JMT section hike, Reds Meadow to Yosemite Valley

It should be fairly warm on the north side of the JMT, where the elevation is mostly below 10,000 feet except for around Donahue pass. You'll probably have pretty warm evenings with lows in the 40 – 50s, although 20s is a possibility. During the day, it will probably get quite warm. Torrential storms at any time of the day can happen, although more likely in the evening.

TJ, Id say 30 degree bag minimum if you want to be sure to be comfortable & ditto what Adam said.

The other two important variables are whether or not you're a cold sleeper, and how much insulation you're using in the forms of a sleeping pad and clothing.

You probably won't be camping above 10k ft* (you'll only be above 10k briefly at Island Pass, then for a couple miles on each side of Donahue).

The usual storm pattern in the Sierra is typically nice weather, dotted with a cyclical thunderstorm pattern that builds for a few days–each afternoon the clouds growing more and more threatening–and eventually releases with a few-hour afternoon storm, then repeats. That's "usual", but "unusual" weather occurs, too. Torrential and multi-day deluges are unlikely, but possible.

Since it's a short trip, maybe look at the weather forecast just before you leave, and decide based on that. If it looks like it's going to be hot or average (and hot in SoCal and the central valley usually means hot on the west side of the crest), you could vie for the 40 degree bag, if your other clothing and sleeping pad warrant. If not, go with the 20.

How finalized is your route?

* Above 10k ft, the world can be pointy and hard and cold and try to kill you. Below 10k ft, it's mostly hot cocoa and hugs in warm pine-needle nests.

Thanks for the feedback!

I have not finalized a route yet, but was thinking red meadow then up either the jmt or pct to Toloumne meadows and then into the valley, but I haven't figured out any specifics yet. I'm still giving my self some flexibility with regards to how long I'm going to be out, but I am thinking six days at a fairly casual pace but I have a hard time trying to nail anything down due not being familiar with the terrain.

For a first trip to the high Sierra, it might be a pretty good route. For better or for worse, you're never far from civilization, and will probably see day hikers every day you're out there. The route you've picked is around 57 miles, so that's sub-10 mile days. Maybe pick out some side-trips in case you're making better time–Ediza, Marie, or Davis Lakes, e.g., or Cloud's Rest.

Hiking along that section of the JMT is not too unlike hiking in the bay area. The trail is good everywhere, and there's a fair amount of elevation change. Have you climbed Mission Peak? That's good practice. And, you'll get used hiking among throngs of people, just like you will on the JMT ;).

Regarding Mission peak, I've ridden up it a lot, it is a favorite for night rides in the winter however I have yet to walk up it. I've hike up to the top of Black Mountain a few times and that is a good bit of work.

I think one of the things about Yosemite is that while it is an amazing place, it is popular even with the people. If I want to go somewhere devoid of people I can always head out to Coe or the los padres NF!

I've hiked, biked, and run up Mission Peak, and I think biking is the hardest of the three.

I guess the more subtle point I was making regarding day hikers in Yosemite was this: you could be a day hiker, seeing the sights you'll see on your hike. You could take a day trip from the bay area, and see any of the sights you'll see on your hike.

To cast subtlety completely aside: if you have six days, you might think about getting into a place that you couldn't see on a day hike.

Really, it's just an aside–those parts of Yosemite/Inyo are beautiful, and if you haven't gotten up there to see them, there's nothing wrong with doing so, especially on your first high Sierra backpacking trip. I guess it was the only part of the JMT that I did out of some misaligned sense that if I was going to do the JMT, I should do the Entire, Official, JMT. I didn't really look forward to that section and for me, it wasn't particularly rewarding–I'd hiked most of it before. If I were going to pick only a section of the JMT to do, that wouldn't be it–but I've day-hiked (and backpacked) much of Yosemite, already.

If you haven't seen the high Sierra before, it probably doesn't matter that much where you go–it'll blow your mind. Thousand Island Lake will blow your mind. Donahue Pass will blow your mind. Go.

With regards to Mission Peak, its not really that hard of a climb on the mountain bike, it is just a 45 minute grind up to the "Y", Fun on the single speed though!

I haven't had a lot of opportunity to day hike much of the park, much less backpack it, so I figure I can knock a lot of "yep, seen it" bits for this hike, hah. Its even a little funny that I've spent so little time in the sierra given that I have family in Groveland! And for all of that, I've only hike up to lower Yosemite falls and done the mist trail. I think i might go try to get a big dayhike in up there this weekend…

My wife was originally planning on doing this trip with me, however she had some scheduling conflicts between work, a job change and a catalog being due at her new gig that make her unable to attend, so we were originally planning some very mellow days, however now… She might meet me at Tuolomne meadows for a day hike or something. Who knows, its all up in the air now!

I have a feeling after this trip I'll be making time to do more walks in the Sierra.

My guess is that if you can ride up Mission Peak on a single speed, you can do 20s in the Sierra. And if it's a fixie, you can probably do 30s.

There are a lot of really great side trips you could add to your route, and keep in your back pocket if you're ahead of schedule. That might lead to a stress-free first trip (knowing you'll be able to make the required miles, which are easy), while giving you the opportunity to explore a bit more.

The Minarets is a great area to hike in. IMO, the JMT route is quite a bit nicer than the PCT route. The latter goes through the old burned out area north of Agnew while the JMT goes by some real visual gems in Emerald, Ruby, Garnet, etc.

I agree with Adam W, if you can SS up Mission Peak, fitness is not your limiter. Just make sure you do enough training miles to be used to your shoes, pack, etc.

Fitness isn't so much the issue, as wanting to go that fast, I have the feeling there will be lots of stopping and taking pictures of stuff! But with that said, I don't think doing 20 miles will be that hard, just a matter of spending that much time on my feet. i ride a lot and run a bit, but I don't get out for more than 5-8 mile hikes all that often (which I will be doing a bit more of leading up to this trip…) its just getting the walking long distance muscles used to it again. I am not that worried about pack fit/footwear as I've been using the same pack for years (an ancient z55) and I put lots of miles in on foot at work just waking from highbay to highbay.

I'll have to get a scale and a list of gear together, I have around 17lb base weight just missing food and water (fuel (an 11oz msr canister!) is in the above weight! horrah), no thanks to that stupid bear canister. When the materials come in to do the apex quilt, That should drop a pound based upon the one I made for my wife vs the weight of my down bag(which is in the above weight).
I have a bit of progress to go weight wise, but that'll happen in time. Got my wife and her gear down there though, our last 3 day trip she had around a 10lb weight with her half of the 2p tent, her pad/quilt/pack/etc.

"I have around 17lb base weight just missing food and water (fuel (an 11oz msr canister!)"

The actual butane blend fuel is around 8 ounces as a consumable, and the rest of the 11 ounces or so would be base weight, since it is non-consumable.

–B.G.–