JMT 2015: Preparing Way Too Early

[Nicholas Jensen]

After years of unsupported bicycle touring, including about 50 nights worth of bikepacking, my wife and I have suddenly decided that we'd like to go backpacking again. And there's no better way to get reacquainted with the beauty of backpacking than by hiking the JMT. I'm familiar with the terrain, having worked in the Yosemite high country for a summer (warm days, chilly nights, rare thunderstorms), but it'd be nice to get some feedback on my pack list:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/13HWNXQn9J0-E8WwP6eD4pcyk4pZz4z-iWejVN2fZTK4/edit?usp=sharing

I don't own the items in red.

I'll be carrying the majority of the camp gear (shelter, kitchen, etc.) so I'd like to make my burden as light as possible. But I also don't want to go bankrupt in the process.

The plan is to go southbound mid-August to early September, hiking about 10 miles per day with maybe a rest day or two thrown in. We will probably take advantage of most of the common drop points so we don't have to carry so much food.

Some of my main questions are:

1- Is the Zpacks poncho worth the expense? Or is the O2 jacket fine?
2- Are these new superlight backpacks, like the Arc Blast, worth spending $$$ instead of using my heavier Jam?
3- Is my clothing list too skimpy?
4- Am I missing anything critical?

Thanks!

[John Rowan]

I don't see anything too critical missing, but I'd note the following:

– Stove: Fire restrictions appear to be more and more the norm given the recent droughts, and regardless of what this year's snowfall brings, I wouldn't be surprised to see NPS/NFS keep up the trend. With this in mind, the odds are more than fair that the cat can stove won't be legal on the trail. (When I went this year, they were totally banned, and it took a bit of smooth talking to get away with esbit.)

– Poncho: I'm not sure what your total gear budget looks like, but I'd be inclined to stick with the O2 if you already have it. (Disclosure: I own one, but haven't really gotten hit with anything harder than a misty drizzle during the time that I carried it.) I feel like there's not really a ton of weight/performance advantage to the poncho, and the thing's not cheap.

– Insulating layer: Depends on your own metabolism/threshold, etc., but I liked having a full down jacket over just a vest. (It seems like you're already thinking that as well.) It's not wholly out of the question for it to be COLD at some point other than when you're snug in bed. (This goes x10000 if you're going to be summiting Whitney in the early morning. On a related note- night hiking Whitney and being there for the sunrise is super duper worth the effort.)

[Allen C]

I'd bring the down jacket instead of the vest, and the rain jacket instead of the poncho. At 10 miles a day you'll be spending a lot of time in camp so the extra warmth will be worth it, and there is a good chance you will get prolonged rain and/or cold weather, being out there that long. Which is why I'd go with rain pants instead of wind pants (or both), but leave the convertible pants at home since most of the time shorts will be fine. Although if you go with wind pants maybe the poncho will give you more coverage than the rain jacket. I'd skip the wind jacket – if its that windy that you need it you can wear the rain jacket, and if it is too hot for the rain jacket you won't need the wind jacket either.

Running shorts plus long underwear and rain pants should cover you for just about any conditions on the JMT that time of year – maybe bring some calf sleeves too for sun protection. For the top, a synthetic T, cap 2 long sleeve, light down jacket and rain jacket ought to be enough. I'd bring some light fleece or liner gloves and maybe consider rain mitts as well – mornings can be quite cold and if it does rain a lot keeping your gloves dry is kind of crucial. A light fleece hat and broad brimmed sun hat are a good combo. I like the OR sunrunner cap personally but any good sun hat will do.

I'd also go with the pack you have – at the pace you are planning I would rather save the $ than the extra few ounces. Bring the chapstick, even with a hat you'll be glad you did. I'd bring the deet but not the headnet.

[Nicholas Jensen]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I'll stick with the O2 rain jacket and look at getting an insulated jacket like the MB Ex Light.

I hope NPS/NFS lifts the ban on alcohol stoves. I'd hate to revert back to a canister stove.

Allen, you made a good point about us spending a lot of time in camp because of our low mileage. I still don't think rain pants are necessary. It's pretty rare that a storm lasts long in the Sierra. I have cycling rain pants, but I'll only put them on in a deluge. They just don't breathe enough. If it was raining, I'd likely continue hiking in shorts and then slip into the dry wind pants in camp.

I'm also not keen on using the O2 as a wind layer. Too stuffy. The Houdini would act as my wind and mid layer.

But then again perhaps I'm putting too much stock in the magic of the Houdini and wind pants. What a dilemma ;) This is what I get for pack list scheming so early.

[Shawn C]

Looks like a good list and you guys should have a blast. I would only suggest a backup fire source. Unless I missed it, I only see the Bic mini on your list. I know there is always lots of discussion about whether or not to carry backup fire, but given the weight of spare matches or even a FireSteel, I would do it.

