools we used both for planning on on trail

Backpacking the Wonderland Trail, Day-by-Day

The remainder of this guide outlines our counter-clockwise journey on the Wonderland Trail, beginning near Longmire and taking the Spray Park alternate route. I’ve divided it roughly into three segments: Longmire to Mowich Lake; Mowich to Sunrise; and Sunrise back to Longmire.

You can travel with us with a day-by-day guide based on the itinerary we used to hike the Wonderland Trail, with photos, trail description map and elevation profile.

Longmire to Mowich Lake

• Day 1: Devil’s Dream
• Day 2: North Puyallup River
• Day 3: Golden Lakes
• Day 4: South Mowich River
• Day 5: Mowich Lake (Eagle’s Roost)

Mowich Lake to Sunrise

• Day 6: Dick Creek
• Day 7: Mystic Camp
• Day 8: Granite Creek
• Day 9: Sunrise

Sunrise to Longmire

• Day 10: Summerland
• Day 11: Indian Bar
• Day 12: Maple Creek
• Day 13: Longmire

Postscript

Would I have done anything differently were I to hike the trail again?

• I combine a few of the days and complete the trail in 11 days vs 13 days. I enjoyed the lazy short days, but they were maybe a little too lazy for me.
• I would put more variety and just plain thought into my meal planning. I did the expedient thing, and brought dehydrated meals for dinners. Towards the end I was yearning for something a little different, and I think that could be achieved by putting a little more thought into the planning and preparation.
• One thing that was a hit? Flour tortillas and Nutella. Tasty, durable, packable, and loads of energy. I learned that tip from Carsten Jost when we backpacked in Grand Teton National Park. It’s a keeper.
• And for another perspective on the same trip, check out Derek’s Wonderland post over at 100Peaks.com.

Originally hiked between August 5-17, 2019 with Jason Fitzpatrick and Derek Loranger.

First up is the wonderful book Hiking the Wonderland Trail by Tami Asars. I used the paperback version as I was researching the trail and planning our trip. Derek had the Kindle version, so he was able to reference a downloaded copy on his iPhone. Tami has hiked the Wonderland Trail many times, and this was the best book I found covering the Wonderland Trail.

Highly recommended.

I always bring a paper map. National Geographic’s Wonderland Trail Map was an invaluable reference that I carried with me on the trail. Even though the Wonderland Trail is pretty well marked, it’s useful to have a reference to quickly identify geographic features, water sources, and side trails.

This map is printed on durable, water-resistant paper and is organized in pages, rather than a fold-out map. Each two-page spread includes an elevation profile for the section shown.

Guthook Guides app with the Wonderland Trail data. The app is free and available for iOS and Android, but you’ll pay for the trail data. It is super-cool because the data is downloaded to your phone, and uses your phone’s GPS data to locate you. You’ll know in a snap exactly how far it is to your camp, or the nearest water source.

I’ve heard of Guthook Guides since they first came out for the PCT years ago, but this trip was the first time I actually used it. I’m hooked.

For emergencies (we thankfully had none), weather reports, and communication with our families back home, the Garmin InReach Mini is highly recommended.

I have an older model that I’ve used for several years, but when it comes time to replace it, I’ll get the Mini. You use your smartphone as the primary interface for typing messages (which is preferred anyway) and you can send and receive text messages with your family.  If there were an emergency, you can also alert Search and Rescue (SAR).

Keeping my iPhone and Apple Watch charged? I used an Anker PowerCore Charger. Yes, I wore my Apple Watch and used my iPhone extensively on this trip. I tracked our route, took photos and more.

I tried using a solar panel on the John Muir Trail, but over time, I’ve found that a portable battery like this is much more effective and reliable.

Some of these links are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if you click the link and purchase. The pricing isn’t affected, but you’ll help support our trail guides at SoCalHiker.net, and for that we are thankful. – Jeff 

Day 11: Indian Bar

Distance: 10.6 miles
Time: 5 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation +/-: 1,220’/3,805′

The Pacific Northwest said, “Not today.”

At about the five mile mark, we reached the junction with the trail to Olallie Creek Camp. Stay right and follow the trail down into the heavily forested canyon.

The forest grew darker as we descended lower.

Two miles further and we reached the Nickel Creek crossing. We were nearing an elevation of 3,000 feet, and the forest grew thicker and darker as we dropped through different zones.

Crossing Nickel Creek

At Box Canyon the trail on the west side of the bridge was closed for maintenance, so we crossed at the road and took the opportunity to use a civilized restroom, with a sink and everything! We hiked through the tunnel and reconnected with the trail down toward Stevens Canyon.

Once you reach Stevens Canyon, the trail begins to climb parallel to Stevens Creek. In just over a mile you reach a side trail to Maple Creek Camp. The campground is verdant green, thick with trees and undergrowth. We pitched our tents, replenished our water from the creek, and did a little exploring.

Maple Creek

We hoped to work our way to Maple Falls, but there was no tread to be found, the creek banks were overgrown and the creek itself had deep sections that would require wading, scrambling and frankly, more than we had energy for. We had one final hot meal on the trail.

Tomorrow would be our final day on the Wonderland Trail.

Indian Bar to Maple Creek Trail Map and Elevation Profile

Originally hiked on August 16, 2019 with Derek and Jason.

Back to Day 11  |  Continue to Day 13, Maple Creek to Longmire

Day 10: Summerland

Distance: 10.8 miles
Time: 6 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation +/-: 2,326’/2,663′

The trail followed cairns to a log bridge crossing the White River that was looking a little dicey. Later in the day as the river level rises, this might not have been a safe option. The optional detour took you a mile down the road, but thankfully we were able to avoid that.

Once across the White River, the trail parallels the river down to the Frying Pan Creek Trailhead, roughly 6.25 miles in. We stopped for a break, and then started the climb.

The trail parallels Frying Pan Creek for about four miles, then crosses and begins a series of switchbacks up to Summerland.

Crossing Frying Pan Creek

Summerland is indeed stunning, and we were fortunate to have beautiful weather to enjoy it. Views, wildflowers, snowfields, babbling creeks–Summerland delivers on all counts.

Our water source at Summerland

We were also lucky to be assigned the group site here (it was designated on our permit). The group site is a three-sided stone shelter, which meant we didn’t need to pitch tents.

It also provided a great venue for an impromptu birthday bash for a fellow Wonderland Trail hiker from Las Vegas, Brian. A few other hikers that we had met along the way including Brad and his daughter and some nice ladies from Canada joined in and we shared a beer, some awesome homemade jerky and wished a fellow hiker happy birthday.

