JMT – Day 14 – July 26, 2008

This is the fourteenth in a series of posts documenting Reuben’s John Muir Trail backpacking trip from July 13-26, 2008. Each day will have its own post–reposted from a handwritten journal kept on the trail and paired with photos from each day.

The John Muir Trail (JMT) is a long-distance trail in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, running 211 miles (340 km) from the Happy Isles trailhead in Yosemite Valley south to the summit of Mount Whitney on the border of Sequoia National Park and Inyo National Forest. It is named for naturalist John Muir. The elevation of the John Muir Trail seldom dips below 8,000 feet (2,400 m), it crosses six passes in excess of 11,000 feet (3,400 m) with a total cumulative elevation gain of just over 46,000 feet (14,000 m) and descends just over 38,000 feet (12,000 m).

This morning we were pretty tired from the unexpectedly long day the day before. However, we got up around 5am so that we could make it up Whitney before noon. It was amazing to think that today we would finish the John Muir Trail. It felt like we had been hiking for such a long time. Our hiking day had become our normal routine, and it was going to end today.

The area around Mt. Whitney is called the Whitney Zone. It is a very popular area. Thousands of people climb Mt. Whitney every year–many of them do it in a weekend, or even a very full day. Most of those people hike up the trail on the east side of the mountain, we were approaching from the west, so we did not encounter too many people early in the day. All morning we hiked up the switchbacks approaching the junction where the trails from the west and east sides meet. The sun rose on the other side of the mountain and we could see a sliver of it above us, growing larger as both of us got higher. When we got to the trail junction, there was an explosion of people. Pretty much a constant line of folks heading up and coming back down. We took off our packs here to head up the final 2 miles to the summit. In the last two weeks we have barely moved without our backpacks on. When we weren’t hiking with our packs we were sitting around camp–we were too busy to do any day hiking. Because of this it was a really nice feeling to climb without a pack! So much easier on the body.

On our way up the final ascent, we were zipping by many other hikers. We were so well adjusted to climbing and the elevation, that it was almost humorous to see people who had come up from 9,000 feet below that day, wheezing as they tried to catch their breath. We finally approached the summit and joined the around 20 other people walking around and enjoying the top. We sat on a rock to take in the view and to revel in the fact that we had just completed the 200+ mile John Muir Trail! Officially the trail ends at the summit where we were, but to get home we still had to hike another 11 miles to get to the trailhead.

A building on top of Mt. Whitney

At the summit!

Our trail friend BeeMan

On the top we took lots of pictures, talked to other hikers (some folks who got up at 2am that day to make the climb from the base of the mountain). We also saw BeeMan, who joined us at the summit shortly after we got there. We traded emails and blogs with him and took more photos. After hanging out for an hour or more, we got ready and headed back down to our packs. When we got to the trail junction we took a short break in the small amount of shade there. We also left a written note taped to a trail sign for Clockwork Orange, who was still behind us. We were ahead of our schedule, so we wanted to make sure he wouldn’t leave without us when he got to the trailhead. Our plan today was to hike out, hitch into the small town of Lone Pine for the night to take showers and do laundry, and then hitch back to the trailhead in the morning to meet Clockwork.

A break at the trail junction on the way down

On the way down we had to climb up about 300 feet to cross Trailcrest Pass. The highest pass yet, but almost an afterthought post-whitney

Our last meal on the trail.

We began the long descent down, stopping only for a short lunch break. Boy, was it a long way down! We were done with the trail and were impatient to get to the trailhead and eat real food and get clean. We practically ran down for a while. We finally made it to the trailhead at about 5pm. We were off the trail for good! We threw out the trash we had been carrying for the last week and a half, and started searching for a ride to town. The first people we asked let us ride in the back of their pickup.

At the trailhead after our 11 mile descent

Hitch Hiking to Long Pine

When we got to town, we walked around on foot for a while looking for a cheap hotel, and ended up finding a hikers hostel. We all took showers and did our laundry and then went out for Mexican food. Beer and real food tasted so good! We wanted to hang out for a while that night, but 8:30 hit, and we about fell asleep at the table! We headed back to our hostel and crashed into sleep on the comfortable mattresses — no more sleeping bags and tents!

Unpacking at our hostel

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Daily Stats
Mileage: 17.9 (29km)
Estimated Ascent: 4,100 Feet
Estimated Descent: 6,100 Feet on foot, 4,000 more by auto
Estimated pack weight: 31 pounds
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