JMT: N2S or S2N?

[maverick]

I like N2S for the same reason people mentioned earlier.
I used Muir Ranch to resupply both times.
My preference would be to exit over Cottonwood or New Army Pass instead of
hiking with the masses at Whitney, but if this is your first time then you want to
do the JMT from end to finish.
By the way I did both hikes one from the Valley to Whitney and the other from
Tuolumne Meadow to Horseshoe Meadow driving up to the ranger station and
getting a permit.

[sierranomad]

... but if this is your first time then you want to
do the JMT from end to finish.

Yes. In a way it's silly for me to start at YV (being that I've hiked from YV to TM so many times already). But, my first time, I do want to do the entire trail in one outing.

Really looking forward to it...got the Tom Harrison map pack and Elizabeth Wenk book in the mail today.

Thanks for your tips everyone!

[BSquared]

If you're into spreadsheeting and trip planning (I am, but mostly as a way to fantasize about the upcoming trip ), you might be interested to know that the tables of mileages and locations of junctions and campsites in Wenk's book are available online at http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/data/EWenk_JMT.htm. I did find one error: there are two different locations for Island Pass, about 5 miles apart; the second entry appears to be the correct one.

I think the leg from Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne Meadows is one of the most beautiful parts of the trail, so of course you should start there! Vernal Fall, Nevada Fall, Mt. Clark, Starr King, the Echo Peaks, Cathedral Peak... Yum!

Enjoy!

-B2

[The Other Tom]

Hey B^2, thanks for posting the link. Now I have something to do this winter

[sierranomad]

Thank you for the link!