John Muir Trail PCT - Take 2

Wow not to be a downer but even when I was backpacking a lot and in shape I don't think I could have done multiple 20 mile days with a pack on. That seems super aggressive to me.

>>>am i gonna die?

Yes.

Last year I worked my way up to one 19 mile day (but not until day six of 5 to 10 milers) and that was with a significantly lighter pack than you'll be starting out with.  That day I started trucking at 7am and didn't finish until 5pm ( I only took 3 stops... 2 just to filter water and one half hour lunch break). 

20 miles per day with kids who've already been doing that for 2 weeks is going to stop being fun 5 miles into the first day unless you can do a few trips with long distance hikes between now and then (then it'll stop being fun after the first 15 miles lol). 

I hate to be a downer here, but I know how 'just' averaging 10 miles per day feels... you get to 'sleep in' and start hiking late (by 9am) and you're kinda beat when you get to camp, but it's still light, and after some food and nice sunset, you feel pretty great vs. dragging your wrecked body out of your warm bag in the pre-dawn chill, packing/eating while half asleep (and possibly nauseous from altitude), then hiking in a zombiefied state all day and arriving at camp (likely after dark) where all you want to do is get back in your sleeping bag, but unfortunately you have to prepare food, clean dishes, and set up your tent first.

So my best advice is CHEAT!  Hire yourself a horse packer out of Red's Meadow to go ahead of you guys and transport your pack to the first day's destination... that way you'll "just" have to hike the 20 miles.  That will also get you near your highest point of the trip (Donahue Pass, which divides Inyo and Yosemite).  From the pass it's downhill/flat and less than 20 miles to Tuolumne Meadows where you could bail out if the wheels are coming off (daily shuttles run from there to y'alls' destination down in Yosemite Valley).

I through hiked the PCT in 1996, including the full John Muir trail. It's an absolutely beautiful section. It also has a ton of ups and down and lots of consistent elevation gain. I recommend training seriously if you want to attempt 20 miles a day. We were a number of weeks in when we did this section, and we were in our mid 20's, so we kinda cruised it... but it would be a real bitch to come out of the gate doing 20 miles a day, day after day, in that area and at those elevations. 

that said, bring a good amount of weed, nothing is better at soothing aching bones and blistered feet. Bring something to deal directly with blisters, we would end up using duct tape or moleskin to deal with those, you will surely have a ton of blisters. In some sections mosquitos were really bad (it was probably early June if I recall) and there was a still a lot of snow travel on the passes. I would bring an Ice Axe which can help in those passes and also help with things like digging a hole to use for the bathroom. We liked our simple foam sleeping pads because they could be used for all kinds of stuff, versus a more cumbersome thermarest. I would go for as light weight as possible, we would use iodine tablets to treat water versus a heavily water filter, for example. For the most part there is really great water with easy access along the whole trail so we didn't need to haul too mch in that section. Be prepared to ford some streams, some of them pretty swollen but it may not be as bad at the end of July.

Good luck!

Start breaking in a good sturdy pair of hiking boots with vibram soles on the trails now - biking works different muscles and won’t help build callouses on the feet. Find out where you might develop blisters and be proactive putting on moleskin before they develop.  buy or borrow a set of hiking poles for sore knees, a good water filter, bear canister, comfy lightweight sleeping pad, cook kit and lightweight  tent. I also love our solar backpacking shower, works for getting clean and cleaning the cookware after meals. And what Hall said about the mule train delivery for the first leg of the trip. Unless you’re strong as mule..

I would recommend lightweight hiking boots, stay away from heavy leather boots. They will kill your feet.

>>>biking works different muscles

Don't listen to the juggler... I ride an average of 12 hours per week in the summer and besides that the only other thing I do is a couple of short hikes the week before my big backpack trips.  And I usually do around 6 to 8 miles with a 2000' to 3000' elevation gain on the first day without any problems. 

Deep fitness is the key.

I will be on the trail at the same time.

Awesome, Peak can be your sherpa!

I think you need to recheck your mileage.

My footgear works great for  me,  try it and see how it works for you.

Light,  clean, smooth silk dress socks under heavy  Wool / Nylon blend (Wigwam etc.).