Sunrise to Summerland Trail Map and Elevation Profile

Originally hiked on August 14, 2019 with Derek and Jason.

Back to Day 9  |  Continue to Day 11, Summerland to Indian Bar

Day 9: Sunrise

Distance: 4.4 miles
Time: 2.5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation +/-: 969’/839′

We began with an 800′ climb from Granite Creek, above the timberline to Skyscraper Pass.

Jason climbing up trail from Granite Creek

It was a little over one mile, and at the pass we began to run notice more hikers on the trail. Skyscraper Pass and nearby Skyscraper Mountain are popular destinations for day hikers heading out from Sunrise. The views were spectacular.

Looking back at Mount Rainier from Skyscraper Pass

Looking north from Skyscraper Pass.

From the pass, we headed down to Berkeley Park, then up over the saddle to our final descent to Sunrise.

We reached Sunrise early and once again, pretty much had our pick of the campsites. The sites here are closer together and feel less private, partly because there are so many day hikers wandering by.

Once we setup camp, we hiked an extra mile to the Sunrise Visitor Center to pickup our resupply packages and enjoy a meal that wasn’t rehydrated in a bag. We were also able to re-charge our devices at the visitor center and revel in our stinky backpacker mystique for the tourists. Next to the grill is a market that sells mostly souvenirs, but also some snacks, fuel canisters, sunscreen, and some food. At this point, we were growing a little weary of the lack of variety in our food bags, so it was really nice to supplement with a few different snacks.

We ate lunch, picked up our resupply package, chatted with some other folks who just complete the Wonderland Trail, and then had dinner, too before heading back to camp.

Shadow Lake near Sunrise Camp

Tomorrow would be our tenth day on the Wonderland Trail, and a return to more “normal” (i.e. not short) mileage as we hiked to Summerland, considered one of the most beautiful camps on the trail.

Granite Creek to Sunrise Trail Map and Elevation Profile

Note that this map does not show the hike from camp to the Sunrise Visitor Center (about a mile each way).

Originally hiked on August 13, 2019 with Derek and Jason.

Back to Day 8  |  Continue to Day 10, Sunrise to Summerland

Backpacking the High Sierra Trail takes months of planning and preparation, but it’s also a lot of fun. Reviewing the maps, planning your itinerary, plotting your campsites and filling out your gear helps build the anticipation. Here are a few essential resources that will help make your thru-hike on the High Sierra Trail a success.

A good guidebook can be a great start to your planning. Plan & Go | High Sierra Trail provides great details on how to get permits, how long it takes to hike, when to get a permit and the tricky transportation options. It’s available in both paperback and a Kindle version.

You should also get these two Tom Harrison maps:

• Mineral King
• Mt Whitney High Country

The Tom Harrison maps are waterproof and durable, and provide mileage between junctions and major landmarks. Between these two maps, you’ve got what you need to hike the High Sierra Trail as well as plenty of interesting side trips.

Even though I carry a GPS device, a paper map never runs out of power and shows you a much bigger area, much faster. You should always have a paper map when you’re in the wilderness.

That being said, I highly recommend GaiaGPS. I use it on my iPhone–it’s also available for Android–and it’s indispensable. With GaiaGPS, you can download the GPX files for any of our hikes here on SoCalHiker–including the High Sierra Trail–and the associated maps for the area you are hiking. With your phone in Airplane Mode, the GPS will still track and GaiaGPS will show you exactly where you are and which direction you’re heading.

These are the planning and navigation resources that I recommend for thru-hiking the High Sierra Trail. If you’ve discovered other resources that you think should be included here, please leave a comment and let me know.

We were in no hurry to get up and do this last 5 miles or so down to the portal – but when you’ve got Whitney hikers coming up all night long with headlamps blasting, you tend to not get the week’s best sleep. We finally got going at 8am and headed down.

HST Day 8 Details

Distance: 3.8 miles
Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 0 ft
Dogs: No
When to go: July-Sept.

By 10:30 or so we were down – and the trip was over.

There was only one thing left to do – and that was to sample the food at the Whitney Portal Store. If that wasn’t the best Bacon and Eggs I’ve ever had, I don’t know when I’d had better!

High Sierra Trail: Outpost Camp to Whitney Portal
Trail Map & Elevation Profile

High Sierra Trail – A Recap

A week on the High Sierra Trail really felt like we were stepping back in time – experiencing the park the way Ranger Stewart and all of those from the 1920s and 1930s wanted us to see it. That is why they decided on no roads way back them – the park was to be seen on foot, from West to East, using a trail purposely built for just that. They had put 5 long years into creating that trail, and all I wanted to do was go back in time and thank each and everyone one of those hard working men who built that trail so we could enjoy the park still today.

From our ascent of the Great Western Divide and into the Big Arroyo, to our journey up the mighty Kern River, to our summit of the Eastern Sierra and the highest point in the lower 48, the High Sierra Trail packs an incredible Sierra journey into one epic week. The John Muir Trail? Epic, no doubt. The baby brother High Sierra Trail – shorter but still epic in its own way.

Hike the High Sierra Trail. You won’t regret it.

Next up?

• Go back to Day 7 on the High Sierra Trail. 
• New to the High Sierra Trail? Get the big picture with our HST overview.
• Got questions about the High Sierra Trail? Join our HST discussion forum.

DAY SEVEN on the High Sierra Trail –We decided to get up at 4:30 a.m. and begin hiking between 5:30 and 6 a.m. at sunrise. We had no interest in hiking in the dark and trying for the summit at sunrise – for our first time up, we wanted to see everything. We hit the trail at 5:40 a.m. We had heard the boy scouts leaving in groups earlier, and had seen many headlamps going up from midnight until we got up.

HST Day 7 Details

Distance: 9.8 miles
Time: 9 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 2,842 ft
Dogs: No
When to go: July-Sept

The first mile out of the tarn is actually quite steep and you gain a ton of altitude getting to the actual switchbacks that lead to Trail Crest. Once up that steep section, the Hitchcock Lakes come into clear view.

There are essentially seven long switchbacks that take you up the face of the Sierra to Trail Crest–and from the tarn at 11,600 to Trail Crest at 13,500 is just those long rocky switchbacks. All of it–like the rest of the High Sierra Trail–is incredibly well engineered – in fact, we would often stop and look down and around and just think wow–how did they build this? Again, time to watch that documentary video again.

As we climbed, we passed two of the three groups of boy scouts who were taking their time and resting quite a bit. How good did that make our old bones feel? We were killing it!

