Day: 13 | Distance: 18.4 mi | Final Summit: Mt Whitney (14,495′)
As I woke up at 4:00 am, I knew today was going to be an incredible day. Don and I plan to summit Mt Whitney before noon to avoid getting caught in a thunderstorm. We had a good breakfast and hot coffee to fuel our bodies. We’re both feeli…
Day: 12 | Distance: 20.8 mi | Mountain Pass: 10/10 – Forester Pass (13,200’)
As I woke up at Vidette Meadows on the twelfth day of our JMT backpacking trip, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement and anticipation. Don and I were gearing up to conquer the famous Forester Pass, a signi…
Day: 11 | Distance: 22.9 mi | Mountain Pass: 8/10 – Pinchot Pass (12,100’), 9/10 – Glen Pass (11,980’)
As I start my trek early in the morning, Lake Marjorie is a beautiful sight, reflecting the sunlit mountains around me like glass. Today, I’ll be cro…
Day: 10 | Distance: 20.1 mi | Mountain pass: 7/11 – Mather Pass (12,080′)
Waking up at Grouse Meadow, I couldn’t help but appreciate the serene beauty of my surroundings. The calmness of the morning provided a great opportunity to work on my morning routine. However, Don was alre…
Day: 9 | Distance: 17.9 mi | Mountain Pass: 6/10 – Muir Pass (11,955′)
Early to bed, early to rise gives you those glorious grand mountain highs.
Starting from Colby Meadow, we hit the trail early in the morning for Muir Hut on Muir Pass, and the scenery quickly captured our attention. The …
Day: 8 | Distance: 20.8 mi | Mountains Pass: 5/10 – Seldon Pass (10,870′)
There are few things in life that can compare to waking up next to a pristine, reflective lake in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains on a crisp, cool morning. Marie Lake is astoundingly beautiful this morning. The pure, unt…
Day: 7 | Distance: 21 mi | Mountains Pass: 4/10 – Silver Pass (10,900′)
As I wake up at Squaw Lake to the sound of my alarm ringing at 5:30am, I’m reminded that today is another day on my JMT backpacking trip. Tonight I’ll be sleeping at Marie Lake, but this morning, I wake up on a …
Day: 6 | Distance: 21.4 mi
As I set out from the backpackers camp at Reds Meadow, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement and adventure. We’ve got a lot of mileage to cover today, but we’ll get a chance to relax for a bit a Virgina Lake. Don @wandering_biped and I were both feelin…
Day:5 | Distance: 19.5 mi | Mountain pass 3/10: Island Pass (10,221′)
As sunlight broke on my tent, I was surprised to find that my air mattress had popped during the night. It was a frustrating way to start the day, but I quickly got over it when I saw the sunrise. Things like this are bound to happe…
Day: 4 | Distance: 16.4 mi | Mountain Pass 2/10: Donahue Pass (11,703′)
I woke up before dawn, ready for the day’s adventure. The goal for today was to hike over Donahue Pass, which stands at a towering height of 11,073 feet, and find camp a few miles later. I was excited about the journey bu…
