John Muir Trail TR - Part III

“This is part three of our John Muir Trail thru-hike report. The pictures that go along with this section of the hike are:
http://community.webshots.com/album/481899877hSeSLi

If you missed the first two parts of the report and would like to read them first, you can find them here:
Part 1: http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/thread/40930,-1.php
Part 2: http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/thread/41048,-1.php

Day 17 - 8/18 (12.0 mi.):
It was not as cool as it had been the previous nights, and there was little, if any, condensation on the my tent’s rainfly in the morning. Sunshine1 could not get into her bear canister, which was a Bear Vault, in the morning no matter what she tried. Finally, Francois produced the golden touch and managed to open the finicky lid on the canister so she could eat breakfast. Sunshine1 thought the problem was created when she used the canister to sit on the previous evening.

From our campsite the trail started out going uphill at a very gradual rate in the morning, but after about a mile we were at the base of the “Golden Staircase.” This famous section of the John Muir Trail is a very long series of short switchbacks carved out of the side of a mountain, and although it takes considerable effort to make it to the top, it is just a very long uphill climb rather than a difficult section of trail. Once we reached the top of the staircase, we stopped to take a break and enjoy the breathtaking views above treeline. From there we hiked through the Palisade Basin, passing the Palisade Lakes, and then continued steeply uphill again to Mather Pass (12,100’). From the pass the views were almost surreal looking back at the moonscape like appearance of the barren high Sierra peaks behind us and spectacular looking ahead to the alpine meadows of the Upper Basin far below.

The initial drop from the pass was very steep, as was the norm when descending from these high passes in the mountains. From there the trail crossed through Upper Basin, descending very gradually until reentering the forest, and then it continued downhill at a more moderate pace to our destination for the night near the crossing of the South Fork of the Kings River.

Day 18 - 8/19 (11.6 mi.):
It was very cool again when we woke up in the morning. Beginning from our campsite we began an uphill climb on the trail almost immediately, and it was fairly steep. It didn’t last long though as the grade became much more gradual once we cleared treeline and emerged into a gorgeous alpine meadow. There was nothing but blue skies and bright sunshine as we walked through the meadow, where we later passed by the clear blue waters of Lake Marjorie. Then we followed a steep set of switchbacks leading to up to Pinchot Pass (12,130’), but we didn’t stay long there because it was very cool and breezy on the pass. From there we followed the trail going steeply downhill, then crossing a broad tableland, and eventually entering back into the forest. We stopped for a nice long lunch break at the Sawmill Pass Trail Junction where we found a nice exposed rock on which to relax and soak up the sun. After our break we were back on the trail following Woods Creek downhill through its canyon. We passed a beautiful waterfall on the way and finally reached our destination for the night, next to a suspension bridge that crosses the rushing waters of Woods Creek.

It was mid afternoon when we arrived at our campsite, and we took advantage of the warm breezy day to wash some clothes and ourselves. Towering peaks surrounded our camp, and the glow of the setting sun on them late in the evening was something to behold. After sundown we could see bats flying around in the treetops above.

Day 19 - 8/20 (11.6 mi.):
Today we were to meet up with Trailtrekker, who was leading a group in from Onion Valley with our final food resupply. We decided to leave early in the morning so we could meet them early in the day at Charlotte Lake. From the campsite we followed much the same pattern on the trail as we did in the previous two days, hiking steeply uphill through a canyon until the trail emerged above treeline, and then following a more gradual uphill grade through alpine meadows. This time, just before completely leaving the forest, we came upon one of the most beautiful lakes on the entire trip. The view of the nearly still waters of Dollar Lake reflecting the striking image of Fin Dome from the distance was truly an incredible sight. After taking a midmorning break there, we continued through the meadows, passing Arrowhead Lake first, then skirting around the clear blue waters of Rae Lakes, and finally making what seemed like a never ending steep ascent to the top at Glen Pass (11,978’). Once at the top, I was surprised to see the number of people sitting on top of this long and very narrow pass, but it was a Saturday. We took a nice long lunch break to enjoy the incredible views from the pass . . . especially that looking back at Rae Lakes.

