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ОглавлениеINTRODUCTION
The John Muir Trail (JMT) is one of the world’s greatest treks and is North America’s best-known middistance walking trail. It runs for 216 miles through the high Sierra Nevada mountains of California, from Yosemite Valley in the north to the summit of Mount Whitney (14,496ft) above Lone Pine in the south, and takes about three weeks to complete.
The route is largely a wilderness experience, and this intensifies as one progresses along the Trail from the relative civilisation between Yosemite and Tuolumne, where there are many day-trippers and other walkers, to the huge wilderness areas further south, particularly after the Muir Trail Ranch. Tourists are once again encountered, in the form of day walkers on Mount Whitney, during the very last stages of the Trail.
The Edison Queen approaching Mono Creek ferry pick-up point (Day 9)
However, although the JMT passes through areas of genuine wilderness, the Trail by its very nature confines backpackers to a narrow corridor through that wilderness. The Trail was man made and is maintained by rangers, and along its length there are Ranger Stations where officials are found during the summer season. You will undoubtedly pass many other hikers during your sojourn along the JMT, and will rarely be more than a mile or two from other human beings. Only by leaving the man-made trails would one truly be entering the huge wilderness that is the Californian High Sierras.
While the John Muir Trail passes through high mountain country where spectacular peaks and high passes abound, the JMT itself is a relatively easy trail to walk. Gradients are rarely very steep, as the trail was expertly engineered and was originally intended for pack animals, mules and horses. So although the JMT often goes over high passes, the routes over them are nearly always well graded. You may, however, marvel that horses were expected to traverse such narrow and dramatic trails as those over the Forester and Glen passes; both an experienced rider and horse would be necessary!
There is little in the way of exposure along the entire length of the JMT, no scrambling is involved and no particular head for heights is required. The only exception is perhaps on the descent from the Forester Pass, but most mountain walkers would hardly give even this a second thought. The ascent of Half Dome, which is not part of the JMT, is a rather different matter. The climb to the top of the mountain is over very steep and polished granite, but the route is well protected and those with some scrambling ability in the mountains should again have no worries. Navigation along the Trail is relatively straightforward, and users of this guidebook who also carry the recommended maps for the JMT should experience few route-finding problems. The Trail is well waymarked on the ground. Note that the above analysis, of course, applies only to good summer conditions; snowedand iced-up passes and rivers in spate would be altogether far more difficult and dangerous.
The Route
While the official Trail runs for 216 miles, the fact that it terminates on the top of Mount Whitney, the highest point in the 48 contiguous States of the US, means that the route is, in reality, somewhat longer, as walkers must descend and return to civilisation. There is a good continuing trail from Mount Whitney down to the roadhead at Whitney Portal to the east, and this is the one usually used to finish the JMT.
The dramatic peak of Half Dome lies a little off the route of the JMT at the northern end of the trail in Yosemite National Park, and few adventurous walkers would want to pass by without making a detour to climb this sensational mountain.
With these two extensions to the JMT the total distance of the trek amounts to some 233 miles, with a total cumulative ascent of about 46,700ft (14,234m), over 1½ times the height of Everest. By walking from north to south the total descent is only around 42,000ft (12,800m), as Yosemite Valley lies at a much lower altitude than Whitney Portal.
Much of the JMT is coincident with the ultra-long-distance Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) that crosses the western US north to south between the Canadian and Mexican borders.
Half Dome from Yosemite Valley (Day 1)
The first section of the JMT heads eastwards through Yosemite, passing Vernal and Nevada waterfalls and to the south of Half Dome to Sunrise High Sierra Camp and then north-eastwards over the Cathedral Range to reach a second roadhead at Tuolumne Meadows. A café/snack bar, store and post office here are useful to JMT walkers before the long journey south to Whitney begins.
From Tuolumne a long ascent up the wide and beautiful Lyell Valley leads to the first high pass of the JMT, the 11,056ft Donohue Pass, where the Trail leaves Yosemite National Park to enter the Ansel Adams Wilderness Area in Inyo National Forest. The route then heads south-eastwards across a landscape dotted with a multitude of mountain lakes and tarns – Thousand Island Lake, Emerald Lake, Garnet Lake and Shadow Lake – all beneath the dominating and shapely summits of Mount Ritter and Banner Peak.
A long descent southwards through woodland leads to the Devil’s Postpile National Monument, massive columnar blocks of basalt resembling those found at the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland. Nearby the wilderness walker can enjoy both the hot tubs at the thermal springs and Reds Meadow Resort, which offers the hungry hiker a restaurant/café and a store selling basic foodstuffs.
The trail now climbs through trees that were badly burned in a forest fire in the early 1990s to pass into the huge John Muir Wilderness to reach Deer Creek, before following a trail of volcanic dust along a ridge heading south-eastwards high above Cascade Valley. Duck Lake is by-passed, but the undulating JMT passes Purple Lake and Lake Virginia before dropping steeply down to Tully Hole. Lakes named after the Native American culture (Squaw Lake, Chief Lake, Papoose Lake) are passed on the ascent to the Trail’s second major pass, Silver Pass at 10,900ft. A long descent southwards follows, past Silver Pass Lake and Pocket Meadow to reach Quail Meadows, a short distance east of Edison Lake. Most JMT walkers will then want to take the ferry boat trip across this lake to spend a day or two relaxing at Vermilion Resort, where there is always a special welcome awaiting JMT and PCT Thru-Hikers.
Hikers on the JMT climbing towards the Pinchot Pass (Day 16)
After crossing Mono Creek the Trail rises steeply to attain Bear Ridge, which eventually drops to Bear Creek. This mountain stream is followed to Upper Bear Creek Meadows and then up to Rosemarie Meadows, past Marie Lake and over the Seldon Pass, which lies at the same altitude as its northern neighbour, at 10,900ft. The JMT descends past Heart Lake and Sallie Keyes Lake to reach Muir Trail Ranch, the last place en route where food caches may be collected.
From here on there is no compromise as the Trail enters a huge wilderness area between Muir Trail Ranch and the end of the Trail, climbing virtually every day over increasingly higher mountain passes. The Trail heads south-eastwards along the South Fork of the San Joaquin river to enter Kings Canyon National Park at Piute Creek. The San Joaquin river is left behind at Goddard Canyon as the JMT turns at first eastwards to head up Evolution Valley. Three lush meadows are passed on the way to Evolution Lake, from where a high alpine world is entered as the Trail passes Sapphire, Wanda (named after Muir’s daughter) and McDermand Lakes to climb to the pass named after the great man himself. Muir Pass, at 11,955ft, is the only col on the JMT to boast a man-made building, a stone shelter hut.
The descent on the far side of the pass leads past Helen Lake (named after Muir’s other daughter) before dropping down Le Conte Canyon, passing Big Pete and Little Pete Meadows. After Grouse Meadows the Trail turns eastwards to ascend alongside Palisade Creek to reach Deer Meadow. A sensational path, steep and terraced, then leads upwards to the Palisade Lakes, above which towers Mather Pass (12,100ft), the first pass above 12,000ft encountered on the Trail. The broad, desert-like Upper Basin leads down to the Kings river, after which another climb takes the hiker over the 12,130ft Pinchot Pass and so down to Woods Creek, which is spanned by a most impressive suspension footbridge.
The JMT follows the South Fork of Woods Creek, passing Dollar, Arrowhead and Rae Lakes before climbing to 11,978ft at Glen Pass. A descent follows to Bubbs Creek, the valley of which is then ascended into more and more rocky terrain beneath the dramatic Junction Peak. Forester Pass (13,180ft), the first time that the Trail climbs to over 13,000ft, is attained at the Kings Kern Divide, allowing entry into the Mount Whitney area of the High Sierras.
