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Home , John Muir, John Muir Trail

JMT Logistics When: Start Late July to Late August 2021 (finish by mid-September)

National Parks: Yosemite, Kings Canyon, Sequoia; Other: Devils Postpile National Monument; ; Wilderness. 47,000 ft elevation gain; 38,000 elevation loss. 213.7 miles + 10.6 to Whitney Portal + 7 to 21 miles for resupply

Permit: apply 169 days advance to enter lottery; Separate Half-Dome Permit. (Wilderness permits office open 8 to 5; pick up day before or by 10 a.m day of (or cancelled)

Ground Transportation Shuttles and Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System (YARTS): • Hiker shuttle to (Yosemite Shuttle) • YARTS: Mammoth Lakes (Depart 6:45 & 8:30 am) – arrive Lee Vining (7:45 & 9:30 am) – arrive Tuolumne Meadows (8:42 & 10:27 am) and Yosemite Valle Visitors Center (10:32 & 12:17 pm) • YARTS: Fresno airport to : 6:18 am to 10:02; 8:12 am to 12:07pm; 12:50 pm to 4:45 pm

Lodging: Night before start: Reservations start 366 days in advance • Yosemite Valley Lodge (1 mile from visitors center; ~$280) or backpackers campground ($6; no reservation required, 1 night before and/or after)

Gear: Bear Canister-Can rent at Yosemite or from manufacturer

Resupply: Ship packages at least 3 weeks ahead in 3-5 gallon buckets • Tuolumne Meadows store (Mile 24; Hold at no charge; closes 8pm); Eat at Grill (closes 7pm) • Red’s Meadow Resort (Mile 60; hold for a fee; limited food to purchase); Serve Bkfst (7-11 am; lunch 11am – 7pm); can also take bus to Mammoth Lakes to resupply (if zero day planned; can shop at grocery store or pick up at post office) • VVR (Mile 88; 1.5 mile hike then boat ride: 9:45 am or 4:45 pm; Hold boxes for a fee; lodging (hostel or free camping), laundry and restaurant; can camp for free outside restaurant) • Muir Ranch (mile 110; 2 miles off trail; hold boxes for a fee; restaurant, tent-cabins for rent) • Kearsarge Pass to Onion Valley (mile 180; 14 miles round trip; Mt Williamson Motel and Base Camp; $75 fee if no reservation or to Independence Post Office) • Can hire resupply by horse pack ( area) or Kearsarge Pass Area: Sequoia Kings Pack Train at [email protected]. (Expensive ~$400) • Bear Boxes: Woods Creek Crossing, Arrowhead Lake, Middle Rae Lake, and more

Options for Section : (need relevant wilderness permits) 1. Happy Iles to Tuolumne: 24 miles, 1-2 nights (Side trips to Half-Dome and ) 2. Tuolumne to Reds Meadow/Devils Postpile: 34.5 miles, 2 nights (can link with above) 3. Reds Meadow/Devils Postpile to VVR (VVR Shuttle to Fresno): 30 miles (can link w/ above) 4. Bishop Pass Trailhead at South Lake to Onion Valley Trailhead: 65 miles,  5 days 5. Kearsarge Pass to Whitney Portal: 49 miles,  5 days 6. For more options, see link above and Hiking the JMT

Special Rules: • Mt. Whitney Area: pack out solid human waste between Guitar Lake & Whitney Portal - deposit in designated containers next to the restrooms at Whitney Portal trailhead. Pick up Waste kits with permit or at Crabtree Ranger Station Junction. Pack out trash & TP for entire trail. • No bear spray allowed -Yosemite, Sequoia, Kings Canyon. • All wilderness areas along the JMT - campsites must be on durable surfaces such as dirt, gravel, or rock a minimum of 100 feet (30 meters/40 paces) from water sources and the trail. Do not camp on vegetation or in meadows. Campsites should not be visible from the trail. Use legal existing sites where possible. Do not construct rock walls, trenches, new fire rings (or add rocks to existing fire rings), bough beds, camp furniture, etc.

POSSIBLE ITINERARY (Clever Hiker)

• Day 1 - to Sunrise Creek 7.8 miles; 4035 to 9320 [Option to climb ]

• Day 2 - *Lower Cathedral Lake 9.7 miles; 9320 to 9700 [Cathedral Pass 9703]

• Day 3 - Tuolumne Meadow 7.1 miles; 9700 to 8750 [Resupply – mile 24; Can exit trail here]

• Day 4 - *Tarn Below Donahue Pass 10.9 miles; 8750 to ~9800

• Day 5 - *Garnet Lake 11.1 miles; 9700 to 9800 ( 11050, Island Pass 10205)

• Day 6 - Red’s Meadow 12.4 miles; 9800 to 7700 [Resupply – mile 60; Can bus to Mammoth Lakes and resupply]

• Day 7 - Red’s Meadow 0 (overnight)

• Day 8 - *Lake Virginia 16.3 miles; 7700 to 10340

• Day 9 - Just Past Bridge 12.6 miles; 10340 to 8000 (Silver Pass 10880) [Resupply; Can hike 1.5 miles to boat launch to Vermillion Valley Resort (VVR) ]

• Day 10 - Marie Lake 11.5 miles; 8000 to 10550

• Day 11 - Muir Trail Ranch 7.5 miles; 10550 to 7790 (Selden Pass 10880) [Resupply]

• Day 12 - Muir Trail Ranch 0 (camp for the night)

• Day 13 - Near Ranger Station in McClure Meadow 11.8; 7790 to 9660

• Day 14 - Medium Lake 13.1 miles; 9660 to 9200 ( 11955)

• Day 15 - Deer Meadow 12.2 miles;9200 to 10000

• Day 16 - Junction 15.3 miles; 10000 to 10200 (Mather Pass 12100)

• Day 17 - *Middle Rae Lake 16 miles; 10200 to 10500 (Pinchot Pass 12130) [About 4.5 miles past , can exit through Kearsarge pass to Onion Valley for Resupply]

• Day 18 - Near Glenn Pass (Center Basin Creek) 10 miles; 10500 to 10630 ( 11978)

• Day 19 - Near (Wright Creek) 12.8 miles; 10630 to 10800 (Forester Pass 13180)

• Day 20 - *Guitar Lake 7.3 Miles; 10800 to 11500

• Day 21 - Whitney Zone (Outpost Camp) 9.8 miles; 11500 [Mt Whitney 14505]

• Day 22 - Whitney Portal 3.8 miles ~8400

*Particularly scenic camp spots

Additional Resources • Clever Hiker has the best overall description of the JMT • PCT Association Descriptions of JMT sections • Backpacker Magazine: Describes JMT sections and provides advice on related issues • Greenbelly: Interactive map + planning resources • Outside Magazine: Advice on what it takes and useful tactics • JMT Book, Wilderness Press • Nice Blog, Description of a couples JMT

JMT Documentaries/Vlogs on Youtube • Journey on the JMT (~1 hour) • JMT – One Man’s Walk (38 min; Nicely Done) • John Muir Documentary (22 min; Service) • Bigfoots 10 Things I would have changed on my JMT hike (min 12:50 shows my camp spot on Rae Lakes) • Dreams Do Come True (Ladies, even those in mid- or later-life) can make it and have fun!

Books by and/or about John Muir

JMT 2021