Re: John Muir Trail 1st timer

Id like to hike the entire JMT in the month of June. I have 25 days to allocate to this trip. I have never hiked a foot of the JMT so I have a few questions.

Are there still only 3 resupply points along the JMT?

Is June too early for this route? (I have crampons, snow shoes, etc. ready) I hear this past winter supplied significant snowfall.

Is a North bound hike the better route to take?

Any links online better than others to obtain this info? I will gladly accept any suggestions.

Thank you



Post Edited (05-29-08 10:23)

I have hiked the trail to the top of Whitney (in the south) twice and the trail up from the Valley (in the north) countless times. I would not want to start a long hike like the JMT at 8000 feet and hike to 13000+ right away.

I will be going form north to south in July.

Mike

thank you. Do you think a north to south route in the month of June will contain too much snow for safe travel? Also, will I need any kind of climbing gear (ropes, harness, etc.) for this route in June?

thanks

These are two pretty good links that you might find useful.

http://sierrahiker.home.comcast.net/~sierrahiker/JohnMuirTrail/

http://hometown.aol.com/Mtclimbxs/Gear.html#Gear

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Bill

tnhiker:

Regarding your question about whether June is too early: I'd say that depends, in part, on what kind of travel conditions you are comfortable with. If you don't get an answer here, you might try asking at highsierratopix.com.

Hope this helps, and have a great trip!

Edited: Oh, I see you already got a good reply to this in another thread you started.



Post Edited (05-30-08 07:03)

Myself and five friends want to visit and backpack the end of july/first of august. Most of us haven't seen any of Yosemite so what would you recommend if we want to see the Mariposa area and of course half dome but would like to spend three or four nights backpacking in the back country?
Would a trip like that be possible? We don't have a definite number of nights but at least four.

Thanks for any help

Riana wrote:

> Myself and five friends want to visit and backpack the end of
> july/first of august. Most of us haven't seen any of Yosemite
> so what would you recommend if we want to see the Mariposa area
> and of course half dome but would like to spend three or four
> nights backpacking in the back country?
> Would a trip like that be possible? We don't have a definite
> number of nights but at least four.

There isn't that much to see in Mariposa. I think there's the California State Mining and Mineral Museum. Mariposa's economy is centered on supporting tourists visiting Yosemite.

There are plenty of places to backpack in Yosemite. One helpful thing to know are that you can either get a reservation ($5 per party for the entire trip) or arrive and see if you can get a free first-come/first-served permit. 40% of every starting trailhead quota is for the FCFS permits.l Once you've secured your permit, you can stay at one of the backpackers campgrounds for $5 (per person) on the night before you start your trip, and the night you complete your backpacking trip. There's typically space available and they don't take reservations. You can also try some of the other campgraounds, like Porcupine Creek ($10 per night for an entire party of six or less).

You might have a problem with a group of five. Many trailheads have very low quotas. Even if there's space available, you might have difficulties getting a permit for a group of five. Cathedral Lakes (from Tuolumne Meadows) would be ideal, but it's already completely reserved for your timeframe. You might be able to go there the day before at the Tuolumne wilderness center as there's a FCFS quota of 10. I'd imagine you could take the John Muir Trail down, and visit Half Dome on the way down to Yosemite Valley. If you're taking more than one vehicle, you can leave one car in the Valley backpackers parking lot (at Happy Isles) and one in Tuolemne Meadows). Then retrieve your car at the end of the trip.

Have fun. I'm jealous. ;-)

I'm not sure what exactly you mean when you mention the Mariposa area so I can't talk to that as there is the Mariposa Grove and the town of Mariposa.

As for a a three or four night trip in the back country you should consider the area out of Hetch Hetchy. The trailhead quota is about 70 people a day so permits are not a problem. You get them at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the way to O'Shaughnessy Dam.

If you are experienced backpackers and have four days and three nights I would recommend going from the dam to Beehive Meadow on the first day, Beehive to Lake Vernon on the second day, Vernon to Tiltill Valley and down to the Rancheria camping area, and on day four hike out to the dam. This is a great route with meadows, forest, ferns, lots of glacially carved granite, a fantastic lake, great views, plenty of water, lots of wild flowers, few people, good camp sites, swimming, and not too much effort if it is done in four days. If you have only three days and are up to it then skip Beehive and go straight to Lake Vernon.

If you want to hike and hang out a couple of days then go to Lake Vernon, hang out, and then hike back out. Lake Vernon is fantastic.

There is a backpackers campground at Hetch Hetchy for you pre and post hiking pleasure.



Post Edited (06-17-08 14:48)

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Old Dude

mrcondron wrote:

> As for a a three or four night trip in the back country you
> should consider the area out of Hetch Hetchy. The trailhead
> quota is about 70 people a day so permits are not a problem.
> You get them at the Hetch Hetchy entrance station on the way to
> O'Shaughnessy Dam.

I think the Hetch Hetchy permits are divided into nearby destinations. Sort of like how there are three different categories (LYV, Sunrise/Merced pass-through, or Illilouette pass-through) for Happy Isles as a starting trailhead. In any case, I think there should be plenty left.

I'm just wondering how I saw a Boy Scout group of maybe 10-12 last year camping just off the John Muir Trail.