The JMT bids farewell to its big brother travel companion, the Pacific Crest Trail, a little before Crabtree Meadow. The appropriately shaped Guitar Lake lies below and to the west of the Whitney massif, and from here a zig-zagging climb leads to Trail Junction, where backpacks can be thankfully abandoned for a time while Mount Whitney (14,496ft) itself is climbed. The last pass of the journey is Trail Crest (13,600ft), which is easily attained before the seemingly never-ending descent leads out of the wilderness down to Whitney Portal.
Walking a Wilderness Trail
For British backpackers and long-distance path walkers, the major difference between the JMT and longdistance routes in Britain and western Europe is the large expanses of wilderness through which the JMT passes where there is no permanent human habitation and no basic facilities. The only possible form of accommodation is a backpacking tent, and the only food available is that carried in by walkers themselves. There are no cafés, restaurants, mountain huts or B&Bs – nothing whatsoever.
In Britain and much of Europe, should weather conditions take turn for the worse, or if you fancy a bit of luxury, it is nearly always possible to opt for a night in a hotel or have a meal in a restaurant. With one or two exceptions, you will generally not have such an option while on the JMT.
Again, there is little need in most parts of western Europe for backpackers to carry more than one or two day’s worth of food, because villages and towns with shops and restaurants are encountered fairly regularly. Nowhere would you be compelled to carry up to ten day’s worth of food, as on the southern section of the JMT. Careful planning is required to ensure that you have sufficient food while walking the Trail, and you must be completely self-reliant.
Walkers should also be aware that the national parks and official wilderness areas of the US are subject to a range of regulations designed to protect ecologically sensitive areas (see ‘Low impact trekking and national park/wilderness regulations’, in ‘Walking the Trail’, below).
While the JMT should present no real difficulties for the seasoned hill and long-distance walker, it is recommended that those undertaking it have previously walked at least one continuous route of more than 150 miles in length, preferably in the Scottish Highlands, Alps or Pyrenees, before attempting the JMT. Some experience at a reasonably high altitude would be an advantage.
If you are concerned that all the planning and physical effort required to walk the John Muir Trail is a little beyond you, then do consider the achievements of Al (Albert) Ansorge from Illinois, who in 2001, when over 80 years old, completed his tenth walk along the entire John Muir Trail. Al made his first JMT trek in 1981 when a mere youngster in his sixties. He reckons that the JMT is the best hike in the world, and this author could not disagree with that opinion.
John Muir
John Muir (1838–1914) is a household name in the US. This somewhat eccentric man – naturalist, conservationist, sage, explorer, mountaineer, inventor, writer and founding father of the national park movement – is alas largely unknown, except to outdoor enthusiasts, in the land where he was born and grew up, Scotland. It is hoped that this guidebook will in some small way help to make the name of John Muir, together with his philosophy, principles of conservation and respect for the wild places of this planet, better known to a wider audience.
John Muir was born on April 21st 1838 in Dunbar on the east coast of Scotland, in Lothian. He was the son of a strict Calvinist and tyrannical disciplinarian who worked his sons harshly. In 1849 the family decided to emigrate to the New World, and so at the age of eleven John left his homeland to make a new life in the United States of America. The family settled on Hickory Hill Farm, near Portage in Wisconsin. In his free time John learnt to wander the open, unfenced country of the neighbourhood, and at this early age developed the love of the outdoors that was to remain with him all his life. He was largely self-taught during these formative years, hiding his reading from his father, who disapproved of book learning. John discovered that he had a gift for invention as well as for geology and botany, and with these talents entered the University of Wisconsin in 1860.
After three years of higher education Muir did various odd jobs, living for a while in Canada to escape the Civil War in the States, but it wasn’t until an accident that nearly blinded him in 1867 that he determined to wander widely. His first long trek was 1000 miles from Indianapolis to the Gulf of Mexico. He next sailed to Cuba with the intention of travelling down to South America, but instead changed his plans to head north for San Francisco where he landed in March 1868.
It was a decision that was to change the whole direction of his life. At the age of 30 he entered Yosemite for the first time and was awe-struck by what he saw. ‘I only took a walk in the Yosemite,’ he later said, ‘but stayed for six years’. California, and particularly Yosemite and the Sierra Nevada, would become his home, both physically and spiritually. To Muir the Sierra Nevada was ‘the Range of Light…the most divinely beautiful of all the mountain chains I have ever seen.’
Octogenarian Al Ansorge (seated far left) in Vermilion Valley Resort dining room during his tenth trek along the JMT
John Muir had considerable mountaineering talents, being attributed with the first ascent of Mount Ritter and with one of the early winter ascents of Half-Dome. But it is for becoming the first conservationist that he is really remembered. Muir was one of the first people to study the science of ecology and to witness at first hand, from his pine cabin home in Yosemite, the damaging effects of the hand of man. He developed a theory of glaciation to explain the formation of Yosemite Valley, and in 1874 started his career as a successful and influential writer. At the age of 42 in 1880 Muir married Louise Strentzel and moved to Martinez, California (now a John Muir National Historic Site), where he ran a fruit farm and brought up his family of two daughters, Helen and Wanda. JMT walkers will pass two mountain lakes that were named after these daughters, either side of the Muir Pass (Day 13). He still managed to travel widely, visiting Alaska, South America, Africa, Australia and elsewhere. He returned to Scotland on only one occasion, to the Highlands, Dunbar, Edinburgh and Dumfries, in 1893.
One of the numerous mountain tarns below Silver Pass (Day 9)
Through his writings and eccentric lifestyle Muir became widely known throughout the United States. He was an influential figure who received the rich and famous to his simple Californian home, including the poet and essayist Ralph Emerson, the author and naturalist H.D. Thoreau and the eminent geologist Joseph Le Conte (see Le Conte Canyon, Day 14 of the JMT). Muir was a confidant of congressmen, presidents and other influential people, and in this way was able to persuade the most powerful men in the country of the urgent need to protect the wilderness areas of western America from commercial exploitation. He pushed for the establishment of Yosemite as the first national park in 1890. In 1903 Muir encouraged President Roosevelt to spend several nights camping out in Yosemite with him, during which time they agreed on a programme of conservation for the area.
Muir was also instrumental in the fight to set up Sequoia, Grand Canyon and other national parks for reasons of conservation and access, and is today dubbed the founding father of America’s national park system. The debate over national parks was really a debate about exploitation versus conservation. In a land where capitalism and the work ethic reign supreme it is perhaps surprising that Muir’s views won the day and that the national parks in America were established to protect and conserve the great wildernesses so early on in the country’s history.
John Muir was undoubtedly America’s most famous and influential naturalist and conservationist, but he was also a popular writer whose somewhat romantic style and unbounded love of nature often won over the hearts even of those with little interest in nature and the environment. His eight wilderness books, a lifetime’s work, are classics of the genre: The Story of my Boyhood and Youth, A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf, My First Summer in the Sierra, The Mountains of California, Our National Parks, The Yosemite, Travels in Alaska and Steep Trails. They were republished in Britain by Diadem in one volume in 1992 (see Appendix 7 – Bibliography). In all he wrote over 300 articles and 10 major books.
Sadly Muir lost his last fight, a long, drawn-out campaign to save the Hetch Hetchy Valley in Yosemite from being flooded. This failure dispirited him and soon after, on Christmas Eve 1914, he died of pneumonia.
His lasting memorials are the world’s national park networks established by those inspired by his vision. His views are perhaps even more relevant today because of the many threats that the modern world poses for the wild places of this fragile planet. In essence Muir’s naturalist philosophy was a simple one, believing that man truly belonged to nature. ‘I only went out for a walk,’ he wrote, ‘and finally decided to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.’