When we arrived at Trail Crest, there were already 20 or so backpacks lined up from those who had gone for sunrise or early ascents. We dropped our packs and pulled out a day pack and loaded it up with lunch, jackets and water.

Then it was time to take on the ridge – 1.9 miles that would test my fear of heights even more than the Hamilton Gorge did. We took it slow and steady, and I didn’t spend too much time hanging out in the “windows” – those spots on the trail between jagged peaks where you can see straight down on both sides! My wife had no pack, I had the day pack – boy did we feel like Supermen!

As the hut at the top of Whitney came into view, we encountered a snow field. The trail had been mostly plowed down but it was slippery and we used caution – and had to climb over some boulders in a few spots to avoid ice. After the snowfield, we followed the trail east to the summit.

We made the summit in 3 hours 20 minutes from the tarn at Guitar Lake, which I was very satisfied with for our first time. The wind was calm, the weather warm, and we never had more than a long sleeve shirt on the entire time at the summit. The rest day at 11,600 feet had empowered us and the ascent was really pretty easy – no problem at all. Great views, great photos, signed the book – mission accomplished.

After about 25 mins on the top, we headed back down. I thought the ridge going down might impact my heights fears more, but in fact it was quite easy and we got back to Trail Crest quickly.

We strapped back into our heavy loads and did the quick climb up to the other side for our first trip down the infamous 99 switchbacks. Like the Kern River descent a few days earlier, going down is just not our favorite gig – and this one with heavy packs is a long slog.

We thought we might stay at Trail Camp, but the things we had read about it were sort of correct. The water source looked sketchy and there were a lot of people and it was sort of loud and not especially pretty. We opted to keep going down a few more miles to Outpost Camp.

That last two or three miles from Trail Camp to Outpost Camp was hard on the legs – I won’t lie. My wife was getting pretty miserable – and the sight of Outpost Camp was a welcome one. It’s a really nice spot and the waterfall was going full tilt. We found a spot, pitched our tent – and just sat and relaxed with a dose of ibuprofen and a cold drink!

This would be our last night in the forest with just a short walk out to Whitney Portal the next day.

High Sierra Trail: Guitar Lake to Mt Whitney and Outpost Camp
Trail Map & Elevation Profile

Next up?

• Continue to Day 8 on the High Sierra Trail, our final day on the High Sierra Trail.
• Go back to Day 6 on the High Sierra Trail. 
• New to the High Sierra Trail? Get the big picture with our HST overview.
• Got questions about the High Sierra Trail? Join our HST discussion forum.

HST Day 6 Details

Distance: 3.3 miles
Time: 2-3 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 1,023 ft
Dogs: No
When to go: July-Sept

The trail meanders up a canyon and then past a beautiful fish-filled lake called Timberline Lake. That morning the fish were literally jumping out of the water all around the lake.

There’s no camping there, so it’s super clean and beautiful. As you continue towards Guitar Lake, you realize you are now truly at the base of the Eastern Sierra with Mt. Whitney looming over you – what a sight!

Guitar Lake was rumored to sometimes be a bit ‘ghetto’, but we thought it was very clean and nice. We had also heard that the little tarn above the lake was a good place to camp, with great views of Guitar Lake, Mt. Hitchcock, Whitney, Mt. Hale etc. And those facts were correct – that little tarn was an awesome place to spend the day.

We got the sweet spot right in front overlooking Guitar Lake, with the little stream that runs out of the tarn and down giving us a super fresh water source. We did laundry, lounged around on the rocks, chatted with hikers going up and down Mt. Whitney, and just had an amazing day from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. doing nothing but relaxing at 11,600 feet – the byproduct of which was a nice little acclimation period at our highest altitude yet! That extra day would most certainly make our assault on Mt. Whitney the next day easier.

We met a great military vet and professor from Branson, MO who was on the PCT. We met a retired man in his 70s who remembered camping at that very same tarn with him family 50 years earlier! We helped him re-create the photo he still has of his mom there. We met people going up and down – giving us their round trip times and words of encouragement for the next day. We were invaded by three different groups of boy scouts who all intended to get up before sunrise and try for the summit early.

If you decide to hike the HST (or the JMT for that matter), I highly recommend a long day at the tarn above Guitar Lake – just a great place to camp and enjoy your last day in Sequoia National Park.

High Sierra Trail: Crabtree Meadow to Guitar Lake
Trail Map & Elevation Profile

Next up?

• Continue to Day 7 on the High Sierra Trail, hiking from Crabtree Meadow to Guitar Lake.
• Go back to Day 5 on the High Sierra Trail. 
• New to the High Sierra Trail? Get the big picture with our HST overview.
• Got questions about the High Sierra Trail? Join our HST discussion forum.

DAY FIVE on the High Sierra Trail

The 9+ mile climb from Junction Meadow to Crabtree is really gorgeous! All five of us hiked together, which was the first day my wife and I had company on our hiking day. It was fun to have one day to hike as a group.

HST Day 5 Details

Distance: 10 miles
Time: 5 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 3,795 ft
Dogs: No
When to go: July-Sept.

It’s a gorgeous hike up the canyon to the East, with the Kaweah’s and the Great Western Divide to the West. It was great to look back and see where we had come from and what we had accomplished over the past 45 miles.

Once at Wallace Creek, we immediately saw more people than we had seen in the previous five days, as we were now sharing the HST with the John Muir Trail. The solitude was gone, but it was sort of fun to meet some new people.

From Wallace Creek, you climb up to about 10,900 feet – the highest we had been so far – before descending a bit into the Crabtree Meadow and Crabtree Ranger Station area. We even passed a man-made rock marker that said “200” – denoting mile 200 of the JMT.

Crabtree is a huge meadow – known to be a major camping spot for thru-hikers on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). Of course, being mid-July most of the PCTers were long gone – but there still ended up being about twelve tents there by dark. There’s a beautiful creek that runs past it – and because we arrived early, it was a great place to hang out.

Most hikers on the High Sierra Trail will go on to Guitar Lake, and then summit Whitney the next day. We decided to turn what could be a six-day trip into an eight-day trip by relaxing at Crabtree all afternoon and following up with another easy day to Guitar Lake the next day. My wife and I love “camping” – so we felt no reason to rush over the Eastern Sierra with all this beauty surrounding us and a Saturday-to-Saturday schedule. We had hiked hard the first three days on a six-day completion schedule so we could ‘earn’ these wonderful camping days – and now we were enjoying the payoff!