I think that half of the 70 or so permits allow going up the switchbacks towards Beehive Meadow and the other half allow going towards Rancheria Creek along the lake shore. So the route I described can be done either clockwise or counterclockwise. I prefer the clockwise direction

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Old Dude

mrcondron wrote:

> I think that half of the 70 or so permits allow going up the
> switchbacks towards Beehive Meadow and the other half allow
> going towards Rancheria Creek along the lake shore. So the
> route I described can be done either clockwise or
> counterclockwise. I prefer the clockwise direction

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/trailheads.htm

It's 35 total for Beehive Meadows, 35 total for Rancheria Falls, and 15 total for Miguel Meadow. Of course 40% of the quota is saved for first-come, first served issuance.

Riana,
Since you say most have not seen Yosemite my suggestion is this:
On the first day get a permit from Glacier Point for a Little Yosemite Valley
PASSTHRU. The backpack trip you can take the Panarama Trail to Nevada
Falls and then to LYV. From there continue up the JMT towards Half Dome
and turn right away from HD. Stay at the Sunrise Creek/Clouds Rest Tr. Jct.
This is 9 Miles with total of 2000ft gain. On second day you can get up
early and concur Half Dome. From there you have options.
a) You can stay there and go for Clouds Rest
b) You can stay there and nappy
c) You can continue on the JMT and head towards Echo Valley/Merced Lake
If you choose option C it is a total of 11 miles if you do not go to Merced
Lake back to LYV. So on Day 2 you could get to granite areas looking
in Merced River Canyon or you could ...
Anway, the Merced River Canyon around Lost Valley and Moraine Dome
is spectacular.
You can finish your trip by hiking down to Yosemite Valley.
(to start the trip you could shuttle yourself since you have day 1 to
explore the valley and check out Glacier Pt.)
Or you can hike back up to your vehicle at GP.

Anyway, that is my suggestion simply for the fact that you said not
many have been to Yosemite and you want to do Half Dome.
(and I think the Merced River Canyon is something to behold)

Please report back as to what you do. (and if you choose this get to the
permit station EARLY the day BEFORE you start your trip)
If going to Vernon then... as said ... permits should not be an issue.

Have fun.

bill-e-g wrote:

> Riana,
> Since you say most have not seen Yosemite my suggestion is
> this:
> On the first day get a permit from Glacier Point for a Little
> Yosemite Valley
> PASSTHRU.

I don't see that listed as an option. And the Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley option has a low quota.

Hmm...

Don't know why it's not an option. They have Happy Isle to Sunrise/Merced.

A few years back we got a permit from Mono Meadow and went all the way to Lost Valley on the first day.

I'd just go in and say this is what I want to do. Maybe I'll ask tomorrow and report back as to what they say at the Mariposa Permit Station.

bill-e-g wrote:

> Hmm...
>
> Don't know why it's not an option. They have Happy Isle to
> Sunrise/Merced.

The only pass-through listed is Happy Isles to Sunrise or Merced Lakes. Of course one could try to get a Glacier Point to Little Yosemite Valley permit. I'm not sure what the policy is on not camping the first night at LYV with such a permit, but I don't see what it would be a problem. I thought the pass-through restriction was just to limit the number of people camping in LYV.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/trailheads.htm

> A few years back we got a permit from Mono Meadow and went all
> the way to Lost Valley on the first day.
>
> I'd just go in and say this is what I want to do. Maybe I'll
> ask tomorrow and report back as to what they say at the
> Mariposa Permit Station.

Wawona?

There is Glen Aulin passthru too.
It IS an attempt to make sure that there is enough campsites for those
with permits.
One person I know got a permit for Glen Aulin and they were told
they HAD to camp in the bp campground in Glen Aulin.
So it must be the case for LYV. If you are gonna get that permit you
have to camp in LYV.

Anyway, I will ask at the "Mariposa" / Wawona / this that or the other /
whatever / Permit Station tomorrow.

Talked to Ranger when got permit at Wawona.
The link that y_p_w listed is all you need to know.
I learned a couple of things too.
1) You have to stay at LYV if you get GP to LYV or HI to LYV the first night.
2) If you get a Mono Meadow permit you cannot stay at LYV or beyond
the first night (so the trip I mentioned that we did in the past
Mono (or GP) to Lost Valley is not allowed)
For Mono Meadow you have to stay in Illouette Basin.
3) On day 2 you can go anywhere/camp anywhere you want (thats
allowed)
4) No camping is allowed on Panorama Trail. Oops... done that.
Won't do it again.
5) I'm amazed at the low quotas.

Anyway,
I knew this all along: An hike in Yosemite is great. Have fun.

Billy,
Did I read you right? One cannot enter at Mono and hike through LYV to near Bunnell for the first night? If so then how far do you have to go past LYV before you can pitch?

We weren't on the Panorama Trail, we were on the trail heading back to the Mono trailhead.

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Old Dude

I was told that if you get a Mono Meadow permit you HAVE to stay in the
Illouette Basin the first night.
The second night if you want to go up Merced River Canyon you have to
go 4 miles beyond LYV (to Moraine Dome) to camp.

I'm certain after talking to the Ranger that this is all due to the fact that
99% of people look at the map and say... "no, problem, I can make it
this far..." and then bonk. But then why allow any LYV pass-thru then?
And why not from Mono or GP?

We were immediately off the Panorama Trail at the Jct. I even said to the
Ranger... "hmm... I didn't know you couldn't camp there .. been there...
done that... There is even still a fire pit there..." It's clearly marked
No Overnight on the National Geographic Map.

Another interesting tidbit I saw was the Daily Quota to Poopenaut Valley
was 15! Wha? Huh? Maybe they throw people there for fun if Beehive
is full up? No idea where all those people would park even.

It's a sociological experiment to see if that many people of that ilk can be gathered at one spot at the same time.

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Old Dude