| NATIONAL PARKS QUICKLINKS |
Also on Backpacker.com
Backpacker Magazine – December 2007
The Hike: John Muir In a Week
Got a few days off, a pair of healthy feet, and a pain threshold higher than Dean Karnazes? You can (possibly) blaze the length of America's Most Beautiful Trail
-
Tags:
- Ultralight |
- Pacific Crest Trail |
- California |
- Gear |
Before long, I'd convinced myself that thru-hiking the JMT in seven days was not only feasible but would even, quite possibly, be enjoyable. Honing my sales pitch, I assembled a team of the blissfully ignorant. I told them to get in the shape of their lives. I gave them four months. Fenton took 5 a.m. speed hikes on the rocky trails of the Blue Hills Reservation outside Boston. Todd Arndt did hours-long trail runs in the Boise foothills. Heather Dorn, from eastern Pennsylvania, ground out 25-mile day hikes in blistering heat on the Appalachian Trail. I eventually built up to a one-day, 32-mile jaunt in New Hampshire's White Mountains with Fenton–10,000 feet of ups and downs.
Now, on the JMT, it's paying off. Not to sound cocky, but we're chewing up distance. We roll into Sunrise High Sierra Camp–nearly 13 miles out–by 10 a.m., as fresh as if we just walked around the block. Come afternoon, the heat is draining, but by then we're chowing on burgers, fries, and shakes at the Tuolumne Meadows café at around mile 22. Most JMT thru-hikers take two days or more to get here.
But we're far from done with this day: Picking up our camping gear and a resupply of food in Tuolumne, our full loads now weigh a skimpy 18 pounds. We hike until the dusk bleeds to dark, pitching our tarps near a windswept, alpine tarn in Lyell Canyon. We pass the ibuprofen like we're doing shots, rub sore-but-not-too-sore feet, and take stock. On our first day, we've walked 34 miles, with 7,000 feet of uphill. Mark's pedometer reports an astonishing tally: We've taken 72,376 steps. We should look like boot-camp washouts, but instead we're just kind of tired. As we take an icy dip in the lake, below a skyline littered with granite cliffs, Stumbles tells me giddily, "You know what? I can't believe how good I feel."
I smile, naively, thinking: We're gonna make it.
"This is the best I've felt on this entire trip." Todd announces this as we bask in the sun after a frosty mid-morning swim in Purple Lake, pinched within a horseshoe of unnamed 11,000-foot peaks. Which is strange, and maybe a little bit shocking, because since leaving Yosemite Valley exactly 54 hours ago, we've walked 72 miles. How? We hit the trail by 5:30 a.m. to take advantage of the cool temps. Manic, we pass tents closed to the prehistorically quiet forest. All morning, we hurtle past backpackers humping huge loads, sweating salty rivers. We overhear their comments–"Those guys are bookin'!"–and repeatedly explain our big-mileage game plan. No one calls us crazy. In fact, they all say, "I gotta try that, too."
The JMT in August is not a place you normally go for solitude. But all those traditional backpackers–with their big loads and deluxe kitchens–don't get moving until mid-morning and quit by 5 p.m. Which means that during the day's finest hours, we have the Sierra to ourselves. Early and late, the sun casts long shadows across alpine gardens littered with granite boulders; alpenglow paints summits gold; and stillness pervades amphitheater views over Donohue Pass, Thousand Island Lake, and Silver Pass.
Subscribe to Backpacker magazine
Sign up for our free weekly e-newsletter
Reader Rating:
Editors' Choice 2013
412 trail-tested products
Boost Your Apps
Add powerful tools and exclusive maps to your BACKPACKER apps through our partnership with Trimble Outdoors.
Carry the Best Maps
With BACKPACKER PRO Maps, get life-list destinations and local trips on adventure-ready waterproof myTopo paper.
FREE Rocky Mountain Trip Planner
Sign up for a free Rocky Mountain National Park trip planning kit from our sister site MyRockyMountainPark.com.
