View Full Version : John Muir Trail
Trail Trooper
11-10-2007, 14:45
I am looking to Hike the JMT this summer/fall does any one have any info on this trail.
Jan LiteShoe
11-10-2007, 14:55
Hi Trooper,
I haven't hiked the John Muir yet, but it's said that mile for mile, it's the most stunning trail in North America. You'll have to bring sunglasses.
:sun
When I was researching it to hike in '04, I started here:
http://www.pcta.org/about_trail/muir.asp
And of course, Wikipedia has some links to start the dreaming:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Muir_Trail
I know Marta hiked it last summer, perhaps she'll chime in.
Trail Trooper
11-10-2007, 14:59
seems like you are the only one the will reply maybe noone heard of the JMT on chapter 16.
Pacific Tortuga
11-10-2007, 15:04
I am looking to Hike the JMT this summer/fall does any one have any info on this trail.
PM MOWGLI16, I know he hiked it a few years ago and he is a plethora of info. He has some great pics too.
Jan LiteShoe
11-10-2007, 15:07
And of course Trailjournals.com has some great pics and journals.
What is Chapter 16?
Trail Trooper
11-10-2007, 15:08
of your book
Trail Trooper
11-10-2007, 15:09
Thanks for the info on PM MOWGLI16
Jan LiteShoe
11-10-2007, 15:23
of your book
You're only on Chapter 16?
You DO need to add more bran to your diet, increase your reading opportunies.
:D
Trail Trooper
11-10-2007, 15:27
Between work and physical therapy it takes 15 hours of my day including 4 hours travel time. though I have to admit I was late for work serval times because I could not put the book down. I am off this weekend and will put a big dent in the chapters
Jan LiteShoe
11-10-2007, 15:32
Between work and physical therapy it takes 15 hours of my day including 4 hours travel time. though I have to admit I was late for work serval times because I could not put the book down. I am off this weekend and will put a big dent in the chapters
Okay, compliments will buy you serious time points.
:sun
And here's a good JMT Website with great pics and a simple map:
http://www.hikejmt.com/index.htm
Great trail. Others here have hiked it too including Marta & Mags. I did it relatively quickly - 15 days - with two resupplies. The number of days that we took to hike the trail was determined by my partner's availability. He had the permit and asked me to join him.
I climbed Half Dome on day #1 and would highly recommend that if you are not afraid of heights. We resupplied at Reds Meadow on day 5. We went over to VVR, but I didn't send myself a resupply. My partner did. My decision not to send a resupply there was predominantly financial in nature. If I had it to do over, I would not re-visit VVR. It broke up the wilderness nature of the hike. We resupplied at Muir Ranch too.
I flew into San Francisco and out of LA. The biggest logistical headache IMO is getting from Lone Pine, CA to your exit airport. Some folks take a bus to Reno, NV and fly out of there. The bus only runs limited days through Lone Pine, so if you can plan that accordingly, it can save you some dough.
Post your questions here. I am sure others will join in the discussion and try and lend a hand. It's an awesome trail. Mile for mile the best scenery I have ever seen. Hands down.
Trail Trooper
11-10-2007, 16:38
When is the best time of yera to hike the JMT
Hiked the JMT NB in 04' Got off PCT hitched into Lone Pine stayed a few days resupplied etc hitched to Whitney Portal climbed Whitney followd JMT NB to Yosemite Valley. Spent most of my time lifting my jaw off of my chest viewing the awesome scenery. Got to 1/2 dome on 4th of July some "climber" froze on the cables and delayed any summits. Skipped it will try again next time. Resupply is difficult but the exit trails are awesome. I enjoyed VVR and the ride in and out a truly awesome place!
When is the best time of yera to hike the JMT
I did it in August (11-25). Not a drop of rain, and clouds on only a handful of days. The snow pack varies from year to year. You can do it in June & July but the bugs tend to be worse, you're walking on more snowfields, and the fords are tougher.
Sly is a big fan of doing it in September. Fewer people & bugs and cooler temps.
Hope that helps. Keep those questions coming.
Trail Trooper
11-10-2007, 16:47
I was thinking of sometime in August. I am use to Eastern Hiking is there a difference out west
I was thinking of sometime in August. I am use to Eastern Hiking is there a difference out west
Yup. Several.
1. The air is DRY. The temps are HOT. The sun is INTENSE. You are often out in the blazing sun. A hat, sunglasses & the constant application of sunscreen are pretty much required.
2. The elevation. We did Donahue Pass on Day 3. That's 11,000+ feet. Let your body acclimate. Hydrate like a motherflower. That'll help with any headache or side effects from the elevation.
3. The soil. It's dry. Dusty. Lots of scree. This stuff tends to get into your shoes & socks. I wore trail runners, but my feet were constantly filthy.
