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Thru-Hiking the JMT: Muir Trail Ranch to McClure Meadow

August 8, 2013 By Jeff H

McClure Meadow

Day 13 on the John Muir Trail…

We slept not too far away from Muir Trail Ranch, with the headwaters of the San Joaquin providing our soundtrack for the night. Fortunately, our bear bag was unmolested. We broke camp and hiked about a quarter mile back to MTR to enjoy the promised breakfast (it was well worth it).

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John Muir Trail Day 13
Distance: 10.8 miles
Cumulative Distance: 123.9 miles
Total Ascent: 4,036 ft
Cumulative Ascent: 33,471 ft
Harrison Map Sheets 7 and 6
Jeffrey and Hari’s supply buckets ever turned up, but they did break into a couple of donated buckets from thru-hikers who changed plans and never made it to MTR. These fresh supply buckets were like gold. They got to go through and pick the best of everything. Our bellies full of food and our packs really loaded down, we hit the trail.

Jeffrey and Hari took the purist approach, retracing our steps up the valley to the junction we left the JMT at yesterday. Joan and I opted for the easier trail along the valley bottom. Both trails met up at the 1.6 mile mark.

South Fork of the San Joaquin River

A bit further beyond that was the John Muir Trail Cabin. This wasn’t a cabin that Muir himself ever stayed in, but it was built in his honor.

The John Muir Trail Cabin

Today we would hike into Kings Canyon National Park. This park easily rivals Yosemite in beauty, but is much more wild and unspoiled. We bid farewell to the John Muir Wilderness, and crossed this bridge into Kings Canyon.

Bridge to Kings Canyon National Park

The JMT follows along the South Fork of the San Joaquin River for over six miles, and the canyon becomes narrow, steep and rugged.

South Fork of the San Joaquin River

The trail winds through the canyon, climbing ever higher and crossing the fast-moving water on two more bridges. These bridges are amazing feats of engineering, especially given their remote location. And we were thankful they were there. The water ran high and fast, and I can’t imagine crossing any other way.

At mile 6.6, we crossed the third bridge for the day, and began the super steep switchbacks climbing up beside Evolution Creek. At the crest, you get a little breather and then, a boots-off creek crossing. This was thigh-high water, and while it doesn’t look treacherous, it is flowing fast and has a strong pull.

Crossing Evolution Creek

On the other side of Evolution Creek, we decided to stop for dinner. We fired up the stove and enjoyed some warm food, then cleaned up and hiked on to McClure Meadow.

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Dinner: In Camp or on the Trail?
JMT-JeffOne of the questions thru-hikers grapple with is where to cook and eat. Because the John Muir Trail runs through bear country, it is recommended that you don’t cook or eat where you sleep, as the scents from the food will attract bears.

Some thru-hikers take this very seriously, stopping to cook and eat, then cleaning up, packing up and hiking the final one or two miles to camp, as we did tonight.

For us, we would typically cook, eat and clean well away from our sleeping area, but within eye’s view. We found it easier than stopping and starting again.

Jeffrey, Joan and I finished the final 2-1/2 miles and rolled into camp right at sundown. Hari had already set up camp with another JMT thru-hiker named Brian. We warmed up around a campfire sipping hot chocolate and sharing our tales from the trail.

Twilight at McClure Meadow

Trail Map: Muir Trail Ranch to McClure Meadow

© OpenStreetMap contributors
Download file: JMT-Day-13.gpx

JMT Day 13 Photo Gallery

Click on any photo to view a larger version. You can also leave comments on any photo.

Near last night's campsite
Near last night’s campsite
Jeffrey fully loaded
View from the JMT
Headed towards Kings Canyon National Park
The John Muir Trail Cabin
Dome
This way to Kings Canyon NP
Pacific Crest Trail Marker
Cascades
Bridge to Kings Canyon National Park
Saying Goodbye to John Muir Wilderness
San Joaquin River
Trail Hugs Rugged Canyon Walls
IMG_0760
South Fork of the San Joaquin River
Rapids
IMG_2623
IMG_2625
IMG_0763
Deer on the JMT
Water Slide
Waterfall
Fast Moving Water
Crossing Evolution Creek
Meadow
McClure Meadow
McClure Meadow
Twilight at McClure Meadow

 

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Tomorrow, we head over Muir Pass!

