JMT Update- Beagle & crew are Ready !

Here it is- an up close and personal account of what is involved in planning a Thru-hike of this magnitude, and the logistics for a party of 5. Here is Paul’s story and final thoughts, in his own words, before beginning this epic journey on The John Muir Trail:

After 3 years of planning, gear shopping, food planning and training it has finally come together; but only after some bumps in the road. A last minute injury almost cost me my ability to hike, and the airlines kept cancelling flights which made catching our connecting bus impossible. Keeping things on track was like hitting a moving target. My injury has healed and the flight changes have thankfully stopped. 

With a group of 5 hikers it is next to impossible to win the lottery for a southbound permit out of Yosemite. With the popularity of the trail this year post-Covid, northbound permits were also taken within seconds of being released.  Therefore I had to get creative with the itinerary. I opted for a flip out of the Mammoth Lakes area, first going north to Yosemite then taking a bus back to Mammoth and going southbound on a separate permit. A third permit from the VVR area will allow us to exit at Whitney portal after summiting Mt. Whitney. A puzzle, yes, but then again I like puzzles.

My group of 4 departs July 8th from Philadelphia to Reno with a stop in Chicago to pick up our 5th and last hiker.  Next day we catch a bus to Mammoth Lakes where we spend 4 full days sight-seeing and day-hiking to help acclimatize to the altitude.  

Our day hikes include going over Mammoth Pass to Red’s Meadow, a bus ride to Tuolumne Meadows (in Yosemite) to climb Lembert Dome, visit Rainbow Falls, Devil’s Postpile, and hike a small section of the JMT that we won’t cover on the permit hikes.  As a final push we visit the top of Mammoth Mountain at 11,053 ft.  

The first trail entry is July 13th with hikers I know from various parts of my life; a coworker, two family friends and a thru-hiker I met in Georgia on the Appalachian Trail.  I’m the youngest of the bunch at 51, but they all have lots of mileage on trails so I’m confident in their abilities. We are still trying to come up with a group name; the Sloth Hiking Group has been used too many times.. 

What are my worries?  This year has been worse than the last with drought and fire.. factors we have absolutely no control over.  It can be intimidating but as long as common sense prevails we can (and will) adapt and do as much of the trail as possible.  We have backup plans. As of the time of this message, the entire trail is open.  Next time you get the chance, thank a firefighter. The other unknown is how Altitude Sickness may affect others in my group. Hopefully the multiple days stay at 9,000 feet will avoid that. 

Well, enough rambling.  Time to make some miles, jump in some lakes and take in the beauty that is The John Muir Trail. On to Mt. Whitney!

Paul aka Beagle

Thanks ‘Beagle’ We are looking forward to hearing about this epic adventure upon your return ! From The Rugged Outdoorsmen- We wish you and the crew a wild and adventurous ride along the JMT !

For our readers, Stay Tuned !