John Muir Trail

John Muir called the Sierra “The Range of Light” and man what a spectacular place it is.  In 2011 I set off to hike this iconic trail with two good friends, we started at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley and spent the next 12 days walking through breathtaking beauty, granite peaks and high alpine passes.  The JMT is one of the most popular hiking trails in the world, and getting a permit can be as hard if not harder than the trail itself.  Some of the highlights for me were walking through Ansel Adams Wilderness south of Donahue Pass, Crossing Forester Pass the highest point on the Pacific Crest Trail and Summiting Mt Whitney in time to watch the sunrise.

The Sierras are a backpackers dream with endless stunning granite mountains, numerous lakes along the way, good fishing and great resupply points along the way like Red’s Meadows and Muir Trail Ranch.  If you are only going to do one long distance hike in your life, make it this one!