From the pass the trail went downhill very steeply at first, and then moderately until we came to the Charlotte Lake Trail Junction. There we met a ranger who was checking permits and warning hikers about the recent problems with bears in the area. He never did check our permit but told us there were five incidents where a bear had broken into the Bear Vault containers, and even one that had opened a Bearikade canister. Prosecutor even got clearance from the ranger to use his bear spray should a bear try to get into our canisters. After speaking with the ranger, we made our way down the trail and to the lake where we found Trailtrekker, John, Derek, and Joe searching for a place to camp. Unfortunately Joe couldn’t stay for the night, but, after setting up camp, the rest of us went down to relax by the lake and enjoy the beautiful afternoon. John had packed in some delicious microbrew for everyone to enjoy, and, as demonstrated by the smile on Prosecutor’s face after drinking most of it, it was excellent! We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening telling stories of what had happened on the trip up to that point, and checking out each other’s gear when we went back uphill to our camp.

Day 20 - 8/21 (15.6 mi.):
We knew this was to be the toughest day of our trip with nearly 16 miles planned for the day, over 4,000’ of elevation gain, and nearly 4,000’ of bone jarring downhill all included. If there was one thing I would have changed in planning the trip, it would have been to spend another full day at Charlotte Lake. It was such a beautiful location, and it would have been good to give our legs a day of rest before completing the final three days of our trip. Unfortunately, at this point we didn’t have the luxury to make that change, so, after eating breakfast and saying our good-byes, we were off to an early start in the morning.

After a short uphill climb to get back to the JMT, we started the day with a 1,000’ drop into Vidette Meadow. Originally, we considered this location to meet with Trailtrekker for our food resupply, and, after going downhill and passing through the area, I was really glad that we had decided to meet at Charlotte Lake instead. From the meadow, which was really a forested area, it was nearly all uphill to the pass, and the incredible views on the way up made every single inch of elevation gain worth the effort. The views from Forester Pass (13,180’) were simply incredible, and we took a long break to rest and enjoy the beauty. At first the trail going south from the pass was very steep and literally carved out of the side of the mountain, then the grade was more gradual downhill following through the high alpine meadow and, eventually, it entered back into the forest. Shortly after crossing Tyndall Creek and going back uphill, we camped for the night next to the Tyndall Frog Ponds. Here, we were reunited with Francois, who had camped in Vidette Meadow the previous night. It had been a very long and tiring day, so shortly after setting up our tents and eating dinner we were in our sleeping bags for the night.

Day 21 - 8/22 (12.1 mi.):
As incredible as the sights were from the top of the passes, I was looking forward to not having one to cross today. Although we still had a considerable distance to go for our destination for the night, we didn’t have the huge elevation gains and losses to go with it like the previous day. It was an enjoyable day on the trail in that there were fantastic views of the distant mountains, but, at the same time, it was also sad one knowing the end of our trip was drawing near. We passed Timberline Lake later in the afternoon and then made our final uphill push to Guitar Lake. Already there were tents dotted around its banks when we arrived, so we moved on to a mountain tarn, situated just uphill from Guitar Lake, where we camped for the night.

Even though there was bright sunshine and few clouds in the sky, it was still a rather cool day at an elevation of 11,500’. We spent the late afternoon and evening relaxing, eating, and gathering our strength for the next day’s climb of Mt. Whitney. I was in my tent for the night very early, and watched the sun slowly disappear behind the mountains in a brilliant display of color. It really was a fitting way to watch such a magnificent day end, or, at least, so I thought at the time.

Day 22 - 8/23 (12.6 mi.):
Earlier in the trip, I had one of the Backpackers Pantry Italian Beef Pasta freeze-dried meals for dinner. It gave me gas like I had never experienced before, and luckily there was no one in my tent to share that experience. The previous night I had the same Italian Beef Pasta meal again for dinner, and I was having the same reaction around midnight. It wasn’t long after that I realized it was going to be a little more than just gas this time. This is one of those times you wish there was a privy nearby, but unfortunately, that was not the case. So it was a dash up into the rocks more than once during the night, and the only good thing about the whole situation was the moon was so bright you didn’t need a headlamp to see where you were going. But, as I stumbled around getting in and out of my tent during the night, I worried that someone who was sleeping nearby could mistake me for a bear and emerge from their tent to engulf me in a cloud of bear spray. Luckily, that didn’t happen

Needless to say, I didn’t get very much sleep during the night, and I felt extremely weak in the morning. Even though my stomach was very upset, I did manage to force down my usual breakfast of cereal and milk, but I was beginning to doubt whether I would have the energy to make the 3,000’ climb ahead of us. From our camp, the trail was uphill every step of the way, and I had to stop often. It was the incredible views that helped me overcome the way I felt, and, very slowly, I made the 2,000’ climb to Trail Junction. From there we gladly dropped our packs and made the final 1,000’ climb up to the summit of Mt Whitney.

