Planning a southbound thru, 15 days in late summer.

Anyone else?

I plan to leave around the middle of August. Probably take around 18 days.

SOBO leaving mid/end of July. With about ten less pounds base-weight than last year. An more prepared as well. Go figure.

I also am SOBO in August, 15 days. Have to find better cushioned shoes than last summer (bottom of my feet got very sore).
Aloha

I am also Planning a southbound trip in August, 15 days, give or take a few days.

FYI, if any of you are stopping in Mammoth, they have an A+ brewery and tasting room at Mammoth Mountain Brewery. For dinner, ask about Angel's Restaurant, its some of the best comfort food anyone, let alone a hiker, can ask for. Also, there is a hiker box at the Motel 6 that might have some goodies in it.

Planning on hiking this thing starting in Yosemite. Haven't set a start date at this point, but at this point I do not have a partner. According the the ladies in my life, they would feel alot better about this thing if I was out there with someone.

Live in Philly, planning on taking 3 weeks off of work to complete it, but by no means does that mean I will use the entire time for the hike. I would like to complete it in 14ish days, but a day or 2 in either direction would be fine.

I have already started training for the hike. I am working in Carson City every week, so the altitude is roughly 5000 feet and I am running 4 miles a day, 4 days a week at that altitude. I figure if I keep that up, increasing my workouts weekly (distance and time) that I will be great shape to attack the JMT.

25 years old, male - I love life, music, the outdoors, my family, my girlfriend, and BPL.com! If anyone is interested in partnering up for this beautiful hike, by all means shoot me an private message and we can take the discussion off these boards.

To everyone else, good luck out there! I cannot wait

Planning on hiking the JMT NOBO on Aug. 9th, (permit willing). I live in Sparks, NV and have been training in the gym so far due to weather and plenty of snow in the mountains. There is a site called TrailJournals.com that is another great forum for JMT and other trails. It is kind of cool to follow other hiker preparations and the varying expectations and experiences on the trail. Good luck to all on your JMT hikes this year, Robert.

Hoping to get a late July SOBO trip going with my two sons. My wife and father will join for four days somewhere in the middle.

Looks like u will have to get two permits if u want to do the JMT From Happy Isles and half dome http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?3,22060,22068

Doc- From my understanding if you have the wilderness permit it counts for Half Dome. Alas, I have been wrong before...

Jeff is correct.

It does seem from the NPS info that you need to say something at issuance (maybe they write on your permit or attach the separate HD permit) rather than just walk up with a Wilderness permit having never said anything.

As the NPS says, there will be bugs to be worked out over the summer...

For a JMT thru- it seems as simple as mentioning to the ranger you intend a side trip up Half Dome.

Does a Yosemite ranger still charge you the $1.50 "service fee" if you're already getting the wilderness permit anyway? ;-)

Edited by kent on 02/06/2010 18:23:46 MST.

I still think we ought to open up a scalper's market on Half Dome permits. NPS be damned!

--B.G.--

i might be able to get away long enough for this. i've been wanting to do it for years now.

Edited by bigfeet on 02/16/2010 16:28:01 MST.

Planning southbound JMT from Tuolumne Meadows to Whitney Portal August/early September. 15 days + or -. Last year solo. Would enjoy company this year. Anyone interested?

I am planning a SB through hike in August. Planning on two weeks with a quick resupply at VVR or MTR.

If my wife and kids do their normal In-Law trip...

I'm planning something for about 2 weeks- probably late June. I was sort of thinking PCT from Kennedy or Horseshoe Mdw. to Mammoth.

Planning on a late July start (27th or 28th), for 13 days. Didn't get a permit, but hoping for a walk-up permit.

Jim W., Are you going to do a TrailJournal this year? I followed your journal in 2008. I am planning a JMT hike in August, so I doubt we would cross paths this year. I sometimes think I am crazy to do this trail again, but it is 'addicting' once you've done it. Best of luck to you. Robert.

Trail Journal...
I spent a lot of time journaling before the trail, little after. Then last year I started one then switched to "fun with kidney stones" instead of a solo trip.

