This took a lot of planning and research. I've never backpacked before so I had to rely on online advice on what to bring. I knew that once I was in shape, I liked to be fed every 3+hrs, so the ultra-lightweight hikers diet of mashed potatoes and oatmeal wasn't going to work for me. … Continue reading JMT Camp Notes: Food

Ha! All I know about 'tenting' I learned on this trip. Besides 2 car camping adventures, I'd never done it before. And I actually slept in this tent only once before we left. So, this is what I know... 1. Get a good site. Sure, you want it to be scenic, but at the end … Continue reading JMT Camp Notes: Tenting

We had constant brief showers through the night and so woke up to moisture spotted tents. Well, it kinda appeared that Misty & Jo's tent had showers inside the tent as well! It didn't appear that the sun would reach our little enclave to dry things out until well after it was time to go so … Continue reading JMT Day 7: Bear Of A Day

Today was mosquito hell. They were active a good hour before they were supposed to be this morning so I broke all the rules and made & drank my coffee in my tent, and it took an  Act of Congress for us to drop our drawers to answer the call of nature!  The day just … Continue reading JMT Day 6: Skeeter Mania

Yesterday we made the decision to carry on from Red's, so we collected our resupply from the store, crammed some into our bear canisters and gave all the excess away. By 4:45pm we headed out through an old burned area that to me held a strange kind of stark beauty, then up and up through … Continue reading JMT Day 5: A Grind

We're starting to feel the dirt, as soon as we wash get dirty again as everything is sitting in the dirt, we sit in the dirt. Dirt, dirt, dirt. A mani/pedi is definitely in the top 10 To-Do's when get home though they may take one look at us and charge us double! There's a … Continue reading JMT Day 4: A Long Road Down

Ugh, another early early wake up. I can't help it, it seems. So I started rattling around my tent, packing up and lo & behold Misty appears at 6! Jo follows, and by 6:30 we're drinking coffee, 7am on the trail. This will make the day's planned mileage so much easier to obtain. We had … Continue reading JMT Day 3: Half Mile Turtles

Another cozy night but freezing morning on the trail. 4 degrees Celsius at 6am - at least that kept the mosquitoes away until the sun broke over the mountain and the warmth brought them out in droves. Misty forewent breakfast in order to expedite our departure but it was still 8:15 by the time we … Continue reading JMT Day 2: Donahue Pass

Brrr, what a shockingly cold morning! Waaay colder than anticipated, somewhere in the mid-30's guesstimated from Jo's little thermometer. Both Misty & Jo were uncomfortable during the night so our first stop after our morning coffee was the Tuolumne Outfitter store to pick up a sleeping bag for Jo, which she had not brought (!) … Continue reading Day 1: A Walk In The Park

Transportation Day! It was an early start, for sure. Up at 4:50am so I could do all the last minute prep for leaving a house for 3 weeks: A/C up, water off, bathrooms cleaned, washing done, etc. thank goodness for lists! Jo picked me up at 6am, and we met at Misty's at 6:30. A … Continue reading JMT -1 day: Yosemite