We lunched by the creek with some JMTers and then walked up to the Crabtree Ranger Station to introduce ourselves to the ranger. Nice guy again – everyone in Sequoia NP is great!

We crashed early after dark and didn’t hurry the next morning as we only had about three miles and change to Guitar Lake for another easy day with rest before climbing Mt Whitney.

High Sierra Trail:  Junction Meadow to Crabtree Meadow
Trail Map & Elevation Profile

Next up?

• Continue to Day 6 on the High Sierra Trail, hiking from Crabtree Meadow to Guitar Lake.
• Go back to Day 4 on the High Sierra Trail. 
• New to the High Sierra Trail? Get the big picture with our HST overview.
• Got questions about the High Sierra Trail? Join our HST discussion forum.

DAY FOUR on the High Sierra Trail we hiked straight north up the Kern River – a gorgeous 10 mile, 2,000 vertical foot,  gentle-but-steady ascent from 6,000 feet to 8,000 feet.

HST Day 4 Details

Distance: 10 miles
Time: 4-6 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 2,169 ft
Dogs: No
When to go: July-Sept.

Heading up the east side about two miles up the trail you arrive at Kern Hot Springs – an actual hot spring with a concrete tub that allows for 110-120 degree bathing! When we arrived early morning, the campground was pretty full with a big group of fly fishermen. The tub was occupied and there was a waiting list – so no hot bath today. Kevin and his gang stopped there later and said it was marvelous!

The hike up the Kern valley was gorgeous, varying from rocks and sand to heavy ferns and big trees. As we got higher and closer to Junction Meadow, there were a number of challenging stream crossings. I slipped and got a shoe wet on one, and then we both had to cross with shoes on during another deep and fast one. Good thing it was a warm day, where we could dry the shoes out later at Junction Meadow. We always took the ‘better safe than sorry’ approach with stream crossings. If it looks hairy, plow straight through!

We arrived at Junction Meadow about 1:30 p.m., and the campground sits right on the junction of the Kern River and another stream (Wright Creek I think). Anyway, gorgeous spot – we even had a solo hiker come in and do some fly fishing there. The early arrival gave us a chance to do some clothes washing (4-day stink was getting noticeable) and dry out our shoes.

Kevin, Amber and Bart arrived around 4:30.  We made a fire, ate dinner together and entertained visiting deer. The sound of the Kern was a great way to doze off later that night.

Spending the day hiking up the Kern River valley was a great reminder of how big and important that river is – and how much water it pushes through the park to eventually become Lake Isabella and hydrate a big chunk of California.

Back at 8,000 feet, we prepared to do another almost 3,000 feet of climbing and join the John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail the next day.

High Sierra Trail:  Upper Funston Meadow to Junction Meadow
Trail Map & Elevation Profile

Next up?

• Continue to Day 5 on the High Sierra Trail, hiking from Junction Meadow to Crabtree Meadow.
• Go back to Day 3 on the High Sierra Trail. 
• New to the High Sierra Trail? Get the big picture with our HST overview.
• Got questions about the High Sierra Trail? Join our HST discussion forum.

HST Day 3 Details

Distance: 13.5 miles / 21.7 km
Time: 6-7 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 1027 ft / 313 m
Dogs: No
When to go: July-Sept.

We ascended up over 10,000 along the ridge as we made our way South and East towards Moraine Lake – a beautiful and large alpine lake with a nice campground on a spur trail off the High Sierra Trail.

Moraine Lake is a short detour off the official High Sierra Trail, but a worthwhile one.

When we arrived there, there was nobody there and we enjoyed a beautiful lunch on a warm sunny day. The trail out from Moraine Lake back to the HST hadn’t had any maintenance in a while, and we were forced to climb over and under a number of fallen trees and get a bit dirty in the process.

Once back on the HST, the trail begins its steady descent into the Kern River valley – first with gentle switchbacks and then the last section with relentless switchies that really take their toll. This, other than coming down from Whitney to Whitney Portal, is the only big descent on the trip – and not our favorite day – but still beautiful in every way.

At the bottom, the mighty Kern River reveals itself. Upper Funston Meadow is not the most well developed camp site on the trip – in fact, most people choose to go another 2 miles north up the Kern to the Kern River Hot Springs site. But we were tired and like the solitude, so it was Upper Funston for us.

Upper Funston campground is mainly for people with stock – it has a fence to keep stock in, and a beautiful meadow. There were a couple of testy water crossings to get down to the campground. The water source is a bit more challenging to dip into, but no problem really. More bugs than other spots, but a campfire helped chase them away.

We met up with Kevin Muschter, his girlfriend Amber and their friend Bart. Kevin is the publisher of the Plan & Go | High Sierra Trail – a must have book if you intend to do this hike. It was great to camp with them after three big days and about 35 miles of trail. After that long descent, we were ready for a good night’s sleep.

High Sierra Trail:  Big Arroyo to Upper Funston Meadow via Moraine Lake
Trail Map & Elevation Profile

Next up?

• Continue to Day 4 on the High Sierra Trail, hiking up the Kern Canyon to Junction Meadow.
• Go back to Day 2 on the High Sierra Trail. 
• New to the High Sierra Trail? Get the big picture with our HST overview.
• Got questions about the High Sierra Trail? Join our HST discussion forum.

Day Two on the High Sierra Trail is an epic adventure that includes some of the most legendary sights and sounds of Sequoia National Park. It’s a solid 12-13 mile journey, but worth every single step.

HST Day 2 Details

Distance: 12.5 miles
Time: 6-7 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 3,654 ft
Dogs: No
When to go: July-Sept.

The HST drops down a set of switchbacks to a crazy bridge over Lone Pine Creek that gets you to the other side of the canyon. Below the bridge are the ruins of a previous bridge long since washed out via an avalanche.

Once across Lone Pine Creek, then you begin the long ascent over the Great Western Divide.

The first target is the Hamilton Lakes basin – a gorgeous lake surrounded by the mountains of the GWD. Crystal clear water and incredible scenery make this first ascent very worth it! On the way hike along several waterfalls and water crossings – some reasonably large. It’s good stream-crossing practice for more to come later.

Big Hamilton Lake is a great place for a quick rest – and even a swim if you’re so inclined. The campground there is quite popular – both for HSTs on a slower schedule or folks who are just doing an out-and-back from Crescent Meadow. Just simply a gorgeous alpine lake!

After a brief rest and photos, the time had come to ascend the Great Western Divide – our target, Precipice Lake followed by the Kaweah Gap at 10,700 feet. The next 2,000 vertical feet would be challenging and awesome! First, switchbacks up the Northern side of Hamilton Lake – very well constructed and very fair in their ascent degrees.