[Mitchell Ebbott]

> "I hope NPS/NFS lifts the ban on alcohol stoves. I'd hate to revert back to a canister stove."

They have, at least in Sequoia/Kings Canyon and Yosemite.

[Cameron M]

Rain jacket, yes, for total clothing warmth strategy, layering during hiking, and survival / exposure reasons
Glove liners, 1 oz
Usually no mosquitos that time of year, check in advance
Matches and whistle. When things get ugly, it is no joke
My personal new kit addition is hand lotion. This year the small cuts and abrasions on my very dry hands became super painful
Chapstick, even when wearing a brimmed hat
+1 Whitney by moonlight for sunrise. Four hours from Guitar Lake. Bloody cold at the top!

[Valerie E]

We did the JMT last August, at about 15 miles/day pace (with days off in Mammoth and Independence), so I have a few suggestions based on our experience.

(a) 10 miles/day is a very slow pace, so you will be spending a major part of each day at rest. That will really impact what kind of clothing you'll need (i.e., more warmer clothes).

(b) Food storage/resupply — unless you exit via Kearsarge Pass for resupply, at 10 mi/day you'll have to carry at least 10 days of food between MTR and Whitney (more like 11 days). I don't know what foods you like to eat, but you may have trouble fitting that amount into a Bearikade Weekender. We used an Expedition and a BV500, and we were "full up". Also, you may find that renting a Bearikade is not so cheap when you're on the trail for a long time. It will likely cost at least $110 EACH, at the "special JMT" rate — and you only save a few ounces over buying a relatively cheap BearVault (or similar).

(c) Wind pants/rain pants — August is normally relatively dry (but weather is unpredictable!). Despite being a "cold" person, I wore shorts, all day, every day, even over the high passes, and never wished I had anything more. Because we were only doing 15 mile days, we also had lots of time in camp, and I had warm powerstretch tights to wear. I truly don't think you need windpants, and I wouldn't even take rainpants (maybe a trashbag rain skirt, to be cautious). How about baselayer bottoms, which could be part of your sleep system. Your mileage is so low, that if it's raining, you could stop, throw up your tarp, and make up the mileage later.

(d) STRONG agreement on adding the chapstick and hand lotion! It is DRY out there, and my hands were so cracked and painful that I could barely buckle/unbuckle my pack.

(e) I don't think it's worth the money to upgrade your (relatively light) pack, as long as you're happy with its volume/comfort.

(f) You will probably not be able to – legally – bring your cat can stove, and a simple, inexpensive canister stove would be a good idea. Many people only heat one pot of water per day, and if you do the same, you may be able to use one SMALL fuel canister for the entire trail (we did).

(g) Although August is sometimes mosquito-free, last year, some areas had them, and we were happy to have a net tent so that we could escape them to sleep.

[Aaron Sorensen]

Planning on an unsupported JMT trip next year.

Already planning as well.
It's never too early.

Here's what I'm pondering for my sleep and clothing list.

Quilt 19oz
Pad 8.1oz
Bivy 4.0oz
Ground cloth 1.4oz
Stuff sack 0.3oz

Total 32.7oz or 2lb 0.7oz

.

Jacket 8.6oz
Fleece 8.3oz
Wind Jacket 2.2oz
Wind Pant 3.3oz
Beanie 1.2oz

Total 23.6oz or 1lb 6.6oz

.

[M B]

Straw hats can fall apart when wet. Depends on hat

My Oakley prescription sunglasses were my favorite gear item.

I wear one pr thin wool or synthetic, change every 10 miles or so due to dirt buildup with mesh trail runners on JMT. I could feel it when they needed to be washed out.

Honestly, could leave windshirt behind and use O2 jacket for both. I used my tachyon in early mornings to add a little warmth. Very little warmth.

Ex light jacket is handy. Only wore mine on Whitney, and a few times I got chilled from hiking in rain, just put everything on and got in bag and took still took 1.5 hrs to warm back up

Bring a pr of light fleece gloves for on top of whitney if you do a sunrise summit. It will be in high 20s most likely.

Can actually do without stakes. You will become proficient with rocks at many campsites. But doesnt hurt to have for the couple where they can be used.

Just buy the bearikade, and resell when done. Cost the same as renting and you have it long enough to practice packing it for the last stretch.

Yosemite and SEKI expressly allow alcohol now, but Inyo still has the meaningless wording for fire restrictions. Maybe can get that chaged this yr if start lobbying early. I managed a small stove (gnat) , zelph flat bottom foster pot, small windscreen, and only used half of a 100 gm cannister. Reasonable for an avid alcohol-ic as myself.

