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Welcome, Tony!
It’s easy to get started hiking, and you don’t need a lot of equipment to begin — basically some comfortable walking shoes (a pair of running shoes works great) will get you going on short trails.
As you build up to longer trails (over an hour hiking) you’ll want to bring a water bottle or a hydration pack. And if you’re hiking in wilderness areas, be sure to bring The 10 Essentials.
Let me know if you have other questions.
Welcome, Tony! One of the best ways to experience hiking is… to go for a hike! You can start by using our interactive trail listing to find something that looks right for you.
Another great way to get started is to join a group hike. We have a wide range of groups hikes listed on our Event Calendar.
Let me know if you have any specific questions.
Welcome, Stan!
Are you hiking southbound? What are your start and end points for your trip?
I’m going to assume that you’re looking for an online map for research, as their is no “online” when you’re on the JMT.I will say that there are only a few places where you can easily buy food within an easy detour off the JMT:
- Tuolumne Meadows
- Reds Meadow (near Devil’s Postpile)
- Vermillion Vally Ranch (VVR)
The stores at these locations are small and may not stock exactly what you’re looking for. What most people do is ship a resupply package to these locations and then supplement with just a few items from the stores.
Good news, Karen! Twitter came to the rescue! Here’s what I learned.
@TheSoCalHiker Hey, @TrekkerSven, have any help for a couple of Jeff's readers? #heyduketrail
— Beth Lakin (@3UpAdventures) January 6, 2015
@TheSoCalHiker hey man I completed a thru hike of the #hayduke last spring what questions did you have?
— Sven De Roch (@TrekkerSven) January 6, 2015
@TheSoCalHiker So my advice would be Section 1 from arches National Park to Hurrah Pass! For a few reasons. #hayduke
— Sven De Roch (@TrekkerSven) January 6, 2015
@TheSoCalHiker Reason 1, the whole section is with in 30 miles of Moab, so rescue, food and planning is a lot less mandatory.
— Sven De Roch (@TrekkerSven) January 6, 2015
@TheSoCalHiker Reason 2, You are so far out but not far away. You see things most people wouldn't if they go into @ArchesNPS and still close
— Sven De Roch (@TrekkerSven) January 6, 2015
@TheSoCalHiker Reason3 Without EXPERT NAVIGATION skills after section 1 you are in some trouble. We even had some trouble in Courthouse wash
— Sven De Roch (@TrekkerSven) January 6, 2015
@TheSoCalHiker Reason 4 you hike half of it and you wind up in Moab for some great Food to revamp you for the second half of the section
— Sven De Roch (@TrekkerSven) January 6, 2015
@TheSoCalHiker Reason 5, Hurrah Pass Sunset is totally worth the ending! And after Hurrah pass its DRY!!!!
— Sven De Roch (@TrekkerSven) January 6, 2015
Thanks to Beth Lakin and Sven De Roch for helping out!
Malcolm, welcome to SoCalHiker! The John Muir Trail is a wonderful trail and the experience of a lifetime.
However, you won’t be able to hike it in March-April without snow. In fact, most of the trail will be completely covered in snow.
In a year with normal snowfall (such as when I last hiked the JMT in 2010), there is still snow on some of the passes even into August (though most of the trail is dry).
The last couple years we’ve had below-normal snowfall in the winter, and so it’s been less of an issue in late July through September.
This winter it’s yet to be seen. NOAA is predicting that the Sierras might see slightly heavier than normal precipitation.
But even if we had low precipitation, you would be trudging through snow in March and April.
Brandon, you might check out the Skyline Drive trail, which connects to the Main Divide Road from the Corona side. There’s a dirt road, or a harder trail they call The Gauntlet that sounds like it might be up your alley.
I haven’t hiked this, but you can read more about it here.
Thanks to @JillianLaura for suggesting the Appalachian Mountain Club’s hut-to-hut networking in New Hampshire.
Here’s an interactive map of the network.
Looks pretty awesome!
Hey Jeff — thanks for the kind words about the site!
Are you traveling solo? If so, you may be able to hitch a ride up the 395. Another option is a private shuttle. It’s pricey, but you can reserve in advance and it’s easy.
Here’s what we did on our JMT thru-hike. I parked my Xterra at the Whitney Portal, then hitched a ride into Lone Pine. Spent the night there, then took Mt. Whitney Shuttle service all the way to Yosemite Valley.
You might be able to find someone else who you can share a ride with. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to also check out the excellent JMT Group.
Welcome to SoCalHiker, Jeff P! Sounds like you’ve rediscovered your mountain mojo!
Echo Mountain is a great hike to build strength and stamina. I’m working on a more multi-day trips (most that can be done over a weekend) so stick around and see what’s coming.
Hey Vicki! Great question.
Disclaimer: I’m reluctant to give it a resounding “no problem!” because ultimately your sleep system is a highly individual thing.
Having said that, I tend to sleep warm as well, and I think I’d do just fine in the 2-season version on the JMT in August… especially if you’ve got a tent. Worst case scenario, you can add layers.
Note that the torso area is not insulated on the bottom — it relies on your sleeping pad for that. I tested with a self-inflating Thermarest, but on my next test I’ll use a closed-cell foam Z-Lite pad and compare the results.
When I hiked the JMT in August 2010, there was one night where it dropped below freezing. I didn’t have this bag, but was sharing a 2-person tent and was plenty warm.
The best advice I can offer is to give it a try. Some retailers (like REI) will let you bring equipment back if it doesn’t work out. Try it out in chilly conditions before your JMT trip so you know what to expect.
When are you starting your JMT hike? How long are you going to be out there?
Thanks for the suggestion, Skip! I’m going to do some research on Iron Mountain. I’ve heard it’s tough, and I haven’t hiked it yet.
Have you hiked it? Any advice?
Well done, Brendan! You’ve set some lofty goals, and it sounds like you’re taking all the right “steps” to reach them!
Your trip up Whitney sounds great. Taking a week to do it will give you additional time to acclimatize and really enjoy the experience.
And I cannot recommend the JMT highly enough. Many of the PCT thru-hikers we met on the trail agreed that the JMT is one of the most if not THE most beautiful section of the PCT.
Have you seen ‘Mile…Mile and a Half”? That’s a great way to whet your appetite for the JMT.
Rob, what the park rangers will tell you is 1) don’t leave anything that has any scent in the car (food of course, but also perfume, deodorant, toothpaste, etc.); and 2) don’t leave anything that looks like food or looks like it might contain food in the car.
I’ve left my car in the valley for several day backpacking trips with no issues, but I stripped it down as much as possible. No coolers or fast food containers, cups, cans, bags, etc.
Your luggage would be fine, as long as you have taken care of the rest.
There are three factors to consider when training for something like Half Dome:
- distance
- vertical gain/loss
- altitude
In OC, you can train for the distance and vertical gain pretty easily. I would suggest checking out the Sitton Peak Trail, the Chiquito Falls Trail, and the Holy Jim Trail to Santiago Peak.
In LA, this loop up Mt Wilson will get you the distance and vertical gain. If you can manage that, then you’re probably ready for Mt. San Antonio (Baldy), which will give you the altitude.
If you’re really feeling ambitious, consider hiking my Six-Pack of Peaks.
These are all longer hikes suitable for a weekend. I would supplement with shorter, more local hikes. Check out our trail guides for variety.
