JMT 13

"I'm assuming I am around 20 pounds with everything"

Do you mean 20 pounds of base weight, or do you mean 20 pounds of base weight plus consumables? For 14 days on the trail, you will likely have around 20 pounds of consumables, or less if you are doing a resupply in the middle.

You don't absolutely need to have a down jacket, but you will want some combination of things to get in that ballpark of warmth. Some early mornings will be near freezing, and to get breakfast and break camp, you may need that warmth.

Nobody says that it has to be a _good_ down jacket.

–B.G.–

Thanks for the quick reply bob.

I'm planning on resupplying in the middle and the 20 pound ballpark is base weight? 20 pounds with everything but food and water.

What would you suggest for the warmth during rests? Maybe two fleeces?

I will keep an eye out for good deals on a down jacket at the REI garage sales from now till august.

Well then, if you are using at least 20 pounds of consumables total, and if that is 10 pounds per half-trip, then you will have a total load weight of at least 30 pounds. If you are young and strong and adapt to the altitude, then you will be fine with that. However, you may discover that you can reduce the base weight a lot. You just have to put your mind to it.

You would get a lot of good out of a cheap digital scale before you leave.

Let's assume that you find something like a down jacket to cover you for early mornings. I doubt that you will need very much during mid-day rest breaks. One fleece at the very most. You will have a rain jacket to be your wind layer, and it needs to be packed at the top of your pack anyway.

My standard load is 10 pounds of base weight, 10 pounds of consumables, and 10 pounds of camera gear. YMMV

–B.G.–

Sidney,

If possible, I would encourage you to try to find some form of insulating layer. I agree that down or even synthetic jackets are not cheap, however, could you borrow one from someone. Even getting or borrowing a medium fleece shirt would be helpful. I have hiked on the JMT about a dozen times and often it can extremely warm during the day and low 30's at night, especially at elevation.

I took my sister on the first 70 miles of the JMT. She did not want to invest in a bunch of items so she just asked several of her friends that liked the outdoors and she was able to borrow some very serviceable items. They were not the lightest and best the world had to offer, yet, they allowed her to make the trip and limit her expenses.

When I was first starting out I didn't have a scale either. Instead, I would take a box of items to my local post office every now and then "after hours" and used the automated digital scale they have in the lobby for sending letters / packages to weigh these items. I believe knowing what things weigh is important when you are trying to create a gear list and I used this method for several years until I decided to get my own scale.

Every one of my hikes on the JMT were in late August / early September. Prepare yourself for an incredible adventure.

Best WIshes!