JMT Section Hike

[Ken Helwig]

Hi all, I am doing Tuolumne Meadows to Roads End solo late July. I am posting my itinerary to see if this makes sense to you all. I will be posting my gear list in the next few days. Please feel free to comment or to add suggestions. Thanks!

Here is my new mileage list. I start at Silver Lake Resort near June Lake and hike out over Bishop Pass to South Lake. EXCITED. Next summer I will complete the hike form LeConte Ranger Station to Whitney Portal.

Sunday July 24th
Silver Lake Trailhead to Garnett Lake 10.2 Miles
Monday July 25th
Garnett Lake to Reds Meadow 13 Miles
Tuesday July 26th
Reds Meadow to Ducks Lake 11.6 Miles
Wednesday July 27th
Ducks Lake to Chief Lake 8.6 miles
Thursday July 28th
Chief Lake to Lake Thomas Edison 8.4 Miles
Friday July 29th
Off Day!
Saturday July 30th
Lake Thomas Edison to Marie Lakes 11.6 Miles
Sunday July 31st
Marie Lakes to Evolution Meadows 16.1 Miles
Monday Aug. 1st
Evolution Meadows to Evolution Creek 10.1 Miles
Tuesday Aug. 2nd
Evolution Creek to LeConte Ranger Station 9.3 miles
Wednesday Aug. 3rd
LeConte Ranger Station to South Lake Trailhead 12.6 miles

[Hiking Malto]

Couple Questions:
1) Are you set following the JMT or are you open to short section alternative? Perhaps off-trail?
2) Are you staying at Vermillion on your day off and are you open to changing the timing of that day off?
3) Is day 1 also a travel day? That will be an incredibly easy day since it is virtually flat.

[Ken Helwig]

Greg:

1. No, since I am solo, no off trail. I am cool with that. Wife!
2. Yes, I am meeting my wife at Vermillion for two night of ummm FUN, and some good food and beer. Am I open to changing the day off??? Dunno really, why?
3. Yes that day is a travel day. I have hiked from Tuolumne to Agnew Meadows with off trail in and around 1000 Island Lake and Garnett and Ediza in between. I am basing this on getting to Vermillion that day, but if I am feeling good and want more mileage, I can still end up at Vermillion a day early and just camp and wait for my wife. We are trying to rent a yurt at VVR but their site is not allowing me to. Errrrrrrr. I already called and left a message for them.

Some cryptic ideas Greg, do you have some ideas??? I am bound with my travel ideas due to me going solo. But if anyone wants to join me, they are more than welcome. I will have transportation to Tuolumne as well as a car awaiting me at Roads End.

[David Lutz]

I like it…..

[Hiking Malto]

OK, given the constraints.
1) I would modify day 12 and 13. I would increase the mileage of day 12 to 15 (Pinchot is a super easy pass heading south) and camp at Rae Lakes. On Day 13 I would head over Glen and head down Bubbs Creek to get to Roads End. That is a 17 mile day but it is only 1500' elevation gain. If you haven't done Glen it is one of the coolest passes and Bubbs is IMHO mile for mile the equal to Woods.
2)On day 4 I would stop at Tully Hole instead of Purple Lake. (Tully Hole is one of my top places.) The added mileage on day 4 is very doable since there are no passes that day and it gives you a short day 5 which could be important if you need to hit the afternoon ferry to Vermillion.
3) The reason I asked about the day off is that I you will be zooming past two of my personal favorites, Evolution Lake and slightly off trail Darwin Bench. Either of those are worth putting an extra long day to spend the night. It would also be a great area to do a nero. I would almost reco doing Thousand Island on your first day to pick up a day to spend in the Evolution Lake area. Another option would be to go to Sallie Keys instead of Marie on Day 7 and hitting Evolution Lake or Darwin on Day 8. It would make two longer days but you will be coming off a break and you can recover with a shorter day over Muir.

Don't know what you are using for planning but here is my JMT Planning sheet. You just place an x by where you want to stay and it calculates the mileage and gross elevation gain. Here is the link: http://tinyurl.com/498fokg

[Ken Helwig]

Thanks Greg, I will use your spreadsheet! That is quite helpful. All my mileage is open, meaning that all I need to do is make sure I am at VVR on the correct day, and that I get to my car so that I can get home before my vacation ends. As for the Rae Lakes area, I have done the loop already and agree that it is a fine area to hike. The views atop Glen Pass are outstanding. Also, Darwin Bench I have been to before. I did South Lake over Lamarck Col a few years ago. I think I suggested to you a fantastic spot about a mile or so above the main trail going up Darwin Bench that had an outstanding place to camp. It was right next to Darwin creek. My idea is to not hike portions that I have already done. Obviously, some areas I will be repeating.

[David W.]

Ken,

It should be a great hike! I have some unfinished business on the JMT and will be picking up where I left off last summer and going from Lake Edison to Mt. Whitney. Perhaps our days will overlap. It would be fun to hike with you again especially that Evolution to LaConte section but this time in the other direction.

Greg,

Thanks for sharing that spreadsheet. What a useful tool for planning!

[Ken Helwig]

Dave, I have had to alter some of my plans. I am starting on July 25th and exiting at The Piute Pass trail to North Lake. Then I will pick up there next year and head south to Whitney. When are you taking off?

My wife and I have been trying to book a yurt at VVR for the 28th-29th and have not had any luck. It would be fun to hike with you if our schedules were similar. Let me know when you are planning to start.

edit, my VVR reservation went through today!

[Ken Helwig]

I will be at VVR on the 28-29th and back on the trail July 30th. I then will be hiking to LeConte Ranger Station then up to Dusy Basin for my last night. Excited!

[Ken Helwig]

Just grabbed my permit for July 24th. This is my itenerary. If anyone wants to hike for a day with me or say hi passing by please do!

Sunday July 24th
Silver Lake Trailhead to Garnett Lake 10.2 Miles
Monday July 25th
Garnett Lake to Reds Meadow 13 Miles
Tuesday July 26th
Reds Meadow to Ducks Lake 11.6 Miles
Wednesday July 27th
Ducks Lake to Chief Lake 8.6 miles
Thursday July 28th
Chief Lake to Lake Thomas Edison 8.4 Miles
Friday July 29th
Off Day!
Saturday July 30th
Lake Thomas Edison to Marie Lakes 11.6 Miles
Sunday July 31st
Marie Lakes to Evolution Meadows 16.1 Miles
Monday Aug. 1st
Evolution Meadows to Evolution Lake
Tuesday Aug. 2nd
Evolution Lake to LeConte Ranger Station 13 miles
Wednesday Aug. 3rd
LeConte Ranger Station to South Lake Trailhead 12.6 miles

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