hiking the JMT without prior reservations

[takethisbread]

hi all! what are the chances of thru hiking the JMT without prior reservations. I went to the website and saw they said fcfs the day before at 11am . I would like to hike the JMT but I'm not going to know my window to hike until right before I leave although it's likely going to be late August or early September . the fcfs thing I wonder if they are going to stick me all over the place and I won't be able to start in the north and go south , in a linear fashion. I'd did fcfs at Rainier for the wonderland trail and it kinda sucked they gave me crazy campsites too close or too far apart.
I'm looking forward to hiking the JMT and I will be alone. I appreciate any input/wisdom.


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[Maui Rhino]

I've never done it, but this is what I learned while researching for my JMT hike this summer. If you want to hike SOBO, show up at the Yosemite permit office the day before you want to start. Plan to be in line early, as it is first come first served when they begin issuing walk-up permits at 11am. I've heard it suggested that you need to be there at 3 or 4am to be at the front of the line, but can't be sleeping on their porch. Once you get to the desk, be flexible about your starting trailhead. Starting at Glacier Point is a good option, although you will miss the first 3 miles or so of the offical JMT. Also be prepared to start either that same day or the next. When they give you your permit, they will tell you where you can camp the first night, after that, it is up to you, as long as you don't backtrack. Starting at Happy Isles, the Little Yosemite Valley Campground is about 4 miles, and a Sunrise/Merced pass-thru will require a couple more miles. A GP-->LYV start is also about 4 miles, and a GP-->Illiloutte Basin will require you to hike about 5 miles with a dry camp the first day. On this option, you then backtrack about a mile back to the Panorama Trail and drop down to the JMT near LYV. Overall, the odds are quite good you will get a permit this way. They reserve 40% of the permits for walk-ups. The JMT Yahoo Group and Facebook page has lots of information and advice. If you are aren't yet a member, check them out.

[evyck da fleet]

If you're flexible with your starting point/date and don't mind missing the first few crowded paved miles, you should be able to get a permit about a month or less out for an alternative trail start that will add about 5 miles to your hike via GP or Illiloulette. If you can start after Labor day your chances go up too but you have to be aware of when places for resupply start to close in mid-late September. Late summer wildfires also increase the odds of getting a walk up permit. Another option is to get a permit starting at Tuolomne to hike south to Whitney. Then take the bus back up to Tuolumne and hike to Yosemite Valley.

[Miner]

Don't try to get a permit for a weekend or holiday. Showing up on a weekday (not friday) has less competition for the permits they hold back for a walk in. They release walk in permits for hikes starting the same day or the following day so you can ask for both days. Show up before they open the ranger office. The earlier the better. Have a few alternative trailheads where you know how to connect with the JMT somewhere. I've always been able to get a walk in permit for a hike I want, though I may be starting at a different trailhead then originally planned. You can guarentee a JMT permit starting Happy Isles if you are willing to try back the next day and you show up even earlier then you did the previous day.

If you want to go NOBO, try for a permit for Cottonwood Pass which is south of Mt. Whitney (much easier then the Whitney Portal). You can hike to Crabtree Meadows, leave your gear and day hike up to Mt. Whitney and back before starting north.

[Dogwood]

Hi Takethisbread. Welcome to White Blaze. You're new here so let me point you in the right direction. Click the Forum tab. Go specifically to the John Muir Trail Forum and peruse the threads that were started. You'll find your EXACT questions regarding obtaining JMT permits answered in length on those threads. I know I alone specifically addressed your exact question in length at least 4 times here on White Blaze.

Here's the JMT Forum here on WB: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/foru...ohn-Muir-Trail

There's also a JMT Discussion Group where this has been covered repeatedly.

[Malto]

Yes, I did it. You must be flexible. Suggest doing a flip flop so to speak. Start at TM and hike to Whitney then go back to TM and hike down to the valley. There are several TM area trailheads that will increase your chances of success.

[Dogwood]

Hi, Takethis bread. Welcome to White Blaze. Your exact question has been discussed at length here on White Blaze's John Muir Trail Forum. Just by myself I've answered your exact question in length no fewer than four separate times. Just click the Forum link and scroll down to the JMT Forum to explore the different JMT thread related topics. Just to let you know I've done three JMT thru-hikes never having an advanced permit reservation always getting my permits by walk up. That DOES NOT mean this is convenient, always easy, or always possible for everyone else in all types of situations. There are pros/cons, potential consequences(both good and bad), some juggling that may be involved, etc attempting to get JMT thru-hiking permits on a walk up basis. I've done it and so have other posters here though. We offer what we know in hopes that it might help you on your JMT hike.

I'll get ya started. Here's the JMT Forum: http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/foru...ohn-Muir-Trail

Here are some JMT permit threads/info to start ya off. The first three pertain directly to walk up permits. I provided this for you this time and told you how to access this info so maybe next time you can better access and target info for yourself. Do0n't forget about accessing the JMT websites for permit info as well. Those links are embedded in the links I provide here.

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...it-Help-Please!

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...rmit-Questions

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...rmit-Confusion!

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...gt-Illilouette

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ate-Trailheads

http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ources-for-JMT

[Coffee]

I had a reservation for my JMT thru hike last August but it was from Glacier Point and I wanted to start from Happy Isles. I walked into the permit office around 2pm on a Sunday afternoon and had it easily changed but I had to leave the next day (Monday) rather than Tuesday which was my permit date. So they had Happy Isles walk in permits for the following day on a Sunday in late August and anyone could have grabbed it without standing in line at 4am.

I'm not sure if my experience was typical or if I was just lucky. The Rim Fire was raging at the time and I know that scared away a lot of people so maybe I was the beneficiary of a cancellation. Turned out that I was only directly impacted by smoke on one day of my hike although I did see smoke in the distance on a few days early on.

Ask around on the JMT Facebook or Yahoo groups and there are a few people at least who claim that it is very easy to score a walk in so my guess is that my experience was more typical than lucky.

[garlic08]

Funny you mentioned the WT. I did a FCFS (that's a new acronym for me and I like it) there, it worked perfectly for me and I was going to use that as an example. If you didn't like your experience there, it's probably worse on the JMT. Good luck, if you decide to try it.

[takethisbread]

Funny you mentioned the WT. I did a FCFS (that's a new acronym for me and I like it) there, it worked perfectly for me and I was going to use that as an example. If you didn't like your experience there, it's probably worse on the JMT. Good luck, if you decide to try it.

yea the WT itself was great although pretty hard. the only negative was they gave me a stretch from paradise to mystic that was too hard to make, it stressed me out all day . I busted ass and didn't make it (even close), stealth camped well before. after that it was fine, although I had a couple of too short days. I loved the trail though. it's really amazing and was much tougher than I expected .


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[Coffee]

The nice thing about the JMT, unlike the Wonderland Trail (which I've never done but is on my list) is that after the first night on the JMT you can camp almost anywhere with few restrictions. The permit only dictates the approximate location of the first night. That's one thing I really enjoy about the Sierras compared to more restrictive places.

[Dogwood]

Was wondering what fcfs meant. THX Garlic. RN, that's an excellent pt as far as the greater flexibility in choosing where you camp on a JMT thru compared to a WT thru.

If you thrued the WT, even though less than 1/2 the miles of the JMT, you'll prolly enjoy the JMT. JMT overall has fairer weather and offers greater flexibility.