JMT Trip Report

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#1

Hey folks,
I just finished the JMT from near Muir Trail Ranch to Whitney. I am having some girlfriend issues, so I am not sure whether I will be able to get to that northern section this summer.
It was a tough trip gear wise. The second day into it my whisper-lite exploded. I was boiling water for some instant mashed potatoes as I reached into my pack for my bear bag sfter the stove had been running for a few minutes. I hear an explosion and see my stove turn to ball of fire. There was a leak in the seal. I had to sit around and watch it burn out. I also had my platypus start leaking.
I found the trail quite challenging. On the AT, there a big climbs which are often followed by ridge traverses. Not on the JMT. You go up 4,000, down 4,000 over and over again. The altitude makes a difference as well. I was doing around 18 miles a day, and I was destroyed.
The Sierra monsoons are going on right now. A few boyscouts were killed right near Whitney by a lightening strike. During the same storm I was caught on top of Pinchot pass. You can go miles without seeing a tree, so I just had to hunker down. I was hailed on both on Pinchot and Muir.
Mather and Forrester still had significant snow patches. I used my ice axe on both. There is still a lot of snow on Muir pass, though it is not on steep terrain. If people are planning to cross Forrester or Mather early in the morning, I recommend ice axes.
The scenery is stunning. I feel like you could not take a bad picture in the area.
No bear problems, though two hikers told me that they had packs taken near Muir Trail Ranch. A ranger told me that bears were climbing to 12,600 feet north of Forrester Pass in search of packs.
I recommend the trail, but keep the mileage low!

Bankrobber

#2

Thanks, for the report bankrobber, I’m planning my trip right now for September. Didn’t you carry a canister? I had a cansister explode once from a bad seal and is why I switched to an alcohol stove, although I tire of their inefficiency. What about a water filter? Temps at night? Good luck on the second half.

gruel

#3

I decided against treating my water. I read an article in the LATimes the day I left about a doctor who hikes 1,000 miles in the Sierras each summer testing water. 99.9% is fine, especially since there are no cattle or sheep. I wisely chose my sources. The doctor actually said that lakes are the best for water. UV rays kill anything on the top 6 inches of the lake. I did borrow some iodine for water near Guitar Lake, which I had been told had bad water.
It was chilly at night. It probably dropped to around 40 degrees. The mosquitos were unbelievably bad. I would suggest bugnetting as well as DEET.
I ended up eating instant mashed potatoes for most of the trip, so I was fine w/o a stove. I do not know exactly what you mean by a canister. I guess I am headed in the coke can alcohol stove.

Bankrobber

#4

Bankrobber, I think we hiked up the Grand Staircase together on our way to Palisade lake. I’m the old man with the orange Go-Lite hat. I completed the JMT 7/22-7/31 without incident. I also hit the thunderstorm crossing Pinchot but made it without incident by waiting out the storm for a few hours. I carried an ice axe which I used very little (Mather, Glen and Forester - three small snow patches that could have been crossed with poles. I was alone so I was conservative).

Muir had the most snow of the passes but isn’t steep so no big deal. Rivers were all fine. Someone had strung a rope across Bear Creek, but it had dropped considerably when I got there. I am sure by now there will be no snow or water problems. I never saw a bear nor had any problems. Misquitos were tolerable - Evolution was the worse, but even that wasn’t bad.

If I had it to do again, I would leave the ice axe at home, bring less food, and more socks. My feet were wet 80% of the time. MTR resupply was excellent. I also resupplied at Reds which was also fine.

My mileage was 17 to 27 miles per day. After twenty miles my back would hurt a little which was due to the bear canister and my inability to properly balance my SMD Starlite. The canister is just too thick which caused some pulling on my shoulders.

I was alone on Whitney on 7/31 at 7:45 a.m. Awesome. Got an early start from Guitar Lake (5:00 a.m.).

Bankrobber, I hope you can manage the north half. It’s certainly different than the more wild south, but definitely a must-hike in my book.

idahomtman

#5

Idahomtman,
Indeed I am the same guy. I was wondering when you finished. I must have been close behind you for most of the trip. You definitely smoked me. I was on Whitney Sunday around noon. I stopped at Lower Palisade Lake to use two hiker’s stove. I am glad that you enjoyed the hike, and maybe I will run into you again.

Bankrobber

#6

I feel your pain about the exploding stove… I have no love for my Whisperlite. Rachel AKA The Nail Lady

Rachel

#7

It’s good to hear the update about the skeeters. I suppose maybe I will invest in a head net. And sorry to hear about your stove. My whisperlite, beaten up and rickety as it may be, is still a cherished stove. I bought it at a secondhand gear shop and have personally cooked probably 400 meals on it, besides the previous owners’. Ya just got to give it a little tender loving care every now and then. Change those seals, oil that cup, and scour that fuel line!

Cap’n