If you're getting new boots you need to wear them around and get used to them.

Have Fun !!

sweet trip,

a tarp for rain and a piece of tyvek (weatherproofing layer for houses) cut in a 6 x 3-4 ft piece ground cover is what I used to use when hiking distance. super lightweight. if you know any residential construction workers they should be able to cut you off a piece. otherwise, not sure how to acquire it otherwise, the rolls are expensive but it was the greatest weight saver ever.

a lot of people like trail runners for doing the entire pct/co trail butI always used full leather upper with stiff soles for up to 60 mile hikes with peak bagging. Just liked the support while carrying 50 lbs of gear.

you'll probably need a water filter, iodine tablets, or a small container of bleach to purify that water. bleach is the cheapest route, a drop or two should do you right.

good food is worth carrying weight for, and will get lighter as you go. fuck the expensive dehydrated shit.

Looks like you are in for it Turts.  Good luck.

Thoughts & prayers.

lol Lance

so here's what you're looking at out of the starting gate.

Note the 6000 feet of climbing and 2500 feet descending.

The 3 or so newbies I dragged into this area were all totally worked on day one after around 10 miles, so one more got us

to spectacular Garnet Lake (photo pulled from google images) :

And if you "only" do 11 miles the following day, you will be up and over Donahue Pass (North side has some very scenic camp sites.

Either way, get those boots (or running shoes if you have STRONG ankles and arches) and start walking in them on rocky trails with weight on your shoulders and try to build up to 4 or 5 hours. And also ride that bike up steep hills over and over a few times a week to get your lungs burning. 

And if you can manage a few extra days off ahead when you are to meet them, go car camp at any East Side trailhead campground (off hwy 395) and do some day hikes to get yourself acclimatized  (5 days is optimal, but even a day or 2 will help since you'll be going from sea level to 11,000'.

come on now, mt. palomar ain't shit for hiking. nice observatory, though and would get you a little acclimated to altitude.

you can access the southern pct near warner springs on 79 south just a bit east (1/2 hr or so) of Palomar and get some miles in. probably easiest to take hwy 74 east to Temecula area to hit up with 79S. It's not strenuous up/down but you can get distance in and not see a lot of people. we only saw one or two people hiking (both through hikers) there the 6 or so times we day hiked that portion.

Have not hiked or biked SoCal...

>>>how do i get or know if i have "strong ankles"?

do they roll easily?  It could get you stuck and in need of a rescue...

I'm with Across re: leather hiking boot with a heavy sole.

Don't forget your Life Alert

T~ DPP to Tuolomne Meadows is only about 30 miles (2-3 days) so no, you wont die.

We are doing another 65 miles this year with the family as well.  We are going to be on the trail the last week of July going through Devils Postpile.  It would so cool to see you in the back country!  The most drop dead gorgeous place on earth.  So glad you are going to experience that epic beauty with your daughter.

Gear:  I will email you our gear list from last year so you can get some ideas.  Peak and I both do trailrunners from Altra.  Wide toe box for feet swelling.  Just walk right through the water and dry them out at camp, works well. 

My favorite piece of gear was this handy water filter, just scoop up from a running stream screw on the top and drink.  Our Steripen crapped out on day 2.  This filter was great, compact and easy.

https://www.rei.com/product/116364/katadyn-befree-collapsible-water-filt...

My gear failure was my lip gloss with no sunscreen, duh...my lips burned.

I love my First Need Filter! (and my LipTrip).  I do tend to carry a little more 'luxury item' weight, but I don't do death marches... just got my permit for a 9 day solo trip in September out of Independence (Shepherd Pass>Colby Pass>Forester Pass> Kearsarge Pass, OR if the Sierra is smoked out I'm going to the Wimenuche in Colorado)... I'll only be averaging 10 miles per day, with some days less than  5 and others up around 15 miles.  I like to plan it so I camp at prime spots with outstanding surroundings, the higher the better (not a big fan of being down in the trees with limited views, dirty horse shit camps, mice...).

