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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
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Tags:
- Ultralight |
- Pacific Crest Trail |
- California |
- Gear |
But then our mornings of frenzied energy bend into afternoons of withering heat. And calling the JMT dusty is like calling K2 breezy. As early as our second afternoon, inhaling swirls of chalky earth, I turn to Stumbles and say, "I hope this isn't starting to feel like a death march."
He pauses too long, then deadpans, "It has some aspects of that."
Every day, too, our feet ache a little more. Our blisters start to pulsate. On our fourth afternoon, we stop beside the South Fork San Joaquin River and peel off our shoes and socks for a therapeutic soak. I half expect our dirt-blackened, overheated soles to boil the water, cartoon-like. Instead, I get an elated jolt of frigid energy–it's never felt so damn good not to feel my feet. But then, reality: We commence The Ritual of the Tape, strategically covering hot spots. Todd and Mark tape over wounds that look like small stratovolcanoes. Heather's feet look the worst: She's wrapping all 10 toes.
By that evening, Stumbles and I are climbing the switchbacks along Evolution Creek's fantastically endless succession of roaring waterfalls, which almost make me forget that my legs feel like wood. The sound drowns out my creeping doubt; the water, tumbling downhill, somehow keeps tugging me up. The indifferent wilderness has seen countless struggles here, but it buoys me anyway. The scenery is morphine, and I'm a lab chimp constantly pushing the button for another dose. Then Stumbles looks at me with sunken eyes. "I'm pasted," he confesses. We wait an hour for Heather and Todd to catch up; when they do, at dusk, it's clear that Heather's struggling. Still, she insists we hike until 9 p.m., because we've fallen behind schedule.
So we limp–and Stumbles weaves–in the dark up to a smooth granite slab near Evolution Lake. We lay our bags out under a sky machine-gunned with stars. Utterly prone, our legs and feet resting, the world instantly becomes a better place, the many miles a deluded memory. Comforted by the almost-silence of a wilderness night, we cling to the loitering hope that we still might pull this off.
At some point, The Thing That We Want To Do morphs into This Thing That We Have To Do. It may have happened way back on that second afternoon, when Stumbles and I deliberated the precise meaning of "death march." Maybe it happened this morning, our fifth, when things nearly unraveled: Our mystical sunrise hike past Evolution, Sapphire, and Wanda Lakes turned into an endorphin-charged rush up and over 12,000-foot Muir Pass ("Big rebound for me!" cried Stumbles), but then it devolved into a pathetic two-hour power nap beside a creek in LeConte Canyon. (We were waiting for terminally blistered Heather, who dropped hours and miles behind after we left camp at first light.) Maybe it's when we finally bid farewell to her–after she limps up to us, promptly announces she's done, and decides to hobble out a side trail. Then again, it might just be because we've blitzed 135 miles in four and a half days, and we like resting in the LeConte shade, but resting costs us precious time. And we have to move. And moving is starting to suck. The prospect of another 86 miles in a little over two days seems, to say the least, daunting.
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READERS COMMENTS
What a great article! This is great stuff for an aspiring fastpacker like myself. Way to go!
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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?
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