Introduction
After months of witnessing me prepare – making travel arrangements, researching gear, reading forums, and working out – my wife said I should write a book. I snickered but kept that thought in the back of my mind while on the trail, noting each evening in my tent what worked well and what could have gone better. In conversations with fellow JMT hikers I realized that many experiences were shared and, especially, that many similar mistakes were reoccurring. With my aversion to repeating each other’s mistakes, I decided that this repetition was unnecessary and my wife was – of course – right: passing on the experiences of how to prepare and what worked on the JMT would be of value to most anyone attempting this hike.
That’s the story of how this book came to life. Now, here is the story of what it is about. The JMT is a 211mi/340km trail from Yosemite Valley to the highest point of the continental US, Mt. Whitney. From the top of Mt. Whitney, it is another 11mi/18km to the nearest trailhead at Whitney Portal.
The trail was named after John Muir, a Scottish conservationist and first president of the Sierra Club, a driving force behind this trail and other preservations1. In total, the JMT runs through five of the US’ most picturesque national parks and offers spectacular sceneries of canyons, cliffs, forests, lakes, rivers, peaks and passes of over 14,000ft. It is one of the most renowned and widely recognized as one of the greatest trails in the world.
Finally, here is how I came to hike the JMT. I had just moved to San Diego, California, with a vague idea of wanting to switch careers (i.e., I was not working and had time to spare). One of my best friends, Josh, was on a oneyear sabbatical and looking for an adventure, despite having just walked 450mi/720km along the ancient pilgrimage route Camino de Santiago. He called me one day and asked if I had heard of the JMT. I said no, but looked into it and was stunned. Though I love hiking, I had never camped for more than 3 days in a row. I had consequently never dealt with planning large quantities of light weight food, fitting that food into a bear canister, and how to resupply myself via mail. I was also not familiar with the specifics of the High Sierra, how to treat water, how much of it to carry, and which gear and clothing were appropriate for the conditions. However, my initial concerns were put on hold when I saw pictures of the trail.
After a quick chat with Josh, we decided to go for it. I bought a book, read lots of blogs, several online forums, and the National Parks’ websites. I soon learned that getting a wilderness permit would be the bottle neck, but we got lucky. As I continued my research, I grew more confident. I was gathering lots of answers to my early questions and reading up on trail descriptions. I found that the JMT would be the perfect amount of adventure: it is in remote wilderness areas, but is decently frequented by hikers, has occasional ranger stations and sporadic ins/outs to nearby towns. The more sources I combined, the better my picture of the JMT was and the more capable I felt of the challenge.
Essentially, that is why I wrote this book. I want you to have a clear picture of what to expect on the JMT and how best to prepare yourself. Chapter 2 describes the physical challenges of the trail and gives guidance on estimating the time it will take to complete it. This initial estimate of your trail hiking days allows you to prepare the Long Lead Items of Chapter 3, such as permits and travel plans. Chapter 4 lets you know what to expect regarding weather and trail conditions, campsites, and water. How to prepare for all this physically and logistically is the topic of Chapter 5. Then, Chapter 6 takes a close look at gear options for this High Sierra setting and their correct use. Finally, Chapter 7 offers some personal experiences and anecdotes from Josh’s and my adventure. Additionally, the Appendices provide checklists, elevation profiles, side trip suggestions and more, to round-off your picture of and preparation for the hike.
I hope you will find all the information you need herein and feel confident to hike the JMT.
Happy Trails!