Due to unforseen circumstances, we were forced to throw this trip together in ten days, including packing, resupplies, gear purchases, and even training. We did two training hikes, one up San Jacinto, one up San Bernardino, neither carrying a load. M had new shoes and I made the mistake of trying new socks for the first few days in my old trusty boots; she suffered shin splints and I got a few blisters before resorting back to the socks that worked so well last year.
Our gear list didn't change appreciably. I failed to buy a new sleeping bag in time, so I was stuck with my old down bag that has lost most of its loft over the years. I supplemented my long johns with Patagonia R1 fleece underwear for no weight penalty and significantly greater warmth. The gear list can be found at the bottom of the page.
Dry pack weights were 9.6 pounds. Adding fuel, water, and food, we were lighter than the vast majority of the folks we ran into on the trail. Still too damn heavy for our lazy tastes.
I figured food out better than last year. In cold weather I burn about 8,000 calories per day, I estimate that in the warmer weather that we had this year it's probably more like 6,000 or 7,000. Breakfast and lunch were dried fruit and nuts; dinner was 1.5 cups of spiced couscous with TVP and lots of olive oil.
We were forced to start in Tuolumne due to fires in Yosemite shutting down both our ride and the YARTS bus. Huge thanks to my awesome dad who not only climbed with me in Tuolumne for four days prior to the hike, but was nice enough to drive back to San Diego solo, drop off my climbing gear, left us in Tuolumne saving us the headache of driving two cars up, and was happy to pick M up in Lee Vining. Thanks Dad!
1) M napping in Tuolumne after an all-night drive from SD. 
2) A miniature Snafflehound in Tuolumne.
3) Cheers! Carb-loading pre-trail. Mammoth Brewery makes a killer Double Bock
at 11% alcohol; we also had two Guiness left over. M had make five pounds of roasted veggies that I gorged on. 
4) The next morning, after running into a small bear, we departed
up Lyell Canyon. Frosty, pretty, a bit chilly. 
5) Very nice.
6) Meeting the sun. Remember last year's custom backcountry orthotic
manufacturing at the same location. 
7) Going there! 
8) She asked for a less goofy photo.
9) Toward the pass.
10) Taking a break before the first climb.
11) Yep.
12) Looking down at the valley. 
13) Going up.
14) Looking down.
15) Getting somewhere, the trail is circuitous.
16) Up, up, up.
17) We came from down there, and we've got a long way to go.
18) 
19) At the pass, time for a long descent.
20) 
21) A supersized Snafflehound.
22) Awww, he's cuuute.
23) Onward! It's not dark this time, what a concept. 
24) 
25) We camped here last year. Nice to see it by the light of day.
26) Ahh, Banner/Ritter. Nice to see you again. 
27) Thousand Island Lake.
28) 
29) 
30) Getting toward our campsite, between TIL and Garnet Lake.
31) We camped here. I was SHOT. Day 2
32) Unamused M is unamused the next morning. 
33) Hazy campsite.
34) Why, hello there.
35) Flowers.
36) 
37) 
38) Garnet Lake and a nice reflection, the morning of Day 2.
39) 
40) 
41) The way to the Postpile.
42) 
43) 
44) 
45) 
46) 
47) A long, scenic descent.
48) Tough terrain makes for slow going here. 
49) 
50) M seems to bonk at Rosemarie lake every year. 
51) A familiar bridge brings us to the postpile region. This trail pisses
me off like clockwork, it's always too far to the Postpile. This year it was hotter and dustier than last,
doing little for my mood. We hit the postpile at mile 13, both wondering how we were going to do another 7+
by that night. 
52) Finally!
53) We cooked a big hot meal at the Pile, and felt significantly more human
as we headed towards Reds Meadow, which was also really friggin' hot and dusty.
54) Heading up through the burn. 
55) We cooked and ate a second dinner. M left the cleaning duties to me
for the entire trip. 
56) Trail junction somewhere near Red's Meadow. Trail Tip: from the postpile,
follow the signs straight to Red's Meadow. When you can see the resort (ergh), turn right and walk up the road
to the 'trailhead'. Another 100 yards down the trail you run into the JMT. We didn't know this last year, necessitating
quite the clusterfuck of backtracking and retracking by headlamp.
57) I didn't take any more photos the previous day. We camped at Deer Creek,
after chatting with a friendly fellow for a while. We nearly built a fire, but accidentally extinguished it by
adding too large a stick. 
58) Duck Creek. The morning of Day 3, we head towards Purple Lake. 
