Over the last few years, a retired San Francisco lawyer named John Ladd has run an annual online survey of people who hike the John Muir Trail, a famous route through the Sierra Nevadas that typically takes about three weeks to complete (through the fastest known time is two days, 19 hours, and 26 minutes, set last …

Are there snakes on the John Muir Trail?

Bears are common along the trail, but they are not a problem as long as proper food storage is practiced. Deer are accustomed to hikers along the trail. Rattlesnakes are rarely seen along the busy JMT, but hikers should always be wary.

What is the FKT on the John Muir Trail?

fastest known time
The John Muir Trail (JMT) is 352K long gaining over 11,582 metres in elevation. Most thru-hikers complete the journey in three weeks. The film Unsupported by Jason Fitzpatrick documents four endurance athletes as they attempt the unsupported fastest known time (FKT) on the JMT over the years.

How difficult is the JMT?

The main difficulty of the JMT is the terrain and length of the trail. Over the course of your trip you’ll ascend and descend 11 mountain passes, many of them over 12,000 feet. Altitude sickness can bother some hikers along the JMT, though it’s not a common complaint.

When can you hike JMT?

Generally the trail is accessible from July through September. It varies from year to year, depending on the previous winter’s snowfall. It’s also a matter of risk tolerance, skill and the specific conditions of that season. Some people hike the JMT with snow on the ground and raging water in the creeks.

Where does the John Muir Trail start?

The classic JMT route begins in Yosemite at the Happy Isles trailhead and travels to the summit of Mt. Whitney near the Whitney Portal trailhead in Inyo National Forest. This is the most in-demand and subsequently congested starting point.

Does JMT include Mt Whitney?

The official southern terminus of the JMT is on the summit of Mt. Whitney. Most people access the summit from Whitney Portal, a trip of about 11 miles.

What is the fastest anyone has hiked the John Muir Trail?

Darcy Piceu Sets the Mark with Fastest Known Time on John Muir Trail. In a record setting time of three days, seven hours and 57 minutes, Darcy Piceu set a new northbound supported fastest known time (FKT) on the John Muir Trail (JMT), twelve hours faster than Sue Johnston’s record that had been standing for 10 years.

How many miles is the John Muir Trail?

The John Muir Trail (JMT) runs 223 miles from Whitney Portal to Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley, crossing some of the most rugged and remote country in California. The JMT traverses Yosemite and Kings Canyon National Parks, and the John Muir and Ansel Adams Wilderness Areas (Inyo National Forest).

What is the best route to run the JMT?

Speed attempts on the JMT have largely been done south-to-north (Whitney to Yosemite). This makes sense because the Whitney Portal TH is 4300′ higher than the Happy Isles (Yosemite) TH. Also, NoBo trips get the higher, harder terrain over with earlier, while the hiker/runner is still relatively fresh.

Does the JMT count as a route for fkts?

For FKT purposes we consider the JMT to be a TH-to-TH (pavement-to-pavement) route, but we also report Whitney summit times. NOTE: There have been issues with people not following the “official” route. Going forward (from September 2017) we will NOT recognize any FKT that does not use the official JMT all the way.

How fast was John Rosendahl’s hike to Happy Isles?

However, it turns out that John Rosendahl did a faster trip way back in 1988 (Aug. 25-30), hiking solo, unsupported and uncached from Whitney Portal to Happy Isles in 5d7h50m. Rosendahl’s trip was reported in the Los Angeles Times (10/3/1988), the Irvine World News (9/29/1988), and the Sierra Club Newsletter (Dec. 1988).