Planning a thru-hike could be simply as daunting as really mountain climbing an extended distance path. Fortuitously, each duties are greatest tackled the identical means: one step at a time. That will help you make your John Muir Path desires come true, we’ve put collectively a step-by-step information to take you from daydreaming about mountain climbing the JMT to really doing it.
John Muir Path Fundamentals
The John Muir Path is a 211-mile footpath that begins in Yosemite Valley and runs south alongside the crest of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Vary to the highest of Mount Whitney, the best level within the decrease 48 states. Curiously, the path’s namesake, John Muir, by no means really hiked the JMT; the path’s building started in 1915, the yr after his dying. It was constructed atop a community of historical footpaths laid down by the Paiute and different Indigenous folks for hundreds of years known as Nüümü Poyo, or the Folks’s Paths.
California’s Sierra Nevada mountains are one of many world’s most lovely and rugged mountain ranges, made up of glittering granite that has been uplifted by plate tectonics and sculpted by glaciers. The JMT crosses a few of the Sierra’s highest and most distant terrain. For almost all of your journey, you’ll haven’t any cell service and also you’ll cross no roads. The path crosses a number of wilderness areas and three nationwide parks: Yosemite, Kings Canyon, and Sequoia.
- Whole distance: 211 miles from Yosemite Valley to the highest of Mount Whitney, plus 11 miles right down to the Whitney Portal trailhead
- Days wanted: 18-22
- Trailhead begin: Completely happy Isles in Yosemite Nationwide Park (Southbound), Horseshoe Meadow or Cottonwood Lakes/Cross (Northbound)
- Finest time to hike: July – September, relying on snowpack
- Whole elevation acquire/loss: 47,000 ft acquire/38,000 ft loss (Southbound)
- Permits: Required and really aggressive
- Issue: Strenuous and logistically difficult
- Canine allowed: No
- Cell service: Uncommon
Finest Time Of 12 months To Hike the JMT
The JMT is a excessive summer time path, and the very best time to hike it’s usually mid-July by early September to keep away from prodigious snowfall and avalanches within the winter and harmful creek crossings within the spring. Nonetheless, the JMT mountain climbing season is closely influenced by the winter snowfall within the Japanese Sierra.
In low snow years, it could be potential to hike the JMT beginning in June and into mid-October. However early and late season hikers ought to have important snow journey expertise and be ready for sudden adjustments in climate.
In June, hikers could encounter snow on the excessive mountain passes, necessitating snow security gear like microspikes and an ice ax, in addition to sturdy navigational abilities when the path disappears below snow.
Throughout the fleeting summer time months (July and August), mosquitoes and biting flies could be legion, due to the plentiful water discovered alongside the path. Positively deliver a head web, bug spray, and a tent with mosquito netting.
On excessive snow years, creek crossings could stay harmful all through the summer time. Trekking poles, sturdy mountain climbing boots, and a associate may help make crossings safer. In September and October, hikers could encounter snowstorms and frigid in a single day temperatures however will encounter fewer bugs.
How Lengthy Does It Take To Hike The JMT?
With nonstop Ansel Adams-worthy views, plentiful swimming holes, and once-in-a-lifetime facet journeys round each nook, the JMT is an expertise greatest savored. Below the load of a ~35-pound pack, with appreciable elevation acquire and loss, you’d be hard-pressed to hurry by this path anyway.
On the whole, backpackers can anticipate to cowl round 10 miles a day so most individuals will hike the JMT’s 211 miles in 18 to 22 days. After all, it’s potential to cowl the space a lot quicker, however the higher query to ask is: how lengthy can I afford to spend on the JMT? When you’re going to undergo the difficulty of mountain climbing one of many world’s best mountain climbing trails, why not dedicate as a lot time as potential to exploring the route?
Once I hiked the JMT NOBO in 2020, I took 27 days to hike over 300 miles. The additional miles got here from the quite a few facet journeys I took off the JMT hall to discover the numerous lake basins and summits that may solely be accessed from the JMT. When BFT Founder Kristen hiked the JMT again in 2014, she took 22 days and hiked roughly 240 miles.