59) Towards the lake. 
60) At the lake. I was extremely concerned with my little toe blisters.
Luckily I switched to thicker socks and the problem abated entirely. 
61) Lake.
62) Lake Virginia. Heavy human traffic had us taking fewer rest breaks than the
scenery would encourage.
63) 
64) Down into Tully Hole. 
65) 
66) Awwwww, he's cute. 
67) 
68) Looking up at Silver Pass. 
69) Up towards Silver.
70) Looking down at a lake where a particularly enthusiastic girl decided
that swimming would be appropriate. Better her than me, that water was cold! 
71) Up the long, circuitous, torturous path towards Silver Pass.
We bonked and cooked dinner #1 about twenty minutes from the pass. 
72) 
73) 
74) 
75) 
76) 
77) 
78)The other side. We were really enjoying seeing the other side of all
these passes by daylight. 
79) 
80) 
81) 
82) 
83) Somewhere around here it was getting old. 
84) 
85) The last view before I got too tired and cranky to take more photos.
We cooked dinner in a mosquito infested area, jumped across the North Fork of Mono Creek, and fell asleep.
86) The next morning we carried on. 
87) To Mono Creek Bridge.
88) 
89) Then, up Bear Ridge.
90) 
91) 
92) 
93) 
94) 
95) 
96) Toward Selden Pass. The weather was closing in. 
97) 
98) The heavens finally opened up as we were cooking some pasta.
Rather than using the rain jackets, we popped up the Beta Light (God, I LOVE LOVE LOVE floorless shelters),
and curled up on foam pad and waited for the rain to stop. It did, so we continued. 
99) 
100) We hopped across the creek. 
101) Clouds were still ominous, and it rained on us for a
few minutes more. 
102) We hit Marie Lakes, which are gorgeous. We cooked some dinner before going
over the pass. 
103) M pointed out that 'we might never see this again', so we tried to
burn it into our memories. 
104) 
105) 
106) The other side of the pass. 
107) 
108) Heart Lake. 
109) We cooked dinner near here, as an owl swooped back and forth for
quite a while; absolutely amazing. 
110) Last photo before bed. We hiked via headlamp for a little while,
then threw down next to Senger Creek. 
111) Muir Trail Ranch resupply. We weren't as desperate as last year,
so we didn't enjoy it nearly as much. We got back on the trail which was HOT!
112) It was so friggin' hot that we averaged 3mph for six miles! 
113) The San Joaquin river was a godsend; we needed the water.
114) 
115) 
116) Goddard Creek Bridge.
117) 
118) And, the Evolutions!
119) 
120) 
121) 
122) 
123) We cooked dinner in the site that we camped last year, and then
pushed up the surprisingly grueling bit to Evolution Lake. 
124) 
125) 
126) 
127) 
128) M got real cold once we stopped, but she warmed up after a bit. I
played with long exposures on the camera. 
129) 
130) 
131) The next morning we headed upwards toward Muir Pass. 
132) 
133) 
134) 
135) 
136) 
137) 
138) 
139) 
140) 
141) 
142) 
143) 
144) 
145) 
146) 
147) 
148) 
149) 
150) M at Muir Pass. There was a horde of other hikes there. We weren't appreciating
human company much. 
151) 
152) Downhill. 
153) 
154) 
155) 
156) 
157) 
158) This descent is tough; 4,000 vertical feet of steepish trail. 
159) 
160) 
161) 
162) 
163) Someone added teeth to the rock since last year!
164) 
165) 
166) 
167) 
168) 
169) Blurry photo at Palisade Creek. 
170) Still blurry. 
171) Next morning, heading to Mather Pass. 
172) 
173) We ran into this little dude heading up to Palisade lake. 
174) 
175) 
176) Ahh, the lake. Altitude was hitting me hard for some reason.
177) 
178) 
179) 
180) Loking down at the lakes.
181) Looking up at the pass.
182) M on the pass; we scurried down the other side.
183) 
184) 
185) We took a quick break, but when we looked at the clock it had been an hour!
Yipe! 
186) We cooked and ate at Taboose Pass Trail. It was 5pm and we had done 13 miles.
M put the hammer down and we hiked into the night over Pinchot Pass, hitting mile 20 at Twin Lakes after lots of
futzing around in the dark trying to find a closer campsite. 
187) Climbing up to Lake Marjorie. A group of five galloped past us, doing
the full trail in eight days. They succeeded; we saw their signatures in the summit register of Whitney. 