(((Mountains)))

I can only speak for boots here... get them big enough that your toes don't jam into the front on down hills, but not so big that the heal can move too much.  One method when fitting is to put on the socks you'll be wearing, put the boots on (keeping them unlaced), and push your toes to the front of the boot until they touch.  You should be able to stack you middle finger on top of your index finger and fit the two between your heal and the healbox of the boot.

And traditionally it's recommended to go with 2 socks, usually thin pair under a medium pair (I like Smartwool).  I also carry an extra pair of each and change each day (and if I fall in creek crossing, I have a spare pair to change into).

No get your regular size shoe so you don't get blisters.  I used a single pair of wool socks (mine:Enerwear Trail Wool,  peak:Elementex Wool) with an extra pair in tow. 

My luxury item was a camp chair Helinox Chair Zero at 18oz, now everybody is bringing one this year.  Let's just say there was serious chair envy going on.

Hall, your adventures always sound so amazeballs, what a great 9 days.

Thanks, so does yours... I freakin love the Minarets!

Hall, not sure if you scouted hikes in the Weminuche yet as backup to the Eastern Sierra but Chicago Basin is a pretty killer multi day hike to a high camp, even if you don't end up bagging the three 14ers that are accessible from there. Best hike in/out imo is from Vallecito reservoir NE of Durango which has plenty of elevation gain/loss. You can also do a through hike if you stash a car near Purgatory on Hwy 550, but it's a lot more crowded hiking-wise on that side of the basin. Pretty epic high country, a buddy and I were caught in a blizzard and had to retreat after getting within 20-30 ft from the top of Sunlight Peak (((Needles Range))). Probably a 40-50 miler either way you do it without any extra peak climbing

I use a Sawyer Mini to process water. It takes a few minutes to process a couple liters, but it's a favorite among ultra-light backpackers. Costs about $30. Don't let it freeze. Sometimes I sleep with mine inside my sleeping bag to prevent freezing. I haven't tried the Katadyn JJ recommended, but I'd like to check it out.

For sleeping, I use a self-inflating, ultra-light Therm-a-Rest. If you use a pad like this one, take along a field repair kit for potential punctures.

A closed-cell pad, like a Z-Rest or Ridge Rest is a little less comfortable, but the pad's performance will likely remain unaffected in the case of a puncture.

Second on the moleskin. And a lightweight First-aid kit.

I enjoy Mountain House dehydrated biscuits and gravy occasionally. They're filling and taste good, but like ATG said, they're too expensive to eat often.

Petzyl Tikka is Backpacker Magazine's Hall of Fame headlamp.

Do you wear glasses? I carry a hard case to store my prescription glasses at night. When I forget the case, I miss it.

Have a great hike, Turtle.

if you ike sleeping with critters on you and getting bitten by mosquitoes then go with the tarp system, otherwise a lightweight single person tent with loads of open screening (and a rain fly) is what I'd recommend. What JamJuice said about lipbalm -  high quality (zinc oxide based) lip balm &  sunscreen are a must. 

Have a great time! Actually just got a book about John Muirs life in nature from the wife from my bday. It’s wonderful.

Pros and Cons

https://hikingguy.com/how-to-hike/do-i-need-trekking-poles/

Not even a question. Poles help in many ways. One is leaning on them to catch your breath. I customized mine.

Sorry that last picture was me not JJ.

Here is a shot of my gear. I made a few adjustments after the picture was taken. I was 28 pounds with food. I did not bring the mask and snorkel, I put that in as a joke since last year was a high water year.

attaboy

if you ike sleeping with critters on you and getting bitten by mosquitoes then go with the tarp system, otherwise a lightweight single person tent with loads of open screening (and a rain fly) is what I'd recommend.

Totally agree with Nancy here... had way to many bad experiences being kept awake by mice (running across my face!) and mosquitos.  And tarps can be tricky to set up in a squall, so I gladly carry the extra pound to pound and a half (total 3 pounds vs 1.5 to 2 pounds for most adequate tarp systems w/ground cloth).

Here are two different 1 person/ 3lb tents (both just over $100)... mine's on the right (Sierra Designs) and my buddy's is on the left (REI brand). 

Either way, don't bother carrying stakes... rocks are plentiful (and work way better in the sandy soil).