Maybe. We're doing a two-week trip with the kids (age 7 & 9) which should be more interesting reading to the parents out there than just another solo hiker guy wondering whether his rain skirt makes him look phat.

Got my SOBO permit for 7/27/10. I hiked the JMT in 2008 with a few guys I had never met before and had a great time. This time I'm bringing my two sons - 21 and 16 - plus my father will join in at Reds Meadow, and my wife will join in at VVR. When we reach MTR my father and wife will hike out to Florance Lake while the boys and I head down to Whitney. Should be tons of fun. See you all out there on the trail!

I am planning my first thru hike with a my hiking buddy. sobo in the month of july. I don't have any permits or idea how we will get to yosemite from ventura, ca. and home at the end. I am thinking of a Resupply at the ranch and a total of about 30 trail days. any info on permits and transport would be greatly appreciated. thx jason

If you can get someone to take you to Lancaster, you can catch this bus which will take you to Mammoth -
http://easternsierratransitauthority.com/wb/pages/bus-routes/mammoth-lancaster.php
then take this bus to Yosemite the next morning (click on the 120 route).
http://www.yarts.com/schedules.html

Thanks ed.That info is very helpfull. I reserved a wilderness permit today for july 6 out of happy isles. this will be my first thru-hike and i am really excited. thx again. jason

The bus from Lancaster will drop you off at McDonalds and the bus to Yosemite will pick you up in front of McDonalds. Across the street from McDonalds is a Forestry service campground which you can stay at if you don't want to stay in a motel. Have a safe trip and take lots of pictures.

I just looked up permits for Half Dome. Permits are required for Friday, Saturday or Sunday only. July permits are available April 1, 2010 for $1.50.

Backpackers don't need to worry about the permit reservation... when you pick up the wilderness permit, tell them you'll do Half Dome and they stamp it. No prob.

I'm planning on a JMT/HST hike starting at Tuolumne on Aug 29th and ending at the Wolverton Creek trailhead at the end of the High Sierra Trail on our about Sept. 18th. Planning on detouring and spending a night at Lake South America and heading down the Kern to the HST once I leave the JMT at the junction.
Never done the JMT but have done Whitney several times so figured this trip would be a great way to see more of the Sierras and finish my aborted 2005 HST trip.
I'd love any recommendations for favorite campspots along the JMT portion. My itinerary will be fairly loose with campspots in mind, but also with the idea that if I find a beautiful spot to camp or want to extend or shorten a day I will.
Can't wait!!

Favorite campsites along JMT: Evolution Lake, Upper Palisade Lake.

Hi everyone! This is my first post here, but I've been reading the forums for a while to get gear and trail tips. This summer, I'm stretching myself a little and doing the JMT mid-august as my first solo trip in the US. I hiked the GR20 alone last year in Corsica, but you're never all that alone on that trail - a refuge with a radio is always within 10 miles and the trails are more traveled.

The first hitch I've hit has to do with permits: Happy Isles trailhead is full so I got a permit for a near-by trailhead - Mono. It was my understanding that the permit only constrained your first night, and after that you could go anywhere you wanted. However, the ranger told me that to avoid any trouble, I should hike Red Peak loop, up to Lake Mead and then I could pick up the JMT. That's an extra 2 days at my pace and I would miss almost all the JMT through the valley. (I'm still going to try the sleep-in-front-of-the-door-and-get-same-day-reservation thing, but I want a back-up plan.) My question is this: Is this ranger over-zealous or are they more serious than I thought about the trail head?

I have considered mailing my pack to Tuolumne and doing Yosemite Valley to Tuolumne Meadows as a day hike. (Of course, there's still the problem of getting a permit up there.) It's 20+ miles and 5000+ ft elevation gain so I know I'd need to train pretty hard and I'm coming from sea level so there's that added problem. Do you know anyone that has done that as a day hike? I've looked online for trip reports but can't find any from people doing it in that direction.

Try your starting point at Glacier Point-I ran into the same problem a while back and was able to start at Glacier Pt as a alternative to Happy Isle or Yosemite Valley -- Goodluck


View from Glacier Pt.