In Memory of John Muir
In Britain the memory of John Muir, the principles by which he lived and his life’s work in saving and conserving wild areas of the world are embodied in the John Muir Trust, a charity founded in 1983. The aims of the trust are simple: to save and conserve wild places. At the time of writing the it owns and manages seven outstanding wild areas, totalling over 20,000 hectares in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland, including Britain’s highest mountain, Ben Nevis. The trust is a membership organisation open to all who have an interest in wild places. A regular journal keeps members informed of activities and plans for the future. Further details of the trust can be found on their website at www.johnmuirtrust.org (see Appendix 6).
On the JMT in Yosemite en route to Nevada Falls (Day 1)
Efforts have also been made during recent years to raise the profile of John Muir in his native Scotland. The John Muir Birthplace Trust was founded in September 1998 as a partnership project involving East Lothian Council, the John Muir Trust, Dunbar’s John Muir Association and Dunbar Community Council. The aim of the trust is to secure the future of John Muir’s birthplace in Dunbar and an interpretative centre, focused on Muir’s work, was opened there in 2003. It is now visited by thousands of tourists from all over the world, and provides projects for hundreds of local schoolchildren.
Also in memory of John Muir, East Lothian Council has completed a new long distance path in South-East Scotland, opened in September 2007. The John Muir Way (not Trail!) runs for 45 miles, from Cockburnspath (eastern end of the Southern Upland Way) via Dunbar to the edge of Edinburgh, part of the ultra-long North Sea Coastal Trail. The Way, of course, offers a very different experience to the Trail, but is nevertheless a fitting memorial on this side of the Atlantic, to the founding father of the world wide National Park movement.
Parks along the JMT
The John Muir Trail passes through three of North America’s finest and best-known national parks.
Yosemite is known the world over for its high, spectacular mountains and for some of the most stunning, high and technically difficult rock faces anywhere on earth. Few outdoor people will not know of Half Dome and El Capitan, the latter a huge rock monolith (the largest single granite rock on earth) towering above Yosemite Valley and very popular with the world’s top climbers. Yosemite is a natural wonderland of high mountains, granite cliffs, waterfalls, alpine lakes, tarns and streams. Two of the world’s ten highest waterfalls are found in the park, Upper Yosemite and Ribbon Falls.
Situated in the High Sierras of central California, Yosemite was one of America’s first National Parks (Yellowstone was the first in 1872). It was in fact the first area of the States to be given special protection by an act of Congress in 1864, but was not officially designated a national park until 1st October 1890, due largely to the work and sterling efforts of Muir, President Theodore Roosevelt and other influential figures..
Almost 95% of the 750,000 acre park is unspoilt wilderness. Today it is one of America’s most visited national parks, with over 4 million visitors annually. Most, however, visit only the visitor centre, shops, cafés, restaurants and other amenities of Yosemite Valley, whilst the more adventurous do a day-hike or two from Yosemite Valley or Tuolumne Meadows. For those with a head for heights the ascent of Half Dome is a very popular day-hike from Yosemite Valley. But only a tiny percentage of Yosemite’s visitors venture deep into its wilderness. You are to be one of these most fortunate people who will cross the wilderness of Yosemite, experiencing this most awe-inspiring of mountain landscapes.
Today Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks in the southern Sierra share a boundary and are administered as one park. However, they were set up by separate acts of Congress at different times, and a little of their history will help to make clear their importance. In the mid-18th century this land was seen as ripe for commercial exploitation and attracted timber barons who came to fell the mighty and ancient trees that grew here. But such enlightened and influential people as John Muir worked hard to obtain protection for this special wilderness area.
In 1890, very soon after the creation of Yosemite National Park, the second US national park was established, the relatively small Sequoia National Park, 50,000 acres of protected land. Just a week later a third but very tiny national park (2500 acres) was designated as the General Grant National Park (named after the American general and 18th president of the US, who had died five years earlier in 1885). At the same time more land was added to Sequoia National Park, tripling its size. The continuing efforts of conservationists over the years led to further expansion of the two parks, until in 1940 General Grant National Park took in land around the South Fork Kings river and changed its name to Kings Canyon National Park. As late as 1965 Cedar Grove and Tehipite Valley were added to the park.
The combined Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks amount to over 1300 square miles of mountain and forest wilderness. The elevation range is from as low as 1500ft in the low foothills of the west of the parks to the high mountains of the Great Western Divide and High Sierras in the east. The highest point in continental America (or the contiguous states), the 14,496ft-high Mount Whitney, lies on the border of Sequoia National Park.
By far the majority of the park lies within the Sequoia and Kings Canyon Wilderness Area; so, as in Yosemite, few of the 2 million annual visitors to the parks reach the heartland of this stunning area. The parks are famous for their Sequoias, the world’s largest trees. The best examples are to be found in the north of the parks area, in the Giant Forest plateau. Here can be found the tallest of the Sequoias, the 275ft-high ‘General Sherman’, whose trunk has a ground-level circumference of 103ft and which weighs an estimated 1385 tons.
John Muir Wilderness
In honour and recognition of the life’s work of America’s best-known conservationist and father of the national parks a large tract of land in California has been designated the John Muir Wilderness.
Located in the Inyo and Sierra national forests, the 581,000-acre John Muir Wilderness is the largest wilderness area in California. Some of the most spectacular mountain scenery on earth is to be seen there, and it is perhaps not surprising that it is the most visited wilderness in the state of California. This unspoilt backcountry is characterised by mile after mile of high snow-capped mountain ranges, countless sparkling alpine lakes, tarns, waterfalls, rivers and streams flowing with crystal-clear pure waters, and vast stretches of native forest. This is all high country, with elevation ranging between 4000 and 14,000ft.
Both the John Muir Trail and the Pacific Crest Trail pass through this wilderness. The JMT first enters the John Muir Wilderness at Red Cones on Day 7 of the trek, leaving on Day 12 when Kings Canyon National Park is entered, soon after leaving Muir Trail Ranch. The very last stages of the hike, Days 20 and 21, from Trail Crest down to Whitney Portal, also cross the John Muir Wilderness.
View of the summit crags on Mount Whitney (Day 20)
Ansel Adams and the Ansel Adams Wilderness
The John Muir Trail passes through an area known as the Ansel Adams Wilderness (on Days 5, 6 and 7, from the Donohue Pass, where the Trail leaves the Yosemite National Park, to Red Cones south of Reds Meadow, where the JMT enters the John Muir Wilderness).
Ansel Adams (1902–1984) was one of America’s foremost landscape photographers and conservationists. Born in San Francisco at the beginning of the 20th century, Ansel Adams rejected a conventional formal education, but showed an early interest in nature and the Californian wilderness after a boyhood trip with his family to Yosemite in 1916, just two years after John Muir’s death.
Adams’s early inclination was to become a pianist, but his interest in photography deepened, and by the late 1920s he was beginning to be recognised as a landscape photographer of outstanding talent. He is particularly well known for his photographs of the national parks of western US. He used his photographs to further his work on conservation, persuading politicians that the great wilderness areas of the US were worth protecting. He served on the board of the influential Sierra Club, founded by Muir in 1892, for nearly 40 years. Ansel Adams died at the age of 82 in April 1984.
His life’s work in landscape photography and conservation has been honoured by the designation of part of the Californian High Sierra wilderness as the Ansel Adams Wilderness.
The Pacific Crest Trail
The Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) is the father or perhaps the very big brother of the John Muir Trail. The US has three great ultra-long walking trails that stretch from north to south across this huge country. The Appalachian Trail in the east was the first to be established in 1937. It starts in the southern state of Georgia and heads north for 2100 miles to finish in Maine near the Canadian border. The newest, longest and hardest of the three is the Continental Divide Trail, which runs between Mexico and Canada along the watershed of the United States. But perhaps the most impressive in terms of the grandeur and diversity of its scenery is the Pacific Crest Trail, which also stretches from Mexico to Canada, but through the three western states of California, Oregon and Washington, a total distance of 2665 miles.