Peak and Jamjuice, what do you guys do for food?  I've been doing less and less cooking over the years... dinners are a pouch of tuna or salmon with either a cup of ramen or soup, and hot coco.  The rest of the day is mostly energy bars (kynd and pro agree with me... no soy isolates), dark chocolate, almonds (raw and roasted/salted) and my new favorites are gourmet bar-b-que corn nuts and "epic brand" wagyu beef sticks.

Here's my 8 day supply from last year.  I layer it in the bear canister by day (toothbrush/paste/toiletries, cup and spork, scrubby pad also go in bear can).

only if it's blueberry

>>> how do i get or know if i have "strong ankles"?

You have great weather where your at.

Do you own or can you get your hands on a pair of rollerblades?

Strengthens your ankles and helps with stability.

Went for a day hike on the AT yesterday. 

Was a beautiful day and felt great to get out.

another vote for hiking poles... helpful uphill and will save you on the downhills.

some examples of what you'll be hiking on:

mellow:

not so mellow (and why I like ankle support, even if it's a lightweight boot)..

Great thread.  Living vicariously.

Plenty of room for improvement when it comes to food. This is the fun part for me. I own two dehydrators and I'm always experimenting. Some meals were awesome while others were clunkers. Here is a picture of our food from last year. It's for two. Hall, I just can't do bars like that. Almonds are very heavy if your counting ounces.

No meat?!????

Plenty of meat. I dehydrated beef, chicken, tuna, crab and ham. The only one that did not produce great results was the ham. Could have been the type I used or just bad technique. I will give it another go.

I dehydrated my own cheese. It works really out really nice. Use a block of high quality cheese and the results are awesome.

i've never thought of dehydrating cheese, gonna have to try that next time. how long does it take and did you just sprinkle it on food like normal or do you have to use h2o to bring it back?

our dehydrator just sits there, would be nice to put it to some good use.

Wow. That's very cool.

Get Some Dr Scholl Back Pain Inserts For Your Shoes/Boots Recommended - That's A Lot Of Walking / Hiking 

No need to rehydrate the cheese. It has a great concentrated taste as is when done. Add to dishes as you like.

This guy has a lot of good ideas. Most of his meals are pretty good.

http://www.backpackingchef.com/

I find that a lot of the recommended drying times are off. It depends on what you are using. Practice makes perfect. I usually start in the afternoon and just let things go overnight. Youtube is my friend. The cheese and most bark recipes require some attention. Creamed corn bark is one of my favorites as a snack or an addition to a meal. I could go on but your Mountain House meals work just as well. I probably have way too much time on my hands.

hey, so if i buy shoes...do i get bigger sizes? <<

I Would and Put 2 Doctor Scholl Back Pain Inserts In Each Shoe

Yes the food part is fun.  When do you normally plan out 8 days of food in advance (and try to get it to weigh light)? 

We had hot breakfasts with tea/coffee (eggs with Sriracha packets or oatmeal w/dehydrated fruit), then bars/snacks for a walking lunch, and a hot dinner.  Dinners changed as the days went by. Everyone made their own stuff at first, but by the last few nights folks would make a pot of something hot and pass it around.  Pete made a spaghetti sauce "leather" with pre-cooked then dehydrated pasta so you add water while you set up camp, then a hot yummy meal.   His corn chowder with crab was my favorite dish last year.

Turts, I forgot to mention, if you don't want to lay out a lot of cash for gear, you could always rent stuff from REI type stores.  You could rent a tent, sleeping bag and pad, poles, even a pack.  My SIL and BIL did this for a Yosemite trip a few years ago.

Used gear:  https://www.geartrade.com/

>>>Almonds are very heavy if your counting ounces

Most definitely, Peak, and so are the tuna/salmon pouches! (but I only carry one small fuel canister and a titanium cup).  What kind of distances are you guys doing?   I'll only be averaging around 10 miles per day...

And I chose to make my legs "suffer" and carry the extra weight.  It's something I actually kind of get off on as an endurance athlete, but I freakin' hate to suffer from environmental things that I could have been better prepared for, like nasty weather, critters/bugs, pathogens in the water, route finding in the dark, terrain, etc..