Thank you for an inspiring picture!

Glacier trail head is full already for July and August, but it's interesting that you didn't have the same problem getting to the JMT from an alternative trail head.

I think the goal is to reduce impact on Little Yosemite Valley campground and understandable and I guess they can't just accept my promise to avoid it.

I believe 40% of the permits are non-reservable. That combined with a bit of flexibility on trailhead (and possibly a slight detour from your permit :O) and you can make it work. I have had great luck with walkup permits especially when it just 1 person.

"It's 20+ miles and 5000+ ft elevation gain so I know I'd need to train pretty hard and I'm coming from sea level so there's that added problem. Do you know anyone that has done that as a day hike?"

I did that in 2008. Left Curry Village in the valley at 5:15 a.m. and finished in Tuolumne Meadows 12 hours later. It's quite a butt-kicker.
--B.G.--

Sharon, with the transportation available to you in the park and the ability to walk up to get a permit the day before your trip you should be okay.

If you want to try for a permit from Happy Isles - get to the park the day BEFORE you want to start hiking. They release the first come/first serve permits when the office opens the day before, not the day of, a backpacking outing. Get there at 4-5 am and stand (they don't want you to sleep on the porch!) in line. I arrived around 5 am one morning and found three people sitting on foam pads waiting already. That didn't matter in the end, I got the permits for my party anyway from the Happy Isles trailhead.

Go to the backpacker campground behind North Pines, set up camp, pay the five dollar fee, and when the ranger comes around that evening you show your wilderness permit for the next day and you're golden. You can spend the day roaming around the valley being a tourist, riding the free shuttles, eating pizza in Curry Village, and start hiking first thing in the morning.

If despite this you don't get a permit, try for one of the alternate trailheads, and then check on how to get to them - there is a tour bus to Glacier Point from the valley and also one to Tioga Pass that will drop you at one of the trailheads at your request.

Or - and people forget about this - you wait until the day you want to start hiking and be at the permit office after 10 am, when they release the permits that were reserved and went unclaimed. Which also happens.

Edited by lori999 on 03/19/2010 12:59:43 MDT.

Were you glad you did it? Is there a trip report anywhere?

It's looking like an attractive challenge, but maybe not a practical way to start a long trip.

After the trip, I should be pretty strong. Maybe I'll plan to start in Tuolumne and save the valley to meadow leg for a weekend soon after finishing.

Sharon, there are a ton of good trip reports on trailjournals.com. Just click on journals and then select the year and trail. I'm pretty sure there are several reports of folks doing the day hike from Happy Isles to Tuolumne Meadows, then start with the full pack from there.

You could even do the first leg backwards, which is all down hill from TM to HI. Then take the bus back to TM and begin the hike with a full pack there. You would have to plan to get to Yosemite Valley before the last bus back to TM or make arrangements to stay in the Valley for the night.

It's much easier to get a permit for a TM trailhead, there may even be some available now.

Edited by tothetrail on 03/19/2010 14:17:43 MDT.

"Were you glad you did it? Is there a trip report anywhere?
It's looking like an attractive challenge, but maybe not a practical way to start a long trip."

One guy had organized a small group of us hikers, so we all left Curry Village with our headlamps blazing. I tried to keep up the pace just behind the leader, but he seemed to go faster and faster, so I kept up. When I got up to Nevada Falls, I realized that they had turned to go up the Mist Trail, and I had been chasing a ghost. There was a huge crowd of hikers at the west end of Little Yosemite Valley getting staged to hike up Half Dome. The rough stretch was between there and Sunrise HSC, but I made it by noon. When Cathedral Peak comes into view, it requires some camera time. Then I weakened on the few miles of downhill getting to the west end of Tuolumne Meadows. It is still a few flat miles to get to the east end. I had started with 2.5 quarts of water, and I picked up one quart along the way. I finished with one quart remaining.
--B.G.--

I was getting permits for a different hike from HI - but I'm sure the JMT is very worth it, am doing it in sections. I was scheduled to do the TM to HI segment but could not due to road closures when a managed burn got out of hand last year. We did TM to Red's Meadow earlier in the year.

