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#3989531 - 08/01/14 11:52 PM Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail  
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So, I and a friend of mine just came back from a 3-day hike on the John Muir Trail (JMT). This was meant to be a 12-day hike, but we cut it short, because my feet were getting some serious blisters and an old baseball knee injury from high school was making it hard to traverse the trail, especially on downhill portions. Not to mention, we hit an ugly patch of rainy weather, which was compounded by the fact that the tent we were using did not have a rain fly. Even though, all that said, we managed to complete about 40 miles in three days and overall had a good time. I learned some good lessons about long-distance, multi-day hiking that will serve me well in the future when I do this sort of thing again. With that said, on to the pictures:

We had to start at Tuolumne Meadows in Yosemite National Park, as the road to Happy Isles (where the JMT starts in the north) was closed due to a fire that had been raining ashes on our campground the day before:




The first day we were blessed with great weather (even though it was a bit hazy), great views, and some deer along the way:













Right before we started the climb to our campsite on day 1, we had to cross this river. We stayed here for a bit, eating some food, cooling our faces, and talking with some other hikers:





The view from the footbridge, looking back down at the valley from where we started the hike:



Our campsite on day 1, at Lyell Forks. It was absolutely beautiful view, with more cool, refreshing water running to the valley below:





We received a small bit of rain on this first night, but by sunrise it had cleared out and the day looked like it was going to be one with very good weather. On day 2, From Lyell Forks we climbed a bit before exiting Yosemite and entering the Ansel Adams Wilderness / Inyo National Forest:





However, by the time we reached Thousand Island Lake, the weather had turned really bad. Not long after this picture was taken, the skies really opened up on us:



But yet, once again, the rain cleared up overnight and day 3 looked like it was going to bring good weather (this is again Thousand Island Lake):



Well into the early afternoon the weather was still looking good, but even as I took this picture we could hear thunder in the distance. Sure enough, by the time we reached Red's Meadow the rain was really coming down hard.



So, with my feet and knees totally beat up by now, we decided to call things off here. The next day was calling for some really steep elevation climbs, and with my body in not the best shape, it was best to just end it here. Like I said, we still traveled a substantial distance, and I know I'll eventually be back. JMT is a great combination of beautiful views and reasonable challenges for an experienced hiker. Even though we didn't meet our goal, it was still certainly an enjoyable time.

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#3989623 - 08/02/14 06:23 AM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: LukeFF]  
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Looks nice smile

What altitude do the treeline disappear at there?

#3989638 - 08/02/14 09:08 AM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: LukeFF]  
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Wonderful!

Yosemite is on my must-visit list.


In all my years I've never seen the like. It has to be more than a hundred sea miles and he brings us up on his tail. That's seamanship, Mr. Pullings. My God, that's seamanship!
#3989871 - 08/02/14 10:14 PM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: LukeFF]  
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Beautiful. May I suggest hiking with bamboo poles with rubber crutch tips and light rope loops. I use a set that is 6 feet long and they really help on downhill. Use them like you are a 4 legged animal.they are handy around camp as supports for dining fly and such. I hike mostly in the mountains of north Carolina, so not as rugged as your trip.at 62 grateful my knees are holding up.


Have you seen the Arrow? WWW
#3989883 - 08/02/14 11:23 PM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: LukeFF]  
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I love the Sierras. And rain, what a concept!

#3989915 - 08/03/14 01:19 AM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: LukeFF]  
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Beautiful stuff Luke. I've climbed Shasta but otherwise have no experience with the region. I've cut a few hikes short myself. Always a hard (but usually good) judgement call.

#3989942 - 08/03/14 07:55 AM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: LukeFF]  
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Beautiful.

I spent a week at Yosemite in 2000 and totally fell in love with the region.


"...late afternoon the Air Tasking Order came in [and] we found the A-10 part and we said, "We are going where!? We are doing what!?"

Capt. Todd Sheehy, Hog pilot, on receiving orders during Operation Desert Storm

#3990334 - 08/03/14 11:43 PM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: LukeFF]  
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Looks like a really nice area, similar to the mountains here but a lot more vertical LOL. And I second coasty's suggestion, trekking poles of some sort are a real game-changer. I use a set of Black Diamond Synclines with snow baskets when I snowshoe, and they work great on dry ground as well. Though I recommend models with cork grips and a shock absorption system on dry ground, cork is much more comfortable with sweaty hands and the benefit of shock absorption is obvious.

Steepandcheap.com has great deals on tents, and they come with flies. biggrin


Phil

“The biggest problem people have is they don’t think they’re supposed to have problems.” - Hayes Barnard
#3990933 - 08/05/14 06:19 AM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: EAF331 MadDog]  
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Originally Posted By: EAF331 MadDog
Looks nice smile

What altitude do the treeline disappear at there?


About 10,000 feet, I believe. We were above the treeline only briefly before descending again.

#3990934 - 08/05/14 06:22 AM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: coasty]  
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Originally Posted By: coasty
Beautiful. May I suggest hiking with bamboo poles with rubber crutch tips and light rope loops. I use a set that is 6 feet long and they really help on downhill. Use them like you are a 4 legged animal.they are handy around camp as supports for dining fly and such. I hike mostly in the mountains of north Carolina, so not as rugged as your trip.at 62 grateful my knees are holding up.