So I carry more weight in luxury/preparedness items like a tent, whole foods, goretex jacket and pants, 10 degree goretex down bag, thin, lightly insulated cycling vest, both an ultralite therma-rest and a trimmed down piece of insulite, first need water filter with a quart nalgene and water bladder w/hose, mountaineering headlamp with 3 sets of spare batteries, map and compass, fingerless glove/mitts, spare sunglasses, etc.  I also carry a small, but not super light camera with mini tripod and extra batteries.

And of course when I go solo, there's no sharing of the load either, and since I have more weight, I have to have a heavier pack (and boots) to properly support it (my Osprey pack alone weights over 6 lbs).

So while I do have high tech gear, I am by no means an an ultralite-r... my 8 - 9 day pack starts out around 45 lbs.

I do keep body weight down at around 165 lbs when I'm at my peak fitness, so that's a good 10 to 35 plus pounds of extra weight I'm not having to carry that most my height (6') do.  And like you probably have, I've carried packs that were over 75lbs w/mountaineering gear (back in the 80's when shit was even heavier), so a pack down in the 40's doesn't seem bad to me at all.

And hopefully, whichever way Turtle decides to go ("heavy" or Ultralite), he'll get the mountain bug... there's nothing quite like it.

Across, you wanna field this one?

>>My footgear works great for  me,  try it and see how it works for you.

lol. yes you should use a shit towel. you can always practice technique in a strangers backyard.

and don't try to save weight by wiping with leaves.

Hall, you and I are so different. Turtle can read all he wants, it's so easy to get mired down in who does what. I'm the short fat guy on the trail so my needs are very different from yours. There really is no right or wrong, you need to get out there and feel what works for you. A couple of weekends in the back country and you figure it out pretty quick. 

T - I'd Bail CLOBBery Hiking Boots and Wear TRICK Running Shoe Types with my Inserts  - Happy Trails to You

Call PHIL ! He knows Foot Comfort

Lol Across, that was a wild weekend, eh?  I'm just gonna leave this here for the rookies.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4aoOcd52vo

Oh and the water bottle bidet is worth it's weight.

https://www.amazon.com/Pack-Hygienna-Solo-Portable-Bidet/dp/B00E68H4PQ

>>>What kind of distances are you guys doing?

We have a large group of age ranges and skill sets, so we try to max out at 10 miles/day.  Although we did 2 - 14 miles and a 13 mile day.  We got a little lost after summiting Donohue Pass in the snow and had to navigate high water crossings late in the day.  That really kicked all our butts, but when I look back it was my favorite day.   It is amazing how much terrain you can cover in one day when all you have to do is walk.  Such a mind cleanse to just simply walk all day. 

>>>I am by no means an an ultralite-r... my 8 - 9 day pack starts out around 45 lbs.

I had to replace some old gear, so I went ultralight.  My pack empty weighs 1.8#  I can lift it with my pinky.  My 8 day pack weight last year was 23# total (with a resupply in Tuolomne Meadows).  Peak is my Sherpa and it is good to share.  I took the shelter weight, he took the kitchen and food.  I can send you our gear list if you want to see it.

Turtle can read all he wants, it's so easy to get mired down in who does what... There really is no right or wrong, you need to get out there and feel what works for you. A couple of weekends in the back country and you figure it out pretty quick. 

Well said, and best advice on the thread!

And we all have those formative trips... when I was a boy scout in Colorado, I got stuck in the cold rain for the weekend (on two different occasions) with shitty rain gear, a leaky tent and wet sleeping bag (back in the 70's).  I was hypothermic, and both times I eventually came down with pneumonia (a few days after I got back), so I admit to being a bit OCD/hyper-vigilant when it comes to staying warm and dry in any and all conditions.  At this point it's hard-wired into me.

JamJuice, that early season trip sounds epic, especially after such a huge snow year!  I was amazed at how much snow (and icebergs!) there still were in September.  And I think averaging 10 miles up there is fantastic in normal conditions... throw in the big, scary creeks and snow covered trails over high passes, and it's really quite an accomplishment.   And yes, I would like to see what you guys carry (though I'm familiar with the style, I always pick up a trick or two from people's lists)...

email: concerthall at yahoo dot com

I would also love to hear about your itinerary for this year's trip. 

