Anyone heard anything in the last week or so on trail conditions for the John Muir Trail?

Haven't been able to find many recent updates elsewhere. Nothing new has been posted on the PCT Assoc site since early July.

Any info greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Aaron

Try here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/johnmuirtrail/messages

Just got off the phone w/ my friend Ellen, who started last weekend. Donahue Pass is confusing because of the snow, but not dangerous. Creek crossings are still high.

Thanks for the link Fedak. Reading through some of those threads, still sounds pretty dicey to me. (Was planning a solo trip starting next week, but now not so sure.)

Aaron

> Thanks for the link Fedak. Reading through some of those threads, still sounds pretty dicey to me. (Was planning a solo trip starting next week, but now not so sure.)

Yeah, I'm planning on doing it in September and I really hope it melts out more by then.

There was a link floating around someplace of someone who did it on skis in May.

To answer my own question (and in case anyone else is curious about JMT conditions), found this discussion which has some good information:

http://www.highsierratopix.com/communit ... f=1&t=6282

Aaron

Hi all - thought I would give this thread a bump. I'll be hiking the JMT (Tuolumne to Mammoth and Vermillion to Bishop Pass in two difference sections) at the end of the month. Any more word on snow conditions?

I've been checking posts (all over the net) for the last several days and finding trail condition descriptions vary wildly. From "everything is clear with a little bit of snow here & there" to "Mather & Muir Passes still dangerous, people falling w/o spikes". Difficult to discern true conditions with descriptions varying so much!

Here's another link for some info:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/johnmuirtrail/messages

I'll be starting on Tuesday morning from Horseshoe Meadows/Cottonwood Pass, heading over to the PCT and then north to the JMT. (I'm bypassing the Whitney area.) Going to give it my best shot and see what happens? If Mather Pass is truly that dicey, then I guess I'll just head back the way I came.

Will be interesting to see for myself when I get out there the next few days!

Aaron

Mather has some good size fields of snow on the north side but is well sun-cupped and a fairly obvious boots track. South side has trivial snow conditions, but a little slippery. I'll post pics later tonight.

bump

Sigh.

I had to exit off the trail for a few days, was having a lot of issues with my backpack hip belt rubbing me raw, not fun. At all. I made it from Horseshoe Meadows to Forester Pass where I had to turn around and head back and out through Whitney Portal. Really didn't want to turn around but I was miserable and in a lot of pain. Restarting again this Tuesday to finish it off. (With a different pack.) Will restart at Road's End in KC and head back to the JMT intersection up from Mist Falls.

As to the trail, it was no problem up to Forester Pass. There were a few 100 yard sections of snow covering the trail near Forester before the switchbacks, but easy to bypass and find your way through. In another week, it will probably be all gone. The streams and creeks were flowing well but I managed to cross all but one of them without getting my boots wet. I did have one step in the water but that was because I got a little too confident and stepped on a loose rock.

Folks tramping opposite to me reported no major problems with snow. Most said there was still a lot of snow through Muir Pass to slog through. They said Mather Pass was steep with snow but if you started after 10am when the snow softened up it would be fine. Apparently, a lot of people were slipping and sliding by trying to cross too early in the day when the snow and ice was hardened.

Looking forward to getting back out there and finishing it off!

Aaron

Has anyone been on the JMT over Muir Pass recently? Do you need an ice axe or micro spikes? Is it a slog of sun cupped snow but relatively safe with treking poles? Or is the snow finally beginning to melt?

According to the nps website:
http://www.nps.gov/seki/planyourvisit/trailcond.htm

As of 8/5:
"The section of trail between Wanda and Helen Lakes is mostly covered by snow still. Patchy snow to 11,000'. Dangerous snow bridges on south side of Muir Pass, use extreme cautioin when crossing"

Has anyone been up there since then?

Just got back from a two day trip of the Rae Lake loop (via Road’s end). The JMT from Wood’s Creek to Bubbs creek was all in excellent condition and is seeing heavy use this time of the year. All stream crossing have log jams and are no problems at all. Wish I could say the same for the mosquitoes. Glenn pass is in fine condition as well. Just three snow crossing I counted. All on the north side and the highest being right at the pass. From all the foot traffic there is a nice three foot trench in the snow.

Hey everyone, I'm back and happy to say I made it through the JMT without any major issues. Finished about 3 days early, 15 days total. The crossing of Muir Pass was definitely the most exciting day but quite doable without any special equipment.

I put up a little photo blog here if you'd like to see some recent photos:

http://puffer1000jmt.tumblr.com/

Was just an awesome experience all around.

Aaron