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John Muir trail
  • ned searles
  • ned searles

John Muir trail

Stu and I are hiking the JMT from south to north. Starts on cottonwood trail and ends in Yosemite Valley Read more
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  • Trip start
    July 26, 2025
    ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler
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    Day 0 lone pine

    July 26, 2025 in the United States 🌬 28 °C

    After we made it to the airport we headed out to find stove fuel. It took 10 stores to find what we needed. Made it to lone pine around 5. Great Mexican food truck for dinner. Heading to bed ready for a great day 1 on the trail.Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler
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    Day 1 cottonwood pass. 15 miles

    July 27, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 12 °C

    Good day but grinder for sure. About 2000 feet in elevation and big flat section. Crossed from Inyo forest to sequoia national park. Fantastic views! One of the things we learned is both Stu and I can text and receive via satellite. So cool. Never really alone and game changer for backcountry. Campsite is next to a river and wonderful too. We ate and going to bed. Not even 6 yet. Tomorrow is all uphill. About 8 milesRead more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 2 base of Whitney 8 miles

    July 28, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 11 °C

    Started out cold when we broke camp. Immediately climbed 1000 feet and warmed up fast. Crossed goyot pass. Couple stream crossings and all was good. Got to camp at 100 and relaxed the afternoon. Stu tried to stand close to a marmot. 545 and in tent. Storm nearby but should miss us. Tomorrow is Whitney!Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler
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    Day 3 Whitney 10 miles

    July 29, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 11 °C

    Same campsite as last night. Stu headed out at 545 to summit. Well before sunrise. I went at 745 in same direction. Day was clear and photos fantastic. Stu made summit with a lot of other people. I planned to go to final switchback at 12500 and made that. Total 10 miles for me and 17 for Stu. Got back around 2 and hung out until dinner at 5. Bed at 600. Port o potty open to woods on one side. Today we saw a pica and several marmots packing in food for winter. Also trout in river. Very cool!I think bandanna is one (you) dad gave me 40 yrs ago. Would have been up Whitney 30 yrs ago. It has done well but looking a bit ragged like me!Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 4 to Forrester pass 10 miles

    July 30, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 11 °C

    Cold morning when we left Whitney. 2000 feet traveled up and through rock fields. Really glad I have poles. Thanks Carolyn! Lunch at a creek and a guy caught a trout. Very cool. The high plains meadow was very neat too. We hear jets from Edwards air force base all day. Interesting to see jets but could do without noise in evening. Set camp on ridge overlooking huge valley. Perfect night. Saw pika and marmots again bed at 545. Super proud how clean I have kept my feet!Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 5 to vidette mdw 13 miles

    July 31, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 15 °C

    Big day. Over Forrester. 13200 high and very steep. So great at top! Highest I have ever climbed. That was a 1600 ft climb and then we descended for about 8 miles. Last part of day was up 700 ft to campsite. We are positioned to get to parking lot early enough to get to town to get our reapply. Love the site but more people since 10 miles to entrance. Tired and 600 to bed.Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler
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    Day 6 to independence for restock

    August 1, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 13 °C

    We left camp around 700. Straight up to kearsarge pass. About 1600 feet I. 2 hours. Then dropped to onion pkg lot and hitchhiked a ride to independence. Look in photos to see the 2 that brought us down. Nice people. Ate massive sub from Valero gas station. Told the preparer what a good job she did. Foods handled properly changes gloves. Perfect job! Caught up with the real world for a couple hours and that was great. Shower was nice too. Did my laundry in the parking lot to dry. Worked great! Dinner was taco truck. Only other option in town was another Valero sub.

    Repacked for home tomorrow morning.

    Be sure to look at album I shared. If you want to be added to shared album or someone to penguins let me know.

    It is back up trail we came down tomorrow morning    Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 7 to base of Glen pass 10 miles

    August 2, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 17 °C

    Just A note to anybody following the updates. The last WiFi we have had was in independence on day six. Since then we have had no WiFi, occasional cell at top of passes and satellite texting ( thanks Elon!). Once we get to WiFi we can send all updates out together. Sorry about the delay.