JMT Path Issue
Mile for mile, the John Muir Path is among the most epic mountain climbing trails on Earth. However you’ll be incomes all these views with plenty of sweat and perhaps just a few tears (hopefully no blood!). The path follows the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountains, not often dipping beneath 10,000 toes of elevation.
To cross this hovering mountain vary you’ll must climb. Over the course of 211 miles, you’ll acquire over 47,000 toes of elevation, together with climbs over eight main mountain passes: Donohue, Silver, Selden, Muir, Mather, Pinchot, Glen, and Forester, the best go, at 13,153 toes. In between the passes you’ll be traversing throughout spectacular lake basins the place you’re by no means removed from water and the place the very best campsites are often discovered.
Altitude illness is an actual risk on the path, however you may assist mitigate its results by coaching on your hike, staying well-hydrated and nourished, and giving your physique time to regulate. By beginning in Yosemite and mountain climbing the path south you’ll have a number of weeks to work your means as much as the path’s excessive level on prime of Mount Whitney at 14,505 toes. That is the official finish of the path, however you’ll then must descend 11 miles, down 6,600 toes to Whitney Portal to finish your hike (making the grand complete 222 miles, not counting facet journeys).
The numbers could be intimidating however the actuality is the JMT is so spectacularly lovely, so effectively trodden, marked, and maintained, with plentiful water and campsites that really mountain climbing the path is a backpacker’s dream. With satisfactory planning, coaching, and preparation, you’ll be setting off for the best hike of your life.
Which Path Ought to You Hike the JMT?
Historically, the JMT begins in Yosemite Valley, on the Completely happy Isles trailhead, and runs for 211 miles south to the grand finale on the summit of Mount Whitney.
The principle benefit of going Southbound, or SOBO, is that you just begin at a decrease elevation, which provides your legs and lungs time to regulate to mountain climbing at altitude earlier than you deal with the best passes en path to Mount Whitney. Resupply logistics are additionally just a little simpler mountain climbing SOBO, as you’ll be capable of mail resupply packing containers to Pink’s Meadow and Muir Path Ranch and take care of the trickier logistics of the extra distant southern portion of the path later in your journey. Nonetheless, getting permits to go SOBO could be tough. In truth, Yosemite wilderness permits are a few of the most sought-after permits within the Nationwide Park system.
Round 20% of JMT thru-hikers elect to hike Northbound, or NOBO. Nonetheless, getting a allow to start out from Whitney Portal can also be tough, as you’re competing towards individuals who need to hike Mount Whitney, the best mountain within the decrease 48. And also you’ll should deal with an enormous 6,600 foot climb up Whitney in the beginning of your hike, in addition to a few of the highest passes within the first week.
Resupply choices are additionally few and much between within the southern third of the path, often requiring important facet journeys. You’ll have to determine your resupply plan between Muir Path Ranch and Mount Whitney whether or not you’re mountain climbing NOBO or SOBO however it will probably really feel simpler to deal with this in the direction of the tip of your hike slightly than firstly.
How To Get John Muir Path Permits
Earlier than you do the rest, you’ll must surmount the only hardest impediment in planning a JMT thru-hike: getting a allow. I received’t sugarcoat it: JMT permits are akin to Golden Tickets. In keeping with the Nationwide Park Service, 97% of JMT allow functions are denied, however there are just a few ideas and tips that may assist improve your possibilities of getting a allow.
On a thru-hike of the JMT, you’ll go by three Nationwide Parks and a number of other totally different wilderness areas and Nationwide Forests. Fortuitously, you solely want one allow, which can cowl your whole hike. It’s not really a JMT allow; slightly it’s based mostly in your beginning trailhead. So in case you begin your hike in Yosemite, you want a allow from Yosemite Nationwide Park. When you begin in Inyo Nationwide Forest, you want a allow from Inyo Nationwide Forest.
