TR - John Muir Trail, 7/2-7/16

[stevet]

End of May I shared http://highsierratopix.com/community/vi ... =1&t=21535, my John Muir Trail hike plan. It’s about time I get around to telling how it went. In short, success.

This was my 2nd JMT thru-hike, this time northbound, and first all trail trek since I hiked the JMT (southbound) in 2009. I hike slower now than then and spent more time on trail to sustain the same daily pace.

Northbound, scenically is quite different than southbound, and I think superior. That could be the newness, as most times I use the JMT I’m heading south. But whichever, a key learning is to stop and look back, in fact look all around. I never know if I’ll get back to a place and I’ve missed so much in my haste.

2nd time round was a very different experience. I had none of the first-time anxieties, hiked for the most part alone but spent more time at stops, and in camp visiting with others, and I think, I saw more.

Route-wise I was not a purist. I started at Horseshoe Meadow over Cottonwood Pass and ended at Happy Isles (well actually Yosemite Village). Day hiked Mt. Whitney, side tripped to VVR, errantly detoured to Duck Lake, took the PCT High Trail from Reds Meadow to Thousand Island Lake, and summited Clouds Rest.

Water along trail was scarce until Wallace Creek, and sources until then quite turbid. At most times I carried and wanted 2 liters at hand.

Mosquitos were generally a 1 or 2 with one exception, the short section where the trail skirts the Wanda Lake shoreline, there they were at the Biblical plague level. Aside from that, three nights they were annoying from around 7-9pm and I wore a head net and used deet around my wrists and ankles. Biting flies were a major nuisance from Franklin Meadow until Senger Creek, and for most of the way from VVR to Goodall “Harassed by Flies” Pass.

Weather overall was great. Moderate temps except for the Franklin Meadow to Senger Creek segment (hot), and just a few rain showers. I used a tarp 3 times for the threat of rain, though only one night (at VVR) were there any showers.

Gear-wise, three standouts. The chrome dome umbrella is awesome, cooler head and constant shade. Used it probably 98% of the hike, packing it only when the wind made it necessary. The Sawyer Micro filter, piece of crap. It clogged the first night pulling water from Upper Rock Creek Lake and was miserable to use for the rest of the trip despite backwashing 2 or 3 times per day. And lastly, my iPhone 12 Pro Max; this is the best electronic gadget I’ve owned. It has plenty of battery life, excellent photo quality, and so intuitively easy I took more than 400 shots.

Find my day-by-day journal notes here https://vennacher.wordpress.com/2021/10 ... rail-2021/, my hike stats here https://1drv.ms/x/s!AuRFCa25NsESgr5Xyts ... Q?e=MSHdhB, my gear list & mini reviews here https://1drv.ms/x/s!AuRFCa25NsESgr5VEof ... Q?e=SrC6Ua, and menu here https://1drv.ms/x/s!AuRFCa25NsESgr5Wtai ... A?e=XrLG3K. Meantime, enjoy a daily pic.

[Wandering Daisy]

Thanks for the link to your detailed trip report. Doing it in 15 days would be really pushing it for me. Interesting that you ran into and hiked/camped with some of the PCT'ers. I agree that many of the younger generation seem to not appreciate wilderness as a value in itself, but are more interested in the challenge of the PCT as well as the social aspect. But we may be not picking up on their appreciation. When I was younger I was into hard core climbing and the backpacking was just a means to get to and from the main objective, which was a climb. But that did not mean I did not appreciate the scenery too. Now I am getting to the age where I cannot backpack all day so usually set up camp around 3PM and then fish, photograph and poke around nooks and crannies without a pack on my back. It is very true that if you want to make the same miles as when younger you have to extend the day and/or really lighten your load. I think those of us over 60 who still backpack have figured out ways to modify our logistics.

A lot of thru-hikes are mainly done south-to-north. Did you choose to do this or was it a permit issue?

I also have a backpack umbrella but have yet to figure out how to use more. I cannot use an umbrella and trekking poles at the same time and I really hate to put the trekking poles on my pack because of the extra weight. Do you think it could be attached to the pack somehow?