I was the last of our group to reach the summit, and I was just happy I found the strength to make it to the top. At the time I still felt very weak, so reaching the summit was more of a feeling of relief that the trail was all downhill from there rather than having any excitement about completing the John Muir Trail. The views in all directions from the summit on this clear, but cool, day were truly magnificent. Sunshine1 summed it up best when she said to me, “This is why people climb mountains.”

After going back downhill from the summit to Trail Junction and putting our packs on once again, there was a very brief section of trail going uphill to Trail Crest. After that, the trail went downhill, at times very steeply. Our original plan was to spend the night at Trail Camp, but it was still early in the day when we got there. So we continued on until later in the day when we reached Outpost Camp to spend our final night on the trail. It was a very tiring day for me, and I was still feeling very queasy. Prosecutor gave me one of his extra cream of wheat meals to eat for dinner, and that seemed to help somewhat.

Day 23 - 8/24 (4.2 mi.):
I woke up in the morning to a wonderful view looking through the door on my tent, and as I laid there reflecting on our trip, it made me smile to have had the pleasure to complete this trip with such outstanding people . . . Prosecutor, Sunshine1, and Francois, and as our trip was about to end, there was no question that soon I would truly miss being out on the trail with them. For me, the people you meet, and especially those you hike with and get to know while on the trail, is, for the most part, what the long distance hiking experience is all about . . . even more so than any personal satisfaction derived from completing such a hike.

With the lure of eating a real breakfast and showers ahead of us in Whitney Portal, we all decided to skip our last breakfast we had packed, and, as I expected, Sunshine1 was on the trail just as quickly as she could throw her gear into her pack. Prosecutor and I were on the trail soon after, and it didn’t take us long to complete the final 4 miles of the trip. We arrived at Whitney Portal just in time to be one of the first to order breakfast, and I ordered one pancake, eggs and bacon. The pancake was so large it draped over the side of the plate, and, except for Prosecutor, it certainly was more than anyone could eat. We were lucky enough to catch a ride into Lone Pine from those we talked with while eating breakfast. Once there, we checked into the Dow Villa Motel and spent the rest of the day relaxing and preparing for our trip home.”

“There were many who helped us with the trip in one way or another. Prosecutor’s wife drove us to the airport and then picked us up at a rather late hour on our return, Wannabp and Landscaper picked up Prosecutor and I at San Francisco International Airport and drove us to Yosemite to begin our trip, Sunshine1’s friend, Joy, was kind enough to pick up all of us, including Francois, in Lone Pine and drive us back to Los Angeles, and then Sunshine1 drove Prosecutor and I to Los Angeles International Airport to catch our flight home. I especially want to thank Trailtrekker, along with John, Derek, Joe and Jerry, all of which I had never met prior to this trip, for volunteering to hike in our last food resupply. It really made our trip much more pleasurable in that we had less weight to carry from Muir Ranch, but, even more so, everyone really enjoyed their company at Charlotte Lake. I want to say that I am so grateful to each and every one of those who helped make our trip the wonderful experience it was. It makes me smile to know such kind and giving people, and, hopefully, one day I can return the favor.”

“Awesome pics and great report! I especially like your photos of Thousand Lake, those are especially sweet!”

“Here’s a few final thoughts I have about our trip and gear used on the trip:

Planning the JMT: I was very pleased with our plan for the trip. Although we held to most of our original plan for the trip, we did change where we camped for the night on three occasions due to timing and conditions issues. I expected that to happen on a trip of this length, and the change always worked to our advantage. Overall, there are only two things I would have changed on our entire trip. One, as mentioned in my report, would have been to add another layover day at Charlotte Lake. The other would have been to plan for public/commercial transportation at the end of the trip. I think it was a mistake on my part to rely on any one individual in the group to provide that part of the plan. Anything can happen to anyone on a long distance hike, and, if for whatever reason something happens to the person you are relying upon while on the trip, and they don’t complete the hike, its impractical to expect them to follow through with providing transportation at the end of the hike when there are long distances involved to get to and from the trailhead.