    Left hotel around 730. Quick walk to Valero to get some carbs. After went to local spot to get a ride to onion trailhead. This is same trail we came down yesterday to get to hotel. Got a ride from nice socal couple. Started up around 815. Hot decent to summit and got there around 1130. Headed down and picked up John Muir trail. This took us to our campsite mid mountain for glen pass. Big day. 10 miles and 3000 vertical feet.    Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 8 to base of Pinchot pass 12 miles

    August 3, 2025 in the United States 🌬 17 °C

    Day started early. German group near us got up at 530 to make breakfast. We left at 630. Views from glen pass were fantastic! Glen I think it was named after you. A plaque at the summit read “why would anyone walk up here?? - Glen T.” Got up 1000 feet in an hour (fast) and headed down. Rae lakes were beautiful. Downhill was 8 miles and knees felt it. Headed up to camp and got here around 3. Crossed suspension bridge on trail. Bed at 600.Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 9 base of Maher pass 11 miles

    August 4, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 12 °C

    Early start since we needed to cover lots of vertical and miles. Got over Pinchot pass. Great views and just a few clouds in the sky. The lakes along the trail are amazing with mountains in background. Downhill was 6 miles and we headed up to our camp just below tree line. Sun is hot so staying in sun isn’t a good idea for us.Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler
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    Day 10 to base of Muir pass 14.5 miles

    August 5, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 17 °C

    Early start to Pinchot pass 645. First people on pass and had it all to ourselves. So beautiful. Did see trout in lakes. Not sure what kind they are. After 1200 ft ascent the rest was downhill. About 4000 vertical feet. We moved one mile up valley to camp in meadow. Great views there too. Did see a few deer on way down the mountain.Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 11 to lake evolution 16 miles

    August 6, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 17 °C

    Good day. Started from meadow early 635 and had 10 mile hike to top of Muir pass. Really long walk in the sun and 3600 feet up. Views were stunning and there was a hut on the top of the pass we ate lunch in. The decent was 6 miles and 4000 feet to campsite and super hot with no shade. We were glad to get here and set up camp. Views everywhere are wonderful. Near full moon on the rise last night.Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 12 To Muir trail resupply 15.5 mil

    August 7, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 20 °C

    Day started at evolution basin lake. And is one of the most beautiful places I have seen. The day was almost entirely downhill with a slight grade. Couple steep trail drops but overall not bad. Easiest day so far. Fantastic meadows on way down too. We followed the San Joaquin river for miles. Lots of fisherman along way and also camps run by kings canyon in area. Mules do the work and people walk or ride in. Guessing river trout. We now see ponderosa pines and they are so big! Near end of day we crossed from kings canyon to Muir national forest. 7 days to walk across kings canyon! Kings canyon would be at least as popular as Yosemite if it was more accessible. So amazing. We came down to 7700 and tomorrow up to close to 11000 after reapply at 8000.Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 13 over Sheldon pass 9 miles

    August 8, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 19 °C

    Today was the restock supplies at Muir trail ranch. We were 1.5 miles away so got to camp at 800. Found our bucket of food Stu sent and got things loaded up. It took 2.5 hours to charge so got out late. Totally remote place but works for thru hikers. No toilets or WiFi but you can buy fuel and other supplies. Hike went straight up 2000 feet and leveled off for a bit. Got steep again to end. We camped just over pass at the nicest site I have seen. Getting cold so heading to bed. Hard but great day. Over half done!Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 14 to base of silver pass 14.6 miles

    August 8, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 24 °C

    Day started by leaving a fantastic campsite. At the end of the lakes the mountains suddenly end and we dropped off 400 feet over 10 miles. Through forest and following a river. Once we hit the bottom we climbed up 1700 feet dropped 1700 feet and back up 800 to our site. Another nice view for sure. Today we also had smoke from a foothills fire. Won’t bother us but smoke is everywhere. Sun in afternoons is hot so we try to get an early start.Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 15 to Virginia lake 11.2 miles

    August 10, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 20 °C

    We started the day about 4 miles below silver pass. This is our 11th pass and 9 of 11 on the John Muir trail. About 2000 feet up and we got to the pass. Views were amazing for sure. From there we dropped 2000 feet into the valley and had lunch on the river. Had to sit on the trail since no room. From there we headed straight up about 2400 feet. The lake is amazing and with the mountains in the background something you don’t see often. Wrapped for the day and bed at 600. Great dayRead more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler
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    Day 16 near reds meadow 13 miles

    August 11, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 23 °C

    Started at 720 from Virginia lake and headed up for a bit. Day was not too taxing g for a change. 13 miles and 1200 trip. Most was downhill. We did see duck lake and that was really nice. On the walk we saw the backside of mammoth ski resort too. Way up on mountains. Long sloping downhills and not too many views. Geography has really changed. This morning it looked like Yosemite with granite walls. Now we are in lava rocks and not much granite. Clouds this afternoon but hope rain holds off. Tomorrow is laundry and sandwiches!!!Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 17 to Gladys lake 10.6 miles