Yeah, this was my first hiking trip ever with hiking poles (Kelty Upslope 1.0s), so I'm still getting used to how to use them best. I had them set to just above waist-height on this trip, so I may need to raise them a bit the next time I do this.

#3990935 - 08/05/14 06:28 AM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: NH2112]  
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Originally Posted By: NH2112
Steepandcheap.com has great deals on tents, and they come with flies. biggrin


biggrin

Yeah, a fellow hiker at our campsite on the first night had a Big Agnes one-person tent, and according to the hiker & my friend those are excellent tents. I may buy one for myself before I undertake my next trip. I didn't want to complain about my friend's tent, as he was kind enough to let me use it, since the plan was for him to sleep outside & me inside the tent. However, with the rain, he slept inside the tent, and that's how he found out about the tent's lack of protection from the rain. biggrin He loves to spend money on camping gear, so as I write this message he probably already has a new tent. biggrin

#3991001 - 08/05/14 11:59 AM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: LukeFF]  
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Originally Posted By: LukeFF
Originally Posted By: coasty
Beautiful. May I suggest hiking with bamboo poles with rubber crutch tips and light rope loops. I use a set that is 6 feet long and they really help on downhill. Use them like you are a 4 legged animal.they are handy around camp as supports for dining fly and such. I hike mostly in the mountains of north Carolina, so not as rugged as your trip.at 62 grateful my knees are holding up.


Yeah, this was my first hiking trip ever with hiking poles (Kelty Upslope 1.0s), so I'm still getting used to how to use them best. I had them set to just above waist-height on this trip, so I may need to raise them a bit the next time I do this.


With the pole upside down grasp the pole belos the basket, and when correctly adjusted the handle will just touch the ground with your elbow at a right angle. Shorten poles or choke up on the grip while climbing, and lengthen them for downhill. Also, the strap should be bearing your weight, either on your wrist or the heel of your hand. Your fingers grip the handgrip just for control.

I picked up a nice ALPS Mountaineering Jagged Peak II 2-person 4-season tent on SAC for about $150 a few years back. Another $20 or so for the footprint, and about $40 to upgrade to MSR Ground Hog stakes. I haven't used it in the winter yet - maybe I'll pick up a pulk sled this winter and go on a multi-day snowshoe trek - but it's waterproof and has great ventilation with the fly off or the doors open. I still haven't sealed the seams yet. It's a little on the heavy side for solo trips, but not unmanageable.

Last edited by NH2112; 08/05/14 12:02 PM.

Phil

“The biggest problem people have is they don’t think they’re supposed to have problems.” - Hayes Barnard
#3991004 - 08/05/14 12:05 PM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: LukeFF]  
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Originally Posted By: LukeFF
Originally Posted By: EAF331 MadDog
Looks nice smile

What altitude do the treeline disappear at there?


About 10,000 feet, I believe. We were above the treeline only briefly before descending again.


Cool - and here they disappear at 3,000 feet in the south and down to 6-700 feet further north. smile

#3991048 - 08/05/14 01:39 PM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: LukeFF]  
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Beautiful landscape. I've checked the John Muir Trail at Wikipedia... were you two planning to do the entire trail?


There is a theory which states that if ever anyone discovers exactly what the universe is for it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more inexplicable.
There is another theory which states that this has already happened.
#3993758 - 08/11/14 05:40 AM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: NH2112]  
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Originally Posted By: NH2112
With the pole upside down grasp the pole belos the basket, and when correctly adjusted the handle will just touch the ground with your elbow at a right angle. Shorten poles or choke up on the grip while climbing, and lengthen them for downhill. Also, the strap should be bearing your weight, either on your wrist or the heel of your hand. Your fingers grip the handgrip just for control.

I picked up a nice ALPS Mountaineering Jagged Peak II 2-person 4-season tent on SAC for about $150 a few years back. Another $20 or so for the footprint, and about $40 to upgrade to MSR Ground Hog stakes. I haven't used it in the winter yet - maybe I'll pick up a pulk sled this winter and go on a multi-day snowshoe trek - but it's waterproof and has great ventilation with the fly off or the doors open. I still haven't sealed the seams yet. It's a little on the heavy side for solo trips, but not unmanageable.


Excellent advice, thanks. I think I had the poles about right for uphill climbing, but for downhill I could have stood to lengthen them a bit. Ah well, live and learn. smile

#3993759 - 08/11/14 05:43 AM Re: Three days of hiking on the John Muir Trail [Re: Legend]  
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Originally Posted By: Legend
Beautiful landscape. I've checked the John Muir Trail at Wikipedia... were you two planning to do the entire trail?


We were planning to do the entire trail, but looking back now that was going to be very ambitious. To hike the whole trail in the time we allotted would have meant we would need to have hiked about 20 miles a day, and as it was, 12-13 miles a day is about what we averaged. Realistically, we needed a minimum of three weeks to do the hike without trying to kill ourselves and to cope with bad weather, etc. Who knows, we might go back next year and hike the first 40 miles or so that we couldn't do this time around because of the fires. I know my friend has plans to go back and pick up where we left off, as soon as he has more vacation time. I probably won't be joining him for that, though.


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