Planning a thru-hike might be simply as daunting as truly mountain climbing a protracted distance path. Luckily, each duties are finest tackled the identical means: one step at a time. That can assist 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 truly 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 truly hiked the JMT; the path’s development started in 1915, the 12 months after his loss of life. It was constructed atop a community of historical footpaths laid down by the Paiute and different Indigenous folks for 1000’s of years known as Nüümü Poyo, or the Individuals’s Paths.
California’s Sierra Nevada mountains are one of many world’s most stunning 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.
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- Whole distance: 211 miles from Yosemite Valley to the highest of Mount Whitney, plus 11 miles all the way down to the Whitney Portal trailhead
- Days wanted: 18-22
- Trailhead begin: Glad Isles in Yosemite Nationwide Park (Southbound), Horseshoe Meadow or Cottonwood Lakes/Go (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
- Problem: Strenuous and logistically difficult
- Canines allowed: No
- Cell service: Uncommon
Finest Time Of 12 months To Hike the JMT
The JMT is a excessive summer time path, and the most effective time to hike it’s usually mid-July by way of early September to keep away from prodigious snowfall and avalanches within the winter and harmful creek crossings within the spring. Nevertheless, the JMT mountain climbing season is closely influenced by the winter snowfall within the Japanese Sierra.
In low snow years, it could be doable to hike the JMT beginning in June and into mid-October. However early and late season hikers ought to have vital snow journey expertise and be ready for sudden modifications in climate.
In June, hikers could encounter snow on the excessive mountain passes, necessitating snow security gear like and an , in addition to robust navigational expertise when the path disappears underneath snow.
In the course of the fleeting summer time months (July and August), mosquitoes and biting flies might be legion, due to the ample water discovered alongside the path. Undoubtedly deliver a , , 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 companion can assist 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 aspect journeys round each nook, the JMT is an expertise finest savored. Below the load of a ~35-pound pack, with appreciable elevation acquire and loss, you’d be hard-pressed to hurry by way of this path anyway.
Normally, 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. In fact, it’s doable to cowl the gap a lot quicker, however the higher query to ask is: how lengthy can I afford to spend on the JMT? Should you’re going to undergo the difficulty of mountain climbing one of many world’s biggest mountain climbing trails, why not commit as a lot time as doable to exploring the route?
After 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 aspect 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 Problem
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 a whole lot of sweat and perhaps a couple of tears (hopefully no blood!). The path follows the crest of the Sierra Nevada mountains, hardly ever dipping beneath 10,000 toes of elevation.
To cross this hovering mountain vary you’ll have to 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 most effective campsites are normally discovered.
Altitude illness is an actual chance on the path, however you possibly can assist mitigate its results by coaching to 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 high of Mount Whitney at 14,505 toes. That is the official finish of the path, however you’ll then have to descend 11 miles, down 6,600 toes to Whitney Portal to finish your hike (making the grand whole 222 miles, not counting aspect journeys).
The numbers might be intimidating however the actuality is the JMT is so spectacularly stunning, so nicely trodden, marked, and maintained, with plentiful water and campsites that truly mountain climbing the path is a backpacker’s dream. With sufficient 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 Glad 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 containers to Crimson’s Meadow and Muir Path Ranch and cope with the trickier logistics of the extra distant southern portion of the path later in your journey. Nevertheless, getting permits to go SOBO might 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. Nevertheless, getting a allow to start out from Whitney Portal can 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 need to deal with an enormous 6,600 foot climb up Whitney at 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, normally requiring vital aspect 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 could possibly really feel simpler to deal with this in direction of the top of your hike moderately than at first.
How To Get John Muir Path Permits
Earlier than you do anything, you’ll have to surmount the only hardest impediment in planning a JMT thru-hike: getting a allow. I gained’t sugarcoat it: JMT permits are akin to Golden Tickets. In response to the Nationwide Park Service, 97% of JMT allow functions are denied, however there are a couple of suggestions and methods that may assist enhance your possibilities of getting a allow.
On a thru-hike of the JMT, you’ll go by way of three Nationwide Parks and several other totally different wilderness areas and Nationwide Forests. Luckily, you solely want one allow, which is able to cowl your total hike. It’s not truly a JMT allow; moderately 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. Should 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 most important trailheads: Glad Isles and Lyell Canyon. While you apply for both of those permits, you’ll additionally want to pick “Donohue Go Eligible” so that you could exit Yosemite Nationwide Park over Donohue Go to proceed south on the JMT. Yosemite Nationwide Park solely points 45 wilderness permits for Donohue Go per day. Of those, 20 can be found for the Glad Isles to Previous LYV (Donohue Go eligible) trailhead and 25 can be found for permits utilizing the Lyell Canyon (Donohue Go eligible) trailhead.