FWIW, in my experience the most difficult trailheads to reserve permits for are the ones around TM and Happy Isles. We have found Sunrise, Cathedral and Rafferty to be consistently booked well in advance. And to walk up for a permit for them, it's better to be on the porch at the TM wilderness office, which has priority over the office in the valley.

"It's 20+ miles and 5000+ ft elevation gain so I know I'd need to train pretty hard and I'm coming from sea level so there's that added problem. Do you know anyone that has done that as a day hike?"

Absolutely. In fact anyone who does the JMT in 10 days north to south will nearly average it for the ten days.

Also, another advantage of doing TM to HI, bus back to TM is that if you are a strong hiker you can actually day hike from TM to HI and avoid having to carry everything up the hill. It also gives you some additional resupply options since you wont spend two days hitting TM.

Edited by gg-man on 03/19/2010 15:40:55 MDT.

I am in St. Louis and will be hiking across the united states starting april 14 and am looking for anyone who wants to hike to california i am going to be traveling light and have been wanting to do so for some time so it seems like this is the year anyone got any ideas on routes i was going to start at the onandaga trail near st. louis

Faxed in my permit this past Monday and had email confirmation by noon that day. Had the hard copy by Thursday. Now it's real!
I'm doing a solo hybrid JMT/High Sierra Trail hike.
The plan at this point is to leave from Tuolumne on Aug 30th. Resupply at MTR. Leave the JMT (Ive already done Whitney twice and will again in July) at the junction to Lake South America and spend the day and night there exploring the Upper Kern basin.
Head down the now defunct Lake South America Trail to the High Sierra Trail junction and spend 4 or 5 days on the High Sierra Trail. Exit at Wolverton Creek via Panther Gap in SNP on or about September 18th.
I'm keeping my intinerary pretty loose so I can shorten or extend days or stop at great campspots I find on the way. I'd love suggestions for favorite spots that are lesser known and have great views.
I'm thinking this route should be a bigger slice of the Sierra than I would get on a traditional JMT hike.
Can't wait!

Edited by bugsdad on 03/20/2010 18:12:45 MDT.

Brian, that sounds like a great trip. Have fun!

"I'd love suggestions for favorite spots that are lesser known and have great views."

If you have the time, Bryan, a side trip up into Milestone Basin would be very much worth your while. Good camping spots and awesome views of Milestone, Midway, and Table Mountains, and also delightful close up scenery along Milestone Creek. A signed secondary trail leaves the Lake South America/Kern Canyon Trail you mentioned just before it drops into Kern Canyon. Rock hop/slab hop the Kern River and hike up into Milestone Basin a couple of miles, then start looking for campsites. Who knows, you might even spend two nights; the place can really grow on you.

I'll be going south-bound and solo sometime this summer. I'm new to backpacking, but excited for the experience. I've reading as much as I can to prepare. I've been wanting to do the John Muir Tail since I first read about it. I'll probably be going late July or early August and hoping to make it in 13 days. Look for my gear questions soon :)

Thanks,
Bradly

Edited by bradly on 03/20/2010 22:04:55 MDT.

Milestone sounds great. This will be my first time on the JMT and I know I'm gonna suffer from "oooh look over there....wow I gotta explore over here" syndrome at every turn. It's great to know which of the "look over there" detours are proven winners.
Bryan

"It's great to know which of the "look over there" detours are proven winners."

