Some help please with itinerary: 1st timer on the JMT, and luckily, got my permit....

[nawlunz]

today!! I am leaving from Happy Isles on my JMT hike to the portal in July. However, some friends are planning to tag along with me starting at Reds Meadow, but will only go 5 days or so, then hike out on one of the exit trails and leave me to continue alone after that.

My question is what is a reasonable time (days) that I should let them know to meet me after I start...I am in fairly good shape, and feel I can make 10-15 miles a day, but during the early part, and since I won't be acclimated, probably more like 10-12 miles to me would be reasonable.

So, my question is can you suggest places to camp and stop from Happy Isles to Red meadow each night that would be a reasonable plan and one that may be a natural break from the day. It would be great if I could do a fairly good day and stop before steep hikes so as to tacckle those in the morning. I was thinking Sunrise/high sierra first night, tuolome 2nd night (wish I could avoid that one), upper lyell third night, but from there, not sure what would be best as to whether I need another two nights to make it to Reds. I need to let them know when to meet me at Reds Meadow, but at the same time I want to have a reasonably paced itinerary and not have to rush there, yet cover adequate ground.
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated.

[Helmuth.Fishmonger]

Tuolumne to Donohue is a piece of cake if you don't sleep in - we always cross Donohue and go well beyond when we leave from TM. I think your first two days will be harder than doing TM to yhe south side of Donohue.

Heck, in 2008, I left TM with my kids at noon, we got into a multi-hour mega hail storm and still got across the pass around 6pm and to camp at 7pm. They were 10 years old then and it was their first day out with full packs that year.

Moving fast, I'd make it all the way to Island Pass from TM in a day, Reds the next day. 4 days HI to Reds. Make it 5 if you take the silly lake to lake route on the actual JMT.

To be safe, I'd just plan a rest day at Reds and tell them to get there for a departure on your 6th day. If you're slower you have a buffer day to get there.

The speedy way to get there in case weather or other things slow you down is to bail from the JMT at 1000 Island Lake outlet, take the trail down the valley to cross over to the PCT high trail on the other side of the valley, then head to Agnew Meadows, take the free shuttle bus to Reds. Same day arrival at Reds if you start anywhere on the south side of Donohue and have a full day of hiking without weather delay.

[nawlunz]

Tuolumne to Donohue is a piece of cake if you don't sleep in - we always cross Donohue and go well beyond when we leave from TM. I think your first two days will be harder than doing TM to yhe south side of Donohue.

Heck, in 2008, I left TM with my kids at noon, we got into a multi-hour mega hail storm and still got across the pass around 6pm and to camp at 7pm. They were 10 years old then and it was their first day out with full packs that year.

Moving fast, I'd make it all the way to Island Pass from TM in a day, Reds the next day. 4 days HI to Reds. Make it 5 if you take the silly lake to lake route on the actual JMT.

To be safe, I'd just plan a rest day at Reds and tell them to get there for a departure on your 6th day. If you're slower you have a buffer day to get there.

The speedy way to get there in case weather or other things slow you down is to bail from the JMT at 1000 Island Lake outlet, take the trail down the valley to cross over to the PCT high trail on the other side of the valley, then head to Agnew Meadows, take the free shuttle bus to Reds. Same day arrival at Reds if you start anywhere on the south side of Donohue and have a full day of hiking without weather delay.

The first two days will be harder due to not being acclimated and the climb out of the valley....one last question, how do others tolerate Tuolome with all the traffic/people....just make it to the backpackers camp, or try to go farther down Lyell Canyon before stopping?

[Tagless]

Nawlunz,

If you send me a PM with your email address, I'll be glad to send you our planned itinerary from Happy Isles. My wife and I are leaving in late July as well.

[Helmuth.Fishmonger]

The first two days will be harder due to not being acclimated and the climb out of the valley....one last question, how do others tolerate Tuolome with all the traffic/people....just make it to the backpackers camp, or try to go farther down Lyell Canyon before stopping?

you must hike 4 miles minimum past TM to be legal to camp. That is the minimum distance for wilderness camps from any "populated area. That is quite a hike up the canyon. But yeah, TM campground is a small town, and the backpacker camp is the worst part of it (overcrowded)

[nawlunz]

you must hike 4 miles minimum past TM to be legal to camp. That is the minimum distance for wilderness camps from any "populated area. That is quite a hike up the canyon. But yeah, TM campground is a small town, and the backpacker camp is the worst part of it (overcrowded)

put up with the crowd that night?

