FOOD DROP ON JMT

[Ricky Baylis]

hi im a 16 year old senior in highschool from Cincinnati. My dad and i are planning to hike the John Muir later this year. We have our permits and have purchased our gear. The only thing we are having difficulty figuring out is finding a food supply service which would hike over kearsage pass from Onion Valley. i have ardously looked through forums and tried most everything. If you had ANY advice in the matter, it would be highly appreciated.

Thanks,
Fellow Hiker

[Jay Wilkerson]

I did the JMT 2 years ago and I loved every mile of it. I resuplyed at Vemillion Resort on Lake Thomas Edison, which is 89 miles into the JMT. They take mail drops plus they have a diner and well stocked store. I stayed overnight at the resort in a tent cabin, ate a few hamburgers and ate even more pancakes and had some adult beverages. A good place to catch your breath. Oh yea showers too. Ferries depart the north end of the lake at 10:00am and 4:00pm. Check website for more details. Goodluck!!! The JMT is a hike of a lifetime-awesome!!!!!!

[Dave T]

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[Bob Bankhead]

Resupply gets from Onion Valley over Kearsarge Pass, and up to the JMT one of three ways:

1) On your back. You hike down to OV and either pick it up at the OV Pack Station (see #3) or hitch into Independence to pick it up at the post office there. Reverse your steps to the JMT.

Addendum: Just spoke to the Mt Williamson Hotel. The only grocery store in Independence has indeed recently closed; If you need something you'll have to take the local M-F bus service into Bishop. There are only 2 eateries left; a Subway (7 days a week), and the French restaurant, which is "usually" open on weekends plus a few weekdays, but closed at least Monday and Tuesday. The hotel includes a hot breakfast. They'll hold resupply boxes. A shuttle to Onion Valley – for guests only – is another $45.

2) On a friend's back. Some poor, demented soul loves you enough (or is planning to join your hike) to climb the 2700 feet from OV to the JMT/KP/Charlotte Lake trail junction and camp there until you come along. This person becomes your new best friend and you shower them with praise and cash.

3) You hire Sequoia-King Pack Trains to meet you at said four-way trail junction with your resupply package. This gets really expensive, but if there are enough of you together, you can split the cost. They also run the Onion Valley Pack Station (see #1). For details, pricing, and procedures, email Ms. Dee Berner at Sequoia Kings Pack Train at [email protected] or call 760-387-2627. Their website is http://horse-pack-trips.gordonsguide.com/sequoia/index.cfm

4) OK, I suppose you could try for a helicopter drop as a 4th method, but just the permitting alone would bankrupt you.

Wandering Bob

[Jay Wilkerson]

I did the JMT in 2005- I personally had no problems at Vermillion Resort and was treated nicely… They are running a seasonal resosrt and so are looking to make as much $$$ as the next resort. Considering the remoteness of the JMT its worth every dollar. To each is there own. Goodluck

[Dave T]

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[Roleigh Martin]

We went for option 5 (a variation of #2). We're paying a local mountain climber who loves to climb mountains and who is super strong to meet us for $50 apiece ($200 in all plus an very nice collector-edition map of the JMT) to bring in 28 pounds of resupplies (we're limiting her load — yes, the very strong climber is a woman). $200 for a day's job is not very poor and that person wants to make it out that way anyway, might as well be $200 wealthier for the hike. When we first met this climber, she was hauling 50 pounds without a sweat, an incredible climber.

[Tim Halberg]

I did the JMT in 2004 (had a BLAST at VVR, stayed two nights and they were way more than awesome to us – but we were the first through that year in late May)

We did re-supplies at Reds (it wasn't open yet, so we hiked it in ourselves the week before) then VVR and then we also hiked in a third re-supply to the top of Taboose Pass and buried it under some rocks in water bags (probably not something a lot of people would suggest doing, but it worked for us that early in the season)

We're doing the JMT again this July and we're doing just two resupply drops, we're mailing to Reds and to Muir Trail Ranch. Carry enough food with you and I think you'll be fine with these two drops, and if you are hiking light and fast it should be totally fine.

Best of luck on your hike! I'm stoked for ours. When did you say you are going?

[Dave T]

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[Dave T]

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[Ricky Baylis]

thanks for your advice Mr. Bankhead .. i think we are going to try to figure out a way to acheive option number three .. ill try that number thanks alot for your time

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Mr Martin (by the way that is a sweet first name) would you mind giving me her name and number or some other way to contact her? .. that sounds exactly like what we need to do.. she must be an amazing climber

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Thanks everyone for your advice i really appreciate it .. im a tyro of a hiker but i am really looking forward to this hike so thanks for all your insights

[Roleigh Martin]

Is Ricky a female? (I'm curious for you state my name is sweet.) Anyway, the female mountain climber wishes to have her name for doing food drops kept private. The way one can find a local climber who might be available for a fee approaching $200 is to post at the Message board at Whitney Portal Store Message Board:

http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/cfrm

There are a huge number of mountain climbers at that forum and they mostly climb the high sierra range near the JMT. I've seen various postings for such work posted there.

ps, please let me know what you get for a price quote for pursuing option 3, I'm curious how much the charge is for a professional pack train cache drop.

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