Pacific Crest/John Muir Trail signpost just outside Tuolumne Meadows (Day 4)
Although the PCT coincides with the JMT for much of the length of the latter, there are sections where the two long-distance paths go their own ways. In particular the JMT and PCT do not coincide at the northern end of the JMT (ie. between Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows) and at the southern terminus of the JMT (the PCT leaves the JMT a little before Crabtree Ranger Station and omits the traverse of Mount Whitney). In all about 175 miles of the JMT are coincident with the PCT.
The PCT is a trail of extremes, as it passes through six of the seven ecological zones of North America, from near sea level to over 13,000ft in altitude, from the ferociously hot deserts of southern California to the High Sierra mountains, from the temperate rain forests of the Pacific North-West to the volcanic peaks and glaciers of the Cascade Mountains. The highlights include the Mojave Desert; the Sierra Nevada including Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks; Marble Mountain and the Russian Wilderness in Northern California; the volcanoes of the Cascades, including Mount Shasta and Mount Hood; Crater Lake; Columbia River Gorge; Mount Rainier; and the Northern Cascades.
Every year around 300 or more of the world’s best long-distance backpackers gather at the end of April for the now traditional send-off party near the Mexican border, and the following day take their first steps northwards on a truly marathon hike through the US to Canada. Many of these ‘Thru-Hikers’ fail to complete the PCT in one season, but the determined few make it to Canada by early October.
Nearly all PCT Thru-Hikers head north because the logistics of walking north to south in one season are unfeasible. Most head through the High Sierra country through which the JMT passes during the month of June, so they have to contend with much more snow than the summertime JMT walker, and river crossings can be extremely hazardous as the many streams are swollen by melting snows high up in the mountains.
The chances of a southbound JMT hiker during the summertime encountering a northbound PCT Thru-Hiker are therefore pretty slight. However, for every Thru-Hiker there are many hundreds of other backpackers who walk sections of the PCT every year, and you are sure to see some of these. It is the cherished ambition of some American backpackers to complete the PCT over a number of seasons, and many do a week, fortnight or monthly stage every year. Most take half a lifetime or more to complete the Trail. Many thousands more are content to return to the wilderness occasionally for short adventures of a few day’s duration.
The Pacific Crest Trail Association (PCTA – see Appendix 6) is the best source of information for anyone contemplating an attempt of all or a section of the PCT, perhaps after their appetite has been whetted by first walking the JMT. But do remember that the JMT is only about 10% of the length of the PCT. After a few days on the JMT you will no doubt have great respect for PCT Thru-Hikers! The PCTA also provides good, reliable information on the JMT.
Using this Guide
This next two sections of this Introduction, ‘Planning Your Trip’ and ‘Walking the Trail’, could be subtitled ‘Before You Go’, because they give all the information needed to plan and organise a hike along the JMT. There is greater emphasis on the preparation and planning stages of this walk than is usual in guidebooks to long-distance routes in Europe and the UK and/or routes where there are no sections in extensive areas of wilderness. This emphasis on pre-route planning is deliberate, and is imperative with an adventure such as the JMT; good preparation will result in a happy, stress-free trek, and provide you with one of the most incredible experiences of your life. Topics such as hiking in bear country, applying for wilderness trekking permits, the filtering of water and the danger of giardiasis, and the packaging and posting ahead of food packages for collection along the Trail, which may not be familiar to walkers from outside the US, are an essential part of hiking the JMT and are explained in detail.
The ‘Route Guide’ describes the route of the John Muir Trail. The Trail has been divided into 21 stages, each of a day’s duration, although inevitably some stages are longer and/or harder than others. Each day stage has been designed to end at an area where there are good or at least reasonable camping possibilities (these are listed in Appendix 1), although other places where a camp could be set up are also indicated. The average reasonably fit and experienced backpacker should be able to cover this itinerary comfortably each day. Some may wish to travel further and faster, and certainly a very fit walker would have no trouble in doing so. But this is mountain country of really outstanding character and natural beauty, and to move fast through this landscape would in many respects be defeating the whole reason for being there. Savour this spectacular wilderness. A few hikers may wish to travel more slowly, but those who do so must carry more food supplies. This is not a problem on the first half of the Trail, but to take longer than the suggested time on the southern section of the JMT, from Muir Trail Ranch to Whitney Portal, would require carrying in excess of 10 days’ worth of food, or else making very lengthy detours to restock supplies.
Cathedral Peak (Day 3)
Each day stage opens with two tables. The first gives the total distance for the stage, the cumulative distance from the start of the Trail at Yosemite, the total ascent and descent for the stage, and the cumulative figures for ascent and descent from Yosemite. (The total ascents and descents for each stage are given to the nearest 50ft.) The length and severity of the stage can thus be gleaned at a glance. The second table gives a breakdown of the route, with heights above sea level of the various intermediary points and a breakdown of distances between these locations, allowing progress during the day to be easily assessed. Next, the map sheet number(s) required (from the recommended Harrison JMT Map-Pack; see ‘Maps’, below) for the stage is given for easy reference.
The route description opens with a summary intended to give an overview of the day, and could be read in camp the evening before to give a feel for the nature of the following day’s trek. Finally a detailed route description is given, with the main features and places in bold, which is intended for use on the Trail.
Topographical height versus distance profiles are provided to enable the amount of ascent and descent along the Trail to be easily assessed, and sketch maps of the route allow the user to gain an overview of the trail for planning purposes. The sketch maps and guidebook are designed to be used in conjunction with the relevant Harrison Map-Pack. One should never venture out into wilderness areas, even on a waymarked trail, without an accurate and detailed map.
The book ends with a number of appendices which contain detailed and summarised information for both the planning stages and when out on the Trail.
The abbreviations JMT (John Muir Trail) and PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) are used. The term ‘Trail’, with a capital ‘T’, refers to the John Muir Trail, while ‘trail’ indicates a side-trail or path other than the JMT.
Distances are given in miles and yards, and heights in feet, as the US uses the imperial system. American maps are also in imperial units, unlike those of the UK and continental Europe. Generally, metric conversions have not been given in the text.
Most distances in miles that appear in the guidebook have been estimated from maps, but when a signpost/board is mentioned in the text the distances stated are those given on the signpost, as this should be an aid to locating your position on the Trail.
No attempt has been made to assign walking times to individual sections. Different people tackling the JMT will have different levels of fitness, and while some like to move fast in the mountains others prefer to progress at a much more leisurely pace. The data on distance and ascent/descent at the start of each day stage should allow the walker who knows his own strengths and weaknesses to estimate how long a particular section will take to cover. But remember that if you are part of a group the progress of the party will be determined by the speed of the slowest member.
Remember also that at the higher altitudes on the Trail, particularly in the southern half of the JMT, a walker’s rate of ascent in the relatively thin air is likely to be slower than at lower elevations. Daytime temperature, which can often be high even at altitude, will also affect progress.
What’s in a Name?
It is interesting how different English words are used around the world for the basic task of putting one foot in front of the other. In Britain this activity is known as ‘walking’ or ‘rambling’; in the Himalayas or in Patagonia and elsewhere it is ‘trekking’; in New Zealand it is ‘tramping’ and in Australia ‘bushwalking’. In the US people go ‘hiking’, which is now considered a very old-fashioned term in Britain. But for some inexplicable reason ‘hiking’ seems just right to describe the activity of walking through the American wilderness, and is used frequently in this book.
Planning your trip
In countries such as the UK it is possible to walk the Pennine Way, for example, at a moment’s notice: pack a tent and backpack, perhaps make a few phone calls to B&Bs, catch a train and then simply … go! It is not possible to walk the JMT in this manner. Only careful pre-trip planning will ensure a trouble-free walk along the JMT with sufficient food and the right equipment.
