View Full Version : JMT Thru hike
A friend and I just decided it would be awesome to hike the JMT! We found a route that actually starts farther north at Sonora Pass. Is this a good spot to start? If we get a permit there is good all the way to whitney portal or would we have to get another one? What would be the best resupplies to use and what's the best way to handle transportation? We would have to fly somewhere in CA...not sure what's best. Your assistance is greatly appreciated!
Thank you,
Eric
A Yosemite Pass is good all the way through.
You would have to hitch a ride to the pass, no public transportation.
Of course, there are beautiful parts of that section of the PCT, but I would start at Tuolumne Meadows which is easier to reach using public transportation.
Fly to Reno. Bus to Lee Vining, (CREST, south on route 395), Yosemite bus (YARTS) to Tuolumne Meadows.
At the end of hike from Lone Pine, CREST bus connects with AMTRAK to get you easily to LAX (Los Angeles), or bus back to Reno.
Re-supply: Tuolumne Meadows (depending on your start point), Red Meadows (store very close to trail), Vermilion Valley Resort (VVR) on Lake T.A. Edison, and Muir Trail Ranch. Food can be mailed to each. Check websites.
Muir Trail Ranch
I like the way you are thinking. I too often add to customary known long distance thru-hikes to include additional mileage.
If what you are talking about is the PCT, that's a very nice(scenic) section from Sonora Pass to TM. You'll encounter some steep ups and downs though near/at the start(near Yosemite) if going SOBO to TM especially compared to a start at Happy Isles, and going SOBO on the JMT, although there is the uphill along Nevada and Vernal Falls at the start SOBO from HI. No public transportation to SP either. You could get off the bus at Bridgeport and hitch to Sonora Pass OR get off at Bridgeport and hitch into Twin Lakes Resort(possibly an easier hitch, small general store but certainly capable of providing resupply to TM, also restaurant and campground) and catch the PCT SOBO from there. As has been my with my limited hitching experience in this area it has been harder getting a ride to SP(hitched in/out twice) rather than TLR(hitched in/out three times). Sonora Pass is a high Pass and gets significant snow! Closes in winter often until sometime in May. This is/has been an above avg snow yr! Plan your timing well!
Once in Yosemite you have route options too. Hiking down the Grand Canyon of Yosemite and out past Hetch Hetchy reservoir is another way to go. From HH you would have to hitch to TM(not hard at all in my experience). Just continuing SOBO on the PCT to TM is very nice too. I have never hiked a non-scenic trail in the Sierras and Yosemite yet!
I'll give yet another route possibilty that I like to add to a JMT hike that it seems no one ever takes. It avoids much of the crowds on the first day of a traditional JMT hike SOBO. Start in Yosemite Valley at Bridal Veil Falls parking lot, walk up the yellow gated crumbling asphalt old Yosemite Valley entrance road towards Winona Tunnel(along the way you might recognize where you are if you are familiar with the works of Ansel Adams, he snapped several noteworthy pics from along this old entrance road), take the signed Pohono Trail up to the ridge of Yosemite Valley where you will hike along the rim past several outstanding uncrowded scenic view points(Dewey, etc, you'll get outstanding uncrowded views across and up Yosemite Valley towards Yosemite Falls, El Capitan, Half Dome, etc), and to Sentinel Dome(do the SHORT hlke to the top), stop at touristy Glacier Pt with its fine views, and proceed past Illioutte Falls via the Panorama Trail over to Nevada and Vernal Falls where you pick up the JMT SOBO. May sound complicated at first but the logistics are easy and the route will be obvious if you look at a Nat Geographic Trails Illustrated Yosemite NP map. If doing a short first day camp near Bridal Veil Creek(at least one outstanding campsite).