Meals: There is no doubt that Prosecutor had the best food to eat while on the trip. He prepackaged his own recipes at home, and, of those I sampled, the taste was far superior to the pre-packaged freeze-dried meals I was eating. I was very disappointed in the Backpackers Pantry meals in that they didn’t rehydrate very well . . . even when allowing much more time than what the directions stated. The rice meals were particularly bad at rehydration. There was one notable exception, and that was the Backpackers Pantry Pad Thai meal . . . even Prosecutor like that one. The Mountain House meals were much better in terms of rehydration, and, in general, tastier too. My favorite MH meal was the Pasta Primavera. The Mountain House Pro single serving meals are larger than before, but don’t expect them to be a large enough meal for one person if you expect to be on the trail for more than a few days.

Stoves: I used an Esbit fuel tablet stove on the entire trip. The stove weighs about 3 ounces, and the fuel tablets I used for the entire trip (24 tablets) weighed only 12 ounces. I boiled water only for dinners. Compare the weight of the fuel tablets to one propane fuel canister, which weighs about 13 ounces. It took Francois three propane fuel canisters for the entire trip, but he was cooking more meals than I did. This setup works great if you do nothing more than boil water for your meals, but its important to make a wind screen customized to fit with the size your cookpot for it to work most effectively. The tablets seemed to work just as well at the higher altitudes. The residue fuel tablets leave on the bottom of the cookpot comes off easily. I was cleaning the bottom of my pot daily until about half way through the trip, and then I just let it go until I got home. The pot still cleaned up very easily. I’ve often heard the smell of the burning fuel tablets was really bad, but it was barely noticeable outdoors.

Spoon: I used a long-handled titanium spoon made by Backpacking Light on the trip. I bought the spoon to use for eating out of the Ziploc type bags because of its long handle. This worked great for dipping food out of the bag and, at the same time, keeping your fingers clean. However, the real advantage to this spoon is its flattened edge, which allows you to scoop off the sides and bottom of the bag very easily. I’d highly recommend this spoon to anyone. http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/bpl_long_handled_titanium_spoon.html”

“This was a great trip, and G-Force, SunshineGirl1, and Francois were great hiking companions, which made the trip all that much better.

I too would like to join G-Force in thanking everyone who helped us on this trip, especially Trailtrekker, John, Derek, Joe and Jerry who supplied us a Charlotte Lake. John, a brewer by trade, brought in some of his own private beer he brewed, for G-Force, SunshineGirl1, and myself. SunshineGirl1 is a teetotaller, and G-Force only had one half a glass. They forced me to drink their share of the best tasting beer within 3,000 miles. Such sacrifices one must make.

The esbit stove was the way to go on the JMT. On a side by side comparison, it beat out my Magic Heat sterno type stove.

I also agree with G-Force that a mistake was made concerning transportation from the trailhead. The last minute changes cost us $624 to buy additional airline tickets.”

“Buck - Thousand Island Lake was one place I will never forget.

Here's a link to a couple of pictures showing the Esbit stove, windscreen, and cookpot I used on the trip:
http://community.webshots.com/album/231102988uSrlZi”

“Thank you sooo much for the wonderful trip report and pictures gforce! They are wonderful.

Gforce, I too, will never forget Thousand Island lake.

I have to add that gforce, prosecutor and francois were excellent companions on this journey. I am so glad I went! I love those guys!”

“wow, those are some incredible pics!! thank you for sharing.”

“I didn't get to read this thread till now. Thanks for the time you guys put into these reports.”

“I have yet to look at the pics, but I finally sat down and got to read about your whole trip.

What an adventure!

I do have a question. When you first started, the length of trip each day was much shorter? Was that by design, to get acclimated?

Have you seen there is some powder stuff, I think flavored like lemonade, that is supposed to mix with water and re-supply nutrients, etc, lost to diarrhea? I bought the packet, around $5 to $6. Have yet to try. And I don't remember how many uses you get from it. (It's buried in a drawer somewhere now)

Glad you guys had a great time!!!”