By far essentially the most coveted permits are these issued by Yosemite Nationwide Park to start out on the Glad Isles trailhead, in addition to these issued by Inyo Nationwide Forest to start out on the Whitney Portal trailhead. However whereas these are the normal 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 how one can apply, try our submit on How To Apply for a Southbound JMT allow.
As annoying and discouraging as permits and trailhead quotas might be, they’re needed to guard the path and the standard of the wilderness expertise. If all people who wished to hike the JMT in July and August have been allowed to go, the mountains could be overrun with folks, and the paths, campsites, and water sources could be shortly degraded.
Do NOT be tempted to hike with out a allow! The JMT crosses a whole lot of miles of distant wilderness, nevertheless 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 bunch of 4 younger hikers from Seattle who have been ending their JMT hike early as a result of they didn’t have a allow and obtained caught by a ranger and have been dealing with steep fines in the event that they continued. Flaunting allow guidelines may also 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 a whole lot of miles out of your start line. There are a couple of 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 might be counting on rides or on public transportation.
You probably have your personal automobile, it’s finest to park it at your ending trailhead and get a experience or take public transportation to the beginning of the hike. That means you possibly can finish triumphantly at your automobile and drive your self to a victory meal and a scorching bathe. Many of the trailheads within the Sierra permit for long-term parking however test with the native ranger station and allow them to know your dates of journey.
Should you plan on taking public transportation at the beginning or end of your hike, take into account that the choices are usually simpler in Yosemite, which is serviced by YARTS: Yosemite Space Regional Transportation System. Scenic Freeway 395, which runs alongside the jap aspect of the Sierra, is serviced by Japanese Sierra Transit buses and the small cities alongside 395 are usually 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 varied trailheads into city can be widespread follow and you may normally get a experience with a fellow hiker or day tripper in trade for tales of your epic journey (and perhaps a couple of bucks for fuel). Not all people is snug 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 varied public transportation choices, in addition to route and call information for bus and shuttle corporations, try our submit on John Muir Path Transportation Information and Planning Suggestions.
Planning Your JMT Itinerary
While you apply to your JMT allow, you have to to know your beginning date, ending date, and the place you propose to spend your first evening on the JMT. After getting your allow, it’s tempting to need to plan out the place you’ll spend each evening in between, nevertheless it’s additionally vital to remain versatile. When you’re on path, a mess of things (climate, altitude acquire, obtainable 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 ample water sources, so don’t stress an excessive amount of about discovering a campsite every evening. 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.
At all times comply with Depart No Hint rules and choose established campsites on sturdy surfaces. By no means set your tent up on high of fragile vegetation – particularly within the alpine zone – and don’t camp inside 200 toes of water sources.
Climbing the JMT entails gaining and dropping appreciable elevation up and over quite a few high-altitude passes. The perfect technique for tackling these passes is to camp close to the bottom the evening earlier than so you possibly can hike the go very first thing within the morning when your legs are recent and the climate is essentially the most steady. Tenting at or close to the highest of passes isn’t normally an ideal thought on account of excessive winds, unpredictable climate, and frigid nighttime temperatures at altitude.
You’ll additionally have to plan out the place you’ll decide up your resupply containers alongside the best way, which we’ll cowl beneath.
Should you’re interested by what a pattern JMT itinerary appears to be like like, try Kristen’s 3 Week John Muir Path Itinerary, the place she highlights the most effective 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 have to to pack or mail your self all of your meals for 20-plus days of strenuous mountain climbing. You’ll probably be ravenously hungry in your hike, however in fact, you possibly can’t deliver infinite meals, as you have to to hold it in your again and match it into an accredited bear canister every evening 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 a whole lot 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 every day life, it’s not essential to get too slowed down by numbers when planning a backpacking journey. As a straightforward rule of thumb, purpose to deliver round 2 to 2.5 kilos of meals per individual per day which ought to be round 3,000 to 4,000 energy per day.
When searching for the JMT, search out 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 no less than every week so that you don’t need meals which might be messy or smelly.
Retailer-bought dehydrated meals have gotten more and more higher by way of each style and high quality substances 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 chopping down on trash, you’ll have to 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 additional dehydrated veggies (these might be purchased in bulk), a protein akin to a tuna packet or salami, and an prompt grain like couscous or rice to make an sufficient portion. One of many best methods so as to add additional energy is to deliver a plastic container of olive oil and add a tablespoon or two to every meal.
