JMT 17 day Trip Completed

[JWreno]

Here is the required victory shot showing the completion of the JMT part of the hike. You can see Whitney Portal way down below. My son is on the left, I am next to my wife who is a hell of a good trooper. Yes I am older and heavier than my 2008 avitar picture.

I have done JMT related hikes in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2014. I did the Tahoe Rim trail also in 2009 and an Emigrant Wilderness trip in 2013. I think I will give it a rest for a while. Next trip planned is PCT from Yosemite to I80, next year I hope. We will probably do it in September when things are a little cooler. We will also probably cook dinners for the first time in several years because the days will be shorter and that leaves more time to spend in camp.

I am not fond of the Whitney Peak to Whitney Portal part of the trail. I have only done it 1 other time as a day trip in 1999. The backside of Whitney is a much nicer climb and it is worth starting at Horseshoe Meadows as an alternative northbound starting point. Whitney is easily done as a day hike from Crabtree Meadows without full pack on the 3rd day of a northbound trip. It is much easier to get a Golden Trout Cottonwood pass entry permit than it is out of Happy Isles or Whitney Portal. I wanted to do the traditional southbound JMT trip and we did. The least fun parts of the trip where Happy Isles to Sunrise Creek (too low and hot) and Whitney Peak to Whitney Portal (abusive amount of downhill). Everything else was great. Only other rough day was Middle fork Kings river junction, up over Golden Staircase and Mather pass to above Kern river.

Thanks for looking and I will enjoy your comments.

TopOWhitney.jpg

[Mike M.]

I didn't notice the steel Ibeam holding up the rock work until this year. Is that a recent repair to the trail?

I think that is new. I saw the i-beam up there last year before it was installed -- it had been helicoptered up there the day before I hiked through.

Glad you had such a nice trip!

Mike

[fishmonger]

it was installed mid-August 2013 - here just before install

[Rockyroad]

Nice TR. Funny that foremost on my mind last year during the descent from Whitney's summit to the portal was the burger and fries. I was practically running down the trail since I didn't know what time the cafe closed! Made it with plenty of time to spare.