We’re thinking about doing the Muir this August and are concerned about how long, in general, it takes; given beer, pizza, maildrops/supply and a general amount of site seeing without running down the trail.
We have thirteen days to hike, four days for travel.
Bushwhack
The JMT is a well-maintained, well marked path, with few really rough sections. The full trail is 221 miles. For 13 days, that’s 17 miles per day through the Sierra - or 8 1/2 hours of non-stop hiking at 2 mph - a reasonable number for the ups and downs. Certainly doable, but you will miss many of the unique side adventures.
There’s also the issue of altitude acclamation. If you’re in great shape or live at altitude you will do ok, but as a Flatlander,I find the first couple days distance usually much less than planned because of late afternoon fatigue.
You also might think about why you are doing the JMT. To tick off the miles or to enjoy the magnificence of the Sierra - or both. I spend a lot of time in the Upper Kern and can never understand why the thruhikers blast through the Bighorn Plateau without at least stopping for a while to let themselves be awestruck by some of the most spectacular scenary on earth.
Why not start somewhere other than the Valley?
booger
Well, its like this; a friend in LA is quiting his job in August and wants to do all 221. My wife has the time before med school starts. I have exactly two weeks of vacation left for the year. Friend one wants us to come. I already brought up the altitude, mail drop stuff, lack of site seeing ops to finish before the return flight. The logistics for that narrow a time slot are tough.
As for an alt, he’s just 30 minutes from the PCT at the Gap on 2 from Los Angeles. We just got back from day hiking Death Valley and a hill on the PCT. I don’t want to rush but I see no other way. I’m not giving up but boy it’d be tight. All three of us are in shape, excluding altitude. That just takes time. More planning.
BW
I’de say it’s real tight to do the whole 221 miles. First, I suggest you get your permit ASAP. Take a look at this site, http://www.nps.gov/yose/rptFullTrailheadDates.htm. You don’t have alot of options for August. You might want to move some of the travel days to the hike days. You might be able to get by with 2-3 days for travel which gives you more time to hike. Another option would be to meet your friend on the trail so he does all 221 and you do some subset of those with your 13 days.
Bob
Bob
Which parts are permits required for? Just the Yo Valley or for the other camping areas? I don’t know which ones are where.
BW
You need a permit no matter where you hike on the trail. If you start in Happy Isles and you are going to hike more that 13 miles the first day, you should get Happy Isles->Sunrise/Merced Lake (pass through). If you are going to camp at Little Yosemite Valley your first night then get Happy Isles->Little Yosemite Valley. See this website http://alumnus.caltech.edu/~rbell/JohnMuirTrail.html#Permit for more information on permits.
Bob
Duh, sorry, I forgot Leif had his journal up and a NPS link. I got a three person for the 23rd, thanks…last one!
BW
BW,
You can do the 13 days without resupply if you carefully plan. I routinely do two staight weeks in the Sierra backcountry alone - but I have a Dana Terraplane and am willing to accept initial 60+ lbs. as the payment for going alone for two weeks. I’m not a go-lite purists and take a tent, thermarest, some goodies and a couple books. And yeh - I’ve looked up the definition of masochist.
booger
Hmm, two weeks of freeze dried mush? I carried 80 in rocks once mineral hunting in Indiana. Not edible.
With three of us I think we could carry enough food. I haven’t not showered that long since the military.
Can I bring my niece’s pigmy goats, Ozle and Nibbler, for load?
BW
IMHO you’re crazy not to resupply once. Net of the trail miles you’d hike anyway, detouring to Muir Trail Ranch to pick up a maildrop adds roughly a mile and a half to your hike. That’s not much of a price to pay for getting six days food off your back.
Snowbird
I know you can bring Ilamas. Why not bring the goats. But I think you need to declare them when you get the permitt.
Bob
If I had 13 days I’d let your friend start at the valley and meet up with him at Red’s Meadow & resupply at either VVR or Muir after a few days. You would be averaging about 12 or 13 miles a day. That said, we met a couple guys who were doing it in 10 days. Not my style though, we took 18 and smelled the flowers.
viabledaddy