Get 2 FREE Trial Issues and 3 FREE GIFTS
Survival Skills 101 • Eat BetterThe Best Trails in America
YES! Please send me my FREE trial issues of Backpacker
and my 3 FREE downloadable booklets.
Free trial offer valid for US subscribers only.
Canadian subscriptions |
International subscriptions
and my 3 FREE downloadable booklets.
READERS COMMENTS
What a great article! This is great stuff for an aspiring fastpacker like myself. Way to go!
our jerseys shop http://www.yourjerseyhome.com Nike San Francisco 49ers jerseys,Nike Baltimore Ravens Jerseys and best servise. http://www.yourjerseyhome.com/Nike-NFL-Jerseys-c124.html Nike NFL Jerseys http://www.yourjerseyhome.com/MLB-Jerseys-c94.html cool base mlb jerseys
http://www.yourjerseyhome.com/NBA-Jerseys-c77.html Revolution 30 nba jerseys
http://www.yourjerseyhome.com/NFL-T-Shirt-c126.html wholesale NFL T-Shirt,
http://www.jerseycaptain.com http://www.jersey2shop.com
cheap convenient and creditworthy is our online store's (http://www.3cjerseys.com) service tenet . you can buy all kinds of cheap nfl jerseys here , just as nfl jerseys , basketball jerseys , NHL jerseys , Football jerseys ,the new era hats , we also provide jerseys customized service . All the products in our website are from china with wholesale price , so you can buy cheap products wiht high quality ! Now ,you can choose different payment in our website ,just as paypal , western union and VISA credit card . more information please visit http://www.3cjerseys.com
http://www.21elitenfljerseys.com
Actually, to "the buckaroo," ultralight is an efficient way of traveling in the wilderness, and I already tackled Denali, so I'm not leaving the lower 48 just for you!
The thing is... some people think faster than others. I know that most times I watch over people's shoulders as they use a computer, it's like watching a fish swim through molasses. Some people walk faster than others. Some people rise earlier than others. Some people have more stamina than others.
Is it not natural that if one falls into all (or even most) of these categories one would naturally, and without rushing, do more miles in a day, and see as much and enjoy as much as other walkers.
You guys plod along at a pace that makes you happy. But don't be so judgemental. I prefer to enjoy the trail, and then go surfing, or ride a roller coaster, or any of the million other things that living life at an accelerated pace gives me time to do. It's not for you to tell me I can't be enjoying it as much as you. I'm not lecturing you on how bad the boredom must be, crawling along like that, with so much time to kill each day.
I was planning to two week the JMT, which seemed a reasonable pace to me, only 16 miles per day - but having read this I may try and 10 day it.
And, it's hilarious that the "Ultralight is a knuckle dragging mentality" guy is the one who posted his comment twice. Steady on there buddy, don't go clicking faster than you can think.
HIKE YOUR OWN HIKE!!! I have one question for the fast-hike haters. Who the hell are you to tell me I'm going too fast to enjoy it? Oh, you're only doing 10 miles a day? Well, slow down and do 5 miles a day and enjoy it even more. Better yet, do 2.5 miles a day and enjoy it even more. Trail enjoyment is not determined by you. I determine how much enjoyment I get. I like to HIKE. I camp because I have to. A trail is not more or less enjoyable because I did this many or this few miles. I'm so sick of hikers who insist on telling me that I need to slow down in order to enjoy it (read: according to their view of what is right vs wrong). Oh, you think I hike too fast? Who are you? I've never heard of you? Are you supposed to be a big deal? I'll tell you the same thing I tell the government. Stay the hell out of my life and mind your own god damn business! If you don't like that, just try and stop me from hiking my own hike!!!!!!!
If you hike that many miles in a day, you don't have time to enjoy the scenery. You spend all your time looking at the trail. I'll take 10-mile days anytime and enjoy being in the outdoors.