    August 12, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 21 °C

    We got up around 630 to get to reds meadows for our supply. We had our last box of food sent there and had a 2 mile walk to the meadow We got our food and the best part was we did our laundry and took a shower. It had been 9 days since a shower and since I left McKinney for washing the clothes I had on. We paid for 7 minute timed showers. Clean body and clean clothes was wonderful! After reds we headed up. Initial plan for day was to stay in reds and take a day but when we looked at next day we realized we needed to put some miles on to make Wednesday manageable. Just into climb we passed through devils postpone national monument. Really interesting. The columns are basalt and from a volcano. We then climbed through woods and past several lakes and ended at a small lake, Gladys. About 2000 vertical and will make tomorrow much better. Also found small frogs and a ribbon snake by the lake. Very cool!Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 18 to base of Donahue pass 11 miles

    August 13, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 19 °C

    Our day started early with someone talking like they were the only one in the site at 545. Day was not too big 11 miles and 2400 feet but seemed to wear us out. Guessing we are tired from the prior miles. We headed up and crossed a hill then crossed a series of lakes. Ruby, emerald among them. We had lunch at 10,000 islands lake. Just. Amazing how big it is. Fantastic views and water was so clear. After the lakes we headed up and eventually crossed our second to last pass. Island pass. Not much there but does mark we are getting close. Tomorrow we will cross Donahue pass and enter Yosemite! Tired today and 600 bedtime.Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 19 into Lyell canyon 11 miles

    August 14, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 19 °C

    Normal start just after 700. One of my best nights sleep I have had so ready to go. Donohue pass was 4 miles and 1600 feet up. We worked along the path for a couple hours and finally made it. Glad we went early. Sun was full on trail all the way up. Views were amazing and this is where we crossed into Yosemite from Muir national forest. Very cool. Lyell canyon is beautiful. We have views of the mountains and long valley. Also saw deer grazing tonight. Tomorrow off to Tuolumne Meadows.Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 20 Tuolumne meadows 6.1 miles

    August 15, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 18 °C

    Started around 720 and it was very cold in Lyell canyon. Bundled up and headed to the Tuolumne meadows area. About 6 miles. Rangers helped us and we ended up climbing lambert dome instead of trying for half dome. Great choice and fantastic view. The 6 miles for the hike isn’t in the total above since we had light packs and had already set up camp. We also saw a bear walking back to campsite along with mule deers. Very cool! Spent few hours at Tuolumne meadows store and grill. Couple beers and cheeseburger for dinner. First red meat in 3 weeks so shall see how that goes. Great campsite and all new. Bathroom too! Bet at around 700Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 21 high sierra camp 10 miles

    August 16, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 17 °C

    After a day relaxing for the afternoon at Tuolumne meadows, we set off for the next stop. We have 3 days until Paula picks us up so we are splitting what would normally be a 2 day hike into 3 days. So today was a 10 mile and 1700 vertical day. Relatively easy compared to others. The 1700 vertical is also the last up hike of the trip. We hiked past a nice lake and several meadows. We also passed cathedral rock which was also beautiful. Pic below. Even saw about 10 deer some male with full antlers. Water was scared for first time on like. Pic of water hole is where we had to filter today. Nasty!. We came across a closed high sierra camp and set up camp for the night. Overlooks a valley and mountains in the distance. Just amazing for sure! Bed at 630.Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 22 to boundary for valley 9 miles

    August 17, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 19 °C

    The morning was cold and we had a heavy dew overnight. All our stuff was wet but not a big problem. Hike started up and we climbed 500 feet. After that all downhill about 3000 feet. We passed by views of the valley half dome and clouds rest that were incredible. Such a wonderful park. We stopped at the trail split to half dome for the night. Lots of trees but very nice campground. Afternoon is similar to yesterday. Relaxing and getting ready for tomorrow. Sitting around at 400 we had a big bear come near campsite. Hard to see in pic but did wander off. Then we started hearing people say hey bear! We nd the hike tomorrow with 7 miles to happy isles!Read more

  • ned searlesJohn Muir trailTraveler

    Day 23 Final hike to valley 7 miles

    August 18, 2025 in the United States ☀️ 20 °C

    We woke up at 700 and got going. We camped behind half dome and headed down to the valley. Basically the whole trip was downhill. We got to camp curry around 1130 and found a place to charge devices. Met a few people on the John Muir trail or starting soon and talked to them. We caught a bus out to the backpacking camp site and set things up. After we caught a bus to the village and grabbed a couple sodas. Dinner was back at camp curry and we met a nice family we helped plan a day hike. They were from France. Headed back late tonight and bed at 800. Paula is here tomorrow!Read more

  • Trip end
    August 23, 2025