I used no DEET or sunscreen. Relying on clothing, permethrin, headnet , sungloves. I hate getting nasty chemicals on my gear, or myself. YMMV. Railriders ecomesh pants and exofficio reef runner lt shirt worked for me. Added plus is that YOU stay clean, even though your hiking clothes may get filthy.

I would say dont miss climbing whitney in predawn for the sunrise, highlight of the trip in my view. Would want a better light than photon for that.

Copy the harrison maps 2 sided, and only bring the parts you need between resupplies. I found Eriks Atlas far more useful than harrison maps. Yeah, Eriks dont show much area away from trial, but guess what, unless you stand on a high pass, you cant see outside the canyon you are walking in anyway, so all that information is useless. You cannot even shoot a bearing on a landmark peak far away unless you climb a peak to do so, most of the time you walk in between low mountain ridges or canyons.

I used my Arc Blast pack, and loved it. Its been my Go To pack for the last yr, about 500 miles of hiking. A heavy bearikade weekender can definitely damage the cuben. Plan for it, or take precautions to prevent. I would consider it great up to about 25 lbs.

[Bob Gross]

"Yosemite and SEKI expressly allow alcohol now, but Inyo still has the meaningless wording for fire restrictions."

We got that cleared up last summer. Inyo straightened out. The only remaining problem was Sierra National Forest last summer. They still held the rule about "must have shut-off valve."

–B.G.–

[Mike Henrick]

I did the PCT/JMT in late June, early July of 2013 which was a low snow year, so from what I heard conditions were similar to a normal late July or early August.

Running shorts with a sewn in liner and pockets worked great, along with cheap rain pants, a thrift store poly button down shirt, a wind jacket and an umbrella worked great for me as moving layers. On Selden and Silver passes I hit some lightning and hail and there was a 2 day rain storm that dropped a dusting of snow going over Mather with cold rain at lower elevations.

The running shorts were the only thing I could wear without having to deal with chafe, and they're much lighter than the typical zip off pants + underwear combo, which was great.

For your list, why not use the JacksRBetter as a down vest in camp and drop the vest? Also those Wright double layer socks wear out really fast, the dust grinds them to bits.

Are you sure your G/F is in with the bivy idea? A double bivy seems awkward, maybe a DIY bug netting solution would be better or forgetting it all together if the mosquito's have died out.

Also are you sure those bear cans are big enough? You're going slow, so more food is required and fewer bear box options are available.

[Keith Fultz]

just echoing there is no need for DEET in mid August. Hike JMT last August 15 to Sept 4 and encountered maybe 1 mosquito

Montbell Dynamo, very light, but I wore them as an extra layer each night and was too stupid to figure a way to protect them from ripping the seat. Sitting on a bandana would have probably protected them. They lasted the trip but they are done now

[Steve B]

1.7oz of DEET is a LOT of deet. If you bring a head net and have bug resistant clothes, the only place you will be putting DEET will be on the top of your hands. My DEET is 4.5g in a small vial (vial is about 1 mL). If you can get a bug head net from Peter Vacco, I would recommend it.

Extra batteries for the camera, a bag so it doesn't get wet, and a small tripod are photo things I would bring.

Flashlight, consider http://www.batteryjunction.com/titanium-innovations-ca1-al-xp-g2.html With a lithium AAA battery, it is 0.7oz. Plenty of light to get up Whitney in the dark.

If I remember, it is about 8 days from MTR to the Portal doing 15 miles per day. So at 10 miles per day, that will be 12 days. 11 days in the canister leaving MTR. It can be done, but you will need some practice smashing your food into the canister, and smashing again. Not easy at the last minute with a rental.

I should get my list up here in the next day or so. Same trail, same time of the year :)

Steve

[Ralph Burgess]

Steve,

Is that a commercial 4.5g vial of DEET? If so, could you tell me where you get it?

Or if you are re-packaging it yourself, what are you using? I did a bunch of experiments a couple of years ago on repackaging small amount of deet, and I could not find any kind of plastic that DEET did not attack. I even called Ultrathon to find out what they use for their squeezy tubes, and they told me that they were specially coated, but it was a secret!

thanks
Ralph

[Steve B]

Repackaged, using a small vial I purchased here, long time ago.

Looking at it, it is bigger than 1mL, probably about 5mL. Maybe try http://ultralightdesigns.com/products/packing/miniBottle-3.html

Steve

[Ralph Burgess]

Thanks v much, I guess I'll give it a try.

It's HDPE, which I know DEET dissolves – it makes it sticky. But maybe the process is slow enough that it doesn't affect the integrity of the bottle for a long time.