First, questions must be asked about the direction in which to hike the Trail and the right time of year to do so; whether to walk alone or with a group. Note also that, unlike the UK and most of Europe, permits are required to walk in wilderness areas of the United States (see ‘Wilderness Permits’, below), and they are strictly allocated to ensure the trails are not overused. A permit must be applied for several months in advance of the trip, preferably before a flight is booked to the States. Thought has also to be given to the means of getting from the airport of arrival to the trailhead and back to an airport at the end of the walk, not particularly a straightforward thing to achieve in public-transport-shy America.
There are few places along the Trail where meals can be bought, so food for the whole trip must be purchased and much of it packaged up and posted to a collection point further down the Trail. Water in the wilds of California is generally unsafe to drink and so it is vital to take some means of making it safe.
Granite boulders on the summit of Half Dome (Day 1)
It may all seem a daunting task, particularly to plan whilst living on the other side of the world. But working through the problems logically should see it all through, although it may seem quite a relief when you finally head out of Yosemite Valley at the beginning of the long hike. You will very soon discover that it has all been worth it.
It is hoped that the information supplied in this guidebook will greatly assist walkers plan and achieve the JMT, truly a walk of a lifetime. Information of this type can get out of date quite quickly, so the author strongly advises prospective JMT hikers to check on as many details as possible before leaving for America. This is relatively easily done through the Internet, and several of the more important web sites relevant to the JMT are included in this guide. Once on the Trail the best source of up-to-date information is other hikers, particularly those travelling in the opposite direction along the JMT, and various park rangers who will be encountered from time to time (a list of ranger stations is provided in Appendix 2).
Which direction?
Any long-distance path can, of course, be walked in either direction. So it is possible to walk the John Muir Trail either from south to north (Whitney to Yosemite) or from north to south (Yosemite to Whitney). Hikers walking the Pacific Crest Trail usually walk the JMT section of their route from south to north, as most PCT ‘Thru-Hikers’, for logistical reasons, travel from Mexico to Canada. But for those walking only the John Muir Trail it is far better to hike the Trail from north to south.
Mount Lyell, the highest peak in Yosemite, with its small glacier, towering above the head of Lyell Canyon (Day 5)
If you travel from south to north, beginning at Whitney Portal, there are four major disadvantages. The very first stage is a climb of over 6000ft to the summit of Mount Whitney, at the seriously high altitude of 14,496ft. At this stage you will not be altitude acclimatised and so run a serious risk of suffering altitude sickness, which at best would severely affect your ability to continue northwards along the JMT. Secondly, there is no point along the route of the JMT between Whitney Portal and Muir Trail Ranch where further food supplies may be picked up, so the poorly acclimatised and unfit trail hiker would have to begin the walk by carrying a heavy load of 10 days’ worth of food from the very beginning of the trek. Thirdly, the southern half of the JMT passes through areas of total backcountry wilderness, where escape routes are relatively few and far apart (a list of escape routes is given in Appendix 3), and where even these usually require at least two and often more days to reach civilisation. So the most serious part of the Trail is encountered at the beginning of the trip when the overseas walker will be unused to the American wilderness and so less able to cope. Lastly, the southern section contains a half-dozen high mountain passes of over 10,000ft which come in quick succession, almost one per day. Again the walker not yet trail fit and altitude acclimatised will find the crossing of these high cols extremely arduous.
By walking from north to south, Yosemite to Whitney, all of these problems are overcome. The northern end of the Trail is at a much lower altitude than the southern half; compare the summit of Half Dome, 8836ft, with those of the 11,000ft+ passes further south and the 14,496ft of Mount Whitney itself. The climbs in the northern half of the Trail are generally not as long and hard as those further south, and altitude is gradually gained as the walker heads south, so allowing good acclimatisation. Furthermore, just three days (or even only two days if Half Dome is omitted) after leaving Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows on a main road is reached, where food supplies may be picked up and prepared foods purchased. Three and a half days later Reds Meadow is encountered, with similar facilities. Then, 2½ days after that, comes the comfort and hospitality of Vermilion. And only two days later comes Muir Trail Ranch, which allows pre-posted food packages (see ‘Posting food on ahead’, below) to be collected. So there is less of a wilderness aspect on the northern half of the JMT compared to the southern half; the walker can therefore build up his or her trail fitness and experience of the Californian wilderness before tackling the harder, higher, wilder sections in the south.
For all these reasons the JMT hiker is strongly recommended to walk the Trail north to south, from Yosemite to Whitney. This is the direction described in this guidebook.
Shorter Routes Include:
JMT from Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne, including the ascent of Half Dome. 3 days. There is a seasonal bus from Tuolumne Meadows back to Yosemite Valley at the end of this short but spectacular hike.
JMT from Yosemite or Tuolumne Meadows to Reds Meadow, including Lyell Valley and the Devil’s Postpile. 6½ or 3½ days. A seasonal shuttle bus can be used to exit the trail to the town of Mammoth Lakes at the end of this trek.
JMT from Yosemite or Tuolumne Meadows or Reds Meadow to Vermilion Valley Resort. 2½, 6 or 9 days.
JMT from Yosemite or Tuolumne Meadows or Reds Meadow or Vermilion resort to Muir Trail ranch. 2, 4½, 8 or 11 days. From Muir Trail Ranch there is a seasonal ferry across Florence Lake (or hike around it) to a roadhead. Hikers would then have to hitch a lift back to civilisation.
JMT from Vermilion Valley resort or Muir Trail Ranch to le conte canyon, where the JMT can be left by a good trail over the Bishop Pass and so on to the town of Bishop: 5–7 days. Similarly, the JMT could be joined from Bishop by this route and then followed via Mount Whitney to Whitney Portal: 9–10 days.
When to go
The JMT is a high-level route over the High Sierras, mostly above 9000ft in altitude and often above 11,000ft. Very considerable quantities of snow fall on these mountains during the winter months. Snow remains on the high passes usually well into early summer. July is the first month of the year when the JMT could sensibly be considered, but in years of late spring snows it is likely that the higher sections of the Trail will still have a covering of snow, at least in the early days of that month. Melting snow also means swollen rivers, so an early summer crossing increases the risk of encountering difficult and dangerous river crossings.
The recommended month to hike the JMT is August, when the risk of lying snow and rivers in spate is at its lowest. Mosquitoes, which can be a menace in some areas, tend to be less of a nuisance later in the summer. The temperature even at the high altitudes of the High Sierras will probably be fairly high at this time of year (at least in the high 20s Celcius and probably well into the 30s), with some low temperatures at night (often at or below freezing), but with relatively low risk of severely low night-time temperatures. Precipitation, either rain or snow, will probably be very low. However, violent thunderstorms with heavy rain, snow and hail can occur even during the summer months. This mountain range has one of the best climates of any high mountain area in the world, and most days during the summer months have blue skies and wall-to-wall sunshine.
The first week of September is also acceptable, but by mid-September some of the resorts and other facilities en route may be closing down, particularly if the weather starts deteriorating. However, September does have several advantages for experienced backpackers, including few mosquitoes, less traffic on the trail, ease of obtaining permits, autumn colours and fewer thunderstorms, but at the risk of freezing nights, a higher probability of snow and the stores (Reds Meadow and Vermilion) en route running down stock for the close of the season. By the end of September night-time temperatures are likely to plummet significantly, with the first heavy snows of the season at high altitude a very real possibility. By early October all the facilities on the JMT are closed, as winter begins to creep slowly into the High Sierras.
All or part of the trail?
Overseas walkers are likely to spend a considerable sum of money travelling to the western United States and to invest a fair amount of time in planning the hike; they often wish, therefore, to attempt the whole of the JMT. However, with time for food provisioning and other preparations, and travel to and from the trailheads, plus time for sightseeing in San Francisco and elsewhere, the total amount of time required to walk the whole of the JMT is at least four weeks.
