JMT in July

[Travis Davis]

Planning a JMT thru around mid-july. Here's my list so far.

Packing
Osprey hornet 23
Bearvault 450 33
Trash compactor liner 1.5

Shelter
SMD Lunar Solo 27.3
Ground sheet 1.6
Stakes (6) 2.1

Sleeping
Marmot helium 15* 34
Ridgerest 9

Clothing – worn
L/s synthetic top
MH canyon nylon pants
Visor
Coolmax buff
Sunglasses
Watch
Merino underwear
Merino socks
Trekking poles

Clothing – packed
Driducks top 6
Nano puff 11.6
Wool beanie .6
Wool gloves 2.4
Extra wool socks 2.2

Cooking
Alchohol stove .2
IMUSA mug 2.4
Matches .9
Lighter .2
Lid .7
Fuel
Spork .4
Aqua mira 3.4
Gatorade bottle (2) 1
2L platypus 1

Misc
TP .6
Headlamp 3.2
Compass/carmex/aaa batteries
Sunscreen
Knife
First aid kit 1.6
ID/CC/Cash/phone/keys .4
Camera 9
Map 4
Blister Kit

Base weight around 11 pounds

*a few notes:
15* sleeping bag is probably too warm, but my only other bag is MH Phantom 45.
Because my bag is warm I've cut out baselayer bottoms and tops.
Shelter is heavy, but spending a couple hundred dollars isnt worth saving 12ish ounces for me (though eventually I want a tarp/bivy/quilt set up)

Mainly looking for clothing critique, not suggestions on dropping weight. I've seen wind shirts, wind pants, tights, and other clothing on other JMT lists. I've never worn a wind shirt (they don't work well in the southeast) but I figure my driducks top does the same thing. For people who've spent time on the JMT in summer, is my clothing list sufficient?

[Dirk Rabdau]

Your list looks pretty good to me – I hiked it in June once – will do so again. I carried similar gear, worked fine. The cold-weather bag came in handy in June when it dropped into the low teens a couple of nights. It can get cold year round in the Sierra, but if you limb high and camp low, you will at least enjoy warmer nights generally. But I think a 15 degree bag would be great. The highest temperature bag I'd feel comfortable taking would be 30 degrees in the Sierra, but that's me.

Dirk

[John Porter]

What is your average daily mileage? I hiked most of the JMT last year (Tuolumne Meadows to Onion Valley in 10 days) with a BV450, resupplying at Red's & MTR. 3 days to Red's and 3 more days to MTR, and the 450 worked great, but it was crammed. From MTR to Onion Valley (4 days), I also needed a large Opsak for more food. And Whitney Portal is about another 34 miles more than Onion Valley. If you prefer to fit everything into a canister along the entire trail, you will need something bigger, unless you're planning on huge mileage days, or resupplying again after MTR, or plan on using alternate food storage (Opsaks, bear-bagging, etc).

FWIW, the Opsaks worked great for me last summer – no bears or varments got wise. But, I'm doing the entire trail this August, resupplying only at Red's and MTR again, and will bring the BV500 this time.

[Travis Davis]

I haven't started planning daily mileages and resupplies yet, so I'm not completely sure how much food I'll need at a time. I usually do 20ish mile days, have done up to 37 mile days. I'll probably hike as fast as it takes to only have to carry less than 4 days of food. Ive also never used a bear can before. I was planning on picking up a few OPsacks though. That's doable though, right?

[gunther kirsch]

most of jmt, your technically not allowed to use sacks.

I'm pretty sure, someone will correct me if I'm wrong

EDIT:

one suggestion someone made to me to save weight is to just use lightweight shorts instead of pants (like sport shorts or MH shorts)

then use wool and/or rain pants when needed. been usen this method recently and i've been really comfortable. i use sport shorts and they are SUPER comfortable and easy to change and dry.

[Carl Zimmerman]

If Muir Trl Ranch is your last resupply (around 108 M), you might find it hard to get by w/ 4 days of food in your 450 Bearvault until the finish (around 220 M). If memory serves me correct, you don't reach any bear boxes until Woods Creek (around 160 M). If you carry a Bearicade canister (larger but lighter than the 450), you should be good w/ big miles. Unsure if the larger volume canister would work w/ your pack.

Anyway, it's a great hike. Home you enjoy it.

[Brad Rogers]

I did manage to fit 5 days worth of food in a BV450 last year, but it was TIGHT. Next time I would go with a bigger canister. I actually ended up changing out some food at the last minute to get it to fit, think peanut M&M's.

[Ryan Krause]

When you said Osprey hornet 23, did you mean the Hornet 32? Sizes I know of are 24, 32 and 46. Given you haven't used a canister before, have you made sure it and the rest of your gear will all fit in it?

[Jennifer McFarlane]

My son hiked last year with an Osprey Hornet 46- which weighed 24 ounces, so I think OP meant a 46 that weighs 23 ounces. My son didn't carry a lot of food (my husband carried the BV500 in his pack) and his list was similar to yours although he didn't carry a stove, camera or shelter (dad again) and he had a lighter weight sleeping bag. The Hornet 46 was pretty much maxed out volume wise.
Our experience. Your situation is different.

[Travis Davis]

Yeah, I have a Hornet 46, it weights 23 ounces. Sorry for that confusion. That's another thing, I'm not sure if a bear can will fit into/onto that pack? I figured I could make it work though, but if anyone has tried it let me know.

[Bob Gross]

James, why don't you measure it so that you know for sure?

The Bear Vault 450 is a cylinder that is a hair over 8" in diameter and a hair over 8" tall. Some people drop them down into a backpack with the axis of the cylinder up and down. Some people drop them down into it with the flat lid against the panel against your back.

–B.G.–

[Jennifer McFarlane]

It would be a really tight fit to get your stuff plus a BV450 in your pack. I suppose you could strap your tent outside which would buy you some room, but unless you squish the heck out of your bag in compression sack, I don't see it working all that well. I suppose you could also put the BV450 on top of the pack, or underneath, but that will change your center of gravity.

[Bob Gross]

I guess that is another reason for the prevailing wisdom for backpackers to purchase their pack last, after they see the volume of all of the other stuff.

–B.G.–

[Travis Davis]

I can usually pack my tent with a few other things in the mesh outer pocket. My sleeping bag fits into an "XS" size stuff sack. I'll need to try and find something similar to an 8×8 cylinder size, but I feel pretty good about it. I've had this pack for about a year now and love it, works for 95% of the stuff I do here in the southeast, just wasn't thinking about it fitting a bear can when I bought it! If it doesn't fit maybe that'll be my excuse to get a Gorilla or Mariposa that ive wanted for a while…

[Stephan Doyle]

Bear cans dictate packs, unfortunately. A small can with a 46L pack should be sufficient, though you might need your tent and pad lashed on the outside.

4L of water is more than you'll need, and you can save a half ounce. Matches and lighter are redundant. You might be able to make an aluminum foil lid for less weight. Wool gloves will be warmer in camp, but rain gloves will keep you warm during the day (use fruit bags from the grocery store and rubber bands for a free solution; these also work great as VBL socks at night!).

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