How much does it cost to ship a ressuply box?

[Justin Baker]

About much does it cost to ship a resupply box to somewhere in the sierras? (john muir trail, sierra high route, ect.)
I live near the Bay Area.

[Ken Thompson]

usps.com

Put in size and weight of box. Add zip codes and you'll know.

[Jeff Sims]

If it is going to the Muir Trail Ranch it has to be a sealed 5 gallon bucket, so factor that into the mix as well.

[Steve S]

you typically have two choices. One, ship to a post office, and walk out/hitch out to pick it up. you pay the cost of postage. Two, you ship to a third party ie MTR and you pay for postage, and the "handling" fee for them to manage it for you. You will have to go online to check for specific details for each place. This year we are shipping food supplies to Red's Meadows, for $35, and Muir Trail Ranch for $55 (plus postage) . We also have some friends coming in at Independence to re-supply us for free! Couple of years ago I sent my re-supply to Mammoth Post Office for the flat rate priority of $15.95 I think? then I walked out/bussed out from Reds to pick it up.
So the extremes are kinda like from the flat rate priority box, to a reserved horse packer, and can run from $15 all the way to $300. YMMV

[Bob Gross]

I ran into two backpackers heading southbound on the JMT near Kearsarge Pass. They were waiting around for the (late) horsepacker who was supposed to deliver a food resupply package for them near Charlotte Lake. They revealed that the cost was $800.

There's got to be a better way.

–B.G.–

[Greg Mihalik]

"If it is going to the Muir Trail Ranch it has to be a sealed 5 gallon bucket, so factor that into the mix as well."

They Prefer a 5 gallon bucket.

I fit my food into ziplocks, then into USPS Medium Box and mail it for $11 or so.
They talk about mice in the storage hut, but I have never had a box chewed.

If you want to send something Out of MTR they will sell you a USPS Flat Rate Box.
If it's good enough for outbound, it is good enough for inbound.

[Jeff Sims]

They Prefer a 5 gallon bucket.

I fit my food into ziplocks, then into USPS Medium Box and mail it for $11 or so.
They talk about mice in the storage hut, but I have never had a box chewed.

Good to know!! Thanks Greg

[Hiking Malto]

Go to either site and read up on their pricing and other very proscriptive shipping methods. Neither are cheap but it takes a bit of work to get those packages into either place, especially MTR which is in the middle of nowhere, but thankfully very close to the PCT/JMT. One final thing, if you go into VVR, factor in an additional $50, that place is a money pit and you will likely be a very willing participant.

http://www.muirtrailranch.com/resupply.html

http://www.edisonlake.com/hikers/resupply

[Bob Bankhead]

VVR and MTR are only 20 miles apart. Which one to use depends on which direction you are hiking.

Reds Mdw to VVR = 30 miles
VVR to MTR = 20 miles
MTR to Onion Valley = 78 miles

If going south, definitely use MTR to lighten your load. You should have just resupplied at Reds Meadow so you can cover the 50 miles to MTR in 4 days easily. It also means you are 1 to 1.5 days closer to your next resupply point at Onion Valley, and you won't have to climb Bear Ridge with a full pack. Note that if you use both places, the latter is not an issue Take the short (0.7 mile), steep side trail from the JMT down to MTR. The return route to the JMT along the Florence Lake trail is a much gentler but longer jaunt (1.5 miles).

If going north, use whichever place you prefer. MTR still means carrying at least one day's less food weight from Onion Valley.

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