Breakfast in camp on the JMT
Those who do not have this time available can still experience this most wonderful of mountain wilderness areas without committing to the whole of the JMT. Many of the logistical problems of food replenishment do not exist if a shorter section of the trail is envisaged. Most American hikers, in fact, usually hike only three to five days in the wilderness on any one occasion, usually entering JMT country along a side-trail and returning to a nearby roadhead or town by another side-trail. There is sufficient information in this guidebook to allow walkers to do this (see Appendix 3 – Escape Routes).
In a Group or Alone?
The walker faces another important decision – whether to undertake the JMT as a member of a small group, with one other friend or spouse, or to go alone. There are benefits and disadvantages of either approach. Some authors and authorities strongly disapprove of walking alone, particularly in the wild and lonely areas of the world. Such disapproval arises mainly from the risk of accidents that could leave the solitary traveller unable to physically escape from the wilderness area or to summon assistance from others.
Entering a wilderness area, particularly a mountain environment, always entails a certain amount of risk, which will be greater if the individual travels alone. But, although the John Muir Trail passes through the heart of one of the largest wilderness areas in the United States, the individual will often encounter others along the trail, particularly during the main summer hiking season. The JMT hiker is merely following a narrow thread through the wilderness, rather than disappearing into the vast expanse all around him.
So if the lone walker suffers an accident it is quite likely that he or she will be found within a few hours, providing that the accident occurs along the route of the JMT. In this respect walking the JMT alone in the main holiday season is less hazardous than walking an unmarked route across the Scottish Highlands, for example. So lone walkers, whether from choice or from circumstance, shouldn’t be deterred from attempting the JMT.
Hiking the Trail as part of a group has several advantages. Safety in numbers is one obvious one, as is companionship, but another significant benefit is load sharing. The solitary walker must carry all his equipment, whereas one stove, one tent, one guidebook, one map, one first-aid kit, etc, will suffice for two or three people. Hence the weight to be carried per person should be less when travelling in a group. Job sharing is another advantage of a group, from shopping and packaging of food prior to the trek to division of labour in camp, and so on.
The disadvantage of travelling with a group is that minor differences in personalities and preferences can be exacerbated by living a physically demanding, unfamiliar and sometimes uncomfortable lifestyle in close proximity to one another, with little time to retreat into one’s own ‘space’. One person may naturally walk faster than the others and so get tired and exasperated at constantly having to wait for the rest of the group. Some may like to stop frequently for botanising or taking photographs, whilst others prefer to push on. All such differences can be magnified during the sometimes stressful existence of life on the Trail and result in disagreements, arguments, feuds and general unpleasantness.
By going alone there are no such personality clashes, but other mental strains may replace those of the group. When alone there is no one else to provide moral, mental or physical support, and the almost inevitable lows whilst on a venture of this nature can seem much blacker without friendly support, comradeship and assistance. The state of being alone, a refreshing and often vitalising state, could descend into loneliness – a dispiriting, depressing experience. Fears over certain aspects of the trek, such as the possibility of a bear encounter, may prey more on the mind of a lone hiker.
In conclusion, there is no ideal way to walk the JMT. One must weigh the advantages and disadvantages of going alone or in a group. But whatever the final choice, walking the JMT is sure to be an experience of a lifetime.
Wilderness Permits
Before you set out on the John Muir Trail, or on any other hike that requires overnight camps in wilderness areas, you need to obtain a wilderness permit. This is absolutely essential. You will almost certainly encounter several park rangers while on your trek, and many of these will demand to see your permit. There are steep fines for venturing into the wilderness without a permit. National park rangers in the States hold much greater powers than national park wardens in the UK. Some have the power of arrest and, like the police, carry guns. They are usually extremely courteous and friendly, and can offer sound advice, but never think of crossing them or breaking the rules, which are in place principally to protect this special but fragile environment. The system avoids overcrowding and reduces the impact on the wilderness areas.
There are strict allocations of permits, only a certain number being issued for each day from each trailhead. During the main holiday period during the summer months competition for them can be intense. Permits may be reserved up to 24 weeks in advance of the day you intend starting the Trail. You are strongly advised to make a request for a permit before making any other plans for walking the JMT. Once a permit has been reserved then it is safe to go ahead to book a flight to California and make all your other plans.
Looking eastwards towards the Mount Whitney massif from Guitar Lake (Day 19)
Generally hikers must leave their commencing trailhead (in this case Happy Isles, Yosemite Valley) on the day their permit begins. Make sure, therefore, that you allow yourself sufficient time after arriving in the States to buy all the food supplies needed for your hike, package them up and post them to various points along the Trail, and finally get yourself to Yosemite Village in time for the day your permit begins.
Horses kicking up the dust on the Trail in Lyell Canyon (Day 4)
Make a reservation as early as possible – as soon as you are within 24 weeks of your planned starting date. Applying early is the best way of ensuring that you are granted your permit. Remember that a request for a permit reservation does not guarantee a reservation. If the quota for that day is full then you will be rejected. Give an alternative starting date if possible.
You may request a reservation for a wilderness permit by one of three methods – by post, telephone or fax (see below). If accepted you will receive a written confirmation, which will state the date of entry to the wilderness area, the trailhead where your hike will begin and the number in your party. Retain this as proof of your reservation to present at the Wilderness Centre in Yosemite Village when you arrive. You will then receive your permit. Keep it safe at all times on the JMT and show it to any ranger who requests to inspect it.
The conditions and procedures for making permit reservations do change from time to time, and it is essential to ascertain the current situation by looking on the web or by telephoning the Wilderness Centre in Yosemite. When doing this or making a reservation by phone do not forget the significant time difference between Europe and California (see ‘Time in California’ under ‘Walking the Trail’, below).
If you are walking the JMT as described in this guidebook you will enter the wilderness area at Yosemite. You therefore need to obtain a permit from the Yosemite end of the Trail (the application procedures described in full below apply to Yosemite). The Yosemite Association, a non-profit making organisation, is now responsible for issuing permits at Yosemite.
If you wish to hike the JMT from south to north (Whitney to Yosemite) you need to obtain a permit from the Whitney end of the Trail, as it is from here that you will be entering the wilderness area. For information check out the website of the Inyo Forest Wilderness Reservation Service (/www.fs.usda.gov/inyo), the private contractor that now deals with wilderness permit applications on behalf of the Inyo National Forest. Click onto ‘Passes & Permits’ and go to ‘Wilderness Permits’. Note that in order to cope with the large and increasing numbers of walkers wanting to climb Mount Whitney, permits are required not only for overnight wilderness campers but also for day hikers in the Whitney area above Lone Pine Lake. (Permits are limited to 150 day hikers and 50 over-nighters – fines of up to $200 are levied on anyone found without a permit in the Whitney area.)
Note that a separate permit is now required to climb Half Dome. Of these, 75 permits a day are reserved for backpackers; 50 of these can be reserved in advance and 25 are available only on the day before the climb (the latter in person from the Wilderness Centre in Yosemite). Each permit costs $8. If you are sure that (weather permitting) you intend to attempt Half Dome, then apply for this permit at the same time as your JMT Backpackers Permit (see below).
Making a Permit Reservation by Phone
A phone call to the States is perhaps the best way to ensure that you obtain the right permit for the right day; you will be told immediately of any problems and can discuss alternative dates. Provided you have all the necessary information to hand, it should take only a few minutes to make your reservation.
The telephone number of the Wilderness Centre in Yosemite is: (209) 372 0740 (preceded by the international code for the US, 001 from the UK). The number is often very busy, so persistence may be required. The office is normally open between 8am and 4.30pm Pacific Time. You will need to give the following information.
Your name, address and daytime telephone number.
The exact starting and finishing dates of your trek (be sure to allow yourself a sufficient number of days for the JMT; if you request too few days then there may be problems if your permit runs out before you reach the end of the Trail).