For extra suggestions and recipes go to our John Muir Path Meals Buying Record 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 how one can resupply your meals alongside the best way. 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 have to mail your self a number of resupply packages alongside the best way. The most typical resupply spots on the JMT (listed SOBO) are:
- Crimson’s Meadow (mile 60.8)
- Vermillion Valley Report (mile 88.1 plus 12 mile aspect journey off JMT or ferry boat experience)
- Muir Path Ranch (mile 106.1)
- Bishop Go trailhead/ Bishop (mile 136.2 plus 23.6 mile spherical journey aspect journey off JMT)
- Onion Valley trailhead/ Independence (mile 180.3 plus 15 mile aspect journey off JMT)
Most JMT hikers will reap the benefits of the Crimson’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, no less than two weeks earlier than you start your hike. Each Crimson’s Meadow and Muir Path Ranch have very particular directions for how one can pack and mail your resupply on their respective web sites and extra information might be present in our weblog submit How To Resupply on the John Muir Path.
You’ll probably 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 no less than 11 days. Some folks can hike quick sufficient and stretch their meals provide to keep away from this third resupply however this isn’t advisable as you undoubtedly don’t need to really feel rushed or low on energy in direction of the top of your hike.
The higher plan is to rearrange for a meals drop at Onion Valley trailhead or one of many different aspect trails that department off the JMT. The draw back is that these will all require vital aspect journeys. For instance, Onion Valley is a 15-mile spherical journey detour, nevertheless it’s additionally spectacularly stunning with many wonderful tenting choices alongside the best way. There are additionally a couple of backcountry outfitters who will meet you on the JMT along with your resupply, carried in model by pack mule. These choices are typically costly however might be made extra affordable by splitting the service with a number of different hikers.
For heaps extra suggestions, methods, and information about strategizing, packing, and mailing your resupplies to the varied resupply factors on the JMT, learn How To Resupply on the John Muir Path and John Muir Path Meals Buying Record.
Bears & Meals Storage
For a lot of hikers, the opportunity of 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. Normally, bears and different wildlife desire to keep away from shut contact with people and the JMT is a veritable superhighway by way of the wilderness.
Nevertheless, every year a couple of intelligent Sierra bears study to affiliate folks and campsites with meals, normally 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 commonly tragically a useless 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 metallic containers are the one confirmed approach to preserve bears from accessing meals within the Excessive Sierra, the place bears are adept climbers and tall bushes are uncommon.
You should purchase your bear canister or hire one from ranger stations for a small price. Ursacks and Opsacks usually are not acceptable alternate options on the JMT. Backcountry rangers will test that you’ve got a canister once they test your allow.
Whereas mountain climbing, you possibly can preserve snacks accessible in pockets of your backpack however in camp, all meals, trash, and scented gadgets want to suit inside your canister, together with toiletries like toothpaste and lotions. Preserve a clear camp! Don’t go away meals or scented gadgets out in case you’re not within the act of consuming them. At evening, the locked canister ought to be positioned no less than 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.
Should you do see a bear on path, preserve calm, converse to the bear to allow them to determine you as human and provides them as a lot area as doable. By no means strategy or comply with 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 nasty canine. Don’t let it suppose it’s welcome to discover your camp. If the bear doesn’t go away, or even when it does, think about shifting to a different location or teaming up with fellow campers. Black bears usually are not usually a menace to folks, and are normally dissuaded by a number of folks all yelling on the bear to go away.
What To Pack on the John Muir Path
With regards to packing for backpacking, much less is extra: the much less weight you deliver, the extra you’ll get pleasure from your journey. There’s nothing worse than struggling underneath the load of a too heavy backpack, particularly on a multi week hike just like the JMT.
Earlier than my JMT thru-hike, my mountain climbing companion and I sat down with all of our gear and a kitchen scale, weighed out every little thing, and entered all of it right into a spreadsheet. Seeing the numbers damaged down by merchandise actually helped shave off a couple of kilos. I traded out my trusty (however heavy) Osprey pack for a a lot lighter , lightening my load by practically 2 kilos.
Which may not sound like a lot, however once you’re carrying weight for over 300 miles, each ounce counts! By the point I hit the path, I had whittled my base weight all the way down to 22 kilos, not together with meals and water. So even absolutely stocked with 8 days of meals, my longest meals carry between resupplies, my pack nonetheless weighed underneath 40 kilos.
Should you can afford to put money into 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.
All people has their private preferences on the subject of sleep programs, cooking programs and clothes programs. Sadly, the lightest gear is commonly costly and never as sturdy as you may hope. For intensive use, akin to on the JMT, it typically is sensible to choose a barely extra rugged possibility so it’ll survive your journey and hopefully a couple of extra!
The perfect recommendation is to check your gear and actually get to comprehend it earlier than you set off in your JMT journey. Plan to take no less than one in a single day shakedown hike forward of your journey. If doable, take a number of shakedown journeys! Ideally, over a number of nights! Preserve notes about what you employ and what you don’t use. You could possibly drop a couple of pointless gadgets forward of your JMT journey. Bear in mind much less is extra and each ounce counts!