When making use of for a SOBO allow from Yosemite Nationwide Park, there are two foremost trailheads: Completely happy Isles and Lyell Canyon. If you apply for both of those permits, you’ll additionally want to pick out “Donohue Cross Eligible” to be able to exit Yosemite Nationwide Park over Donohue Cross to proceed south on the JMT. Yosemite Nationwide Park solely points 45 wilderness permits for Donohue Cross per day. Of those, 20 can be found for the Completely happy Isles to Previous LYV (Donohue Cross eligible) trailhead and 25 can be found for permits utilizing the Lyell Canyon (Donohue Cross eligible) trailhead.
By far probably the most coveted permits are these issued by Yosemite Nationwide Park to start out on the Completely happy Isles trailhead, in addition to these issued by Inyo Nationwide Forest to start out on the Whitney Portal trailhead. However whereas these are the standard beginning factors for SOBO and NOBO hikes, respectively, they aren’t the one choices.
On my 2020 NOBO trek, I began from the Horseshoe Meadow trailhead, 28 path miles south of Mount Whitney, to keep away from the competitors at Whitney Portal.
For allow deadlines and extra data on learn how to apply, try our submit on How To Apply for a Southbound JMT allow.
As annoying and discouraging as permits and trailhead quotas could be, they’re needed to guard the path and the standard of the wilderness expertise. If everyone who needed to hike the JMT in July and August had been allowed to go, the mountains could be overrun with folks, and the paths, campsites, and water sources could be rapidly degraded.
Do NOT be tempted to hike with out a allow! The JMT crosses tons of of miles of distant wilderness, however it’s actively patrolled by backcountry park rangers. I had my Inyo Nationwide Forest allow checked 3 times, as soon as in Kings Canyon Nationwide Park and twice in Yosemite. I additionally met a gaggle of 4 younger hikers from Seattle who had been ending their JMT hike early as a result of they didn’t have a allow and received caught by a ranger and had been dealing with steep fines in the event that they continued. Flaunting allow guidelines may get you banned from future allow lotteries.
How To Get To the JMT
Whether or not you hike the JMT SOBO or NOBO, you’ll be ending your hike tons of of miles out of your place to begin. There are just a few methods to get to and from the beginning and ending trailheads of your hike, relying on whether or not you’ve got your personal automobile or can be counting on rides or on public transportation.
In case you have your personal automobile, it’s greatest to park it at your ending trailhead and get a experience or take public transportation to the beginning of the hike. That means you may finish triumphantly at your automobile and drive your self to a victory meal and a scorching bathe. A lot of the trailheads within the Sierra permit for long-term parking however examine with the native ranger station and allow them to know your dates of journey.
When you plan on taking public transportation in the beginning or end of your hike, understand that the choices are typically simpler in Yosemite, which is serviced by YARTS: Yosemite Space Regional Transportation System. Scenic Freeway 395, which runs alongside the jap facet of the Sierra, is serviced by Japanese Sierra Transit buses and the small cities alongside 395 are typically very adept at catering to hikers, with a number of personal shuttle corporations choices based mostly in Mammoth, Bishop, Independence, and Lone Pine.
Hitchhiking from the assorted trailheads into city can also be widespread apply and you may often get a experience with a fellow hiker or day tripper in trade for tales of your epic journey (and perhaps a couple of dollars for gasoline). Not everyone is comfy with this feature, however in case you belief your intestine, hitchhiking is usually a enjoyable a part of your mountain climbing journey.
For more information on which cities to fly into, a breakdown of the assorted public transportation choices, in addition to route and speak to data for bus and shuttle corporations, try our submit on John Muir Path Transportation Information and Planning Suggestions.
Planning Your JMT Itinerary
If you apply on your JMT allow, you will have to know your beginning date, ending date, and the place you intend to spend your first night time on the JMT. After you have your allow, it’s tempting to need to plan out the place you’ll spend each night time in between, however it’s additionally necessary to remain versatile. When you’re on path, a mess of things (climate, altitude acquire, out there campsites, fellow hikers) will have an effect on what number of miles you cowl every day.
