Do any companies ship direct to Muir Trail Ranch

[Paul Cutmore]

Hi all
Some quick background I am an australian hiking the jmt this year.
However I will be flying in the day before my trek starts so will not be able to mail myself a package from the USA and it is insanely expensive to send a package of that size from Australia.
Does anybody know of a U.S. based company that would ship a resupply to the Muir trail ranch following their guidelines?
Thanks for your help

[Bob Gross]

Let's analyze that.

Lots of JMT backpackers have their food resupply shipped to them at MTR. Normally, that includes all of the foods that the backpacker hand-picked, plus maybe fuel or batteries or something.

There are many companies that sell freeze-dried food (PackItGourmet, etc). Their packaging might not conform exactly to the MTR standards. But maybe. Inquire. Of course you would be stuck with the food from just one vendor, but I don't think that would be so bad for one trip.

Once you get beyond purely food, you might have other items like fuel, and that would become more of a problem in a package from a food vendor.

–B.G.–

[Paul McLaughlin]

Unless they've changed their rules you have to ship to them in a 5-gallon plastic bucket. I doubt the FD food suppliers will be willing to do that, but who knows?

Another idea is to post on here looking for a member to do it for you. This would require some trust on your part, of course; you'd have the supplier ship to someone here in the states who was willing to put it in a 5-gallon bucket and label it as per the MTR rules and ship it to them. You'd reimburse via paypal. I bet someone would do it.

How nasty would the shipping be from Oz? Like several hundred or what?

Also – you could do VVR instead of MTR – they will take boxes at VVR, you'd just have to get the food supplier to label it the right way.

[Aaron Sorensen]

PM sent on that regard…

[Greg Mihalik]

"Unless they've changed their rules you have to ship to them in a 5-gallon plastic bucket."

I send my resupply in a carboard USPS Priority box. Plenty of room, and easier than dealing with a bucket.

Buckets are recommended because they are mouse-proof. I've never had a box gnawed.

And, MTR will ship stuff out for you…. in a USPS cardborad box.

[David Thomas]

Sounds to me like you're looking for a little "trail magic" on the USA side. Someone in the USA that you can ship items from a food vendor, and have them buy items from a grocery store, and package everything together in a 5-gallon bucket or box and US Postal Service it to Muir Trail Ranch. I would recommended buying everything from Amazon.com because they have freeze-dried food, dehydrated beans, veggies, salami, pre-cooked bacon, routine grocery items, 48-count boxes of candy bars, batteries, toilet paper, etc. You would still want a trail angel in the US to consolidate the stuff because those Amazon orders come in lots of individual boxes from different warehouses. And then that person could transfer, say, 60% of the dehydrated beans to a zip-lock bag and toss the rigid container (while keeping the extra as their commission?).

I'll do that if you want, but I'm in Alaska, so while most Amazon packages ship for free to me, some items that are supposedly "free shipping", aren't. And some things like lithium batteries don't ship from vendors who are rigorous about following air-freight shipping rules (but those could be bought retail, locally). Anyway, PM if I can help, but someone in the contagious 48 States would be a more flexible option.

[Bob Gross]

"the contagious 48 States"

David, that might be what you meant, or maybe not.

–B.G.–

[David Thomas]

Dang auto-correct.

But, yeah, maybe contagious fits.

[Paul Cutmore]

Thanks everyone for your assistance especially Aaron.

[Keith Fultz]

I hiked the JMT last summer, I live only a 3-4 hours away form MTR. I would be willing to do the leg work here for you.
In terms of trust. I am a pastor, but I wouldn't trust every pastor I know. But I am known in these parts and can be trusted.

PM if interested.

[Jonathan Chin]

Hi Paul, when will you be reaching Muir Trail Ranch? I'll be picking up a package there around Aug 14 and would be happy to help by purchasing, packaging, and shipping some food for you along with mine.

PM if you're interested and the timetable works out!

[Dan Magdoff]

Greg…
The buckets aren't just for mouse proofing, they make transporting them for the MTR staff A LOT easier. When we are stacking several hundred in the back of the Unimog truck….the boxes end up getting crushed and it makes packing tricky both on the truck and in the pack saddles when we uses horses for transport. I can tell ya the MTR staff gets REALLY frustrated when resupplies come in boxes. Please please please follow the guidelines and pack in buckets

[Greg Mihalik]

Don,
That's good to know.
Thanks.

[Dave Ayers]

Backpacking Resupply does it: http://backpackingresupply.wix.com/backpackingresupply
See threads 49515 and 49500 on the JMT Yahoo Group, there was another link there too IIRC.

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