For Kristen’s detailed packing and equipment listing, go to our Full John Muir Path Gear Record and browse Ultralight Backpacking Suggestions for recommendation on how one can shed weight.
The place to Camp on the John Muir Path
Climbing all 211 miles of John Muir Path takes round 20 days, which implies you’ll additionally get to spend round 20 nights sleeping underneath the celebs. Campsites alongside the JMT are usually wonderful and plentiful so don’t stress an excessive amount of about discovering a spot to sleep every evening. In fact, 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 ought to be a beforehand established tent website 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 ought to be flat. There’s nothing extra annoying than rolling downhill all evening.
Third, it ought to be quiet. With so many campsites in a lot wilderness, you shouldn’t need to take heed to someone loud night breathing of their tent a couple of yards away.
Fourth, it ought to be close to water. On the JMT, this requirement is normally simple. The path crosses numerous lake basins and also you’ll hardly ever 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 probably be capable of refill within the late afternoon earlier than you strike camp. Simply make sure you comply with LNT rules and set your tent up no less than 100ft away from water sources.
Past the essential necessities, the most effective campsites are those that afford spectacular views of sunsets, moonrises, the Milky Manner, sunrises, or the entire above. However whereas all of us love a wide-open vista, take into account 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 take heed to your tent flapping round you all evening. Exponentially worse is worrying about your tent being struck by lightning! If storms are threatening, search a low spot to your tent, maybe within the bushes, however all the time test for useless branches and particles which may fall onto your tent in a storm.
When in search of a campsite, take into account that whilst you can typically spot tent websites alongside the path, you may not have a lot privateness right here as different hikers might be strolling proper by your tent. However in case you discover just a little off the path, you’ll make sure you discover many extra website choices a brief distance away that might be a lot quieter. When exploring away from the path, make sure you preserve your bearings so you’ll find your means again!
With so many website choices on the JMT, there’s no have to create new tent websites. See our subsequent part on Depart No Hint for tips on how one can benefit from the wilderness with out marring the expertise for others.
How To Depart No Hint on the John Muir Path
You understand that previous saying, “take solely images, go away solely footprints”? Effectively if in any respect doable, keep away from even leaving footprints! Ideally, after you’ve hiked the John Muir Path, there ought to be no signal that you just have been ever there. That’s the ethos inspired by the seven core rules of Depart No Hint outside ethics:
- Plan forward and put together
- Camp on onerous and sturdy surfaces
- Get rid of waste correctly
- Depart what you discover
- Reduce 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 vital that everyone do their half to protect this wilderness for future guests. The JMT passes by way of excessive alpine environments, that are extremely rugged but additionally extremely delicate. A couple of LNT strategies to bear in mind when mountain climbing the JMT:
- At all times set your tent up on an present tent website. There are a lot of established campsites on the JMT – you shouldn’t create new websites or set your tent up on vegetation.
- At all times camp no less than 200 toes from water. Creeksides and lakeshores are simply eroded and sometimes vegetated and you could 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 load and go away it at house. 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 soar in.
- Pack out all rubbish, together with bathroom paper. Don’t burn or bury something. Used bathroom paper might be bagged in canine waste luggage (deliver a roll, they’re mild 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 possibly can 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 no less than 100 toes away from water sources, and step nicely away from the path and campsites. To poop, stroll no less than 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 usually are not adequate instruments), and bury your waste, taking care to go away the floor unmarked as a lot as doable. Pack out all bathroom paper.
- Don’t construct rock cairns or go away path markers.
- Don’t cache meals anyplace on path (this isn’t an acceptable approach to resupply).
- All JMT hikers are required to hold and use an accredited bear canister.
- Preserve a clear camp. Retailer all meals and scented gadgets in your bear canister until actively consuming. Mice, skunks, and bears are all drawn to human meals smells.
- Fires are solely allowed in a couple of areas on the JMT however think about going fire-free in your trek to preserve restricted wooden sources and cut back the potential for forest fires. California is a tinder field!
Keep in mind that Depart No Hint shouldn’t be black and white however about making the very best resolution to reduce our impression within the particular surroundings and circumstances that we’re in. Not a set of do’s and don’ts, however a set of tips to assist us go away the locations we go to nearly as good and even higher than we discovered them.
Extra JMT Assets, Maps, & Guidebooks
The John Muir Path is a legendary route that has ferried folks by way of the rugged coronary heart of the Sierra for 1000’s 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 fashionable day.
For a complete studying listing of all issues JMT, try our submit on the Finest John Muir Path Maps, Books, Apps and Assets, from Muir’s traditional Wilderness Essays to Elizabeth Wenk’s John Muir Path Guidebook to the most effective 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 suggestions or recommendation? Tell us in the feedback beneath!
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