Kearsage resupply

imported
#1

Starting from Tuolumne July 15th! Any ideas or suggestions on what’s the most reasonable way to re-supply after Muir Trail Ranch without committing to a specific date and time?

TDandTD

#2

It is a day’s walk off the JMT to Independence to resupply.
A 16 mile round trip.

Instead of leaving the trail at Kearsage Pass we found plenty of food and supplies in the hiker boxes at Muir Trail Ranch. So much extra stuff gets sent to MTR that there is an enormous hiker box, best described as a Hiker Room. There are separate boxes for all kinds of items.

We shipped in a 5 gallon container of food at great expense to MTR in 2007. If we ever did it again (unlikely) we would live off the Hiker box at MTR.

rocky & swamp fox

#3

Starting in mid-July may or may not be late enough for the MTR boxes to be full of good stuff. I’m not sure i’d count on it until August.

Kearsarge Pass is a very pretty trail, if you take it. So is Bishop Pass. Another fine option is west on the Bear Creek Trail to Mono Hot Springs. Post office (which is the cheap way to resupply), store, restaurant, hot springs. A very nice side trail from the JMT to get there.

Probably more options than just those, if you look at the maps or the old guide book. These days, i’m surprised people are so set on VVR, MTR, and Kearsarge as the only options. I guess it’s the herd (google/yelp) mentality.

markv

#4

Those are some great options for resupply! I’ll check out my map for details. Being 58 I though a day of rest and comfortable bed in Kearsarge could do wonders before heading out to Whitney. But I’m open to options so thanks again.

TDandTD

#5

I’d suck it up and carry three days of light food - Miso soup, Mtn House Pro Pac, Spam Single…rather than hump over Kearsarge.

For a rest day, the Bighorn Plateau (before the crest, area to the right before the dropoff), or the area to the left a quarter mile before Wright Creek are nice.

booger

#6

There’s something special (and challenging) about never leaving the Sierra to head east into town…just staying “out there”…and i’ve done it that way a couple of times. But it sounds way too negative calling it “a hump” over Kearsarge. That trail is as beautiful as the JMT. The same could be said about Bear Creek and Bishop trails. If you’re out for a 2-4 week high sierra wilderness trek and choose to spend 1 or more of those days on a side trail to resupply, it’s not like you’ll regret it that day.

“Oh the JMT was so great, except that lousy day when i walked this amazing side trail so i could get a restaurant meal and resupply so i wasn’t carrying extra weight the whole trip.” NOT.

Just make a guess which resupply sounds best to you, or roll the dice and pick a method. You win regardless.

markv

#7

www.zerodayresupply is a great option for resupplying if you think you might be limited in your options. I personally used the service and loved the convenience and how cheap it was.
Good luck on your hike! I can’t wait to get back out on trail.

Melissa