The starting and ending trailhead (Happy Isles, Yosemite Valley and Whitney Portal). It is important to state that you are going to be walking the John Muir Trail in its entirety. There are considerable restrictions on entry into the Mount Whitney area and usually your permit must carry a special stamp to allow you entry into this area along the JMT. Be sure to confirm the current regulations regarding this and any other special conditions along the route.
The number of people in your group (you will not normally be asked details about the others in your group, but it is best to have these on hand when you make the call just in case). The maximum size of each group is normally 15 persons.
You will also need details of your credit card to hand as there is a small administrative charge (currently $5 per person in the group) for making the reservation.
Once the reservation is made, written confirmation will be sent by post. You will receive a permit for the group, not separate permits for each individual within your group, although if walking alone your ‘group size’ will be one person.
Making a Permit Reservation by Post
Provide the same information as above in your letter, which should be addressed to Wilderness Reservations, Yosemite Association, PO Box 545, Yosemite, CA 95389, US. A method of payment will be required, so enclose your credit card number.
This method of application is not recommended for those outside the US, as it is very time consuming, particularly if there are any problems. Permits are quickly allocated, and you may end up without a permit or with a permit several days or even weeks after you actually wanted it.
If you do decide on this method of application it is important that your written request arrives at least 24 weeks prior to the date you wish to start the trek. Although, if it arrives earlier it will not be processed until 24 weeks before the first day of the planned hike.
View south from Forester Pass of two large unnamed lakes (Day 18)
Making a Permit Reservation by Fax
It is no longer possible to make a reservation on line but it is possible to fax a permit request. This will not have the delay associated with ‘snail mail’, but you have no opportunity to ask questions about availability and so on. The form and instructions for its completion can be downloaded from www.nps.gov in the Plan Your Visit area under Yosemite.
Once completed the form must be faxed to (209) 372 0739 (preceded by the international code for the US, 001 from the UK). Provided a legible email address has been supplied, a confirmatory email will be sent within two business days but it will not show which of the dates applied for has been allocated. A confirmatory letter will confirm the date allocated. The availability of permits for various trailheads can also be checked out on this website.
A Yosemite permit reservation can be made up to 24 weeks (168 days), but no later than two days, in advance of your start date, but you are strongly recommended to obtain a permit as early as possible.
The National Parks Service website (www.nps.gov) shows the dates that are fully allocated for permits in the Wilderness Permits area of the website. The price for a wilderness permit was $5 per person plus $5 processing fee in 2014. Backpacking the JMT from north-to-south (as in this guidebook) automatically includes a permit for Mount Whitney, but if the walk is made from south to north, then an additional fee of $15 may be levied for the ascent of Whitney.
Note that permits are also issued at Happy Valley, and may be available there if the Yosemite ones have all been issued.
It is advisable to pick up your permit from the Rangers’ Office the afternoon before you plan to set out on your hike.
TREKKING PERMITS
The whole concept of trekking permits is alien to the British and European way of managing wilderness areas, and imposes restrictions on freedoms which elsewhere are considered to be fundamental rights. Do remember, however, that America has much greater areas of unspoilt wilderness than the Old World, and its conservation of these areas is to be congratulated. Restricting and controlling the numbers of humans allowed into the wilderness areas of its national parks has done much to protect and preserve these mountain wonderlands for future generations. As a guest in the US, do respect their way of doing things. Be patient and tolerant of the permit system.
Flights to California
The nearest major international airport to the northern terminus of the John Muir Trail at Yosemite is San Francisco; however Lone Pine, the town nearest to Whitney Portal, at the end of the Trail, is closer to Los Angeles than to San Francisco. The best airline ticket to purchase is therefore an ‘open-jaw’ ticket inward to San Francisco and outward from Los Angeles. Such tickets are often no more expensive than buying a return from the airport of entry.
Many of the major European and American carriers fly from London to San Francisco and LA. It is just a matter of getting the best deal on flights. Good deals are often to be had by booking on the internet. It is advisable to make a booking several months in advance, as the optimum time to walk the JMT coincides with the main summer holiday season, when there is likely to be greatest demand for trans-Atlantic flights and prices are liable to be high.
There are airport buses from San Francisco International Air port into the centre of the city, and similarly ample public transport in Los Angeles to the international airport.
Public Transport to and from the Trailhead
For the most technologically advanced nation in the world the United States of America has a limited public transport system, and there is little provision for the few who do not have cars. This is not good news for foreign long-distance hikers who visit the States. Hiring a car is not practical for JMT walkers, except possibly at the end of the hike, provided that the hire company agrees to let you drop the car off at Los Angeles airport prior to your departure. As overseas JMT walkers are likely to fly into San Francisco and out of Los Angeles, they will need to travel from San Francisco to Yosemite Valley for the start of the Trail, and at the end to travel to Los Angeles for the homeward flight. The former journey is relatively easy by public transport, but the latter much less so. Both are described below.
To the Trailhead: San Francisco to Yosemite Valley via Merced
There is a Greyhound bus service that runs from San Francisco to Merced. Alternatively, it is a relatively straightforward journey by bus and train from San Francisco to Yosemite Valley via the town of Merced. Not only that, but the super Amtrak double-decker train ride between Emeryville and Merced is likely to be one of the highlights of your time in the States.
The journey is split into three sections: from San Francisco to Emeryville by bus; by train from Emeryville to Merced; and by bus from Merced to Yosemite Valley. It is recommended that the first two sections of the journey are taken in succession (the bus and train timetables are co-ordinated for these two parts of the journey), but that the journey is then broken in Merced for a couple of overnights there. This will allow time for buying provisions for the trip and packaging and posting them to various pick-up points further along the Trail.
Rock towers seen at close hand on the ascent to Forester Pass (Day 18)
The information below was correct at the time of writing, and will give sufficient information to allow initial planning, but services may change, so up-to-date information should always be sought. Check out timetables at www.amtrak.com (this site includes details of both train and connecting buses for the entire journey between San Francisco and Yosemite Valley). Note that the 24-hour clock is not generally used for timetables in the US. The information below refers to the summer season only.
San Francisco to Emeryville
The bus leaves from a number of points in San Francisco, so choose the one nearest your hotel: San Francisco Moscone Center (SFM), San Francisco Financial Center (SFF), San Francisco Ferry Building (SFC), San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf (SFW), San Francisco Union Square (SFS) and San Francisco Peninsula Line (SFP). There are three buses daily, bus 6614 in the morning, bus 6616 at lunchtime and bus 6618 in the afternoon. The journey time to Emeryville is approximately 55mins. Luggage is checked in at the bus station for the whole journey by bus and train to Merced. There may be a surcharge for any rucksack weighing more than 23kg. The bus travels to Emeryville train station for the connection to Merced.
Emeryville to Merced
Three trains a day connect with the above buses: the 714 train connects with the 6614 bus in the morning, the 716 train connects with the 6616 bus at lunchtime, and the 718 train connects with the 6618 bus in the afternoon. Journey time is about 2hrs 45mins. To give one example: if the 9.15am bus from San Francisco Fisherman’s Wharf is taken then this will arrive at Emeryville train station at 10.05am in time for the 10.15am train to Merced, arriving at 12.50pm.
Merced to Yosemite Valley
At the time of writing there are three buses per day between Merced and Yosemite Valley, two in the morning (buses 8402 and 8412) and one in the late afternoon (bus 8416). Journey time is between 2hrs 20mins and 2hrs 50mins. Buses leave from Merced railway station, connecting with the train services (see Amtrak website). It is possible by taking the first bus of the day from San Francisco to be in Yosemite Valley by early afternoon, to collect your permit and so set out on the JMT early the next morning. When arriving by bus at Yosemite, ask to be put off at the Visitor Center in Yosemite Village, which is close to the Wilderness Center, where you must first go to pick up your wilderness permits.
