So I am back from the JMT and I'm not quite sure where to begin. The trip was incredibly fun and challenging and the places I went were very very special. I don't really think I can convey how insanely beautiful and wild the JMT was and I definitely can't explain how that place changed me so I will just mention a few things here and post some of my favorite photos.
I hiked the entire trail North to South including a side trip to Half-Dome and the hike down from Mt. Whitney in less than 10 days. I planned for 12 days so I actually skipped my last re-supply because I really didn't want to hike out to pick it up. A hike out would have interrupted my hiking rhythm which was extremely satisfying. Everyday I woke up at the true crack of dawn or just before, ate a little bit of food and started walking. Nearly the entire day was spent walking. Just walking, thinking and checking out every single view from the trail. The trail rises from something like 4000 foot elevation in Yosemite to 14,496 foot Mt. Whitney and between the two ends it crosses 10 passes. So everyday I would get to see a good amount of the flora and fauna from the lower elevations, the valleys, to the upper and most austere elevations, the passes. There was extreme beauty and pristine wildness in both places and everywhere in between. The valleys seemed to be overflowing with life; huge meadows with absolutely clear streams divided by seemingly endless forests which showed no signs of man-made management. In most places the forests consisted of several different tree species with a wide variety of undergrowth. Although I never saw a bear I did see many deer, including some very large racks and one trickster (coyote). The forests would thin and become more gnarled as I climbed throughout the day, until I entered what was often a moonscape like area full of high alpine lakes surrounded by miles of granitic peaks.
Except for two afternoons when thunderstorms shook the nearby peaks I had absolutely beautiful clear blue skies throughout my trip. I am guessing the temperature ranged from the 30's at night to the high 80's in the hot and dry sections of the trail with a couple of nights on the high passes where the temps fell below freezing.
Caught this trickster checking out a camping area near Red Cone (click for large view).
I think one of my favorite places during the entire trip was crossing Muir Pass on day 6. The climb to the pass was not steep but it just seemed to flow on for miles, starting in the absolutely stunning McClure Meadows, winding around several sapphire lakes and a moonscape of boulders to end at the Muir Pass shelter, located directly on top of the pass. The Muir shelter, which is a circular stone building with a weather-beaten but sturdy wood door seemed to fit so seamlessly and perfectly into it's place, I almost wished that I could have been stranded there in a storm. It's purpose is to provide emergency shelter to high-country hikers and to commemorate Mr. Muir, but that place seemed more like a temple than any other place I have ever been. Many people had written small notes and left them inside the shelter, in front of the lone window. I tried to read one of them but was overcome with sadness and couldn't continue. I quickly realized that a lot of pain was left with those notes. So I didn't even try to read the rest. What better place to leave your pain then at a temple. I think I left some of mine, because that night I slept better than ever. But I didn't write anything down.
I didn't set out to hike the trail faster than planned it just happened due to circumstances. On day 3 I realized that I only had two more dinners so I needed to get from mile 58 to 108 in two days in order to pick-up another re-supply. Then near the end of the trip I realized that I had some extra food and if I just found a bit more I could stay on the trail without having to go into town for food. So I asked for and found some food at a ranger station and received some more from an overloaded hiker.
I was extremely surprised at how lonesome the trail was in September. Except for at the two ends of the hike as well as near Muir Pass and in the Rae Lakes Basin, I rarely saw anyone and that was nice. The solitude I found in Tully's Hole and on top of Mather Pass really made the trip seem like an adventure.
I met and hiked with a guy named Forest near the end of the trip. Forest had hiked all the way from Donner Pass, over 400 miles, and ended on the same day I did at Mt. Whitney. He also happens to be from Leavenworth, WA and is a pretty quick lightweight hiker! Hopefully we will meet up again sometime for a hike in the Cascades.
The trip home from the trail was relatively uneventful except for the fact that I received a great hitch from a guy named Ed from Santa Barbara. The trip to get to the trail was awesome since I got to visit my friend Lora in Lafayette. Thanks for all your help Lora. Without it I may never have made it to Yosemite!
I learned quite a few things on the trail, a couple of them being:
I have learned to be realistic when thinking about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. This means that I am not so convinced that the PCT is for me. It would be really HARD!
I want to do some more long hikes in extremely wild and rad places. I'm just not sure where yet!
I think that if every high schooler in the nation did a hike like the JMT, in 10 years we would have a country full of conservationists and true patriots. If you don't know anything about the land in which you live and the true freedom you may enjoy (if you so choose) your not likely to defend it or conserve it.
I am glad to be back and hoping that I will be able to start running again soon!?!
I did small videos for each day of the trip. I can't put all of them up here. So here is the final one, done on top of Mt. Whitney:
