JMT Notes

I cannot even explain how much I hated Cliff bars by the time I got to Muir Ranch.

When I opened my resupply bucket I immediately put all of my Cliff bars in the give away bucket. Because I had lost my appetite I also sent home my Jet Boil, Snowpeak cup and spork. I gave away my Ziploc bowl and lid as well as my oatmeal and any other meals that required cooking. I kept the buffalo jerky, Patagonia bars (I liked the tart flavor), and the freeze dried fruit. My taste buds seemed to crave that tart/tangy flavor.

I wish I had sent Gu in this resupply but I did not know yet that I liked it. I learned I liked Gu and that it worked for me on the Rachel Carson Trail Challenge. Thankfully I had purchased several peanut butter Gu at the Sacramento REI before leaving for Yosemite.

Muir Ranch has unlimited lemonade for guests. I wish I had filled my platypus with this sweet treat before leaving there. The next day I craved it like crazy.

I am now drinking Hammer Nutrition Heed in lemon lime before workouts and Hammer Recoverite in orange vanilla for post workout. My next long hike will include Hammer Perpetuem.

I met a sweet couple who turned me onto these products. After a few days on the trail I stopped stuffing my tent in the bag it came in. In fact, I gave it to my husband at Red's along with a few other things I wasn't using.

Here is how my day would go:

Wake at 4:30 a.m.
Put on Oofos and pee
Get bear canister
Pull out body wipes. Use one to wash face, hands, underarms, private parts. Place in Ziploc trash bag Put on sunscreen and bug spray Pull out snacks for the day.
Put a few Gu and Patagonia bars in front belt pockets of backpack
Put on Trail shorts, sports bra, tank, long sleeve, run cap, socks and boots
Pack up camp: Stuff sleeping bag, Stuff Sack for clothes: roll my bedtime clothes up and put in stuff sack
Because it's so early much of my gear would be a bit damp
I would have a gu and water as I start hiking
When the sun was up and I have hiked over a pass I would stop somewhere to let my tent and sleeping bag dry out in the sun, refill my water, and eat a snack
Sometimes I would also let my boots and socks dry out while my feet soak in a cold stream
Take pictures.
Write a bit in my journal

I would hike 18-24 miles a day
Find a good camp spot
Take off boots and put on Oofos (ahhhh!)
Set up Tent, sleeping pad, sleeping bag, pillow
Change into fleece pants, comfortable T, synthetic down jacket, and beanie (Once I took my pack off I would get cold. Putting on comfortable, soft, clothing always felt so good)
Set trail clothes on top of tent to dry/air out.
When it was time to go to sleep I brought my trail clothes inside. After a few days I started putting them in my sleeping bag so that they were warm in the morning.
Fill backpack platypus with filtered water for the next day.
Place back in backpack so that I don't have to think about it in the morning when it's still dark
Write in journal about the day
Charge phone and Fitbit

After a rainy night my tent was so wet yet I still had to pack it. I separated my wet tent from the rest of my gear with my rain jacket.

I did get some hale over one pass. When the sun did come out I took my tent out and had it tied to the back of my pack to dry. When I came to a big boulder baking in the sun I set all my wet gear out to dry. Everything dried very quickly.

I used Outdoor Research stuff sacks.
I had one for electronics: iPhone charger, fitbit charger, cords Loksak for map, journal, permit. I always kept this in front pocket of my pack Small loksak for ID, cash, and credit card. This little "wallet" was also in my big loksak that had the map and permit. Medium locksak for iPhone (kept in pocket) Large locksak for toiletries