Originally hiked on August 8, 2010.

Filed Under: JMT Resources, Trail Guides Tagged With: Hiking The John Muir Trail, Jeffrey, JMT, John Muir, John Muir Trail, John Muir Wilderness, Kings Canyon, Kings Canyon National Park, Muir Trail Ranch, National Park, Sierra Nevada, The John Muir Trail, Thru-hiking

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Jeff H

About Jeff H

I'm an avid hiker and backpacker. My wife Joan and I are on the trails every weekend. I started SoCal Hiker to share my passion for outdoor adventure.

Comments

  1. Ray Murray says

    February 10, 2014 at 10:13 am

    Hey Jeff – my name is Ray Murray. I plan on hiking the JMT in August 2014. It is my retirement gift to me. I was wondering if there is a good place to solicit a hiking partner for the JMT. I am prepared to hike it solo – but I find I have a hard time entertaining myself 🙂

    • Jeff HJeff Hester says

      February 10, 2014 at 2:37 pm

      Thanks for stopping by, Ray! Glad to hear you’ll be tackling the JMT this year — what a great way to celebrate your retirement!

      As for finding a hiking partner, the best advice I would give is to let it be known that you’re hiking and looking for a hiking partner. That’s the approach I took back in 2009 when I was planning for my 2010 trip, and it worked.

      One of the people I met through a Meetup group (hiking) and two others “found” me through SoCalHiker.net.

      I would also highly recommend joining the JMT Group on Yahoo and posting there as well: https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/johnmuirtrail/info

      Good luck!

  2. Barbara Youders says

    February 22, 2014 at 9:16 am

    1987 A friend, a grandson, and I hiked in from Florence Lake to bring supplies to some friends who were trying to do the JMT. Camped at the head if the lake where we experience an earthquake from Mammoth. It sounded like train was passing. We spent the night with our friends and enjoyed the hot springs.
    It was a short fun trip and I’m glad we did it.

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JMT Planning

  • Overview of the JMT
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  • Resupply Addresses
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Day-by-Day on the JMT

  • Driving to Lone Pine
  • Shuttle from Lone Pine to Yosemite
  • DAY 1: Happy Isles to Little Yosemite Valley (plus Half Dome)
  • DAY 2: Little Yosemite Valley to Sunrise Camp
  • DAY 3: Tuolumne Meadows Resupply
  • DAY 4: Tuolumne to Upper Lyell Canyon
  • DAY 5: Lyell Canyon to Thousand Island Lake
  • DAY 6: Thousand Island Lake to Reds Meadow
  • DAY 7: Devil’s Postpile to Deer Creek
  • DAY 8: Deer Creek to Tully Hole
  • DAY 9: Tully Hole to VVR
  • DAY 10: Zero DAY at VVR
  • DAY 11: Mono Creek to Rosemarie Meadow
  • DAY 12: Rosemarie Meadow to Muir Trail Ranch
  • DAY 13: Muir Trail Ranch to McClure Meadow
  • DAY 14: Over Muir Pass to Helen Lake
  • DAY 15: Le Conte Canyon to Palisade Creek
  • DAY 16: The Golden Staircase and Mather Pass
  • DAY 17: Over Pinchot Pass to Woods Creek
  • DAY 18: Woods Creek to Rae Lakes
  • DAY 19: Rae Lakes, Glen Pass to Vidette Meadow
  • DAY 20: Forester Pass to Wright Creek
  • DAY 21: Wright Creek to Guitar Lake
  • DAY 22: To Mt Whitney and Whitney Portal

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