Thru-Hike Success Plan
Yes, you can make mistakes and still hike the JMT. Or
you can take a class and avoid the setbacks many beginners suffer
. Take our self-paced online thru-hiking class and learn tips and tricks from veteran thru-hiker Liz “Snorkel” Thomas.
How hard is it to hike the John Muir Trail?
The main difficulty of the JMT is the terrain and length of the trail
. Over the course of your trip you’ll ascend and descend 11 mountain passes, many of them over 12,000 feet. Altitude sickness can bother some hikers along the JMT, though it’s not a common complaint.
How old are most thru-hikers?
Teens comprise about four percent of thru-hikers; a very small number of children have completed the A.T. with their parents. Section-hikers tend to be older, with a
median age of 40
. Their ages at the time of their hike completions have ranged from 15 to 86.
How many Triple Crown thru hikers are there?
To complete a thru-hike, one must hike an established long-distance trail end-to-end, stopping only briefly in towns along the trail to resupply. This means that the hiker must carry supplies and camp along the trail. A lot of people attempt thru-hikes, but only
482 people
have completed the triple crown since 1994.
How many miles a day should you walk on the PCT?
What Is the Ideal Pacific Crest Trail Timeline? You should plan to complete the hike within 6 months, otherwise you’ll freeze to death (possibly literally) during the colder months. Most people over
10-20 miles a day, with a 16-mile-a-day average
. Some days you’ll walk more; some days you won’t walk as much.
Are there grizzly bears on John Muir Trail?
First,
no grizzly’s in the area
. Second, be careful with your food and they will be more afraid of you than you are of them! A few things to remember and a few tips: if you leave your food out for bears they will become habituated to human food and seek it out.
Are there bears on the John Muir Trail?
The most likely areas are those where you will find the most people: Little Yosemite Valley, Tuolumne Meadows, Lyell Canyon, near the Devils Postpile, and the Rae lakes area. That’s not to say that there are not bears all along the trail –
there are
!
How crowded is the John Muir Trail?
The JMT is
insanely crowded
. While on the trail for only 13 days I counted over 1,800 people, and this doesn’t include the people in tents I couldn’t see. This means you should expect crowded tent sites. And your odds of experiencing solitude are greatly diminished.
Is the John Muir Trail worth it?
It is not for the beauty and fun of the trip that I make the recommendation that one not do it. It is that
it is not worth the effort
. Absent the ability to have multiple resupply stops and taking some 2-3 months to make the trip it is a long walk in a beautiful place.
How long does it take to walk the John Muir Trail?
Over the last few years, a retired San Francisco lawyer named John Ladd has run an annual online survey of people who hike the John Muir Trail, a famous route through the Sierra Nevadas that typically takes
about three weeks
to complete (through the fastest known time is two days, 19 hours, and 26 minutes, set last …
Do you need a permit to hike the John Muir Trail?
No matter where you start your hike,
anyone who is hiking along the John Muir Trail is required to carry a wilderness permit
. You only need one permit for the entire trip and how you obtain your permit depends on which trailhead you will use to access the John Muir Trail.
Can a 60 year old hike the Appalachian Trail?
Of the nearly 19,000 people who have hiked the entire trail,
only 3 percent have been over 60
. But John and Shauna Dickson—ages 61 and 62 at the time—defied the odds, completing the trek in November 2017. Even an average day on the trail can be grueling.
Can older people hike the PCT?
The great majority of PCT thru-hikers are from 20 to 40 years old
, so most of the forum discussions are aimed at recommendations from and for hikers in this age range.
How old is the average hiker?
The average (mean) age of hikers in the survey was
36 years old, plus or minus 15 years
, with a median age of 30 years old. Hikers ranged in age from 13 to 70 years old. 59.4 percent of hikers were biologically male and 40.6 percent were female.
Is at or PCT harder?
Physical Difficulty. Many people assume that the PCT is the harder of the two trails because it goes so much higher in elevation. The PCT has a highest point of 13,153′ versus the AT’s measly 6,643′. While high altitude itself can pose some difficulties, the truth is that
the AT is way steeper than the PCT
.
How hard is the Enchantments hike?
It is an absolutely gorgeous hike, but it is also
extremely difficult
, when done as a day hike. Over the course of almost 20 miles, you will ascend one mile and then drop down another 7,000 feet to finish the hike. It is a long, hard day but one that you will never forget.
What’s the longest hiking trail in the United States?
| Rank Hiking Trail Route Length | 1 American Discovery 6,800+ total; 5,057 miles (Southern Route alone); 4,834 miles(Northern Route alone) | 2 Great Western Loop 6,800 miles | 3 Eastern Continental 5,400 miles | 4 North Country 4,600 miles |
|---|
How many miles are 10 000 steps?
An average person has a stride length of approximately 2.1 to 2.5 feet. That means that it takes over 2,000 steps to walk one mile and 10,000 steps would be
almost 5 miles
.
How far did Cheryl Strayed walk?
In June 1995, the real Cheryl Strayed hiked
1,100 miles
of the 2,663 mile long Pacific Crest Trail. The Wild movie true story reveals that Cheryl began her journey in Mojave, California and finished her 94-day trek at the Bridge of the Gods on the Oregon-Washington border.
Can I walk 20 miles a day?
Trained Walkers
If a walker is well-trained and is taking breaks and a meal stop, then 20 miles a day is reasonable
. If you take no breaks and are going fast, you may be able to cover 30 miles if you have steadily built your mileage over the course of three to six months.
Does the JMT overlap the PCT?
The John Muir Trail covers 210.4 miles, from Happy Isles, in Yosemite Valley (elevation 4,000 ft.), to Mount Whitney (elevation 14,505 ft), and
overlaps with the PCT for approximately 160 miles
. The JMT was completed in 1938, though construction started in 1915 (and scouting began in the late 1800s).
Is the John Muir Trail Safe?
While the majority of it melts in the spring time, just enough sticks around to cause annoying, and
sometimes dangerous hiking conditions
. Due to its topography, Muir Pass saw us trudging through six straight miles of snow. In other areas, snow can create snow chutes that can prove dangerous if not properly navigated.
How much does a JMT permit cost?
Permits are required year-round for all the agencies involved. There is a nominal fee for the permit, generally
$5-10 per reservation plus $5 per person
. Some charge an additional $15 if you exit Mt.
How much does it cost to hike the JMT?
Assuming you are hiking alone, live pretty close to the trail, have all the gear you need and want to eat pretty well; you can expect to shell out
at least $825
to hike the JMT.
