I’ve thru-hiked the John Muir Trail twice. The first time, back in 1980, I took 25 days to cover the 211-plus miles. The second time in 2010 I hiked it with my girlfriend (now my wife) over 22 days. If I could’ve taken more time off from work, I would have taken longer, but three […]
Backpacking the North/South Lake Loop: Sapphire Lake to Little Pete Meadow
DAY FOUR on the North Lake/South Lake Loop We woke early and it was cold at Sapphire Lake. There was ice all over the outside of the rain fly and it took a few minutes for me to warm my clothes inside my sleeping bag before I wanted to put them on. The skies were […]
Backpacking the North/South Lake Loop: Goddard Canyon to Sapphire Lake
DAY THREE on the North Lake/South Lake Loop The trail up to Evolution Valley starts off with a 1,000 feet of switchbacks that dig in right away! The switchbacks follow the waterfall that is Evolution Creek flowing out of the valley – and some of the views are breathtaking. As you top out, you then […]
Four Big Adventures to Add to Your Life List
Do you want more adventures in the year ahead? Maybe you’ve finished the Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge, and you’re looking for a new challenge−something that takes you out of your comfort zone and pushes you beyond what you thought you could do? Big adventures don’t happen by dreaming−they require planning and preparation. Many big adventures require […]
Essential Planning Resources for the John Muir Trail
Planning an epic backpacking trip on the John Muir Trail is not only essential to a successful trip; it’s also part of the fun. Learning about where and how to ship resupply packages; planning your itinerary; poring over the maps and elevation charts all add to the sense of adventure and excitement. Having the right […]
Thru-Hiking the JMT: Guitar Lake to Mt. Whitney
Day 22 on the John Muir Trail… Technically, this day begins at the end of Day 21. We went to bed early last night, sleeping lightly for a few hours and waking to our alarm at 11:30 PM. We ate Clif Bars and packed up our sleeping gear and tent. Donning our headlamps, we made […]
Thru-Hiking the JMT: Wright Creek to Guitar Lake
Day 21 on the John Muir Trail… Last night we camped in the shadow of Mt. Whitney. We woke up excited, knowing that we were so close to our goal. We had been hiking on the John Muir Trail for three weeks. We had come a long way from that first day in Yosemite. We […]
Thru-Hiking the JMT: Over Forester Pass to Wright Creek
Day 20 on the John Muir Trail… At 13,200 feet above sea level, Forester Pass may not be the highest point on the John Muir Trail (that would be Mt. Whitney) but it is the high point of the Pacific Crest Trail. As we’ve hiked further and further south on the JMT, our average altitude has […]
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 5
- Next Page »