On common, most individuals will hike round 10 to fifteen miles a day. The JMT is blessed with plentiful campsites and plentiful water sources, so don’t stress an excessive amount of about discovering a campsite every night time. Even when the tent websites close by of the path are all taken, you’re more likely to discover many extra inside a half mile of the path.
All the time observe Depart No Hint rules and choose established campsites on sturdy surfaces. By no means set your tent up on prime of fragile vegetation – particularly within the alpine zone – and don’t camp inside 200 toes of water sources.
Mountaineering the JMT entails gaining and dropping appreciable elevation up and over quite a few high-altitude passes. The very best technique for tackling these passes is to camp close to the bottom the night time earlier than so you may hike the go very first thing within the morning when your legs are recent and the climate is probably the most secure. Tenting at or close to the highest of passes isn’t often an ideal concept as a consequence of excessive winds, unpredictable climate, and frigid nighttime temperatures at altitude.
You’ll additionally must plan out the place you’ll decide up your resupply packing containers alongside the way in which, which we’ll cowl beneath.
When you’re interested in what a pattern JMT itinerary seems like, try Kristen’s 3 Week John Muir Path Itinerary, the place she highlights the very best viewpoints, campsites, swimming holes, and extra throughout her 22-day hike.
What To Eat on the John Muir Path
On the JMT, you’ll spend round three weeks on path, removed from eating places and grocery shops so you will have to pack or mail your self all of your meals for 20-plus days of strenuous mountain climbing. You’ll doubtless be ravenously hungry in your hike, however in fact, you may’t deliver infinite meals, as you will have to hold it in your again and match it into an accredited bear canister every night time to maintain critters out of your valuable meals stash.
For every day on the JMT, you’ll need to deliver breakfast, lunch, and dinner, plus plenty of snacks! There’s plenty of data on-line in regards to the staggering quantity of energy burned whereas backpacking (over 500 energy an hour!), however until you’re actually into calorie counting in your each day life, it’s not essential to get too slowed down by numbers when planning a backpacking journey. As a simple rule of thumb, purpose to deliver round 2 to 2.5 kilos of meals per particular person per day which needs to be round 3,000 to 4,000 energy per day.
When looking for the JMT, hunt down calorically dense meals that may be repackaged neatly into ziplock luggage. You need the best amount of energy and vitamins within the smallest and lightest package deal to maximise the worth of every meals merchandise. Don’t purchase something low calorie or low fats.
Additionally bear in mind, you’ll have to carry your trash for at the very least per week so that you don’t need meals which can be messy or smelly.
Retailer-bought dehydrated meals have gotten more and more higher by way of each style and high quality components with a number of corporations making natural meals that cater to an array of dietary restrictions. Within the curiosity of saving area in your bear canister and reducing down on trash, you’ll must repackage these meals into ziplocks. It’s cleaner and extra environment friendly to reheat dehydrated meals in an insulated pot with an insulating cozy than within the foil luggage.
Professional Tip: divide store-bought meals into a number of servings and add further dehydrated veggies (these could be purchased in bulk), a protein similar to a tuna packet or salami, and an immediate grain like couscous or rice to make an satisfactory portion. One of many best methods so as to add further energy is to deliver a plastic container of olive oil and add a tablespoon or two to every meal.
For extra ideas and recipes go to our John Muir Path Meals Procuring Listing and Finest Light-weight Vegan Backpacking Meals.
How To Resupply on the John Muir Path
One of many largest logistical challenges of the JMT is determining learn how to resupply your meals alongside the way in which. You’ll spend a lot of the path’s 200-plus miles immersed in wilderness, removed from grocery shops and eating places so that you’ll must mail your self a number of resupply packages alongside the way in which. The most typical resupply spots on the JMT (listed SOBO) are:
- Pink’s Meadow (mile 60.8)
- Vermillion Valley Report (mile 88.1 plus 12 mile facet journey off JMT or ferry boat experience)
- Muir Path Ranch (mile 106.1)
- Bishop Cross trailhead/ Bishop (mile 136.2 plus 23.6 mile spherical journey facet journey off JMT)
- Onion Valley trailhead/ Independence (mile 180.3 plus 15 mile facet journey off JMT)
Most JMT hikers will benefit from the Pink’s Meadow and Muir Path Ranch reservices, as they’re each positioned a brief distance from the JMT. Each of those require mailing a few week’s value of meals in a field or 5-gallon bucket, at the very least two weeks earlier than you start your hike. Each Pink’s Meadow and Muir Path Ranch have very particular directions for learn how to pack and mail your resupply on their respective web sites and extra data could be present in our weblog submit How To Resupply on the John Muir Path.
