High Sierra Topix

wildhiker wrote:I used to use the old "TOPO!" program on my Mac, until it stopped working on newer versions of MacOS.

I wonder why yours died? My copy still works.
I have TOPO! 4.6.0 and macOS Sierra 10.12.6.
It doesn't work all that well but then it never did.

I don't think it's useful to map out your itinerary. It's not required in the Sierra, not yet anyway. And having freedom to go long or do a short day is part of what makes the Sierra so much nicer than places where you have to be at a set place each night.

I would just divide the total miles by what you think an average daily mileage would be. Do that for miles between resupplies to calculate food needs and total miles for vacation days needed.

If you're just trying to figure out what to enter into the application form, don't worry, they won't hold you to it. You can pretty much put in any itinerary you want, even totally ridiculous ones. It doesn't matter.

A set-in-stone itinerary is different than a detailed route plan. The route plan simiply gives you estimated travel times between points, which is very useful when making last-minute decisions. For example, you are at the base of Forrester Pass, it is 4PM, should you go over or stay put? Knowing how long it is to the next campsite (flat ground and water) is useful. This avoids getting into camp after dark, and exhausted. Personally I really cherish my camp experience as much as the hiking, so I want plenty of time to really enjoy the late afternoon and evening. On-the-fly planning may be OK for those of us who really know the Sierra, but I think those unfamiliar with the Sierra are well served by a detailed route plan, not necessarily one that specifies exact campsites each night, which as stated, is not needed for a permit.

To each their own. I think a little time looking at the map each night is sufficient for the JMT, even if you've never been to the Sierra. Water and campsites are plentiful. Sure, you need to plan for something like a high pass, especially if the weather is funky. But that's sort of obvious.

Working out all of the distance details yourself might be worthwhile exercise but it isn't necessary. There's a comprehensive guidebook and also phone apps that will do it for you. There's an overabundance of information.

I just noticed something.

According to HST I'm a "Topix Expert". That makes it sound like I know what I'm talking about but I suspect it really just means that I've been talking for a long time. Daisy has more posts than me and is a "Topix Junkie". I don't think that has as nice a connotation.

It would be better if we could choose our own experience descriptions. Mine would be: "Just Another Dumbs**t".