John Muir Trail Without a Resupply?

[Lumbergh21]

I am not clear on how 6 days in a BV 450 indicates you can get 11 days in a BV500 unless the BV450 was considerably under-packed. Is the BV 500 the largest one? I have put 11 days food in it, without toothpaste, etc "smellies". But I was able to get those items inside, after the 2nd day. Once my fishing stuff fits, it too goes inside. Otherwise outside the tent. Not sure that really matters because I smell like a fish anyway.

Yes, the BV500 is the largest Bear Vault. It is 60% larger than the BV450, which is why my calorie intake per day would drop by a little from my normal. Plus the first day's food wouldn't need to go in the cannister, so only 10 days in the canister.

[Harlen]

Lumbergh21 wrote:

I was struck with an idea, a challenge even, a couple of weeks ago that seemed a little crazy... hike the JMT without a resupply. Given the folly of such an idea, I thought it belonged in the wild west of the forums, The Campfire.

Great topic, and I've enjoyed all the ideas. Like Paul, I've gone from half planning to do it --the JMT that is, to deciding on a more troublesome, but very appealing challenge to just wander as much off-trail as I could, perhaps beginning at Road's End, up Deadman or Cloud, over into the wild Kern, go all around, maybe down and around the point of Red Spur, up Big Arroyo... side trips into Milestone, Kaweah, and other basins, and back some other weird way. But the JMT fast would be cool too. Thanks for the great topic L21.

[zacjust32]

I did Cottonwood Pass to Red's Meadow in 7(?) days (before being smoked out) with a BearVault 500 and an auxillary food bag I stored in bear boxes the first 2 days. I had enough food for the extra 2 days to get me to TM. It's definitely doable if you are up for it.

[erutan]

I met someone from the east coast who was trail running it in 9 days with a baseweight of 9lbs because resupplies were cheating.

He was taking it easy as the first time he did it in 7 days, ate ~5000 calories a day (peanut m&ms and protein shakes four times a day, pouch meal for dinner), shivered at night in his hammock with a 40f bag wearing all his clothes, and had hallucinations the last day due to 15lbs of weight loss.

Obviously an extreme example, and a feat I'm physically incapable of, but also not one I'd ever choose to attempt.