You’ll doubtless additionally want to rearrange a 3rd resupply within the southern portion of the path, as there are 117 miles of path to hike between MTR and Whitney Portal. At a median backpacking tempo of 10 miles a day, this part will take at the very least 11 days. Some folks can hike quick sufficient and stretch their meals provide to keep away from this third resupply however this isn’t really useful as you undoubtedly don’t need to really feel rushed or low on energy in the direction of the tip of your hike.
The higher plan is to rearrange for a meals drop at Onion Valley trailhead or one of many different facet trails that department off the JMT. The draw back is that these will all require important facet journeys. For instance, Onion Valley is a 15-mile spherical journey detour, however it’s additionally spectacularly lovely with many wonderful tenting choices alongside the way in which. There are additionally just a few backcountry outfitters who will meet you on the JMT together with your resupply, carried in type by pack mule. These choices are usually costly however could be made extra cheap by splitting the service with a number of different hikers.
For tons extra ideas, tips, and data about strategizing, packing, and mailing your resupplies to the assorted resupply factors on the JMT, learn How To Resupply on the John Muir Path and John Muir Path Meals Procuring Listing.
Bears & Meals Storage
For a lot of hikers, the potential for encountering bears is among the scariest components of planning a JMT hike. However the actuality is that with so many different folks on path, you’ll be fortunate to identify a bear in its pure habitat. On the whole, bears and different wildlife favor to keep away from shut contact with people and the JMT is a veritable superhighway by the wilderness.
Nonetheless, every year just a few intelligent Sierra bears be taught to affiliate folks and campsites with meals, often when persons are careless about leaving meals unattended or unsecured in camps or automobiles. This may be very harmful, particularly for the bears. A fed bear is usually tragically a lifeless bear.
To maintain bears away from human meals, all hikers on the John Muir Path are required to hold an accredited bear canister. These sturdy plastic or steel containers are the one confirmed technique to preserve bears from accessing meals within the Excessive Sierra, the place bears are adept climbers and tall bushes are uncommon.
You should buy your bear canister or lease one from ranger stations for a small charge. Ursacks and Opsacks aren’t acceptable options on the JMT. Backcountry rangers will examine that you’ve a canister once they examine your allow.
Whereas mountain climbing, you may preserve snacks accessible in pockets of your backpack however in camp, all meals, trash, and scented objects want to suit inside your canister, together with toiletries like toothpaste and lotions. Hold a clear camp! Don’t depart meals or scented objects out in case you’re not within the act of consuming them. At night time, the locked canister needs to be positioned at the very least 50 toes out of your tent, in a location the place it’s not simply kicked off a cliff or right into a creek. Bear canisters are designed to be too cumbersome for bears to choose up or carry away however they’ll generally roll the canister round a bit.
When you do see a bear on path, preserve calm, converse to the bear to allow them to establish you as human and provides them as a lot area as potential. By no means method or observe a bear or make it really feel cornered. If a bear comes into your camp, chase it away by yelling and banging your pot! Get mad. Scold it prefer it’s a foul canine. Don’t let it suppose it’s welcome to discover your camp. If the bear doesn’t depart, or even when it does, take into account transferring to a different location or teaming up with fellow campers. Black bears aren’t usually a menace to folks, and are often dissuaded by a number of folks all yelling on the bear to go away.
What To Pack on the John Muir Path
In relation to packing for backpacking, much less is extra: the much less weight you deliver, the extra you’ll take pleasure in your journey. There’s nothing worse than struggling below the burden of a too heavy backpack, particularly on a multi week hike just like the JMT.