[Nicholas Jensen]

Thanks for all your insights. Here is a summary so far of the recommendations that I'll probably apply:

– No DEET. Bring headnets instead. Headnets can work as a clothing stuff sack.

– Add tights to sleep system. I recently did an overnight bike trip with nighttime temps around freezing. My beanie + Cap 2 l/s + Houdini + Marmot vest + undies + shorts + knee warmers + thin socks + quilt + NeoAir was not enough to keep me warm through the night. Some kind of midweight tights would have been nice. Any suggestions?

– Stick with the alcohol stove. It looks like most restrictions have been removed for alcohol stoves for 2015. This may change, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed. If not, I have provisions for a canister setup.

– Use my O2 rain jacket instead of buying a poncho. More money to spend on other things. No real advantage to make the switch.

– Buy a down jacket instead of using the vest. I think I'll need the extra coverage and warmth. I'm considering the FF Daybreak hooded jacket. Thoughts?

– Adding glove liners ( I may DIY some fleece mittens), chapstick, and lotion.

– Will buy a pair of the Bearikade Weekenders and sell afterwards. Good idea.

– Print maps doublesided

– After plotting out our potential resupply options, I think we're going to plan on 15-20 mile days instead. Less time in camp spent trying to keep warm :) I'll update the packlist.

[Nicholas Jensen]

After applying your suggestions to my spreadsheet (see original post), I'm hovering around 10-12lbs baseweight, which seems to be a good number with a bear canister. However, there are a few purchases I'll need to make to get there. And this is where I could use some more suggestions.

1 – Should I consider a 20º quilt, like the EE Enigma Elite, and use a lighter jacket, like the MB Ex Light Anorak, or should I go with, say, a 30º quilt and a warmer jacket, like the FF Daybreak hooded jacket?

2 – Any suggestions for tights/leggings? I can get Icebreaker clothes at 50% off retail, so their tights become price comparable with something like the Patagonia Cap 3 or REI synthetic tights. None of the sites show weights, so I'm not sure if the wool would be that much heavier than the synthetics.

[Jennifer Mitol]

oooo! for tights/leggings, I purchased Terramar expedition weight leggings (just like cap 4) for all of $15. LOVE THEM. they are soon comfy and warm at night, but if i kick a leg out of the quilt it breathes really well because of the grid on the inside. After getting those (STP i think) I would never, ever pay for the cap 4 leggings from patagonia. They also are perfect for going under wind pants during the morning/evening hours…they are a great part of my shorts/tights/windpants/kilt lower body combo now.

[Steve B]

1) I would recommend the 30 degree bag and Daybreak. About what I use and is quite flexible.
2) I use silk long johns. Very light, under 3oz.

Steve

[Cameron M]

"- Will buy a pair of the Bearikade Weekenders and sell afterwards. Good idea."
I can fit 12 days food max into a Bearikade Expedition. If you don't have a resupply friend or want to go off-trail at Bishop or Independence, that Weekender probably can't take you from MTR to the Portal. The Expedition weighs only 5 oz more. Even if you plan on a fast hike, why not take two extra days of food just in case you decide that you are in one of the best remote places on earth and it is worth just hanging out a bit longer?

[Bob Gross]

In those Bearikade canisters, most of the weight is in the metal end pieces, and very little weight is in the carbon fiber cylinder wall. So, they can make the canisters long and add very little weight over a shorter one.

Given the two options, a canister that is too long, or a canister that is too short, I think you want to go with the long one.

On the other hand, some weight-conscious backpackers carry the lightest canister that they can get, regardless of whether it is big enough. They carry the food that fills up the canister, and they carry the extra food outside of the canister. They know that they can keep the extra food somewhat hidden from sight, and they do have a canister, so that puts them very marginally around the edge of the law. I don't support that, but that is what happens.

Besides, a big one makes a much better camp stool than a short one.

–B.G.–

[Steve B]

I've had my Weekender take me from VVR to the Portal; 9 days, about 15 miles per day. Canister was about 18lbs total. It can be done with proper packing in the canister. Top half of the canister for the first half, bottom half for the second half of the trip. Food packed in bulk (not individual meals), eating the highest calorie/gram food (granola, pb, nuts, nutella, olive oil, etc).

If he starts from MTR, does consistently larger than 15 miles/day, it shouldn't be a problem. And a Weekender fits in pack easier than the Expedition.

But I agree, the scenery is worth hanging around a couple more days. But schedules and pick up dates don't always allow for that.

Steve

[Nicholas Jensen]

After looking at the price for buying the Weekender canisters, I think I'll either rent them or go with something cheaper, like the BV500. Also, just so it's clear, my wife and I will each be carrying a canister. If we increase our mileage to 15-20 miles per day, I think two smaller canisters should be fine.

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