For all those that are in a hurry. The speed record for the Eiger's North Face is now 2:28h
( not days) Try it.. the Swiss rescue team is watching you!!
This is a video of the entire trail hiked in one weeks: http://vimeo.com/7851505
That is Marie Lake in the picture!!! I am not impressed! I was not impressed the first time I saw this article and not impressed now! Obviously when you hike the JMT in 15 days you don't even know where you are at most of the time! It's Marie Lake in the picture, not Marge! Thought you would get it right for the second publishing. Slow down and enjoy the view and scenary! At least you got the pass correct, Seldon Pass.
Anyone bashing this ever tried hiking with a base weight of sub ten? You dont feel tired and hike faster naturally.. Look at guys like Andrew Skurka. months of 25 miles plus a day. I dont think he is "Blasting through not seeing anything" backpacking is two activities. Hiking and camping. Ultralight means more comfort hiking and sightseeing while doing it and using less/simpler things to have comfort in camp. Traditional/heavy meaning your out there to have comfort in camp, which is uncomfortable on the trail. which is Usually established campsites have the worst views and too many people. But I guess the most ground breaking trips that are 30 miles a day, that have slideshows, videos and clinics from them aren't stopping to do anything.
andrewskurka.com, justinlichter.com, actic1000.com, backpackinglight.com
I did the JMT in '99. I purposely planned 21 days. That was perfect. Wouldn't do it any other way. I go the mountains to be there, not just blast though it and rush back to life's drudgery in the city.
All in all an epic hike. Bash it if you will, but remember to hike your own hike. The author concludes that their training, experience and gear were top-notch, and the results confirm it, even ratiolizing that 10 days may just be perfect. The article is simply a way to convey that by lightening up you can see more trails, more destinations and check more goals off your life-list by shedding a few unneeded items. Say goodbye to those sore shoulders and stumbling into camp! I know I dont' miss those days! My JMT was 15 days, I may try 10 next time.
Enjoy the trails!
All in all an epic hike. Bash it if you will, but remember to hike your own hike. The author concludes that their training, experience and gear were top-notch, and the results confirm it, even ratiolizing that 10 days may just be perfect. The article is simply a way to convey that by lightening up you can see more trails, more destinations and check more goals off your life-list by shedding a few unneeded items. Say goodbye to those sore shoulders and stumbling into camp! I know I dont' miss those days! My JMT was 15 days, I may try 10 next time.
Enjoy the trails!
Just in case any of you easties haven't heard, we got 180 to 200% snow this year. You're not going to be making 30 miles a day this year, bunkie, at least not till Sept.
Don't forget the required bear canister in Sequoia Kings.
A few years ago on a portion of the JMT, we got heavy thunderstorms every afternoon along with freezing temps. Tell me what you have in your 10 pound pack to deal with that? Seriously, I saw some very miserable and vunerable UL hikers on the trail.
All in all an epic hike. Bash it if you will, but remember to hike your own hike. The author concludes that their training, experience and gear were top-notch, and the results confirm it, even ratiolizing that 10 days may just be perfect. The article is simply a way to convey that by lightening up you can see more trails, more destinations and check more goals off your life-list by shedding a few unneeded items. Say goodbye to those sore shoulders and stumbling into camp! I know I dont' miss those days! My JMT was 15 days, I may try 10 next time.
Enjoy the trails!
Anyone who hikes the Muir Trail needs to realize that it is heavily used mid summer to late fall. Some streteches are being so overused that it can be ridiculous. There are other Sierra treks that are as beautiful and much more remote. I cringe every time I read another BP article touting the Muir Trail. Leave it alone! We just may be loving the JMT to death.
seems the general feeling is 'it can be done but why the rush'. I'd rather enjoy the sights and sounds of the trail at my own speed - which is usually pretty slow!
Good article. Seems a bit extreme, but I applaud your tenacity. I'm more of a "creature comforts" backpacker, but to each his own.
why is there no mention of what gear they actually used?
ADD A COMMENT