I used to do a lot of trips with a bivy sack. Even though tents are now lighter, I still like the bivy because you can set up about anywhere and within a few minutes of finding a spot, you can be inside the bivy. Really is efficient.

It looks like you had a really good trip.

[rormisto]

Thanks for the TR-- wonderful blog post and photography, too. I also went NOBO at nearly the same cadence as you, and found the scenery and overall flow more pleasant. The ending in Yosemite, like you said, was maybe a better bookend for the experience I wanted-- particularly with Cloud's Rest thrown in. Sounds like we had similar trips! However, I've never had anything but bad weather in Evolution-- your photos make me more interested in trying again.

On gear, agreed that the Micro is kind of garbage. I'm about to ask a lot of it this week, because I never learn. Maybe I'll go BeFree next time.

I also think the outlook in the Sierra seems to have shifted from a sense of wonder to an athletic challenge. There's always both, and they both have their place, and can coexist, but it does surprise me when people look around from the summit of Whitney and see only challenges. Daisy has a great point in that maybe the enthusiasm/mindfulness is just iterated differently.

Daisy, I've been running into the same predicament with umbrellas. I've seen DIY velcro situations where velcro is installed to the umbrella handle with the other half on one shoulder strap. Gossamer gear also sells one here.

[stevet]

Indeed it was a good trip. And despite the long days, the relaxed (for me) pace made the miles quite pleasant. Only the section from the Bubbs Creek junction to the Charlotte Lake junction felt hard, and this, I think, because I came off Forester Pass too fast.

I agree that many of the younger generation seem to not appreciate wilderness as a value in itself, but are more interested in the challenge of the PCT as well as the social aspect. But we may be not picking up on their appreciation.

Life did look different and my motivations were different in my 20's than now, and I had to catch myself from being too judgmental. All, the crowd on Mt. Whitney, the 40 some odd teenagers, everyone it seemed was having a great time doing whatever they were doing.

I chose my start point/direction due to permitting challenges. The lotteries were not kind to me. My first wish was to hike Yosemite to Mt. Whitney and "ease" into it, but having done it both ways now, I liked the northbound better, and the Horseshoe Meadow over Cottonwood Pass entry was a breeze even with the heavy pack.

For the umbrella, I attach it to my shoulder straps with bungees and cordlocks. This video shows the basic idea. https://youtu.be/nMZImh7a5k0 Where I deviate is using heavier duty bungies, putting the handle under the sternum strap, and cinching the wrist cord of the umbrella around the sternum strap. This I find this better stabilizes the umbrella and the wrist cord keeps it from slipping down. This pic clip shows my setup.

Screenshot 2021-10-10 183106.png

It does cast the umbrella off to the side, so I switch from right to left shoulder strap depending on sun direction.

And WD, I like the bivy for the reasons you indicate. When the weather is good it takes just minutes and fits in the tiniest of places.

rormisto, glad you had a successful hike. Bad weather does make it hard to enjoy the views. But about that northbound thing, Evolution Valley into Evolution Basin is one of those must go both ways sections. Northbound, descending Muir Pass until the tipoff into Evolution Valley, and southbound, from the Evolution Creek crossing and up through the 3 meadows are both breathtakingly beautiful. And though you can look behind, nothing can replace the 2-3 hours of "looking at."

[Flamingo]

Thanks for posting @stevet -- I enjoyed reading your journals, and your photos are great!

[stevet]

Glad you enjoyed it Flamingo. I've enjoyed reading about your week-ish long "mostly off-trail" routes.

I like, and generally plan mostly off-trail routes. Look a bit more deeply at my blog, or even on highsierratopix, and you'll find write-ups of those adventures. I like off-trail as it gets me into places, and frames of mind, where I feel like a real explorer. So different than 'on trail' hikes.

And I'll go back to off-trail routes next summer. But God willing, sometime in my mid-70's I'll tackle the JMT yet again.

[LMBSGV]

I really enjoyed looking at the lovely photos and reading about your journey. I also enjoyed your commentary on the people and places along the way. You gave me a real sense of what it was like. Thanks for sharing!