188) 
189) Lake Marjorie. Some real asshats were camping in pristine tundra right
next to the trail. M gently chided them on their ignoring the established campsites, but they seemed wholly
unconcerned.
190) 
191) Pinchot Pass.
192) M on the pass. No, those aren't Twin Lakes down there. 
193) 
194) 
195) 
196) Down the other side!
197) We had a nice camp at Twin Lakes, but the Lakes are revolting, the
water is full of larvae and other critters. 
198) Hoofing it down to the South Fork the next day. 
199) 
200) 
201) The wacky suspension bridge. 
202) 
203) There was a squirrel dropping really big, REALLY heavy pinecones on us
from this tree. A direct hit would probably require SAR evacuation. Clearly squirrels are more dangerous than bears.
204) To dollar lake.
205) 
206) 
207) At dollar lake. My sexy feet. 
208) 
209) And my handsome face.
210) 
211) 
212) 
213) 
214) 
215) 
216) 
217) Rae Lakes.
218) 
219) 
220) Psyching up for Glen Pass. 
221) 
222) Glen.
223) 
224) 
225) Down the other side.
226) 
227) 
228) 
229) We camped a few miles past Vidette.
230) 
231) Hi Bill!
232) East Vidette Peak.
233) 
234) Dropping down to Bubbs Creek.
235) 
236) The next morning was cold and I didn't have the camera out. We camped
down in that valley, photo taken from halfway up Forester Pass. 
237) 
238) 
239) Forester. Going places, Whitney is close enough to taste.
This trip wasn't as sharp as last year's trip; we knew we could do it, we had nothing to worry about, and we knew the way.
Easier, more comfortable, but less rewarding, too. Casual.
240) Where we came from.
241) Some idiot in his underwear.
242) My pants were dirty and it took a lot of psyching up to swap my R1 tights for them. 
243) 
244) 
245) Marmot.
246) 
247) Down.
248) 
249) 
250) We ran into a kindly fellow down here who was attempting the trail South to North.
Two nights of no sleep combined with solo head-trips had him very discouraged. We donated two hours of our day to
cheering him on. I hope he perked up and kept going, the hard part was done. 
251) Here's that sign again. Reminding us that this is our last night.
252) 
253) Forester is back there. 
254) 
255) Tree-hugging hippie freaks we are, indeed. 
256) 
257) 
258) 
259) First views of the Big Whit.
260) 
261) 
262) 
263) 
264) Circumnavigating the Whit. We made it to Crabtree meadows by sunset. 
265) 
266) 
267) 
268) We kept going in the dark after picking up our our 'Wag Bags' (ie bulky
bluebags due to the IMMENSE traffic that Whitney sees as a result of being
unfortunate enough to be the tallest slag-heap around. 
269) Sunrise, our final morning of the trail. M got up to pee at 3am, and didn't go back to bed,
so we used the last of our fuel to boil (sterilize) three liters of water, which had to last us to the car. 
270) I utilized my Wag Bag and stuffed the bulky package into my pack, inspiring many
comments along the lines of 'I can't believe how much [censored] I'm carrying', and many similarly tasteless puns. 
271) M looking way too cheerful. I was freezing my nether regions off at this point.
272) 
273) 
274) 
275) 
276) Some seriously hardcore flowers living at 14,000 fet.
277) 
278) 
279) 
280) 
281) 
282) 
283) 
284) 
285) 
286) 
287) 
288) 
289) Oh, look, the parking lot, 6,000 feet below.
290) 
291) 
292) We ran down the trail. Out of fuel, with two liters of water for a long, hot descent.
293) 
294) 
295) 
296) 
297) 
298) Ice on the switchbacks. 
299) 
300) 
301) 
302) It got real warm on the descent. Luckily we never complained too much before some
poor bastard with a sixty pound pack came trudging by, making us feel incredibly comfortable.
303) 
304) 
305) 
306) 
307) Unamused Paul is hot and thirsty.Some nice guys gave us a ride into Lone Pine. Thanks dudes!! We got burgers and beer, and a room at the hostel, and had a pleasant drive down 395 the next morning following some souvenire/gift hunting.
Some thoughts: there's no more gear that would add to our enjoyment of the trail. In fact, we felt like our packs were still too damn heavy, and that needs to be addressed. I'm tired of boots, I'm going shopping for goretex trail runners. M's pack is too big, and my sleeping bag is done.
Go light, fast, far, and fun. May your trails be crooked, winding, lonesome, dangerous, leading to the most amazing view. May your mountains rise into and above the clouds.
