5. Preparation & Planning
Congratulations! If you are still reading, you have not been discouraged by some of the hardship any multi-day backpacking journey may bring. While the remoteness of the JMT provides spectacular sceneries, it also calls for some advanced preparation, but nothing unmanageable. And rest assured that it is worth it – good preparation will make your hike all the more enjoyable, allowing you to fully submerge in the vast, peaceful mountains.
a. Your Itinerary
Macro-Planning
The below flow chart visualizes the first steps in planning your overall trip… To read more, click here
As described in Chapter 3 Long Lead Items, the most important item to secure in advance is a trail permit. In order to know for when to get a permit it is good to know how long you estimate to take for your trip, when would be a good time for you, and when other hiking buddies are available. Most people… To read more, click here
Micro-Planning
In order to have enough food up to and after resupply and make it to the trail’s end in time to catch your bus or rental car, your master itinerary and ETD need to be broken down into specific campsite goals along the trail.
For example,… To read more, click here
Repeat this process of roughly marking and reassessing campsites with the distance-elevation profile and topographic map for each section. When your markings to the distance-elevation profile are final you can transfer the markings into your map, as you will most likely be using this on the trail.
Of course, they will only be approximate campsite locations, but this way you have an excellent measure for staying on track with your macro planning.
Use caution when planning side trips and be sure to factor them in correctly as they will not appear on the distance-elevation profile.
b. Athletic Training
For many readers the JMT will be their greatest adventure to date – and their greatest physical challenge. Don't be afraid to accept the challenge! With a decent level of fitness and the right mindset, you will revel in your accomplishment and soon seek the next.
Hiking Style
In order for you to use your energy efficiently and keep strains to your joints and tendons at a minimum, it is useful to adopt a good hiking style. Be especially conscious about the following three things on the trail: To read more, click here
Trekking Poles
Various forums and literature state that the use of trekking poles may increase your daily distance by up to 25%. Whether or not this is true, they have some definite advantages. When carrying a heavy pack, especially one in which the weight is not evenly distributed, you can easily lose your balance. Having poles secure in the ground gives… To read more, click here
Before taking poles on the JMT it is very useful to try them on a nearby trail to see how they feel. Practice the motion which is a little different from your usual one. If you cannot get comfortable or find that poles cause additional exhaustion, let it be. Especially if you already have problems with your shoulders or wrists, poles may cause unnecessary stress.
Additionally, exercises with light to medium weights are great to strengthen shoulder and back muscles that will be needed for pole use. A good exercise can be done with… To read more, click here
c. Food
This will be the most important chapter to some. And food should not be underestimated in its ability to revive energy and keep spirits up. Looking forward to a good meal is motivational and having it in your tummy lets you fall asleep satisfied. Putting effort into planning and preparing balanced meals with a lot of variety is well worth it. Nothing is worse than knowing you will have to eat something you do not want to.
Here are some guidelines for choosing your food: To read more, click here
Determining how much food to bring has two aspects. Firstly, it is a matter of calories. Your meals should provide… To read more, click here
The following three pages provide some suggestions on which type of food to bring along for breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner: To read more, click here
Despite the suggestions given above, some will choose not to prepare meals at all. We met a 64-year-old on the trail who ate nothing but power bars. He said he was quite content and did not get sick of them in his 15(!) trail days. Others eat a quick cereal bar for breakfast, pack- and warm-up while getting going, thus saving time and gas for a hot breakfast. Some alternate their food strategy depending on the campsite, the arrival time, and the difficulty of the day ahead – nice spots and slow days might invite you to enjoy a nice morning coffee or spend a long evening with celebratory dining. In summary, your food strategy is a matter of your personal preference, the tightness of your schedule, access to food / your resupply strategy, and access to gas.
d. Resupply
All but extreme hikers will need at least one resupply on the JMT. Commonly, bear canisters hold 6-10 days of food, depending on how much food you calculate, and how well you package, compress and pack it. So if your itinerary exceeds the restrictions of the bear canister, sending yourself food and goods to a pick-up destination is a simple remedy.
You have three options for your resupply: To read more, click here