The first epic landmark on the ascent is the Hamilton Gorge – an incredibly steep gorge that runs down into Hamilton Lake. From the YouTube documentary on the HST overview, we were looking for the left over steel cable and cement pedestals that once held a crazy suspension bridge.

Today, a tunnel is blasted through solid rock and a thin single track leads you around the gorge. We were lucky that all the snow and ice had melted off just a few weeks before – as this gorge is impassable if the ice is still covering the trail–unless you are equipped for mountaineering.

Once across the gorge, the trail heads east and up, up, up…until you finally reach the epic Precipice Lake. This lake – made famous in Ansel Adams photos – sits at about 10,400 feet and creates an incredible two-way reflection.

On our day, a few clouds and remaining ice/snow didn’t give us the “Adams” view, but it was still gorgeous and a perfect lunch spot. And it was fun to navigate through some snow that covered parts of the trail – soft enough to not need microspikes but deep enough to warrant just a bit of caution while navigating. We even got to see some melting ice over the lake drop off and explode into the water!

After lunch and a break, we ascended the last 300 or so vertical feet to Kaweah Gap – the official pass over the Great Western Divide. That last bit of trail included quite a bit of water-on-trail runoff and another nice snow field. We even encountered three trail runners who had left Whitney Portal the night before and were already 50 miles in to a 40 hour HST East to West run – WOW!

When we reached the gap, it was truly one of the most epic views in all of Sequoia National Park – and perhaps the Sierras! The Big Arroyo opens up to this incredible view to the South – like something out of a grand Western Hollywood film. On the base of Mt. Stewart to the North is a plaque commemorating the first director of Sequoia National Park and the driving force behind the creation of the HST.

From Kaweah Gap the trail gently descends through the Big Arroyo for approximately 3 miles – one of the most beautiful descents of the entire trip. Nothing but gorgeous scenery, grass, rocks and trees in every direction – with an incredible stream and beautiful water features all the way down. There are several small crossings, but as you get close to the Big Arroyo campground, there was one large crossing – one where we simply couldn’t figure out a safe place to cross. It was deep, there were few rocks to step on, and the water was moving pretty rapidly. So, we headed down stream another 50-100 yards or so and found a much flatter, calmer flat rock area to cross – where by simply taking off our shoes and switching to sandals we could shuffle across safely and rejoin the trail on the other side.

From there, it was a short hike to Big Arroyo campground – a nice spot next to the river with a bear box, near an old ranger cabin that has been preserved as a historical landmark.

A northern wind dropped the temperature down to below freezing that night – so we got a bit of frost on the rain fly and our backpack drinking reservoirs froze up! But in the tent we were warm and toasty.

High Sierra Trail: Bearpaw Meadow to Big Arroyo Junction
Trail Map & Elevation Profile

Next up?

• Continue to Day 3 on the High Sierra Trail, hiking to Upper Funston Meadow.
• Go back to Day 1 on the High Sierra Trail.
• New to the High Sierra Trail? Get the big picture with our HST overview.
• Got questions about the High Sierra Trail? Join our HST discussion forum.

Day One on the High Sierra Trail we hiked 11.5 miles east-bound, from Crescent Meadow to Bearpaw. Starting at the giant forest, we followed the edge of the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River – a super deep canyon with stunning views to the south, west and east towards the Great Western Divide. This section of the High Sierra Trail only gains about 1,000 vertical feet from start to finish, there is actually about 1,700′ total vertical climbing as the trail climbs up and down over the 11+ miles.

HST Day 1 Details

Distance: 11.5 miles / 18.2 km
Time: 7.5 hours
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 1,692 ft / 516 m
Dogs: No
When to go: July-Sept.

There are several campground sites along the way to Bearpaw Meadow, including Mehrten Creek, Nine Mile Creek and Buck Creek. Each presents a water crossing, along with some smaller crossings. Rangers warn that some of these creek crossings may be hazardous early in the summer, but none were problematic for us in mid-July, and all were fun to navigate.

Our one and only bear sighting the entire trip came just 10 minutes into our trip – right off the side of the trail spotting a mother and two cubs. We were glad they were a safe distance from the trail!

About one mile in, you reach Eagle’s View, our first great view of the 7,000 foot deep canyon that is the Kaweah River’s middle fork and the Great Western Divide – our eastern ascent target for day two.

We lunched at Mehrten Creek – a beautiful rock formation with water and a wonderful rest spot halfway to Bearpaw Meadow.

After crossing the Buck Creek bridge, there is one final steep set of switchbacks to get up to the ridge where Bearpaw Meadow High Sierra Camp and Campground are located. They even have t-shirts that say “Bearpaw High Sierra Camp – The Last Mile” – and they aren’t kidding – it’s a slog at the end of a long day.

The campground is situated off the ridge from the high sierra camp, and has lots of campsites, several bear boxes, water spigots and fire rings. It’s not the most picturesque of campgrounds on the High Sierra Trail, but serviceable for our first night.

We were the first group into the campground that day, and met Ranger Matt there. He was super nice and even showed us the best camp spot. And there were plenty of local deer coming to visit throughout the evening and the following morning.

Be sure to walk up the hill and check out the Bearpaw High Sierra Camp, a $200-$300/night tent resort with fancy meals and a gorgeous deck overlooking the canyon and the Great Western Divide. Unfortunately by the time we rolled in (after setting our camp) they had sold all the backpacker beer and brownies – oh well!

High Sierra Trail: Crescent Meadow to Bearpaw Meadow
Trail Map & Elevation Profile

Next up?

• Continue to Day 2 on the High Sierra Trail, climbing over the Great Western Divide at Kaweah Gap and descending into Big Arroyo.
• New to the High Sierra Trail? Get the big picture with our HST overview.
• Got questions about the High Sierra Trail? Join our HST discussion forum.

Lesser known than the famous John Muir Trail, the High Sierra Trail (HST) is in many ways just as historically significant as it’s longer and more famous brother. In 1928, Sequoia National Park was expanded from the western section famous for the giant Sequoia Grove all the way to the Eastern Sierra and Mt. Whitney. At that point, park officials had to decide how to travel from West to East, as there were currently no trails or roads. The decision was made not to build roads, but instead to build a trail. This project – the High Sierra Trail – would be a grand five-year national project of incredible engineering and trail building…one of the last such projects ever.

