Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board Section Day-Hiking The JMT?

Red's Meadow Updates:

http://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/inyo/home/?cid=stelprdb5355082

http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5371535.pdf

Thanks for the links Richard, it looks like the clean up process is slow at Reds Meadow.

It's funny... I'd been kinda whining about possibly having to climb over/go around a few fallen trees in the Reds Meadow area this summer, but then I thought of Ellen and all the other JMT'ers that hiked last year thru ALL that snow, and I realized what a small inconvenience a few fallen trees will be. It's going to be such a wonderful summer!

I get the impression that the major trails are clear. They just haven't gotten enough of the Red's Meadow area clear to allow people down there yet. The one press release said no opening date can be published yet.

I'm planning on using Duck or Mammoth Pass as the entry \ exit for the sections up near there.

I emailed the store at Red's, here was his reply
"We are not open yet. We plan to be open on June 22.

Sincerely,
Shawn
Red's Meadow Pack Station"

That's good news. I guess I can go back to my original plan, since I won't be up that way until July. Thanks.

Doug told me the opening has been delayed by a week to 06/29/12.

Anyone have any photos (besides the ones posted by the FS)? I'm hearing that the PCT is a clear path, but that the JMT (I guess the two trails split up there somewhere.) is still a BIG MESS, with LOTS of over/under/around the downed trees. I had to deal with some of this on the Taboose Pass to South Lake section hike I did last Friday. Don't have any interest in doing more...

I am interested to know as well. I start my High Sierra Trail to the John Muir Trail in five weeks, hopefully its cleaned up by then

Richard, I haven't seen any current pictures of the JMT, but I did find a map and some reports showing the "Trails impacted by windfallen trees". This is a current map, dated 6-25-2012:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5367030.pdf

Work Progress Report, dated June 22nd:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5370647.pdf

Other concerning posts:
http://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/stelprdb5371535.pdf

It's a getting a little worrisome...My sister Marianne and her husband were joining me from Tuolumne Meadow to Reds, and we're scheduled to be in that area in about 3.5 weeks! I REALLY am hoping we don't have to go down the River Trail or the PCT...

Well, I guess we'll just have to cross that fallen log when we come to it... at least it appears that we can make it Thousand Island Lake, which is one of the high points of this segment; Garnet Lake is beautiful as well. If we need to, we can take the River Trail at the northeast end. Continuing south, The River Trail hooks up with the PCT, and (it appears) to lead into Reds Meadow... which wouldn't help my sister and husband if the road will still be closed in 3-4 weeks.This is where they are sceduled to exit.

There are mazes of trails in the Thousand Island/Garnet Lake area leading eventually to the June Lake Loop Road, but I would be sad to miss Shadow Lake and Rosalie Lake. Marianne and Randy may need to take this detour if the road to Reds Meadow is still closed.

Interesting little challenges we have here…..

Rosie

Thanks for the links.

Not looking good for finishing the project this year. That's miles and miles of clearing that still needs to be done on the JMT.

I guess I can still do the South Lake to Mammoth sections, assuming there aren't a lot if trees on these sections of trail?

These updates have been really interesting. 2,000 trees have been cleared? Wow! Well, Bravo the the hard workers on these crews!!

Sounds like there's still going to be some real challenges ahead... Tully Hole? It's been a few years since I've been there but I remember the trail leading to it as really steep... it'll be interesting climbing over downed trees in that terrain.

But it's OK.... I LOVE Silver Pass (LOL!) It'll just make the experience all the more special

Well, I'm down to ONE section to go... this Sunday.

Here are my stats:

~287 miles
(309 if you include the Minaret Lake Trail mistake last Saturday.)
(There's also Whitney to Shepherd and Shepherd to OV that have added significantly to the mileage total.)

for

~184 miles of John Muir Trail.

I've said it before: I want a month, AT LEAST!, for an end-to-end walk of this route.