I have to admit I haven’t look through my books on this one yet but I was wonder what people can tell me about mail drops on the JMT. Disco post one on his 2002 journal, Vermilion Valley Resort. thehiker posted two.
Are maildrops the way to go as far as resupply goes?
Just thought I would put the question out there for now… I’ll look around to see what I can find out and post again if and when I find out more.
Leif
Leif,
It suggest either contacting Yogi, as she’s hiked the PCT (including JMT) 3 times I believe.
Another idea is to check Whiteblaze. A poster named Chris hiked the PCT and has a lot of info on maildrops. There’s even a link to his own PCT website.
A-Train
I’ll be mailing your copy of my book tomorrow. It has all the maildrop information you could dream of.
I’m not sure on this, but I think JMT hikers go through the Sierra more slowly than PCT hikers. Many PCT hikers do the 191 miles between Kennedy Meadows and Vermilion Valley in about 9-10 days without any resupply. (The 191 miles includes the Mt Whitney side trip). JMT hikers probably resupply more often than PCT hikers.
Most JMT hikers walk south, starting in Yosemite Valley and finishing on Mt. Whitney. You could buy food at Tuolumne and Mammoth, then send a maildrop to VVR, then buy food in Independence. That’s if you have a lot of time and want to walk shorter days.
Check out www.vermilion valley.com to get maildrop information for VVR.
As I was writing my book, several hikers raved about the town of Mammoth Lakes CA. You can take a bus from Red’s Meadow to Mammoth Lakes. The other guidebooks barely mention Mammoth Lakes, so I’ve never been there. The next time I hike the PCT, I’ll be going to Mammoth.
yogi
yogi
Thanks for the good insight (and the book).
If, I mean when I get on the JMT I will be going as slow as possible. I like to stretch out these short hikes as long as I can.
It is like clock work, every year spring fever sets in…
Leif
Definate maildrop hike. VVR is one the coolest trailside places i’ve ever been, they hold parcels. Like Yogi said, I was one of those who stayed in Mammoth Lakes. it had everything a hiker needs and not spread out to much. You can get a bus from Reds Meadow to the Ski Resort then a free bus into town. Recommend the pub, I think it was called the Whisky House?? Excellent microbrew, good place for a weary hiker to spend an evening.
Ross
Ross
Yogi is right about JMT hikers usually taking their time although some speed hikers have completed the trail in 4-5 days. My 2001 adventure was 15 days which is pretty average. If hiking from Happy Isles you can eat and top off your supplies at Toulumne Meadows, eat and top off again at Red’s or bus from Red’s to Mammoth. My only mail supply drop was at VVR which is a great, highly recommended resupply and eating point. I havn’t been to John Muir Ranch as it was a bit off the JMT but understand that you can get a meal and send supplies there. The stretch from VVR to Whitney Portal can be a bit long. My cannister was empty and I was down to my last baggie of trail food at the Crabtree switchbacks. Fast summit to Whitney then down to the Portal store for a burger and fries before hitching to Lone Pine. All of the above is well known and easily researched, but still it is fun to reminisce.
I will take a few short 5-7 day Southern Sierra hikes this year and will section hike the PCT from Tuolumne to Ashland next year, hopefully followed by the PCT in 2006.
Yogi, Thanks for writing your guide. Good luck on the CDT.
Lo%Slo
There is a guy on Thruhiker.com who shares his story on hiking the JMT and how he did it. No resupply. He bought a fishing license and fished the whole way. Has some good info and lakes that he fished at. Maybe an alternative to doing a maildrop.
Spacewalker
I would not recommend Muir Trail Ranch for a mail drop. Those guys are arrogant, they charge an absurd fee to hold your package, and they will not share their facilities with hikers! I was hiking through the area last summer and I stoped to ask some questions. They practically sicked the very unfriendly dogs on my wife and I. They treated us as tresspassers and didn’t want anything to do with us.
I also talked to another guy who was there with a severly injured hiker who broke his ankle. The ranch told them it would cost $150.00 up front if they were to horse pack the injured hiker out the 5 miles to Florance Lake. They didn’t have the money so he walked with the help of two other hikers.
Don’t patronize Muir Trail Ranch!
Thinair
Five of us just got through thru-hiking the JMT and fortunately we did not take Thinair’s advice. We stayed at the Muir Trail Ranch. The minute we walked in we were treated like valued guests. We sere given a tour by Pat and complimentary cold beverages and snacks were made available to guests all day long. The facilities were exceptionaly clean and the meals were out of this world. The hot springs were great, clean and well maintained. I can’t say enough good about our experience there. We liked it so much we stayed an exta day. It was wonderful.
Having said the above, they are normally full up with week long guests and do not take daily drop ins such as thru hikers during the summer. They were nice enough to open the ranch to overnight hikers like us in early September.
As far as the charge for handling the food buckets, I think Thinair must be one of those hikers who thinks everything is owed to him. Actually we are fortunate that they even bother with it as I’m sure it interferes with their Ranch business. $45 is not at all “absurd” when you see what they have to go through.
Their old dog Goldie sounds an alarm by greeting everyone by barking at them as they enter the gate. He’s a wonderful old pooch who wouldn’t hurt anyone and really loves people.
The weather was mostly fantasic in September and I hope the MTR will continue to welcome thru-hikers in years to come. Thanks again for your hospitality!
Everyone talks about how great the VVR is…we stayed at both places and Reds Meadows too. MTR wins honds down! Reds Meadow was nice and VVR comes in 3rd.
Skeemer