It is incredibly well documented in a short video done by a retired Sequoia National Park Ranger:

If after watching this video, you don’t want to immediately go backpack this trail, watch it again!

Trail Details

Distance: 72.2 miles
Time: 6-8 days
Difficulty: Strenuous
Elevation gain: 13,303 ft
Dogs: No
When to go: July-Sept

Why hike the High Sierra Trail? It’s a great way to get views like these!

Expansive Big Arroyo

High Alpine Meadow

Guitar Lake

Climbing Mt Whitney, the highest mountain in the contiguous 48 states.

High Sierra Trail Map & Elevation Profile

Here’s what the route looks like. You can click and zoom or expand the map to full-screen to see additional detail. You can download the GPX file for use with your GPS app.

Getting to the Trail

As with all Sierra thru-hikes, the first challenge is figuring out transportation. With the High Sierra Trail, you start at Crescent Meadow on the Western edge of Sequoia National Park in the giant tree grove. You finish at Whitney Portal. The two locations are a six-hour drive apart.

Here was our solution:

• Rent a car from Enterprise – one-way rental – to Visalia, CA airport.
• Take the Sequoia Shuttle ($15 for two people/one-way) to Sequoia National Park.
• Pickup our permits at the Lodgepole Visitor Center (open 7am to 3:30pm daily) and stay the night in Lodgepole Campground. Reservations are recommended and campsites run $22 per night.
• Take the free in-park shuttle the next morning from Lodgepole to the trailhead at Crescent Meadow (the first shuttle leaves at 8 a.m.).
• Use Eastern Sierra Shuttle to take us from Whitney Portal to Lone Pine hotel upon completion.
• Get our son to come pick us up in Lone Pine and drive us home to Los Angeles (the KEY element).

We departed on a Friday, spending the night in Lodgepole. On Saturday morning at approximately 9 a.m.we began our 72-mile adventure to Mt. Whitney across the entire width of Sequoia National Park.

Eight Day Itinerary for the High Sierra Trail

The HST is the perfect length for a week-long trip with nine days (five weekdays and two weekends). Here is our itinerary:

Editor’s Note: Detailed photos, maps and narrative for each day will be published, one-per-day. As each day goes “live” the itinerary below will link to it. 

• Day 0 – Travel to Lodgepole, pick-up permit
• Day 1 – Crescent Meadow to Bearpaw Meadow
• Day 2 – Bearpaw Meadow to Big Arroyo Junction
• Day 3 – Big Arroyo to Upper Funston Meadow via Moraine Lake
• Day 4 – Upper Funston Meadow to Junction Meadow
• Day 5 – Junction Meadow to Crabtree
• Day 6 – Crabtree to Guitar Lake
• Day 7 – Guitar Lake to Trail Crest to Mt Whitney to Outpost Camp
• Day 8 – Outpost Camp to Whitney Portal

When to Hike the High Sierra Trail

The high passes on the High Sierra Trail hold snow sometimes even year round. In the spring, they can be practically impassable. Most HST trips are taken in July and August, but you’ll find smaller crowds in September after school starts.

Getting Permits for the HST

About 75% of the permits can be reserved in advance, with the remainder reserved for walk-in permits. You can check for permit availability here. Permits cost $10 plus $5 per person (so a permit for two people would cost $20). It’s important to remember that your permit reservation is not a permit. You’ll still need to pick it up at the Lodgepole Visitor Center either the day before you begin your hike (after 1:00 pm) or on the morning you begin your hike (before 10:00 am). To get a permit reservation, you will need to fax your application following these instructions.

High Sierra Trail Weather

Weather on the High Sierra Trail can be difficult to predict. If you’re hiking in the summer months, expect some cold nights and warm days. Afternoon thunderstorms are common in the Sierra Nevada, and you can even get a surprise snowstorm.

Your best bet is to check with the ranger before you pack for your trip for the latest forecast and conditions. For planning purposes, use Mountain Forecast. The high point on this trek is Mt. Whitney, so it’s a good reference point for the weather extremes.

Ready for More?

Next up: Day One on the High Sierra Trail.

Got questions about the High Sierra Trail? Join our HST discussion forum.

If the shortest distance between two points is a line, the longest might be the Inman 300. What is the Inman 300? It has been called “the world’s first urban thru-hike.” There is no trail or signs to follow, but there is a more-or-less official route. The Inman 300 gets it’s name from it’s creator, Bob Inman, and (roughly) the number of public stairways incorporated into the route. In fact, Inman worked hard to incorporate as many of Los Angeles’ public stairways as possible, which in part accounts for the crazy zig-zag twists and turns in the route.

The route achieved initial publicity when Triple-Crowner Liz “Snorkel” Thomas completed the Inman 300 in 2013. At the time, the route was not publicly documented. Snorkel (her trail name) holds the FKT (Fastest Known Time) record for an unsupported thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail by a woman. She completed a 180 mile version of the Inman 300 (no official route had been defined) in just 5-1/2 days.

Liz “Snorkel” Thomas on the Inman 300. Photo: Kevin Steele

Last month, the first Inman 300 Guide Book was published, along with the “rules” and their recommended route. At 218 miles with 344 public stairways, it’s roughly the same length as the John Muir Trail. And though it follows sidewalks and streets, you can easily gain 2000-3500′ of elevation in a day.

Here’s a description from the guide:

“The Inman 300” is not a trail. It follows public streets (with and without sidewalks) interspaced by a set of stairways that the streets connect. There is no signage. Maybe someday we will have symbols along the way but in the context of the huge city that seems a ways off. This publication suggests a route which be followed using eleven sectional Google maps. Using this suggested route or your own, the stairways are the given: if you want to complete the Inman 300, you walk them all. You may change the direction of travel, the sequence, the streets and blocks to take to link those stairways as you like. There are some “rules” about doing this. Because route finding is a challenge to someone new to the Los Angeles hills, we think our suggested route will be your better bet for a good experience.

We encourage anyone to create their own route to do all or part of the Inman 300. There is an inherent flaw in the coverage offered in this handbook. We use the term “Inman 300” for the baseline activity: to walk 350 stairways in a sequence that does not repeat itself. We also use the same term “Inman 300” for our optional suggested route of how to best accomplish this.

Heading off to catch all the stairways in a non-repeating sequence is comparable to hiking cross- country; you need to be mentally processing constantly. The stairways that we recognize are scattered in 36 zip codes. A non-stairway, all sidewalk route that simply visited each of those zips would be about 130 miles; capturing the stairways along the way adds 70% more distance. All the “misdirection” created by following the stairs is a big part of why you do it.