-Edward Abbey
Here's my John Muir Trail gear list. Worn gear:
- Black Diamond Whippet Pole, for fending off bears and skewering fat talkative people who would rather talk about trekking poles than the woods and damn near grabbed my pole out of my hand as I was trying to walk by...
- 6oz Patagonia Silkweight longsleeve capilene shirt
- 10oz Old REI nylon pants
- 1oz capilene briefs
- 1oz sunhat + bandana
- 3lbs Montrail goretex boot/shoe things, size 14 (that's why they're heavy)
- 2.5 oz Golite Wisp Windshirt, modified for weight
- 18 oz Pack, Golite Jam 2, modified for weight
- 8 oz Rain Jacket, Patagonia pullover, discontinued (gah!)
- 12 oz Patagonia R1 Pullover (3 oz heavier than long johns)
- 8 oz Patagonia R1 Tights (0 oz heavier than long johns)
- 24 oz Patagonia Micro Puff Jacket
- 2 oz Patagonia R1 Balaclava (warmer than a beanie)
- 2 oz Fleece gloves
- 38 oz REI Sub Kilo down sleeping bag
- 8 oz REI simple foam sleeping pad
- 3 oz Headlamp, Black Diamond LED
- Total: 7 lbs 15 oz
- 3 oz Stove, MSR Pocket Rock
- 5 oz Pot, REI aluminum light thing, discontinued like most of their useful gear
- 2 oz folding bowls + spoons
- 20 oz Black Diamond Betalight tarp/tent
- 2 oz Tape, canvas athletic tape (first aid kit, in total)
- 1 oz Moleskin + bandaids
- 2lbs 5oz Bearikade bear canister
- 1 oz Maps
- 1 oz Compass
- 1 oz batteries
- You don't need changes of clothing. You're gonna stink, period.
- I was floored that my thermal long johns weigh as much as R1 fleece. Efficiency of insulation is paramount.
- Tents weigh too much, take a tarp or a tarptent or similar.
- Packs weigh too much. If you need a frame you're carrying too much. One pound per pack is reasonable.
- Water weighs too much. We don't take a water filter, as studies have shown that there is no giardia in the high Sierra. Take some hand sanitizer instead. We never carry more than a liter of water per person after Lyell canyon.
| Location | Mileage | Elevation |
|---|---|---|
| (feet) | ||
| Day 0 (hypothetical) | ||
| Happy Isles | 0 | 4,035 |
| Mist Trail | 1.0 | 4,550 |
| Panorama Trail | 3.3 | 5,950 |
| Little Yosemite Valley | 4.7 | 6,150 |
| Half Dome Trail | 6.2 | 7,000 |
| Clouds Rest Trail | 6.7 | 7,200 |
| Merced Lake Trail | 8.6 | 8,100 |
| Forsyth Trail | 8.7 | 8,150 |
| Sunrise Camp | 13.7 | 9,400 |
| Echo Creek Trail | 14.7 | 9,450 |
| Cathedral Pass | 15.7 | 9,700 |
| Cathedral Lake Trail | 17.8 | 9,500 |
| Tuolumne Meadows Trail | 20.8 | 8,550 |
| Glen Aulin Trail | 22.3 | 8,600 |
| Tuolumne Meadows Ranger Station | 23.9 | 8,700 |
| Day 1 | ||
| Parker Pass Trail | 24.7 | 8,700 |
| Rafferty Creek Trail | 25.6 | 8,750 |
| Vogelsang Pass Trail | 29.8 | 8,800 |
| Lyell Fork Base Trail | 32.8 | 9,000 |
| Lyell Fork Bridge | 34.0 | 9,700 |
| Lyell Headwaters | 34.8 | 10,200 |
| Donohue Pass | 36.7 | 11,050 |
| Marie Lakes Trail | 39.0 | 10,030 |
| Rush Creek Trail | 39.8 | 9,600 |
| Island Pass | 41.0 | 10,200 |
| Thousand Island Lake | 43.0 | 9,834 |
| Day 2 | ||
| Garnet Lake | 44.7 | 9,680 |
| Ediza Lake Trail | 47.6 | 9,030 |