If you're comfortable with easy off trail hiking where you basically can't get lost, here's a delightful alternative to following the old Lake South America trail down to Kern Canyon: From Lake South America traverse west along the King-Kern Divide, directly below Gregory's Monument and Mount Ericsson, over to the base of Mount Genevra. Along the way scramble up to either Lucy's Foot Pass or Milly's Foot Pass(or both) and treat yourself to spectacular views of Lake Reflection directlty below and on out over Kings Canyon to the north, peaks as far as the eye can see. From Milly's Foot Pass continue traversing over to the long unnamed lake below Mount Jordan. Follow the outlet stream down to the valley below, and head due south over a gentle ridge and on down to the large lake with 3 bays. There are a couple of good campsites there, one on the north side(a horse packer site) and a better one, IMO, on the east side of the lake that doesn't see much use. You will pick up a foot path that leads around the east side of the lake before it sort of peters out, but from there the route is obvious down over very gentle terrain to pick up the Lake South America Trail again at the S.E. corner of the next lake below. From there it is about 3/4 mile to the Milestone basin side trail. This is a far better way to enjoy the Upper Kern Basin than following the old Lake South America Trail, again with the caveat that you are comfortable with easy off trail hiking. I hope you have a great trip! You're going to be passing through some spectacular country. Oh, and don't forget to stop and enjoy the Kern Hot Springs, about 9 miles south of Junction Meadow. It is a sublime experience after a couple of hot dusty weeks on the move.

Edited by ouzel on 03/21/2010 17:45:00 MDT.

This sounds perfect! I was hoping to get off trail a bit. In fact I think the Sierra High Route will be next years trip. The next 5 months are going to be loooong.

"The next 5 months are going to be loooong."

They'll go faster than you think, once you get into planning(and fantasizing) mode. I hope you have the time of your life.

Hi! I am doing the same trip. I am leaveing on July 7- 22 days to Wolverton. Solo. Let me know if anyone is going my way. This is my second JMT trip. This is an awesome way to go! Super challenging exit! Where are you resupplying?
Fred

Hey, been planning this too with a resupply at Onion Valley. Apparently there's a pack station there which will hold a resupply. Hoping to just stick to VVR and then Onion Valley, so two resupplies for the entire trip, which probably take 20 days or so (taking it slow, I know!).

SOBO July 27 from Tuolumne...10 days to Whitney Portal. Love that trail!

couch

So glad to hear that others are doing this same trip. When I started planning it I figured it must be a popular option, but so far have heard of no one else doing it and no one else that had done it. I plan on resupplying at MTR only. I know I'll have a pretty heavy pack at the beginning and again after MTR, but I think it will be doable. I'd be very interested in hearing your plans...campspots, resupply plans etc.
More info on mine at trailjournals.com Trailname Chickenfoot
I'll very interested to hear how your trips went when your done (I won't start until after you finish) and hear about any challenges.
Bryan

You might want to consider if you are SOBO (north to south)....Happy Isles to Toulumne (no bear can---just eat what you bring and use the bear boxes at Sunrise), resupply for two or three days from Tuolumne store to get you to Reds Meadow Resort (use one canister for two people). Resupply at RMR (Reds) and pick up your second canister there (have it shipped pre-packed) with enough food to get you to MTR. Resupply at Muir Trail Ranch (having sent your bucket ahead of you) and out in say 5 days to Portal for pancakes!

Saves a BUNCH of weight/ carrying all that food when you can shop smart and move faster.....just my thoughts.

couch

Hey Couch...
I'm actually starting my trip in T Meadows, so should have about 10 days on food at the start and then 10 again at MTR. I guess I'm a bit of a masochist for not planning a resupply at other areas, but once I'm "out" I hate to go back "in" for anything other than an emergency. Course I'll probably be kicking myself half way up one of the passes for that strategy.

Hey All,
I'm planning a southbound hike, leaving sometime mid-july to early august. As of now it's a solo trip, but for anyone planning for a similar timeframe and looking for a hiking buddy, I'd like to hear from you.

A note on time: I originally wanted to do the thru in 2 weeks, but after talking to a Yosemite ranger who did the trail a few years ago, I'm convinced to take more like 3 weeks. Seems like anyone who's done it will agree that a 2 week pace or faster cuts out seeing much of anything besides the boy scouts, whereas an extra week or so allows for checking out side peaks and enjoying a couple of rest days. Still figuring out resupply logistics and other details; have yet to get a permit but I'm planning to do the walk-up route anyway...

Best of luck to everyone in planning, packing, and waiting out the weeks or months that are left until you get on the trail.

