Thanks for all the help guys, here are some changes I think I'm going to make

Definitely bringing trekking poles

Only one short sleeve shirt

Getting a headset

Considering gaiters

May go with my merrell sonic gloves as shoes. Makes wearing the socks easier

I bought Blacks set of maps

Considering taking my osprey exos 46 instead of the Kumo for the long stretch to carry the extra weight well

Brining a montbell synthetic inner jacket instead of the EX light for more durability when hiking

Going with a Houdini instead of the Montbell wind jacket


Last thing I'm considering is brining a Backcountry Boiler instead if my current stove set up. Wouldn't have to worry about buying/carrying fuel so it would be lighter for the long stretch and I really just need hot water for the meals I prepare. Anyone used the BBC on a long hike?

Thanks!

On my 2011 JMT I used only a wood burning Bushbuddy Ultra, but in 2012 there were fire restrictions in Kings and Sequoia due to the very dry conditions, and stoves of this type, incl the Backcountryboiler, we're banned. Some sort of back up would therefore seem a good idea, and with a bcb you could take the alcohol wick along , and change to alcohol burning if necessary.

I can't help but underscore how trekking poles will help with a longer trip. You won't really notice much if you're flat for say 2-6 hours... but if you're doing lots of hills (which you will on the JMT) and doing more than 8 hours a day (which you will) then the trekking poles will be DRAMATICALLY better.

I forgot my poles about 3 months ago when I did the grand canyon of the toulomne and I was KICKING myself!

Another tip... break in your gear. Do lots of small 2-4 day trips with your gear. You're going to end up with lots of small revisions. New tarp setup, certain gear might annoy you, etc.

My gear has finally started to become really nice after about a year of setup and tweaking.

Hey Steven,

A few things.

+++1 for ETB's JMT Atlas and trekking poles. I have the GG LT4s and really like them. Anything to help take the stress off your leg joints will help over time given the rugged ups and downs.

I also have a Patagonia Houdini and really like it. However, for the JMT I took my rain jacket (Montane Minimus) and was glad for it given how much bad weather in the form of rain, hail, snow (and not to mention how cold it can get) we had last August. So, I would recommend a rain jacket versus the Houdini wind shirt, which is only water resistant.

Love your pack choice, except that you may want to see which, if any, bear can you can get in it, along with all your other gear. I used the BV450 and had no trouble getting it into my GoLite 50L Pinnacle pack, but the GG Kumo is a smaller 36L pack. Further, with my food and resupply choices, I had no problem getting in 10 days worth of food for the last stretch between MTR and Whitney Portal, especially since every place in SEKI does not require a bear can. Nonetheless, most people I ran into had much larger bear cans like the BV500 or Bearikade and a lot more food than me, so it's worth checking to see if your bear can will fit in your Kumo. For me, I resupplied at Tuoleme Store, Red's Meadows Store and Hiker Barrel and then I sent a small 2.5 gallon bucket to MTR. And like most people, I sent too much stuff to MTR. By mid-August, the many, many hiker barrels were indeed overflowing.

A few minor tidbits. You may not need both the BG knife and the multi tool. Also, unless you're planning on going off the JMT, you may not need the compass, especially if it's bigger than the tiny button style. You may not need the solar charger. You should be able to charge your phone at Tuolome and Red's. A spare battery may be more useful depending on how long it takes your charger to work. On both the JMT and CT, absolutely everyone I came across carrying a solar charger each said it was their biggest regret for bringing as it was finicky, inefficient and just not worth carrying. Finally, for hydration, you will rarely if ever need to carry more than one liter.

Hope this helps! Enjoy!

Susan

Edited by veganaloha on 01/02/2013 18:51:03 MST.