JMT

The trail is well marked. If there is ever any doubt just follow the deepest groove in the ground… it is a well traveled trail. I haven't used a compass in the Sierra for decades… even when going cross country off trail. Take Harrison Maps and you will be okay.

The best weather and conditions are typically mid-July to mid-Sept, with August being the very best, but also being the busiest time.

General recommendation? Have fun and don't over plan to the point there is no spontaneity.

Billy

There are only a few places where the JMT is difficult to follow, but you can figure it out easily. For the most part getting lost would be quite difficult. You would have to get on wrong trail, and then you arent lost, just on wrong trail.

Generally just follow the horse crap. Not kidding. The trail is well defined, often has rock borders, or well trodden dug out tread. Even on rock slabs there are either a line of rocks to follow, or cairns. You are also in canyons along rivers, or beyween mountain ridges much of the time

Best time for solo is after most snow is gone. You wont be solo unless you want to be.

Really not that long of a hike. It might seem like it if youve only done very short, but it flies by. The first half is a series of 1-2 day hikes between resupply destinations. The second half is a 115 mile stretch, but is only as many days as you want it to be.

Join the JMT yahoo group. Then look in the "Files" section for all the information that you could ever want on JMT logistics.
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/johnmuirtrail/conversations/messages

Most of the trail is at high elevation – if you don't know from your prior hiking experience, you will need to find out how your body copes with altitude. You may need to factor in several days to acclimatize beforehand, or start slow from Yosemite.

"The first half is a series of 1-2 day hikes between resupply destinations. The second half is a 115 mile stretch, but is only as many days as you want it to be."

This assumes that you are going north to south.

If you go south to north, it can be rather more difficult, especially getting up Mount Whitney right at the start.

–B.G.–

The JMT is incredibly easy to follow; if in doubt, a few seconds looking at a map (or an app) will set you straight. If all else fails, there are scads of people — just ask someone.

You will encounter many, many solo hikers on the JMT, and people are generally very social. My husband and I picked up several solo hikers en route with whom we traveled for several days. On the other hand, if you want to remain solo, no one will bother you. But expect to see a lot of people in the summer months.

If you're going SOBO, you can resupply often, especially in the first half. But if you have the time/money and don't mind an extra few miles (about 16), you can also resupply in Independence, which will reduce the amount of food you'll have to carry between MTR and Whitney. If you're willing to spend major $$$ ($600 and up) you can hire mules to resupply you at Charlotte Lake instead of Independence.

All in all, it's a great experience with incredible scenery. The trails are well-graded (they are stock trails, after all), and if you go SOBO, you'll have plenty of time to acclimate.

The trail is very well marked and quite well worn. If you go in July or August when most of the snow has melted off, it would be hard to get lost if you can read a trail sign that points you to the next landmark. Definitely get the Tom Harrison Map pack. You don't really need a compass, although I like carrying one because you will see all sorts of lakes and mountains and it helps you identify them.

If you're not good with navigation, I wouldn't go in June since navigation becomes a much bigger issue due to the snow. There is a confusing stretch in the area between Thousand Island Lake and Red's Meadow (too many junctions) but with a map (and usually quite a few people passing you by), you can figure it out pretty easily. You're never really solo on the trail. I once hiked alone for 6 hours, sat down to eat my lunch, and during the 30 minutes of doing so saw about 4 – 5 people pass me by.

I agree with the JMT Yahoo group. They are a wealth of information.