Earlier than my JMT thru-hike, my mountain climbing associate and I sat down with all of our gear and a kitchen scale, weighed out every thing, and entered all of it right into a spreadsheet. Seeing the numbers damaged down by merchandise actually helped shave off just a few kilos. I traded out my trusty (however heavy) Osprey pack for a a lot lighter Granite Gear Blaze 60 pack, lightening my load by almost 2 kilos.
That may not sound like a lot, however whenever you’re carrying weight for over 300 miles, each ounce counts! By the point I hit the path, I had whittled my base weight right down to 22 kilos, not together with meals and water. So even totally stocked with 8 days of meals, my longest meals carry between resupplies, my pack nonetheless weighed below 40 kilos.
When you can afford to spend money on some new gear, do your analysis and be very selective about what you purchase. Gear know-how and improvements have actually accelerated in the previous few years and there are many light-weight choices for backpacking tents, sleeping luggage, stoves, and clothes.
Everyone has their private preferences with regards to sleep methods, cooking methods and clothes methods. Sadly, the lightest gear is usually costly and never as sturdy as you would possibly hope. For intensive use, similar to on the JMT, it typically is smart to choose a barely extra rugged possibility so it’ll survive your journey and hopefully just a few extra!
The very best recommendation is to check your gear and actually get to understand it earlier than you set off in your JMT journey. Plan to take at the very least one in a single day shakedown hike forward of your journey. If potential, take a number of shakedown journeys! Ideally, over a number of nights! Hold notes about what you employ and what you don’t use. You might be able to drop just a few pointless objects forward of your JMT journey. Bear in mind much less is extra and each ounce counts!
For Kristen’s detailed packing and equipment checklist, go to our Full John Muir Path Gear Listing and skim Ultralight Backpacking Suggestions for recommendation on learn how to shed weight.
The place to Camp on the John Muir Path
Mountaineering all 211 miles of John Muir Path takes round 20 days, which implies you’ll additionally get to spend round 20 nights sleeping below the celebrities. Campsites alongside the JMT are typically wonderful and plentiful so don’t stress an excessive amount of about discovering a spot to sleep every night time. After all, some choices are extra spectacular than others so we’ve collected our favourite campsites into one submit: 15 Finest John Muir Path Campsites.
So what makes an ideal campsite?
First, it needs to be a beforehand established tent web site that’s greater than 100ft away from any water supply. We’ll focus on extra about Depart No Hint on the JMT within the following part.
Second, it needs to be flat. There’s nothing extra annoying than rolling downhill all night time.
Third, it needs to be quiet. With so many campsites in a lot wilderness, you shouldn’t should hearken to someone loud night breathing of their tent just a few yards away.
Fourth, it needs to be close to water. On the JMT, this requirement is often straightforward. The path crosses numerous lake basins and also you’ll not often be removed from water for greater than a mile or two. Even when there’s not a lake or creek proper by your campsite, you’ll doubtless be capable of refill within the late afternoon earlier than you strike camp. Simply remember to observe LNT rules and set your tent up at the very least 100ft away from water sources.
Past the fundamental necessities, the very best campsites are those that afford spectacular views of sunsets, moonrises, the Milky Means, sunrises, or all the above. However whereas all of us love a wide-open vista, understand that if it’s stormy, you’ll need some safety from the wind and lightning. The one factor worse than a tilted tent is having to hearken to your tent flapping round you all night time. Exponentially worse is worrying about your tent being struck by lightning! If storms are threatening, search a low spot on your tent, maybe within the bushes, however at all times examine for lifeless branches and particles which may fall onto your tent in a storm.
When on the lookout for a campsite, understand that when you can typically spot tent websites alongside the path, you won’t have a lot privateness right here as different hikers can be strolling proper by your tent. However in case you discover just a little off the path, you’ll remember to discover many extra web site choices a brief distance away that can be a lot quieter. When exploring away from the path, remember to preserve your bearings so you’ll find your means again!
With so many web site choices on the JMT, there’s no must create new tent websites. See our subsequent part on Depart No Hint for tips on learn how to benefit from the wilderness with out marring the expertise for others.