4. The bears. You need to carry a canister. It's required.
5. Permit. Required. No wiggle room.
6. Resupply. Limited places on the trail dictate pace and schedule. Some send a parcel to Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite, but we were there on Sunday, so the PO was closed. Not an option. That would make climbing out of Yosemite Valley easier.
7. The fishing. OUTSTANDING. 5 STARS. If you like to fish, carry a rod, or you'll be sorry. There is nothing really comparable in the east, except perhaps Maine. But the fish on the JMT receive so little pressure. You have to experience it to believe it.
Trail Trooper
11-10-2007, 17:05
did you cowboy camp or tent what is the temp ranges
I cowboy camped a number of times. The night sky out there is UNBELIEVABLE. The only times I didn't - it was because of bugs. No other reason. I would have just rolled out every night if I had hiked til dark or if there was no bugs.
Trail Trooper
11-10-2007, 17:11
Same type of gear sa per an AT hike
Temps? It depends where you are. I carried a 40 degree bag, but I had a Stephenson Warmlite tent that adds perhaps 10 degrees. Plus, I sleep warm and carried extra clothes.
It probably got down close to freezing at a couple of our campsites.
Same type of gear sa per an AT hike
Pretty much. Bear in mind that if you're flying, you might have to alter your stove system. I used a soda can alky stove. Worked like a charm. We bought the denatured alcohol in California. I used Aqua Mira for the first time on the trail. I nearly used up a whole set. My partner drank more than me, and sent himself a second set of Aqua Mira to Muir Ranch.
Trail Trooper
11-10-2007, 17:15
what do think is better N to s or S to N
N to S. Unless you want to start out climbing 14,496' of Mt. Whitney. I summited Whitney on my 45th birthday to end the hike. WOW!
The mountains get bigger and the passes more impressive the further south you go. That's the way to do it IMO. YMMV
Trail Trooper
11-10-2007, 17:25
Thanks for the help I will probably have more questions in the future
Pacific Tortuga
11-10-2007, 17:29
Thanks for the help I will probably have more questions in the future
What I tell ya,a plethora. :sun
I hope others who have hiked the trail will chime in with their perspectives. Cookerhiker is another one.
When you doing the trail Pacific Tortuga?
Pacific Tortuga
11-10-2007, 17:57
I'm not sure, I'll be attending the ADZPCTKO this year. I am sure that will result in some long hike just not sure which one.
I have dreams every night about the AT and people I met. So going back and doing the Trail right weighs heavy on my heart. I can't see starting where I ended up, a thru is what I want.
The PCT is attractive, if I was to get hurt there, I could hold up at home or with friends all along the Trail. MOWG, your heading out here aren't you? Phreak also has Muir plans. If I can be a help to anyone, let me know.
MOWG, your heading out here aren't you. Phreak also has Muir plans. If I can be a help to anyone, let me know.
Donno yet. Depends on a number of things. My youngest graduates high school in May and we're talking about an adventure. Maybe Colorado. Maybe California. Maybe someplace else. Not sure yet. I'll probably mention it here on WB when we figure it out. In the meanwhile, I have about 25 pounds to lose.
It dipped below 20 this past June 5th. I was really, really glad that I brought a space blanket.
you guys may have een this site but for those that haven't it is a good one to check out.
http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~rbell/johnmuir.htm
SGT Rock
11-11-2007, 09:03
I was just on the John Muir Trail this last Thursday.
the one by Hiawassee eh, folks don't realize that we have 2 JMT's here in Tn.
Rock, you ever hiked the one at BSF
SGT Rock
11-11-2007, 09:12
Not yet. I'm going to get there someday.
Cookerhiker
11-11-2007, 13:15
I hiked most of it last year (http://www.trailjournals.com/cookerhikerjmt). I echo what MOWGLI has said. On the dryness issue, you need to think how dryness affects all parts of your body. Two items I definitely wish I had taken was some sort of nasal spray and lotion or vasoline to prevent my inner thighs from chaffing, issues I never had on the AT. Of course you also need sunblock, lip balm, & eyedrops.
Here's a suggestion for the first 2 days. Starting from Yosemite Valley, you gain 6,000' on your first day if you hike the 13 miles to Sunrise Sierra High Camp. So if you have time beforehand, bring your bear cannnister up to Tuolomne Meadows and store it in one of the bear boxes there. That way, you only need to pack one meal on that 6,000' ascent. Set up your tent at Sunrise and cook your dinner. Use the bear box at Sunrise to store next day's breakfast and any other snacks before reaching Tuolomne on Day 2.
I made up a detailed spreadsheet of the points along the trail with their elevation because I felt the guidebook was inadequate. Send me a PM if you'd like a copy.
