I just returned from an incredible two weeks on the John Muir Trail. Julia and I hiked 222 miles from Yosemite Valley to Whitney Portal, climbing 47,000 ft of elevation, and got to enjoy Yosemite National Park, Ansel Adams Wilderness, John Muir Wilderness, Kings Canyon National Park, and Sequoia National Park. It was truly a one of a kind experience, and the trip of a life time. There are a lot of great backpacking and trekking trips around the world, but very few can match the astounding beauty found in the High Sierra. We saw deer, marmots, trout, and tadpoles, walked among more trees and wildflowers than any person could ever count, skirted the banks of glacial lakes, drank and bathed in alpine streams, slept at the foot of mountains, crossed passes higher than 12,000ft, and summited Mt. Whitney at 14,496ft. This is just the very beginning though. In the coming weeks, I’ll be posting a full trip report with gear reviews, photos, video, and everything I did to prepare for the John Muir Trail.
Below, you will find a photo from each day with a short description. Keep an eye out for a lot more photos and content as I process this amazing trip in the days ahead.
Day 1: Happy Isles to Tuolumne Meadows – 23.9 Miles (23.9 Total)
Day 2: Tuolumne Meadows to Thousand Island Lake – 19.1 Miles (43 Total)
Day 3: Thousand Island Lake to Deer Creek – 22 Miles (65 Total)
Day 4: Deer Creek to Silver Pass Lake – 17.5 Miles (82.5 Total)
Day 5: Silver Pass Lake to Marie Lake – 18.2 Miles (100.7 Total)
Day 6: Marie Lake to Colby Meadow – 18.3 Miles (119 Total)
Day 7: Colby Meadow to Grouse Meadows – 18 Miles (137 Total)
Day 8: Grouse Meadows to Marjorie Lake – 21.8 Miles (158.8 Total)
Day 9: Marjorie Lake to Kearsarge Pass – 20.6 Miles (179.4 Total)
Day 10: Kearsarge Pass to Guitar Lake – 26.4 Miles (205.8 Total)
Day 11: Guitar Lake to Whitney Portal – 16.2 Miles (222 Total)
Bonus Photos: Burger and Fries to Celebrate At Whitney Portal!