At the time of writing The Travel Bureau in Wombourne (see Appendix 6) is the UK agent for Amtrak in the US and will take bookings for the bus/train/bus journey from San Francisco to Yosemite Valley.
From the Trailhead: Lone Pine to Los Angeles
Once you have completed the JMT you will have to reach the town of Lone Pine, 13 miles from the Whitney Portal Trailhead (for hints on how to achieve this see the end of Day 21). No doubt you will wish to spend a night or two in Lone Pine before moving on to Los Angeles or back to San Francisco for your return journey. This will allow you some time to sort out your onward travel arrangements.
Two public bus companies, Eastern Sierra Transit (www.estransit.com and YARTS (the Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System, www.yarts.com) have expanded the scope and frequency of their services in recent years, so that it is no longer necessary to consider hiring a car to reach either town. Consult these websites for route maps, timetables and fares (2014 prices and timetables quoted below). Tickets can be purchased on the buses, but it is better to buy a ticket in advance if possible (information is available from the Lone Pine Tourist Office).
One-way car or small mini-bus hire may still be more cost effective if you have finished the JMT as part of a small group. The Enterprise Car Hire Firm in Bishop (for bus to Bishop see below) is the closest car hire location to Lone Pine.
To Los Angeles
On the Eastern Sierra Transit Route 395 from Lone Pine to Bishop there are three buses a day, Monday to Friday, taking under two hours, costing $8. The earliest of these, at 6.15am on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday goes all the way to Reno, arriving at 1pm, costing $59. From Reno Greyhound Buses operate day and night services to Los Angeles, taking approximately 13 hours and costing about $90. Other bus operators also ply this route.
To San Francisco
First travel from Lone Pine to Bishop, as above. Also on Route 395 from Bishop there are three buses a day, Monday to Friday, taking just under an hour to Mammoth Lakes costing $7. At Mammoth Lakes transfer to a YARTS bus to Yosemite which operates a daily service July and August and weekends only in June and September. The bus departs at 8am, takes 4 hours and costs $18. From Yosemite Valley take the bus back to Merced (under three hours and $13) and then Amtrak train to San Francisco.
Remember that any of these services may be withdrawn or significantly changed at any time, and that other possibilities may present themselves in the future. Be sure to check the transport company websites before you leave and use the Trail grapevine to keep abreast of the current situation.
Booking Accommodation
Consider booking accommodation in San Francisco for your first night in the US. It is advisable to do this from home before arriving in the States, as you will probably be arriving in the middle of the summer holiday period when most accommodation will be full. A booking in one of the more upmarket hotels in San Francisco can be made via the internet. The net is less useful for cheap and cheerful hotels, in which a booking is more likely to be secured by arriving in person, but this is not advisable if your flight arrives fairly late in the day.
Unfortunately, most flights from Europe arrive in the late afternoon or early evening, when passengers will feel extremely jet-lagged. (Remember that Californian time is 8 hours behind the UK.) San Francisco has two youth hostels, one in Union Square in Downtown and the other in the popular Fisherman’s Wharf area of the town (Fort Mason – the bus stop to Yosemite is a 25-minute walk from this hostel and a good supermarket is only two minutes’ walk away).
Booking is strongly advised for visits in the main summer holiday season (Hostelling International, 312 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94102 (sfdowntown@norcalhostels.org) and Hostelling International, Fort Mason, Building 240, San Francisco, CA 94123 (sfhostel@norcalhostels.org). The San Francisco hostels can also be booked on the Hostelling International website.
A view of the Lyell Fork river in the Lyell Canyon (Day 4)
The best form of accommodation in Merced is a motel room. This can be booked easily for the major chain motels (such as the Best Western in Merced) over the Internet, but again it seems to be more difficult to book a motel room at the cheaper end of the market over the net.
Several hikers have recommended the Yosemite Bug Lodge (www.yosemitebug.com) a HI hostel situated about 25 miles from Yosemite village and on the bus route from Merced to Yosemite (bus stop, outside the entrance).
Accommodation is in dormitories, tent cabins or wooden cabins and a fresh food café is on site. The bus fare from the hostel to Yosemite is $12, and this is said to include the $10 Park entrance fee! (2010 prices).
On arrival at Yosemite Village you will probably head for the Backpackers’ Campsite, which is a 5–10 minute walk from North Pines/Stables bus stop number 18. Only people with wilderness permits can camp here. Alternatively you can stay overnight in the other forms of accommodation at Yosemite Village, such as the lodges. Details of these and booking information can be obtained from the park offices in Yosemite Village.
Accommodation will probably be required at Lone Pine at the end of the JMT and also in LA (fairly close to the airport if possible) the night before your flight home. As you may not be able to predict the day that you will finish the JMT and so arrive in Lone Pine, it is not advisable to pre-book accommodation there (and it is always possible that you will not finish the Trail and so need accommodation at a different location).
Those walking the JMT in August will arrive in Lone Pine at the end of that month, when many Americans have finished their annual holidays and pressure on motel rooms is not as intense. There are several motels to choose from in Lone Pine. The Best Western is ½ mile south of town, and the Dow Villa Motel (PO Box 205, 310 South Main Street, Lone Pine, CA 93545. Reservations 800-824-9317. dowvilla@qnet.com) is recommended.
Maps
There are several maps that cover all or part of the John Muir Trail. The United States Forestry Service produces a number of ‘Wilderness Maps’ which are useful, covering the JMT outside Yosemite. The John Muir/Sequoia–Kings Canyon Wilderness Map and the Ansel Adams Wilderness Map are the most useful sheets.
There are several maps available locally which cover the Yosemite National Park. The Inyo National Forest Map is another possible map, and covers the whole area through which the Trail passes. These maps are easily obtainable in the US, but less so outside the country.
The best maps both for planning in the UK and use on the JMT in America are contained within the John Muir Trail Map-Pack: Tom Harrison’s Maps. The Map-Pack consists of 13 colour topographical, shaded-relief maps depicting the John Muir Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail and numerous side-trails. Campgrounds, ranger stations and information centres are also shown. The maps run from Whitney to Yosemite Valley (sheet numbers 1 to 13), so walkers following the route in this guidebook will use them in the order Sheet 13 to Sheet 1. The sheets required for each stage of the hike are given at the beginning of each daily stage in the route guide section of this book. For further information on Tom Harrison’s maps go to www.tomharrisonmaps.com.
Tom Harrison’s John Muir Trail Map-Pack is usually obtainable in Britain from retailers such as The Map Shop in Upton-upon-Severn and Stanford’s in London, Bristol and Manchester (see Appendix 6). The Map-Pack is rather expensive, particularly when purchased in the UK, but it is the author’s recommended map for the JMT. The maps are clear and easy to use – although the contour lines are at 80ft intervals.
Navigation along the John Muir Trail is generally easy, far more so than a route across the Scottish Highlands, for example, and more straightforward than many long-distance routes in Europe. With use of the Tom Harrison maps and this guidebook the trail of the JMT should never be in doubt.
Equipment
The importance of packing light for the John Muir Trail cannot be over-stressed. The experienced and inexperienced backpacker can usually be differentiated by the much lighter load carried by the former. The inexperienced tends not to know which items of kit are essential and which can be omitted without compromising either safety or comfort.
Assemble the gear that you think you need for the trip and then try to be ruthless in discarding items that are not really necessary, or replace them with lighter alternatives. Limit yourself to a very small number of luxury (non-essential) items. The American guru of ultra-lightweight wilderness backpacking is Ray Jardine, a man who has probably walked the Pacific Crest Trail more times than anyone else. His philosophy and tips for load lightening can be found in The Pacific Crest Trail Hiker’s Handbook (see Appendix 7 – Bibliography).
Generally, gear must be selected to cope with a hot, dry climate (it is assumed here that you are travelling the JMT during the high summer season).
Banner Peak and Mount Ritter seen from Island Pass (Day 5)
Footwear