“I do have a question. When you first started, the length of trip each day was much shorter? Was that by design, to get acclimated?


Yes, and I don't recall anyone having any altitude problems on the entire trip either.

I'd be interested to know what that "powder stuff" is, because, chances are good on a long trip it's going to happen maybe once.”

“Congrats on your hike. Great report and pictures. A very well planned expedition.

I could use some of that magic powder right now. The diarrhea hasn't stopped since I got off the AT...some say it's from being exposed to my own home cooking, lol.”

“OK, I dug it out. :-)

It's by Adventure Medical Kits. It's called CeraLyte 70. A "rice-based oral electrolyte" or "oral rehydration salts."

"Designed to effectively correct or prevent dehydration." Says it "helps prevent dehydration from diarrhea."

You mix the 50 g. package with one liter (4.25 cups) of water or 2 tsp. into 200 ml. (7 oz.) Stir. Refrigerate unused portion. Discard after 24 hours.

Says to continue drinking it until diarrhea stops. "Best results when taken with food."

Each package contains:
Sodium chloride... 2.2 g
Potassium chloride... 1.3 g
Trisodium citrate... 2.9 g
Carbyohydrates... 40 g

Calories... 165
Fat... 0 g
Protein... 0.5 g

The fine print says: "Rice-based oral electrolyte solutions have been shown to be effective in reducing volume and duration of diarrhea. CeraLyte has been formulated to provide the minerals and salts needed for replacing fluids lost from diarrhea and help promote early recovery."

HERE'S A LINK... although I have more info here:
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/

The stuff I got was $6.99 for one 50 g. pack at Cabela's. Seems when I was there a week ago, I saw it was priced a little less.

So I don't know if it's all ballyhoo and it's not much different from Gatorade -- other than a horrendously high price -- or if it really will help!”

“G-Force got his runs from food poisoning from a freeze dried dinner. I do not know how much good those packets would be in food poisoning cases.”

“Superlative scenery...there's something about alpine views that are so rejuvenating..and I'm always amazed at the wildflowers that thrive there. I took a ranger-led hike in RMNP once. She had us each draw a circle using a yard-long piece of yarn then get down and look, through the magnifying glasses she also provided, at the tiny alpine microcosm...she also taught us how to breath at altitude..you exhale through pursed lips..this was a great trick to learn and later proved very useful.

Thank you for the huge time investment you gave both writing your trip reports and posting your pictures through Webshots...the later is no small achievement these days..I hope they get their software together soon!

Knowing I will probably never be able to hike the JMT at least I have good friends who are able to do so...I've also begun packaging and preparing my own food as Pros does...I only use the freeze-dried stuff as back-ups...and, your experience proves that it's worth the effort...Immodium D is the freeze-dried eaters desert!

Hope to see you next year on the trail..it would be nice if you could join us on the North Kettle Moraine trip early next spring...are you into winter camping?”

“Pros, you don't know that there was something wrong with the food. Sometimes certain things don't agree with people. You could perhaps say I have IR, "irritable bowel." I can eat a cheeseburger for lunch one day and be fine. Another day? I'm running to the bathroom, sick, within 20 minutes and feeling awful. It's not food poisoning in this instance. And I know a lot of women this happens to. If I even for a second wonder about the taste of something, there's a lot higher odds it's gonna happen.

The drink stuff is supposed to help rehydrate. No, it's no medical cure.

MHH, it might be spring by then. I've got fingers crossed *against* winter camping, or I may have to make an excuse (on the "No Excuses" trip) and beg off. :-) hahahaa”

“The advantages of packaging your own freeze dried meals is that one can avoid the things that don't agree with you, customize the foods to your taste, and maintain the highest degree of sanitation to avoid food poisoning. My freeze dried meals had double to triple the amount of meat and hot spices, just the way I like it. Despite aiming for 3,000 calories a day, I lost 8 pounds. G-force lost more.”

“The freeze dried meals were repackaged in ziploc bags to save space in the bear canister. I think the meals that I had a reaction to could have soaked up enough moisture for them to begin to spoil. That's one possibility. The other is just one we all face in the backcountry, and that is bacteria transmision from not cleaning your hands well enough before eating.

