If I Were To Hike For A Week On The JMT, What Would Be The Best Week?

[Danny Michelin]

Hi, so I’m located in Los Angeles, and I don’t want to drive too far (200 miles tops) nor have a shuttle. I’m up for all difficulty, and the more difficult the better. Do you have any suggestions? Thanks

[Jeff Hester]

Danny,

Great question! It’s about 200 miles from LA to Lone Pine. From Lone Pine you can hitch a ride up to Whitney Portal, then hike up Whitney… but you’d need a permit. You might be able to get a walk-in permit. This is the shortest route to the southernmost part of the John Muir Trail.

Getting to Lone Pine you can either drive up to Lone Pine (actually you’d park at Whitney Portal). Parking there is free.

You could also take the Antelope Valley Metro line from Union Station to Lancaster, then pick up the Eastern Sierra Transit Authority bus to Lone Pine.

If you can’t get permits for Whitney, consider starting at Horseshoe Meadows, just south of Cottonwood Lakes. This will add another day, but it’s much easier to get permits for.

As for “the best week” do you mean time of the year or the section of the trail?

[Danny Michelin]

Jeff,

I think I meant section of the trail. I wrote the title while tired, so I apologize for any confusing language. Lone pine is awesome, I camped at the portal during a motorcycle trip with my dad last year, and I was unaware that Whitney was part of the John Muir trail! I’ve heard the difficulty of getting permits, especially a solo hiker, for Whitney. Horseshoe meadows definitely seems like a good place to check out.

[Jeff Hester]

Danny, here’s a link to a trip report from 100peaks.com on a route up Whitney from Horseshoe Meadows. They had a 33 mile route with some cross-country scrambling.

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