Jmt Trip Report

[garbanz]

Mowgli has requested I give a trip report and I will do so because of all the good info I received from this site before embarking on the JMT.
I flew to Fresno on Sept 5, took Amtrak to Merced, then a Yarts bus to Yosemite arriving about dark that same day. The shuttle bus then delivered me to the pines campground where I found the backpackers campground. The next morning I got in line around 6 at the wilderness office and had a permit by 8:30 for that same day at Happy Isles! The first day was the hardest as the ascent was relentless and I pitched the tent a couple miles below the planned campspot at Sunrise Camp. IT was the first of 14 great hiking days to Mt Whitney. Had only 1 rainey day and caught trout on roostertails at Warrior and Sallie Keyes Lakes. No bear sightings---scat at 7 or 8 places along trail. A few mornings were brisk in the high 30's but by afternoon I was sweating beneath the packframe. Trail was generally dusty and one could smell smoke from the telephite fire near LeConte Ranger Station---sign said the fire has no imediate impact on JMT hiking. Only carried water twice---once was from Guitar Lake up to Whitney. Saw mountain goats near Pinchot Pass. No mosquitos just picture postcard scenery---the Sierra Nevada mountains are magnificent! Camped the last night at Lone Pine Lake then hitched from Whitney Portal to Lone Pine and caught the Crest bus to Bishop (Friday). Stayed at El Rancho motel over the weekend ($50/night), ate at Jacks, visited the Laws RR Museum, and caught the crest bus to Reno Monday to fly home. All in all a most memorable and enjoyable adventure made possible in part by info shared right here on Whiteblaze.
Thanks a million!

[MOWGLI]

Sweet! Mountain Goats? I was hoping to see them. Very nice!

What was your longest day mileage wise? Also, what did you think of Mather Pass?

[jersey joe]

Thanks for sharing garbanz, it really is pretty out there.
I went out to the ansel adams wilderness a few years ago and thought the scenery was to die for.
Here is a link to some of the pics from my trip.
http://www.joealaya.com/sierra/

[rafe]

I'm jealous. I got to spend less than two days on the JMT, back in August. Nice while it lasted. I'll try again in 2010 -- and go for the whole trail.

[TwoForty]

I didn't even know there were mountain goats there! I know there are Bighorn Sheep somewhere around there, but sightings are very very rare.
Sounds like a good trip though. I've never been there in September.

[Phreak]

Do you have any pics? We should have passed at some point on the trail. Doodah Man and I started from Horseshoe Meadows on 9/5 and finished at Happy Isles on 9/20 (9:40am).

[MOWGLI]

I didn't even know there were mountain goats there! I know there are Bighorn Sheep somewhere around there, but sightings are very very rare.
.

I asked a woman who worked for a local land trust in Bishop about the Bighorn Sheep. She said most of them are in the east Sierra off of the JMT. Further east - that is. They are a subspecies that is classified as federally endangered.

[garbanz]

Hey Guys
I posted a few photos from my JMT thru hike one of which has the goat in it. I hiked 21 miles one day --most days were 16-18 miles. The trout were the best I had to eat the entire trip. I Am having putting my photos put in dvd format so I can view them on the big screen.
Garbanz

[Summit]

Nice pics garbanz! I have some of the same ones from my 1977 JMT hike: Forrester Pass (got a marmot by the sign in mine), Sallie Keyes Lakes were beautiful. Brought back a lot of memories looking at them. Thanks for sharing!