What I’m Taking on my JMT Hike (this is how you do it)

[Scott Bentz]

Aaron,

Just want to thank you for your interest in my sons JMT hike last week. I have been a member of BPL I think since about 2008 and it has enabled me to take my friends and family on some awesome hikes doing decent miles per day on often limited time schedules. I hiked 27 miles with my wife and daughter in order to finish the HST early to pick up one of our group that had an overused IT band. I often hike with family 20 miles a day. This is all due to BPL and the back and forth we find on this Forum.

So, as you know, and I didn't know at the time he left, my son actually had his mind on finishing in 5 days more or less. I think he saw Mark Davis' trip report kind of stayed close to it. He left the top of Whitney at 3:00 pm Monday and hit the Happy Isles sign at 5:00 pm. Saturday. He has a trip report almost done but is driving up to Utah right now to start his fall classes. He said he'll post it soon.

I kind of get a kick out of his effort as he really didn't put too much thought into it. He told me a few days before he left that he was going to do it. He got lucky with weather with only a few drops here and there and had to deal with smoke from the Rim Fire as he entered into Yosemite. I think up until then the smoke had been heading north. He also passed people we had passed the week before as we were on a North Lake South Lake hike. They were JMT hikers and we saw them at the Paiute bridge. He met up with them again 10 days later between Forester and Tyndall.

Thanks again for your help and interest.

Scott

[afterdarkphoto]

Careful on giving advice when there is disparity. My reason for bringing this up Jenn was for him to be aware that some areas they absolutely were NOT allowed.

True there are some rangers that aren't aware of all the new rules…some of them are seasonal…but as Aaron posted…they were not allowed in certain parts of the trail and it is a FAT fine and a possible permit pull.

[Jennifer Mitol]

I guess I myself am just way confused as to where this regulation comes from. Where I picked up my permit in Yosemite? All three rangers there unequivocally said the fire restrictions do not apply to stoves. The rangers we saw along the way? All unequivocally said all stoves were fine. There was no confusion in their answer, they knew what alcohol and esbit stoves were…and they said absolutely they were allowed. The hand-written signs throughout Kings Canyon? " no fires at any elevation. stoves ok."

Where did you find the regulation you posted?

[Greg Mihalik]

YNP , at the bottom

SEKI

It doesn't make sense that issuing rangers would not know, or that backcountry rangers would not know, but I am not surprised.

[Bob Gross]

Jennifer, SEKI made a press release on June 27 which took effect on July 1. In the backcountry, wood fires were specifically banned, and gas stoves were specifically allowed. However, that left some categories in limbo, namely Esbit and alcohol. Due to that confusion, I contacted SEKI and they replied that Esbit and alcohol burners were prohibited as well. It's too bad that they did not make it clear in the press release.

So, a backcountry patrol ranger may not have email access, so he may not have been aware of the clarifications.

–B.G.–

[afterdarkphoto]

http://www.nps.gov/seki/naturescience/fire-restrictions.htm

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/forums/thread_display.html?forum_thread_id=79602

[Ken Thompson]

Even the YNP page makes no sense. What restrictions?

Trails and Wilderness

Trails in Yosemite may be closed when there are hidden hazards or when they are impassable due to rock fall, snow, ice, or fire. Open trails aren't necessarily free of hazards–by entering the wilderness, you assume responsibility for your safety and must use good judgment. Trails not listed below are open, but may be snowy and very difficult to find from about November through May/June (and may have other hazards).

Trails in the northwestern part of the park, including the Hetch Hetchy and White Wolf areas, are closed due to the Rim Fire.
The Half Dome cables are up through October 14. A permit is required to hike to the top of Half Dome when the cables are up.

No smoking and no building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or cooking fire (including charcoal fires) within Yosemite Wilderness or at the High Sierra Camps.

Portable stoves using gas or pressurized liquid fuel are allowed. Alcohol and "Sierra" stoves may not be used in wilderness under these restrictions.

(This does not affect picnic areas and frontcountry campgrounds.)

[Justin Baker]

What's a "Sierra" stove?

[Bob Gross]

"What's a "Sierra" stove?"

I suspect they mean a Sierra Zip Stove which uses twigs as fuel.

–B.G.–

[Jennifer Mitol]

IM JUST SO CONFUSED……….

[Aaron Sorensen]

"No smoking and no building, maintaining, attending, or using a fire, campfire, or cooking fire (including charcoal fires) within Yosemite Wilderness or at the High Sierra Camps.

Portable stoves using gas or pressurized liquid fuel are allowed. Alcohol and "Sierra" stoves may not be used in wilderness under these restrictions.

(This does not affect picnic areas and frontcountry campgrounds.)"

IM JUST SO CONFUSED……….

You said it!

There is nowere in the above rule that has anything to do with esbits.
Although someone else posted it, now I am see 2 seperate rules.
So which one applies/

No wonder the rangers don't know what to enforce.

[Author]

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