Determining how it might be done can be an arduous and satisfying game. Perhaps you want to route yourself to be at your bedsite at a certain hour. Perhaps you want to climb out of the basin and into the Santa Monica Mountains and you link the Hollywood Hills to the Pacific Coast.

Our suggested route defaults to doing a stairway in the up direction if that choice doesn’t add distance merely for the sake of going up. Perhaps, however, for safety you are running the stairs and want to go only upwards on the really long ones. Dan Koeppel plots his routes to honor all the big stairs by doing them in the up direction; that’s a philosophy behind his day-long, massive “Stair Trek”.

The recommended route has been divided into eleven segments (roughly 20 miles or so). Each could be hiked in a day, either in segments or as a thru-hike.

The Inman 300 by the Numbers

This table shows the details for each of the eleven segments (A-K) and the total figures.

With a newly available guide, who will be the first to complete a thru-hike on this 218 mile route? It’s been done. On January 15, 2014 Kelley Wiley Lane was the first to thru-hike the final, published version of the Inman 300. Congratulations, Kelley! 

Bob Inman and Kelly Lane

Do you want to hike the Inman 300? 

Here are some additional resources to get started.

• The Inman 300 Guide (PDF) with the recommended route and links to Google Maps for each segment
• Kelly Wiley Lane’s day-by-day blog covering each segment of her Inman 300 thru-hike
• Backpacker Magazine’s article on Liz “Snorkel” Thomas’ Inman 300 thru-hike
• The Trail Show #22 – This great monthly podcast featured the Inman 300 and spoke with Liz about her hike.
• Join the Big Parade group on Facebook for updates on Dan Koeppel’s Stair Trek walks as well as Bob Inman’s urban walks.

UPDATED: June 2, 2016 with the latest links and data.

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

Click on any photo to view a larger version. You can also leave comments on any photo.

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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 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 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 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.

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! 

The Pacific Crest Trail is one of three famously long trails in the National Scenic Trails system. It extends over 2,600 miles, from Mexico to Canada. Established in 1968, the trail itself was not completed until 1993 — just twenty years ago. And each year, about 300 hikers from all walks of life step out on the PCT with the goal of thru-hiking from one end to the other. It’s an epic trek that typically takes about five months of hiking 20 miles a day — through the deserts, mountains, forests, weather, blisters, aches, pains and temptations.

What drives people to devote five months of their lives to this trail? What kind of people attempt to thru-hike the PCT? What is it like to live on the trail for days, weeks and months? The film Tell it on the Mountain – Tales from the Pacific Crest Trail gives you a taste of PCT.

Tell it on the Mountain follows a diverse collection of PCT hikers, telling the story of the PCT through their experience. You meet Scott Williamson, who held the speed record for thru-hiking the PCT, and was the first to complete a yo-yo PCT hike (Mexico to Canada and back to Mexico again). Billygoat — 69 years young — who has spent time on the PCT every year for the past 17 years. There’s a couple who hike 2,000 miles to their own wedding. And several hikers from Europe, who marvel at our truly wild wilderness.

With the popularity of books like Cheryl Strayed’s Wild, our curiosity with hiking long trails like the PCT has been piqued. While the PCT used to be known mainly among hard core hikers, now the general populace has at least some awareness of the trail. Tell it on the Mountain takes a close-up look what it’s like to hike the 2,600 mile trail.

Rather than tell about the Pacific Crest Trail, producer Shaun Carrigan focused on the experience of the trail. For that, he worked with specific couples and individuals with varied backgrounds and perspectives. You feel their nervous excitement as they start the trail at the Mexican border. The joy as they come across a desert water cache diligently hand-carried by caring trail angels. And you walk with them as they become accustomed to the rhythm of life on the trail.

The “Cast” of Hikers

I loved the varied characters of the film. I’ve read about Scott Williamson before, as he is well known in distance hiking, but I’d never met him. Seeing him on screen gave me insight into what makes him tick. He came across as a very humble, unassuming guy. Well-spoken, and yet driven to hike the PCT faster (and further) than anyone. And… he never filters his water anywhere along the trail. Yep, he’s in the “dip and sip” camp.

I met Billygoat at the Annual Day Zero Pacific Crest Trail Kick-Off  (better known as ADZPCTKO or simply, “the Kick-Off”) in Lake Morena earlier this year. He is a John Muir look alike who spends a good part of every year on the PCT, and has seen it change over the years. Case in point — his stand on those desert water caches might ruffle the feathers of a few other PCT thru-hikers.

The story of Saurkraut and his girlfriend Alina was bittersweet. Imagine saving, planning and preparing for a five month long trip of a lifetime. Saurkraut worked long hours in his home in Germany, while his girlfriend did the same in Spain, knowing that by prudently saving, preparing and planning, they would soon be spending every day together for five months on the PCT. And then… an injury that keeps one of them off the trail. Everyone hiking the PCT knows it could happen, but how do you adjust your plans to deal with it? Their story was a reminder that hiking the PCT requires flexibility. Hiking it is less about reaching a goal and more about the journey.

Tell it on the Mountain is a must-see film for anyone who loves the beauty of our wilderness, the excitement of epic adventure, and the stories of real people on a remarkable journey. The scenery is spectacular, and following the hikers as they make their way toward the Canadian border, you share in their experience, taking in the challenges, the beauty, the heartbreak and the joys along the PCT.

I give Tell it on the Mountain a thumbs up! Way up. 

Tell it on the Mountain — Tales from the Pacific Crest Trail
Director: Lisa Diener
Producer: Shaun Carrigan
Run Time: 119 minutes

DVD Available on Amazon or as a Digital Download via the official web site

Photo credits: Shaun Carrigan

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

My curiosity about the AT was first piqued by Bill Bryson’s book, Walk in the Woods. But Bryson didn’t actually finish the AT. Recently, I’ve been listening to The Trail Show podcast, where everyone on the show has hiked the AT at one time or another. In spite of all of this, I had an impression that the AT was very likely the easiest of the Big Three long trails; being shorter than either the Pacific Crest and the rugged and lesser-traveled Continental Divide Trails.

Dim the lights. Pop in the DVD (or in my case, queue the digital download on my Apple TV). Sit back and enjoy Flip Flop Flippin’: One Man’s Search for Character(s) on the Appalachian Trail. Filmed entirely by Scott “Squatch” Herriott while hiking the AT, FFF provides a great feel for what it’s really like to spend nearly half a year hiking the Appalachian Trail.