Lizs - Thanks for the link. I went to the manufacturer's web site and CVS carries it. I don't think it would matter how you get diarreha, the mix should help replace electrolytes lost.”

“Wow! Great TR Gforce. Glad you guys had an awesome hike. I also wish there was better public transportation on the east side. It cost us, the HST group, $900 to rent a shuttle back to SEKI.”

“I used the electrolyte powder and I also used other supplements. It definitely helped me. Like I said before, I'm using Prosecutor's recipe book next time.”

“Wowww!!!

Hello Gforce, Prosecutor & of course Jenni!

This is a little post from Switzerland - Zurich (where it's currently snowing) to thank you VERY VERY much for everything.

Without you, "my" JMT experience would not have been what it was.

Thank you for the enjoyable and everlasting moments passed on the JMT with you.

G-force: what a great and exhaustive report you wrote! (not to speak about your pictures...!)

Hope to be able to join one day again on one of your great American trails...

François”

“Fl68, it was a pleasure to meet and hike with you. My conversations with you were as enjoyable and as memorable as the John Muir Trail hike was. I hope to meet you on some hikes in the future, and if you plan on visiting the United States, check out this forum's trip pages.”

“And maybe in the meantime you can change your (political) mind ;-)

There is a French proverb saying: "only imbeciles don't change their mind".
(imbeciles and Chirac, but he is getting elder - 73 yesterday actually ; some people already lighted a few candles earlier in Paris suburbs to wish him an happy birthday...).”

“LOL! Ya gotta love that. The foreign dude gives Pros a hard time!!

hahhahahaha”

“If every Frenchman was as tough as fl68 was in debating politics on the John Muir Trail, the French would have kicked the Germans out of France by themselves without U.S. help in 1944.”

“guess wannabp was right”

“Wannabp dropped out the day fl68 joined the group. So what could wannabp know about fl68?”

“I confirm.
I first met the group at Vermillion valley resort at breakfast before leaving.
At first glance, I thought G-force and wannabp were together...
I afterwards discover I was wrong.

It was "just" the expression of G-force's natural kindness to somebody somehow in troubles with herself.

I only saw wannabp a few minutes. Too few to make my opinion about her.

However I heard a lot about her during the rest of trip.
Something like a group therapy around the fire every evening.

Honestly speaking, I don't think prosecutor fits in the category of "evil persons".
(less to say that I believe it's impossible to meet one on a trail...)
That Ed fits in the provocative one is for sure, it's about his... personality (mmm... remember that episode about personalities, G-force? :-)), but everybody with some understanding ability will make the difference between provocation and true thoughts.

And best way to make your own opinion about prosecutor might be to join him on a trip...

I would be glad joining each member of that great group once again in the future.”

“That G-Force is a sweetie .... and Ed? Ed is Ed. :-) Gotta love Ed!!!”

“never said wannabp was talking about fl68”

“Into button pushing, Ewker?”

“EYou are right MataHariHiker. Ewker is like a fish trying to swim against the currents without much luck, considering what the members of the trip have posted in the trip thread.”

“For all people interested in my JMT pictures, here the links:

http://community.webshots.com/album/517174291TUidsx

http://community.webshots.com/album/519551304cHhZCD

Greets,
Francois”

“Good photos fl68. Thanks for taking the time to download them to webshots and sharing them with us. It does show how beautiful the John Muir Trail is.”

“fl68....It took me awhile to get through your picture album. Your photos were so nice they deserved more than a quick glance....c'est vraimont bien! Thank you so much for taking the time to upload them to Webshots...I think you saw some of the best the States has to offer...
last edited: 12/12/05 9:20:35 AM”

“Oh no, I am far from having seen all the best America has to offer...

In fact, for an introduction (my first trip in the USA at all, my first nights in the wilderniss under a tent), it was a great one.

There are quite a few things I do not like in your civilization/culture - even if I respect them -, but at least your exemplary nature management/preservation system deserves my fully admiration (and hopefully from the rest of the world).

And concerning the kindness and hospitality of Americans, it is far from a myth...

Hope to be able to come back in the future in the USA and meet some of you along your great trails / national parks.”