Oh, and I LOVE the idea of doing the first leg backwards: TM to HI; downhill. As someone who's done that beginning section out of the valley a number of times as a day hike, I can say I will not in any way feel like I'm "cheating" when I follow this BRILLIANT advice. I'm even thinking camp in the valley 2 nights, with that backwards day hike section in the middle; leave the pack and gear stashed at the site that day, and take the bus to TM the next morning.

This also means not starting the thru hike battling for trail space with the huge number of people doing the mist trail day hike: a portion where families with elderly members and small children, as well as school classes and tour groups are abundant.

Ok, apologies for the lengthy post, but I just spent last nght up in Yosemite and I'm more excited than ever for the trip!

Greg,

I am taking on the JMT May 28th. Doing a Half Dome night trip with 70 people and then plan to be on Whitney by June 18th where I have some buds meeting me there.
Let me know if these dates work with you as I am looking for someone to go with. The guy who is leading the Half Dome trip will join me for the first 4 days.

Jack

Jack, I just got back from Yosemite. While temps got up to the mid 70s there were several inches of snow still on the ground on the trail to Lower Yosemite Falls.

This, along with two other valley trails, the one to Vernal Falls, and Mirror Lake were the only ones open, and Half Dome was literally covered with snow. We just beat another winter storm Tuesday morning that was to dump additional snow above 4600 ft., don't know if it ever materialized, but it was raining on the way out.

Not sure about counting on a May 28 start date, especially including Half Dome.

But if you're prepared for winter conditions, it'll probably be spectacular, best of luck on your trip!

Jack, you should bring snowshoes....May 28th will not work. Sorry for the bummer tone...there is a ton of snow up there right now

I'm just hoping my July 27th start date will be okay! I'm not much of a trail covered by snow person. I expect the creek / river crossings will still be high and cold. In 2008 I never had to take off my boots for any crossing.

Edited by HikingDave on 05/03/2010 08:45:57 MDT.

David, I'm also starting on the 27th! Looks like Dave S. above as well. Did either of you get a permit?

Steven,
Yes I did get a permit but it sure took me a long time to get it. Unfortunately I got my third choice which is to leave from Glacier Point trailhead. In some respects I don't care because I've already done the HI part. It's all good to me. How about you?

Hey All,

My husband and I are going southbound mid-July to early August. We are arriving at the San Francisco airport on Sunday, July 18 late morning, and hoping to hit the trail soon after. Any ideas about how to get there in the same day?

Have fun!

September

I have a permit starting from Tuolumne Meadows on August 23rd. Plan on 12 days to the portal with a re-supply at MTR.

Hello Samantha

I have a permit for 15July from HI. I am hiking alone but my wife would feel better if I hiked with someone else.
I plan on resupplying at TM, Red's Meadow, MTR and Onion Valley. I am 58 years old so I plan on taking it slow,
approximately three weeks with a couple of zero days.
I have a tent cabin res at MTR and the resupply at Onion valley is actually at Charlotte Lake via pack train.
Im am going to spend two days at Curry Village prior to starting from HI. This is my first attempt at the JMT but
I have hiked sections of the HSR and the back country of SEKI. I used to be one of those that would drag 40 to 50 lbs of gear up and down mountains. I finally saw the light and have reduced my pack weight to 18 lbs. That doesn't include food and water. If I take a small digital camera
instead of my Sony Digital SLR, my base weight will be about 15 1/2 lbs.

Philip

Hi All,

We are also planning a JMT hike for this summer, but we were not able to get a permit. We are flying into San Francisco, and public transportation doesn't get us in until 1:25 pm. That would be ok, but once in the park, the campgrounds are full, so we wouldn't be allowed to stay that night. The people at the wilderness permit center transferred us to campground reservations. They tried to send us back to wilderness permits. Essentially, we have to get there early for a permit, but can't stay overnight without a permit. We are not sure what to do at this point.