Cookerhiker
11-11-2007, 15:35
Consider flying into Oakland. Some airfares are chaper there and you're on the same side of the SF Bay as the Oakland AMTRAK (http://www.amtrak.com/timetable/oct07/w33.pdf) station from where you can catch a train to Yosemite Valley. For your return as long as you finish before Oct.1, you can get a bus from the East Slope (http://www.yarts.com/schedule/2007/Summer120E.pdf)back to Yosemite Valley where you take the train back to Oakland. The major challenge is getting from Whitney Portal back to Mammoth Lakes. If you can get yourself to Bishop (http://www.countyofinyo.org/transit/CRESTpage.htm), there's a bus to Mammoth Lakes.
Trail Trooper
11-11-2007, 17:15
I heard that cuban cloth or somthing like thats is 1/3 lighter than sil nylon
do the make packs and sleeping bags out of this stuff
Couple places I HIGHLY recommend camping at if on the JMT/PCT in the Sierra: Guitar Lake (make Whitney by sunrise), Big Horn Plateau, Rae Lakes, Bullfrog Lakes (just off the trail) and the Piute River/Pass trail.
I loved having a canister for piece of mind and slept great. That being said, try to avoid the popular areas for great camping. It'll take most folks several days to do the VVR/Muir trail ranch to Whitney Portal stretch, certainly more than you can fit in a canister. Might wanna bring some rope along to tie the remaining food. The bears are obviously in the established campsite areas.
One major piece of advice I can offer is, try to do the passes in the morning. If only doing the JMT, snow shouldn't be an issue (anytime after june). I found myself very lethargic trying to do Forester, Glen and Pinchot pass in the afternoon after having hiked several miles in the AM. Once I started doing them (Mather, Muir, Selden, Silver) in the morning I found I could start fresh, focus my energy on the climbs and enjoy an afternoon of descending.
A tough trail for sure, but a great one. As Mowgli says: Hydrate, hydrate!! Can't stress it enough. Several thru-hikers got sick in the Sierra this yr (myself included) and there was some bug going around, but a few folks were affected by the elevation changes. Be well rested and hydrated!
Trail Trooper
11-11-2007, 17:23
Looking to start Aug/sept
Looking to start Aug/sept
Call Yosemite and find out when you can get your permit. You can call something like 5-6 months ahead and lock in your permit. My partner called the first day he was eligible (in March) to get a permit for an August 11 start.
I totally agree with A-Train's suggestion about doing passes in the AM. We set ourselves up to do a pass every morning. It gets bloody hot, and you don't want to be climbing those passes in the heat of the day. To accomplish this we were hiking by 6 AM every day. To see where we camped, visit my partners trail journal at the following link;
http://trailjournals.com/entry.cfm?id=154794
Sly is a big fan of doing it in September. Fewer people & bugs and cooler temps.
Actually, I'm a fan of doing during a PCT thru-hike, but other than that, I recommend Sept. :)
For a JMT permit reservation click here (https://www.yosemitesecure.org/wildpermit/). You can reserve 24 weeks prior to the start day.
Actually, I'm a fan of doing during a PCT thru-hike, but other than that, I recommend Sept. :)
I still recall you telling me about topping out into a meadow filled with flowers on the PCT and having your mind blown.
Hi--I just got back from a weekend in the Smokies. Yeah, I hiked the JMT this past summer, with some people from New Hampshire. Three of us have TJs on the hike: Rocky&Swamp Fox, Babysteps, and me (Marta). Late summer is a lovely time to go, weatherwise. You will not be alone, however, especially in Yosemite and on Mt. Whitney.
One serious piece of advice I haven't seen elsewhere--if you go with hiking partner or partners, unless they are you S.O. or your children, get your own permit. The wording on the permits states that the permit is only good for the person who signs it, and the people with him/her. Believe it or not, lots and lots of people quit the trail, and you might get stranded, permit-wise, if you don't have your own. There are rangers, and they will check.
Spirit Walker
11-12-2007, 13:21
I hiked the JMT in 1990. My journal for the trip is on our website (www.spiriteaglehome.com). It is a beautiful hike. I did it in early July, which meant plentiful wildflowers but more mosquitoes. Aside from the altitude issue, it wasn't that difficult a hike. I did it in 17 days or so and was finished hiking early to mid-afternoon. I also had somewhat unusual conditions in that I was getting a lot of afternoon thunderstorms. That may be more common earlier in the season.
I hiked all but 30 miles of the JMT when I did the PCT. (I should have done the extra 30 miles..but hindsight is 20/20. sigh).
Mile for mile, the JMT is the most scenic stretch of trail that I have done IMO. I am saying this as a die-in-the-wool Colorado (and Rockies) lover! (The San Juans are awesome...the Winds rock..but the Sierra will always be the top for me)
As others said, if you after the snow melts and do not have altitude issues, doing a 15 MPD pace is very easy for most hikers.
It is an awesome trail...enjoy!