[nawlunz]

Nawlunz,

If you send me a PM with your email address, I'll be glad to send you our planned itinerary from Happy Isles. My wife and I are leaving in late July as well.

PM with my address...

[Spirit Walker]

How long do you want your hike to last? I took 19 days and it was a leisurely hike - I finished hiking most days by early afternoon. Most of the people I met were out for much longer hikes (3-4 weeks) but it could easily be done in two weeks. My journal from my hike in 1990 with daily mileage and itinerary is at http://spiriteaglehome.com/jmt90.html.

[Helmuth.Fishmonger]

put up with the crowd that night?

the biggest thing up there on the backpacker hill is getting there early, because there are a limited number of good sites. Also, note that up there you still have to pay for your site, so if you want to save some money, you should plan to have 2 hours plus to get far enough up the Canyon. If I get to TM early, I usually get one of the car sites, as they cost the same, are closer to the bathrooms and have more room, plus I get my own bench and firepit. I use the backpacker camp only if there's nothing else available.

[Helmuth.Fishmonger]

How long do you want your hike to last? I took 19 days and it was a leisurely hike - I finished hiking most days by early afternoon. Most of the people I met were out for much longer hikes (3-4 weeks) but it could easily be done in two weeks. My journal from my hike in 1990 with daily mileage and itinerary is at http://spiriteaglehome.com/jmt90.html.

I did it in 10 days in 1990

[nawlunz]

I did it in 10 days in 1990

looks like I will arrive on a Saturday. I understood if one is to resupply on the weekend at Tuolome there may be a problem as post office closed...does anyone have this info or plan to arrive over the weekend and know what services are open?

[Helmuth.Fishmonger]

looks like I will arrive on a Saturday. I understood if one is to resupply on the weekend at Tuolome there may be a problem as post office closed...does anyone have this info or plan to arrive over the weekend and know what services are open?

The post office is a tiny room in the store with a window to the curb. If you're real nice to the store employees and it's not really busy when you ask, they may retrieved packages from the closed post office for hikers. they have done it before, but other folks report that they didn't. Can't be guaranteed, but it is possible. Otherwise, yeah, the place is closed for weekends like any other post office. Nothing you can do about it.

[Blissful]

The post office is a tiny room in the store with a window to the curb. If you're real nice to the store employees and it's not really busy when you ask, they may retrieved packages from the closed post office for hikers. they have done it before, but other folks report that they didn't. Can't be guaranteed, but it is possible. Otherwise, yeah, the place is closed for weekends like any other post office. Nothing you can do about it.

Is there groceries for resupply ok there?

[Helmuth.Fishmonger]

Is there groceries for resupply ok there?

they have a pretty good select these days. Not a perfect menu for hikers but ok. Much less canned food than in the 80s and 90s.

Rnough lightweight and easy cooking choices to make it to Reds without having to eat too much Ramen or freeze dried stuff. It's a decent selection, although much of it is car camper oriented. Since Reds is just a few days south, you could almost plan on just buying a few things there. Definitely an option.

I recall buying dried Mangos there last time just becaue they looked so good.

[Blissful]

Okay good to know, thanks. We were going to do a mail drop at Reds, maybe just buy there too? Though I do take meds, but $35 is a lot for that. May have to pack it in - where is the next maildrop locale?

[Helmuth.Fishmonger]

Okay good to know, thanks. We were going to do a mail drop at Reds, maybe just buy there too? Though I do take meds, but $35 is a lot for that. May have to pack it in - where is the next maildrop locale?

I usually drop my packages off in person at Reds, which makes it $20 max there and it's worth it to me to have my Starbucks Via, Haribo, Nutella, etc - all stuff you can't get there. The store in TM is more hiker oriented than Reds, where you can buy cans of Spam and ice cream and lots of beer, but I think the selection in freeze dried or even granola bars is rather small there.

you can UPS packages to VVR at Lake T Edison (I think it's $20), and Muir Ranch takes 5 gallon buckets ($50) by Prioity Mail which usually adds another $30-35 depending on where you live.


most of the info for all that is online and I have links to that on this page

http://didnt.doit.wisc.edu/outdoor/M...tion_links.htm