Thanks!

>>>you need to get out there and feel what works for you. A couple of weekends in the back country and you figure it out pretty quick<<<

I agree with this.

For me what works is a high quality king bed with down comforter, hot shower with strong water pressure and room service. A nice view is nice also.

I know, I'm a tool of the machine, but I know what works for me, and what doesn't.

lol

Is this still on?  how's the training/gearing up going?

so far no bad fires...

We need a gear picture.

Hi Gang, great to see this thread up again, just as we are ramping up for this years high adventure.  Updating the gear list and checking it twice.

I got a high quality lip gloss, surprised my niece with her very own camp chair, reworked the first aid kit, and a new pair of trail runners.  Unplugging is right!  Bring it on!

My advice, pack and then start getting removing stuff.  For real, especially clothes. It is very tempting to keep adding stuff because it fits in your pack.

Hopefully “Lions” Fire is out before you start, it’s been smoking people out.

https://www.pcta.org/discover-the-trail/closures/central-california/lion...

I have not hiked this trail, but a couple if my friends made it from the south end to mid Oregon before fires ended their trek. They both used Z Pack gear. Ultra lightweight. I think they said total gear weight was under 16lbs. 

http://www.zpacks.com/

16 pounds is extremely light. I would like to see their gear.

Here’s the kids at a little lake (don’t know the name)not too far from Lake Tenaya a few weeks ago.

Great photograph ^

Peak Fifteen - Here is a link to Will's video's. He filmed most of their trek. My good buddy Dan is the guy he is walking with. There are several video's here from along the way. It was fun to watch as they progressed along over the months. If you find his other video's on the side of the page you can see most of the journey. In a few of the vids they have the gear on display. They talk about Zpacks a lot, Will works for them, or used to. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArPqZsCdOh4&list=PLVSy74lU-kzPEKAwetBYKi...

This is all amazing information that has no convinced me humans werent meant to do this at all.. haha.

Lions fire is 50% contained today, you’ll be alright

thousand bucks??

Shoot- a feller could have a pretty good weekend in Vegas for all that

Turtle how adventurous! I like Halls advice,as well as Peak and Across the Great.

I got back yesterday from a  10 mile Day hike with 3 old guy friends of Bart and I mean OLD.I was the youngest in mid sixties.We all lived in Tahoe for over 30 years,I haven't done a monster day hike since Bart got ill,about five years ago.We started at Sugar Bowl,Donner Peak,Mt Judah and the saddle to almost Tinkers knob.The saddle had zero shade and about 40 mile gusts.Yuk.

So don't forget a hat and cloth handkerchief so you can do the Arab style if needed.My suggestion on first aid kits: I think that they are worthless for backpacking.Make your own small kit.Consisting : 3" to 4" size adhesive waterproof bandaids,a couple of large non stick dressing pads.,A few ibprofen prefer the 800 milligrams, baby aspirin(prefer chewable) in case someone has a stroke or heart attack( yes 40 to 50 year olds have heart attacks,small bottle old fashioned iodine for cleaning a wound,and most valuable on ALL my hiking(& overseas scuba trips) is small roll of "Rock Tape -H20" which can be purchased on Amazon.Has to be Rock Tape h20. It can serve you well if you do sprain your ankles,as well as patch up cuts with the non adhesive pad.First aid should be geared to get a injurey which is open from dirt and infection.The sports tape with give light to medium sprains somewhat stable but able to still hike.But maybe bring a small,small,smallesh roll of stationary tape too.Yesterday,I played nurse to one of my fellow hikers who had aa pretty severe gash on his dorsal aspect of his hand and a less serious  gash on his shin.He tripped down a gully.He had a old medical kit with tiny worthless bandaids,nothing to cleanse the wounds except water that had his saliva within.Just when we got on our way with him patched up from my homeaid kit,we came across a couple sittng in the shade wondering if they should call for a rescue team.And the guy was a doctor! I ended up patching his lady friend's sprained ankle with a combo of the Rock tape and stationary tape.My friends led them down the more technical part and lent them their hiking poles.So poles do come in handy with slippery areas. The couple  made it to their car and drove to get a xray in Truckee.I gave my maiden name to the doctor guy.Im somewhat careful to do stuff like that with people who aren't friends.Used to carry a 3 million $ liability insurance for my former  business.Obviously,the doctor had very little orthopedic training so I didn't want to be too pushy with medical advice.But he was reassured when my buddy told him I used to work on the 100 mile runners who do Squaw to Auburn.Lol.Which is actually true.....funny what impresses people.Because I had forgotten that.hThats a crazy group of athletes! I think the record for that race is around 16 hours.

