John Muir Trail final preparations

In a short time I go to California to start my walk John Muir Trail to the north (Nebo). I am happy for many of my preparations, both mental and physical, but as always I feel that I could be smarter. But I have to remember that when everything is said and done, I am only walking, with few restrictions or commitments in my time.

Fitness preparation

At 67, I need to be more attentive to my physical state before starting a walk. When I started the Colorado path at age 62, in 2021, it weighed 204 pounds. Until today I am in 181, which is the lighter I’ve been in many years. I have lost weight mainly through a more intentional diet and «rucking»: walk with a heavy package. I lost about 15 pounds while walking through the CT; I doubt you lose so much while walking through the JMT and can even gain weight. But it will be great to have less pounds on my knees and feet.

Great Altitude Training Walk

I have tried to walk in elevation, which I am lucky to have access here in Colorado. I also camped in elevation, and my Buddy Steve and I can acclimatize some in the city of Lone Pine and in the Horseshoe Meadows camp, which has more than 10,000 elevation feet, before addressing Mount Whitney and beyond.

Gear

After substantially reducing the weight of my gear, I find that I am now adding some ounces here and there. It is likely that I will carry a very light solar panel (approximately 3 ounces), because even with two 10K bricks they worry me without energy during the first 10 days of our trip when we will not have access to the recharge of an exit. I could send the solar panel back home when we get to Muir Trail Ranch (MTR).

Another element that I have decided to carry is a 5 -ounce Kindle, so that you can review the JMT guide incredibly complete and well written by Elizabeth Wenk, which has even written as a separate northern edition in Kindle format, as well as read other books for fun. The Kindle will not need to recharge for quite some time, and carry it stop my impulse to look at my phone. I really need to keep my phone reserved for navigation and photography.

While I love my ventilation gear backpack of Vaucluse «spacer», for the flow of air between my back and my package, and use it daily in my weighted backpack, I have reluctantly decided to leave it at home for this long distance walk, since I have decided to add some weight with other options. I hope not to regret my decision.

During the night on Longs Peak at 13,000 feet

I have made several Shakedown nights at altitude and I am very happy with the rest of my team. In particular, my Durston X-Mid Pro 2 store is still a pleasure to establish and sleep, and I love my new trekking shoes Asolo Lone Peak 9+ with its most robust superiors and soles of Vibram.

Food and drink

I found some excellent mylar bags online and instead of taking prefabricated meals (such as the mountain house, etc.), I have packaged my own dinners that basically consist of three types of food, all dehydrated or lyophilized: refritos, cheese and fried beans; Puree of potatoes with refused beans; and stuffing of stove. To all these I have added lyophilized vegetables and meat cecina. All these meals can be soaked cold if I find a problem with the kitchen. I remember that in the university circuit in 2022, as well as in the Benton Mackaye Trail in 2023, there were afternoons in which I did not feel like configuring the stove.

My breakfasts are also dehydrated: mainly oatmeal with liophilized or dehydrated fruit, as well as protein through bars or meat sticks. My lunches will be protein, cookie bars, mixture of paths and meat sticks.

I also have fruits and vegetable milkshakes, instant coffee/cream sticks and an excellent recipe recipe recipe «of the food patio consisting of peanut butter dust, powdered milk and snapshot of chocolate. My friends already loved this recovery drink in other long -distance backpacks.

I have the feeling that despite the fact that I have reduced my daily food ration based on the experience of the previous years, it is possible that I still have more food than I want to eat, but it is important to force themselves to eat enough to avoid the phase.

Since the JMT is hot, I will want to keep up with the electrolytes, and I have LMNT and Liquid IV supplements. I love the salty flavor of LMNT supplements, including chocolate with my morning coffee. The only LMNT flavor with which I am not partial is Chile Mango ..

Replenish

Unlike CT and BMT, there are only a few refueling options throughout the JMT. Our most exotic option will be to replenish through the Mule Pack along the southern part of the path near Kearsarge Pass. We were able to reduce the costs a bit when we found other hikers through the Facebook JMT 2025 page to «share» a mule.

Reburse and box cubes

It has been interesting to pack our results in large plastic cubes, which MTR requires and Red’s Meadow encourages.

Permits and insurance

Unlike CT and BMT, the JMT requires permits, not only a path of path, but also a fire permit (basically only evidence that you have read online warning information) and a general hiking document. I will keep them in a plastic bag in the practical zipper pocket of my DURSTON KAKWA 55 package in case a ranger asks to see them.

Speaking of plastic bags, I will have some to carry my used toilet paper. I do not enjoy the idea of doing this and I will use a bidé to try to keep my TP in the minimum, but well, they are the rules. (Near Whitney you have to use «wag bags» for poop, which means you carry everything, I mean all -It is with you). I hope you have experience in the use of my Bidet water bottle accessory for when this walk ends.

Some time ago I bought $ 100,000 of search and rescue insurance through Garmin. The JMT is more remote than other paths, especially in its southern section, and if I ever have to press the SOS button I want to have coverage against a helicopter rescue. In addition, I am a volunteer as a patrolman of the park in the states of my home, and those paths can also obtain something remote, which makes Sar Insurance a good idea.

Another preparation

We are walking from Cottonwood Lakes, so we have done an additional investigation into that trace of focus. Most hikers take Cottonwood Pass, but I have heard that The Lakes Trail is more picturesque, and I would like to return to the top of the army after 38 years.

The «create a route» in Farout allows you to quickly determine the mileage and the gain/loss of elevation

The use of the FAROUT function «Create a route» is a wonderful way to plan the daily mileage that includes information on the gain and loss of daily elevation. You can even create airplane mode, without internet connection!

I hoped to complete my certification of the first desert responder before leaving, but that will not happen. At least I will have a good start. I am also ensuring that my wife has all our updated financial information, plus information in case our domestic electronics (internet and television) have problems while I have not gone, since I am a kind of our type of technical support at home.

Finally, I make sure you download the most recent Farout information and updates, and change the most complete Garmin Inreach Plan to be able to send text messages with my wife without worrying about additional costs. We do not send text messages a lot, but it’s great to talk to each other every day on the way. She has great peace of mind to be able to track my progress and write with me.

It will be interesting to see how the JMT compares with the CT. My friends who have walked tell me that the JMT is drier, hotter and less shadow. I was on Mount Whitney and the Army pass 38 years ago, but, it is not surprising, I cannot remember much about it, except that everything was beautiful!

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