We do have a kind of crazy idea that just might work:
(1)Rent a car in S.F.,
(2)drive to Merced and sleep until 3 a.m.,
(3)drive to permit office to stand around until they open,
(4)if we get a permit, drive the car back to Merced to return it,
(5)take public transportation back into the park,
(6)stay in backpacker campground now that we have permit and get an early start the next morning.

It doesn't seem very John Muir-ish, but we don't know what else to do without a car. Any suggestions?

Thanks!

September

The backpacker campgrounds are never "full". If you are a traveler doing the JMT they will let you stay there. I wouldn't worry about it. If you need a permit, I have one for Lyell Canyon (starting at Tuolomne) on August 12th I'm not using.

Today I am one step closer to make this trip a reality after getting two and a half weeks off from work. I now have my dates nailed down to hit the trail on Monday August 23, assuming I am successful at getting a walk up permit. I plan to meet my family at VVR for a resupply and weekend of relaxation on the 27th. I would like to make it to the Portal by Sunday Sept. 5th.

I was hoping someone here with Yosemite permit experience can help me with a question: With respect to securing a walk up permit for Happy Isles, is there any advantage to getting in line at the Yosemite Valley Station vs the Wawona Station?

I hope to see many of your friendly faces on the trail.

David

I'm planning a start date on July 28 but did not get a lottery permit.

Below is an email answer to my question about getting a Happy Isles permit at Tuolumne Meadows from a Yosemite ranger.

"You can't realistically get a Happy Isles permit at Tuolumne Meadows (until after everyone waiting for that permit at the Valley Wilderness Center has gotten one, and not everyone there will get one, so no one anywhere else will get one, either). You might think about trying for a Lyell Canyon permit at Tuolumne Meadows, since those are (a little) easier to get.
There will probably be a line at the wilderness center and it could take a few hours to get your permit, depending on how busy it is."

I'm going solo, southbound, starting July 14. I'm a little uneasy about some of the creek crossings (I guess Silver Pass Cr and Mono Creek are most likely to be problems?), given what I'm hearing about snow levels and the cool weather. Hopefully they will get safer in the next couple of weeks.

Thank you for the assistance Steven. Permits are a pain but at least there are options. Have a great hike!

Is it possible to get permits for next year right now? I'm stuck doing part of the CT this summer because of the whole permit thing.

Benjamin -

I just spoke to a friend hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (and thus, the John Muir Trail) and he said the stream crossings were manageable (he got out around Red's Meadow for resupply). He did say that a ton of snow remains at high elevations and warned that situation can change if everything heats up fast.

For what it's worth (and if this comes across as obvious or worse still, patronizing, my apologies as it is not my intention), last year along the JMT we were advised to head upstream/downstream by rangers to look for better crossings. I generally do this anyways, as I don't have cat-like reflexes (unless by cat your think of Garfield). I had already learned from one especially harrowing river crossing attempt years ago that discretion is truly the better part of valor.
The advice from the rangers was very sound, as we learned from a gentleman who had participated in the rescue of one young woman who was nearly swept away(due to gap in the stream bed) in fast-moving water. He seemed pretty shaken up by the experience and it was a good reminder to remain vigilant.
Have fun on your trip and post a trip report!

Dirk

Hi, Dirk -- Thanks very much for the helpful info and suggestions!! --Ben

Rich: you can reserve permits up to 24 weeks in advance and the wilderness permit office opens in mid-January. It helps to have a few days in mind when you want to start the JMT and work back 24 weeks from there. For the dates I wanted, I faxed (yes, I said faxed!) forms in the morning for 3 or 4 consecutive days to get a permit for the last week in July. Didn't work though.

The office holds all the permits it receives up to a certain time of day, with no preference to time received and then randomly picks from those permits that got in before the deadline.

http://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/wildpermits.htm

Edited by saparisor on 06/29/2010 20:35:07 MDT.

I am planning southbound JMT from Tuolumne Meadows to Whitney Portal leaving August 27. I have a permit for three but my hiking partners’ plans have changed leaving me solo. Anyone looking for a hiking buddy around that time, I'd like to hear from you.

I am going southbound on Aug 17, and I have an extra permit available. I am estimating 18 days. Anyone interested?