Planning a semi-fast pack of the JMT starting August 11th, 2011. Shooting to finish in 9 nights, but allowing for 10. I want to 'cap' group size to around four for permitting, site selection, and keeping a relatively brisk tempo. I have a pace of anywhere from 20 - 25 miles a day, more at the end if everyone is still strong and want to finish strong. I have a couple of tent cabins reserved in Curry Village to get an early start at it. I have done Half-Dome before, so I was going to treat the leg from Happy Isles to Tuolumne Meadows as a day hike, so-to-speak, and skip it this time, although I can be convinced otherwise.
I hiked most of it South to North last year with 'Phreak' and got severe shin splints at Thousand Island Lake and had to bail out the next day at Tuolumne Meadows. I want to hike every bit of it this year. 'Phreaks' and my journal from last year are up at Trailjournals.com. Let me know if there are any takers...

Are you planning on any resupply points?

--B.G.--

Yes. I am currently looking at Reds Meadow and Muir Trail Ranch, but may look a little harder at using Vermillion Valley to replace both. There are pros and cons to both places, but I am open to either way. I like the convienience and location of MTR, but they don't seem real friendly towards hikers. I like the amenities of VVR, but don't like the cost and the lost time of hiking 3.6 miles round trip off of the JMT and we would lose almost a half a day of 'prime' hiking time by the time we get dropped off of the water shuttle.

Exactly. MTR is closer to the middle of the trip, but they may not be so friendly. MTR and VVR are in it as a business venture, that's for sure.

Sometimes you can arrange for a spot-drop of food by a horsepacker, but those tend to be very expensive.

Sometimes you can arrange for a spot-drop of food by a friendly backpacker, but it tends to be for a fairly small food load. For example, four people times five pounds each is twenty pounds, and that is about the maximum that you could get a friend to carry in with and meet you, like at the Kearsarge Junction or the VVR Junction.

--B.G.--

I don't anticipate anyone I know being able to meet me at Kearsarge JCT, but that would be an ideal spot. I have used the MTR a couple of times and they are reliable and probably the better choice for logistics. I have heard that MTR is offering more short stays to hikers, I may look into that as well.

It seems like each time that I walk by the Kearsarge Junction, there is somebody with a big bag of food waiting for friends in the shade of a nearby tree.

--B.G.--

Just a quick bump on the JMT hike in August. It is getting close to permit season, and I want to get a final number of anyone interested in a semi-fastpack of the JMT.

I have heard that packers will take food to you for around $250 from Onion Valley via Kearsarge. Sorry that is all the info I have

Bob and Ken- Thanks for the heads-up on the Kearsarge re-supply option! I will probably stick to MTR due to the price and my insistance on NEVER giving a dime to any company that destroys the trail like the horses and mules do and is inconsiderate to hikers. I have seen it repeatedly over the years, of just flat-out rude mule team riders. I'm not sure if it is because of a long term fued with people who would like to 'oust' them entirely from the back country or from hikers repeatedly not yielding to them, I'm not sure.

Mule packer companies operate quite successfully in some places, and then not at all in other places. A person I know used to be employed by NPS in Yosemite. Then he submitted a professional paper at a conference that documented the extensive trail damage done by the animals (mostly mules with a few horses thrown in). That paper turned out to be career-limiting, so he left and made his fortune elsewhere.

There are some places where the mules have a place and they have a task, and it kind of makes sense. Then there are some wildernessy places where they do more damage than good. I don't know.

I will admit to once having paid money to have a heavy duffle bag carried in for a climbing basecamp, and I probably could not have done the trip at all were it not for the mules. In fact, one climber was somewhat injured, so he was carted out on mule back. So, in some places they make sense.

--B.G.--

i may be interested. i was planning on possibly doing it in early september but could probably do the dates you wanted. my ex-wife and i were going to do it in 12 days 2 years ago but she injured her knee near agnew meadow and we had to bail out. i've been thinking of doing some off trail trips in the sierras as well but would be happy doing the jmt as i have not done the whole thing yet.

send me a pm and we can talk about it further. permits become available in march correct?