How To Depart No Hint on the John Muir Path
You realize that outdated saying, “take solely photographs, depart solely footprints”? Effectively if in any respect potential, keep away from even leaving footprints! Ideally, after you’ve hiked the John Muir Path, there needs to be no signal that you just had been ever there. That’s the ethos inspired by the seven core rules of Depart No Hint out of doors ethics:
- Plan forward and put together
- Camp on onerous and sturdy surfaces
- Eliminate waste correctly
- Depart what you discover
- Decrease campfire impacts
- Respect wildlife
- Be thoughtful of different guests
With so many individuals having fun with the Sierra’s pristine wilderness and untouched landscapes on the John Muir Path, it’s necessary that everyone do their half to protect this wilderness for future guests. The JMT passes by excessive alpine environments, that are extremely rugged but additionally extremely delicate. A couple of LNT methods to bear in mind when mountain climbing the JMT:
- All the time set your tent up on an present tent web site. There are various established campsites on the JMT – you shouldn’t create new websites or set your tent up on vegetation.
- All the time camp at the very least 200 toes from water. Creeksides and lakeshores are simply eroded and infrequently vegetated and chances are you’ll be blocking wildlife’s entry to water sources.
- Scatter dishwater. Additionally, don’t dump meals waste or meals particles in creeks or lakes.
- By no means use cleaning soap in creeks. You shouldn’t want cleaning soap in your hike, save the burden and depart it at dwelling. A fingernail brush can do wonders for soiled arms, toes and decrease legs, no cleaning soap wanted.
- If you wish to swim within the many alpine lakes on the JMT, keep away from slathering on sunscreen or lotion earlier than you bounce in.
- Pack out all rubbish, together with bathroom paper. Don’t burn or bury something. Used bathroom paper could be bagged in canine waste luggage (deliver a roll, they’re gentle and sturdy) after which double bagged in a ziplock bag. On Mount Whitney hikers are required to make use of wag luggage for strong waste. You may decide up a wag bag on the Crabtree Meadows Ranger Station earlier than you start your climb up Whitney.
- On the remainder of the JMT, pee at the very least 100 toes away from water sources, and step effectively away from the path and campsites. To poop, stroll at the very least 100 toes away from water sources, the path and campsites, dig a gap 6 to eight inches deep (carry a light-weight trowel for digging, sticks aren’t adequate instruments), and bury your waste, taking care to go away the floor unmarked as a lot as potential. Pack out all bathroom paper.
- Don’t construct rock cairns or depart path markers.
- Don’t cache meals anyplace on path (this isn’t an applicable technique to resupply).
- All JMT hikers are required to hold and use an accredited bear canister.
- Hold a clear camp. Retailer all meals and scented objects in your bear canister until actively consuming. Mice, skunks, and bears are all drawn to human meals smells.
- Fires are solely allowed in just a few areas on the JMT however take into account going fire-free in your trek to preserve restricted wooden assets and scale back the potential for forest fires. California is a tinder field!
Keep in mind that Depart No Hint just isn’t black and white however about making the very best choice to reduce our influence within the particular atmosphere and circumstances that we’re in. Not a set of do’s and don’ts, however a set of tips to assist us depart the locations we go to pretty much as good and even higher than we discovered them.
Further JMT Sources, Maps, & Guidebooks
The John Muir Path is a legendary route that has ferried folks by the rugged coronary heart of the Sierra for hundreds of years (initially because the Nüümü Poyo). A lot has been written in regards to the JMT and the Sierra by many poets and adventurers from Muir himself into the trendy day.
For a complete studying checklist of all issues JMT, try our submit on the Finest John Muir Path Maps, Books, Apps and Sources, from Muir’s basic Wilderness Essays to Elizabeth Wenk’s John Muir Path Guidebook to the very best paper maps and apps to assist plot and monitor your route.
What else do you need to find out about mountain climbing the John Muir Path? Do you’ve got any extra John Muir Path planning ideas or recommendation? Tell us in the feedback beneath!
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