| Shadow Creek Trail Bridge | 49.2 | 8,750 |
| Rosalie Lake | 50.2 | 9,350 |
| Gladys Lake | 50.9 | 9,600 |
| Lower Trinity Lake | 52.7 | 9,180 |
| Johnston Meadow | 54.7 | 8,120 |
| Mammoth Trail | 56.2 | 7,550 |
| Devil's Postpile National Monument | 56.6 | 7,550 |
| Red's Meadow | 57.3 | 7,600 |
| Mammoth Pass Trail #1 | 58.7 | 8,700 |
| Crater Meadow | 60.0 | 8,900 |
| Mammoth Pass Trail #2 | 61.1 | 8,900 |
| Deer Creek | 63.1 | 9,200 |
| Day 3 | ||
| Duck Creek | 68.3 | 10,100 |
| Purple Lake | 70.7 | 9,900 |
| Lake Virginia | 72.4 | 10,300 |
| Tully Hole | 74.4 | 9,500 |
| Cascade Valley Trail | 75.6 | 9,100 |
| Goodale Pass Trail | 78.3 | 10,300 |
| Silver Pass | 79.9 | 10,900 |
| Silver Pass Lake | 80.5 | 10,350 |
| Day 4 | ||
| North Fork of Mono Creek | 83.5 | 8,900 |
| Mono Pass Trail | 84.9 | 8,300 |
| Mono Creek Bridge | 86.5 | 7,700 |
| Bear Ridge | 91.1 | 9,950 |
| Bear Creek Trail | 93.2 | 8,800 |
| Italy Pass Trail | 95.5 | 9,250 |
| East Fork Lakes Trail | 96.7 | 9,500 |
| Marie Lake | 99.3 | 10,600 |
| Selden Pass | 100.6 | 10,870 |
| Heart Lake | 101.3 | 10,490 |
| Sally Keyes Lake | 102.1 | 10,200 |
| Senger Creek | 104.3 | 9,700 |
| Day 5 | ||
| Shortcut to Blayney Meadows | 106.4 | 8,400 |
| Blayney Meadows Trail | 108.1 | 7,800 |
| Piute Pass | 109.8 | 8,050 |
| Aspen Meadow | 111.3 | 8,300 |
| Bridge over South Fork, San Joaquin River | 112.6 | 8,350 |
| Goddard Canyon Bridge | 113.4 | 8,450 |
| Evolution Meadow | 115.4 | 9,200 |
| McClure Meadow | 117.4 | 9,600 |
| Colby Meadow | 118.4 | 9,800 |
| Evolution Lake | 121.9 | 10,850 |
| Day 6 | ||
| Evolution Creek | 125.5 | 10,400 |
| Muir Pass | 127.7 | 11,955 |
| Helen Lake | 128.7 | 11,595 |
| Little Pete Meadow | 134.5 | 8,800 |
| Bishop Pass Trail | 135.0 | 8,700 |
| Grouse Meadows | 138.2 | 8,200 |
| Palisade Creek | 139.2 | 8,000 |
| Deer Meadow | 142.7 | 8,700 |
| Day 7 | ||
| Palisade Lake | 145.7 | 10,650 |
| Mather Pass | 149.7 | 12,080 |
| Taboose Pass Trail | 155.1 | 10,000 |
| Bench Lake Trail | 156.2 | 11,000 |
| Lake Marjorie | 157.7 | 11,200 |
| Pinchot Pass | 159.2 | 12,100 |
| Twin Lakes | 162.3 | 10,560 |
| Day 8 | ||
| South Fork Trail | 166.8 | 8,500 |
| Rae Lakes | 172.3 | 10,500 |
| Dragon Lake Trail | 173.3 | 10,550 |
| Sixty Lakes Basin Trail | 173.6 | 10,550 |
| Glen Pass | 175.6 | 11,980 |
| Glen Pass Lake | 176.4 | 11,500 |
| Kearsarge Pass Trail | 177.9 | 10,800 |
| Bubbs Creek Trail | 180.1 | 9,600 |
| center Basin Trail | 183.6 | 10,500 |
| Day 9 | ||
| Forester Pass | 187.1 | 13,200 |
| Lake South America Trail | 191.4 | 11,160 |
| Shepherd Pass Trail | 192.1 | 10,930 |
| Wright Creek | 198.0 | 10,790 |
| Wallace Creek | 199.1 | 10,400 |
| Crabtree Meadows Ranger Station | 203.6 | 10,700 |
| Creek to Guitar Lake | 205.7 | 11,600 |
| Day 10 | ||
| Mt Whitney Trail | 209.6 | 13,500 |
| Mt Whitney | 211.9 | 14,495 |
| Trail Crest | 214.2 | 13,600 |
| Trail Camp | 216.4 | 12,040 |
| Outpost Camp | 219.0 | 10,600 |
| Lone Pine Lake | 220.0 | 9,960 |
| Whitney Portal | 222.4 | 8,360 |