What’s with the name? Squatch wanted to be able to film some of the same hikers over and over, so he planned his hike with multiple “flip-flops” — hiking for a section, then hitching up ahead and hiking back to where he left off — and repeating over and over. His theory was that this way he’d run into some of the same characters again and again, and be able to capture their impressions at different points along the trail.

It worked well. FFF captures the effervescent enthusiasm and nerves shared in Georgia. You experience the social, party spirit of zero days in town, gorging on food and resupplying. And you sense the weariness as weather, injuries, and a really tough trail begin to chip away at hiker’s spirits. And for those that make it the entire 2,180 miles to Katahdin, you celebrate with them!

The cast of “characters” proves that truth is stranger than fiction. You can’t make this stuff up.

There’s the couple who learn that they are expecting. They made it all the way, and their daughter was born healthy, happy and with the middle name “Katahdin” — naturally.

There’s the aging stand-up comedian, cracking wise about the weather in one of the AT shelters. The trumpet-playing mom and her two sons. A guy who packed a portable electronic cello and a battery-powered amp (he didn’t make it). There are solo hikers, friends, and many who share the trail on and off over the course of many months.

In the end, you’re left with a very real sense of what it’s like on the AT, and that’s exactly what I was looking for. Well done, Squatch. Hike on!

Flip Flop Flippin’ Trailer

The trailer gives you just a sample. But get the full movie.

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Flip Flop Flippin’ is available on DVD, Blu-Ray or digital download directly from Squatch Films, where you’ll also find the aptly named sequel, Flip Flop Flippin’ 2, as well as films from his hikes on the Pacific Crest and Continental Divide Trails. Next up for Squatch? He’s hiking the Camino de Santiago in northern Spain.

Postscript

I got to meet Squatch at the ADZPCTKO event in Lake Morena a couple weeks ago. It was a pleasure talking to him about his experiences. A very funny guy, and the real deal.

This past weekend we travelled down to Lake Morena to see what it was all about. And we had a blast!

First of all, the registrations for the event sold out in three days. No more camp sites available, so we stayed in Alpine, about 30 miles away. Thankfully, day visitors are welcome, so we drove down and spent all day Saturday at the event.

Over 686 people registered this year, including 256 thru-hikers for the PCT Class of 2013, 116 PCT section hikers, 161 previous PCT hikers, and an assortment of trail angels, staffers, and wannabe PCT hikers. The Kick Off actually starts on Thursday afternoon, and runs through Sunday, with speakers sharing their wisdom on trail conditions, gear advice, cooking, films and a whole lot more.

We started with a tour of the vendor area. Keen, A16, Go-Lite, One Pan Wonders, Stick Pic, Dirty Girl Gaiters and many others had booths, some offering advice and samples, others selling books, movies or equipment. I got a chance to meet Lawton “Disco” Grinter, author of I Hike (which I reviewed last week). He shared a bit about the fabulous beach he and P.O.D. camped at in Volcanoes National Park, and picked up a signed copy of his book to giveaway to one lucky SoCal Hiker reader. Stay tuned for more on that soon.

We finally got a chance to meet fellow SoCal hiking blogger Campfire Kam. She was helping out in the Keen footwear booth, and we scored some lip balm, Keen luggage tags, and best of all, a pair of the new Keen Olympus hiking socks. These bad boys are designed for hiking, with the seam under your toes, and the material guaranteed for life. I’m looking forward to putting them through their paces, so to speak, on Sandstone Peak this weekend.

Taking a snack break in the shade, we bumped into Scott “Squatch” Herriott. We had just watched his film about hiking the Appalachian Trail–Flip-Flop-Flippin– so it was great to get a chance to meet him in person and share our appreciation for his films. If you’re interested in getting a taste of life on a long trail, check out Squatch Films.

Also in the vendor area was a handy service called The Shakedown Shack. PCT thru-hikers would bring their fully-loaded pack to this area, where alumni would break it down and tell them exactly what they should leave behind. Some of the hikers shed 20 pounds of gear.  Imagine how much more fun the hike will be when your pack is 20 pounds lighter!

The Gear Contest was a blast. Each year, hikers bring their hiking inventions or hacks and the audience votes on their favorite. Some were wacky (a wooden spoon?). Others were nostalgic (a crocheted hat from the ’70s that folds up for easy storage). Some were entertaining (the portable bidet). In the end, the practical won with a tie between the Tyvek bivy sack and a do-it-yourself inline adapter for a water filter, made from two plastic screw-top caps.

Met up with Shane “Jester” O’Donnell. Jester is a Triple Crown hiker — having completed the Appalachian, the Pacific Crest and the Continental Divide trails — and the filmmaker behind Wizards of the PCT. We talk to Jester at length, and were surprised to learn that although the AT is about 500 miles shorter than the PCT, it is probably the most physically demanding. Best of all, we learned the secret behind the name of the film: a 4 lb brass “wizard” that he (and others) carried all the way to Canada on their PCT thru-hike. Insane.

In between the conversations, we hit the Pavilion and heard some great presentations. Teresa “Dicentra” Black, author of One Pan Wonders shares some awesome tips for putting together tasty meals on the trail, without breaking the bank. One of my favorites? Bring along fresh pearl onions or shallots. You can use them in entirety for a meal, without having to save a stinky, half-used onion in your backpack.

I knew that Kolby “Condor” Kirk was going to be at the kick-off, but hadn’t seen him all day. Then as we were taking pictures of the PCT Class of 2013 at The Rock, I literally bumped right into him. Condor gave us a great tour, introducing us to some awesome people, including the legendary Billy Goat, who has logged over 25,000 miles on the PCT.

Saturday festivities closed with the PCT Class of 2012 video. It’s become a tradition that each year, one thru-hiker volunteers to assemble a video that shares the experience of the entire group. They send thousands of photographs and hours of video, which is painstakingly edited and assembled into a film of the journey. This was really one of the highlights of the weekend. The film provided a great feel for what life was like on the PCT for last year’s crop of thru-hikers. You can download a copy for free, and burn your own DVD. If you’ve ever thought of hiking the PCT, you should check it out.

UPDATE: The video has also been uploaded to Vimeo, so you can also see it right here! It’s over an hour long, but well worth it.

Our weekend at ADZPCTKO 2013 was a blast. It was great to be a part of the community, and swap stories with other hikers. If you’d like to hike the PCT as either a thru-hiker or a section hiker, make plans to attend ADZPCTKO next year.

More Photos from ADZPCTKO 2013

Click on any photo to see the larger version. You can comment directly on a photo, too!

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)