One last thing.....the PCT is a freaking freeway of hikers this year.

But it's beautiful full of wildflowers,and now Bart's ashes.

Love,fun and luck to my brother of Turtleness.

Be Nice

Turtle, where is your stove, fuel and water filtration? Are they in the picture and I just don't see them?

Hiking poles?

The small blue platypus, is that just a flask? If it is I would switch it out for a BeFree. That way you don't have to rely on someone else for filtered water. Then you can fill the platypus with something better like tequila. 

https://www.katadyn.com/us/us/31462-8018006-katadyn-befree-1.0L_usa-

bummer, maaan, smoke and chemtrails...

https://www.mammothmountain.com/cams/summit-cam

sometimes those fires on the Western slope don't smoke out the East Side too badly... depending on what the weather is doing at any given moment it could be fairly clear or like what you see in that pic.   When do you head up? 

sucks to plan a trip like this only to get smoked out, so for that reason alone I've decided (for the first time ever) to always have 2 trips planned per year, each to a different area (CA and CO).  Hopefully they won't both be on fire!

Hall is right, looked like this going into the park last year. Never saw smoke on the trail. We just had one drop out for personal reasons.

Thinking about Lost Coast next month or October.

drive up and check it out... maybe take the tram up to where that pic was taken... you'll get a better sense of the air quality (sometimes pics make it look worse).

http://www.goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/images/2018/july/Ferguson-fire...

I think we will be fine by the time we get there. Good luck Turtle.

if you do start and it gets worse, you're not committed... you have multiple bail out points along your route... you can backtrack back to the Postpile, or bail down to June Lakes, or bail out early at Tuolumne Meadows.

GTTS (go to the sierra)

Turtle, are you asking if I already went? I'm headed up on the 24th.

You could always acclimate for a night or two away from any potential smoke up in the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest region in the White Mountains East of Bishop (at +/- 12,000')...

Hopefully they will get the rain they are expecting in the area on Friday. 

I was worried last year about getting smoked out especially with having asthma.  We lucked out and got none on the trail, but you could see it in the distance.  Here are the Yosemite webcams.  They look bad, but are better than yesterday.

https://www.nps.gov/yose/learn/photosmultimedia/webcams.htm

We will be behind you, guess you better not send up any zoner smoke signals.

Heading up to Lee Vining in a couple of hours, last shower for 8 days. Sure hope Turtle is doing OK? The rest of our crew landed in Las Vegas. We meet up tomorrow and hit the trail.

Have fun

be safe

FLOW. ( at least wash your goddamn face )

I can't fit the whiskey into the bear canister.

Priorities f'ed up

This is all I could find about bears and my booze while on the trail.

http://www.whiskeyriff.com/2016/12/29/make-alcoholic-gummy-bears-with-ja...

don't worry, Peakers, bears don't bother with JACK.

Lookin' clear from the Mammoth side today:

https://www.mammothmountain.com/cams/summit-cam

Have a blast you guys!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDIrJkNE4Jk

Happy trails, you guys

#FergusonFire [update] off Highway 140 and Hite Cove, Near El Portal (Mariposa County) is now 36,102 acres & 16% contained. Unified Command: CAL FIRE, USFS Sierra National Forest, Stanislaus National Forest, and Marisposa County Sheriff. https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5927/   

Hope the winds are not  blowing in the wrong direction.

Looks just OK this morning where the Turtle familia should be (somewhere back there by Cathedral Peak, upper left of this shot).

But it's going to get bad in the afternoon... this is a current shot looking up the valley from closer to where the fire is, and with a telephoto lens, which makes it look worse, but still....

The Peakers, on the other hand, are looking at nice blue skies this morning from their spot other side of the range where the Turtles hiked out of Saturday (they just need to worry about the big cat that's been seen in the area)...

