How bad do you think the bugs will be in late July, early August for sleeping on a tarp (no tent walls) or in a hammock? Second thought - how reasonable is it to expect trees to hang a hammock along higher elevations of the JMT?
haiku
Hammock - John Muir Trail
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#2
I can’t speak from experience, but going by what I’ve been told from a friend who often hikes in the JMT area.
The bugs are pretty intense in July and August. We pushed back our JMT hike start date to Sep 5 to avoid the bugs and crowds.
Are you hiking all of the JMT? What direction?
Phreak
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#3
North to south, whole trail, just brainstorming ways of cutting down on weight. Trying to think outside the box… though maybe a hammock would be comfortable-ish and light, try to switch off each night with my sister and the one-man tent and a therm a rest z-lite. The two-man tent is an option, might have to be WITH the tent walls and the rare chance of rain, might have to be WITH rain fly too. ? what do you think?
haiku
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#4
Usually - at least in the Southern Sierra - the mosquitos are pretty much gone by mid/end of July.
booger
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#5
I almost always seem to run into lots of mosquitoes and severe thunderstorms when I hike in the Sierra in late July.
Personally I would plan on it being buggy and be thankful if it’s not. They do decrease as you head south. How bad it will be is a function of how long it takes for the snow to melt and the ground to dry out. That varies each year.
As for hammock trees at higher elevations, I don’t think you would have much luck above 9,000 feet. There are plenty of options in the valleys.
Snowball
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#6
Thanks everyone! Yeah, you’re right. I’m thinking that I shouldn’t risk it all and will prepare for bugs and rain 
Haiku
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#7
it can be very buggy in July, however there are hammocks that have a bug net built in to them and a rig to keep it off your face. I work at EMS and we sell one thats around 50 dollars. I’m considering bringing it on the JMT this year. If you plan it right you can sleep fairly low each night. I think I will probobly stick with my tent though, last year there was one night it was so buggy i braved coking in my tent. Happy Trails!!!
Canyonman