Hey Turtle,  I see that you're posting, is the hike done or are you done with the hike? How was it?

Proud of you Turtle, nicely done, impressive!

I don't think I could have made it, I need to get in shape!

https://youtu.be/hee-iJ81VsI

Beautiful area down that way, have hiked the convict lake area, Waugh lake, etc...  (40 years ago, lol)

And mountain beavers are one ugly beast  (they were notorious for taking out pot plants from one of our mountain side patches 30 years ago)

Gotta love boomers!  

Sorry the trip got abbreviated, Turtle. I'm really looking forward to seeing your pictures, including a picture of the life-saving microfiber towel.

I hope the Peak/Jamjuice trek is going well.

right on, Turtle!  Lookin' forward to those pics and some tales.

Pulled out last night at Reds Meadow. Smoked out. Looks like no improvement today.

Sorry to see that, Pete.

Bummer! 

Aw, sorry to hear that everybody's trips were cut short.

Wow!  What a fantastic thread! 

Sorry to those who had to bail from the fire/smoke.

Home sweet home. Mammoth was covered with smoke yesterday, we drove North all the way to Truckee on 395 with no improvement. Only this morning did we start to see patches of blue sky.

Hope to see many of your pics! 

Nice pics T, what a special place.

The Peakers (lol Hall), completed 5 magical days and 50 miles, ~15 miles and 2 days shy of our goal before getting smoked out.  We started with 10 folks, but lost 5 along the way with bad knees, raging blisters, and overall ass-kicking (those that bailed admitted to not getting as much training in as last year).  

First day Mono Pass (~12,000') was like hiking to the moon. Barren landscape above the tree line, jagged peaks and high mountain lakes.  Made me think that we should be preserving this planet, because living on the moon would probably suck.

Nice, y'all... love those high alpine passes and have enjoyed spending time up on both Mono and Donohue... when it's calm, it's magical, but they're some of the scariest places on earth in a squall. 

speaking of which, I want to hear more about the weather you encountered, specifically what gear you used and how well it stood up, Turtle (gear reviews are always welcome from all).

Gorgeous photos, you two!

I'm hoping to start doing some serious backpacking again (after too many years without), now that Kai has had some experience with this last summer - and he is big enough to carry some weight.

Keep the photos coming, if you got 'em! 

nice shots!

and yeah, people always look at me weird when I tell them to bring rain gear... until you go through something like that it's difficult to image that kind of weather in California in the Summer.

Glad ya got through it somewhat gracefully... those kinds of storms are the reason I carry my ugly yeller Bibler iTent.  It's a couple pounds (and a couple hundred $) more, but since it's a single layer goretex tent (no rain fly), I can literally pull over me (with my pack on if need be) while I'm standing up.  The poles criss/cross and are mounted from the inside (no outside pole sleeves), so once inside it's just a matter of popping them into place and the self standing tent is up providing instant shelter.  It's also warmer, so I carry a lighter sleeping bag to offset some of the weight increase.

this kinda shows the internal poles (sunrise over the Palisades, Dusy Basin)...

Tent from the outside on a cold morning below the South side of Mather Pass (same trip)...

And I bring light long underwear for inside the tent/sleeping...  they stay in the pack in a coated nylon stuff sack during the day, so if my hiking clothes get soaked with rain and/or sweat, I'm not stuck wearing them all night (I like my comforts lol)...

and I never go up before late August/early Sept when most of the mosquitos have died off... I can't hang those little bastards.

overkill most of the time, but a nice luxury when it gets nasty.

I'm with ya!

how did the hiking part go and what kind of miles were you guys putting in?

You people.

6 to 8 mile days are what I tend to average..  perfect way to start out... any 12 to 25 mile days are better done after a good solid week of hiking/getting stronger as the pack gets lighter (with less food/fuel).

so what type of stove did you have (that gave you trouble)?

<double>

ah yes, I used to use those back when cannister fuels wouldn't work well in the cold or at altitude... definitely more of a pain and also run very hot so easy to burn stuff.  If I had known you were going that route I would have loaned you one of my old ones.

My stove, 1.5 oz