Preface

In The Mountains of California, John Muir (1838–1914) writes, “It seemed to me the Sierra should be called not the Nevada, or Snowy Range, but the Range of Light. And after ten years spent in the heart of it, rejoicing and wondering, bathing in its glorious floods of light, seeing the sunbursts of morning among the icy peaks, the noonday radiance on the trees and rocks and snow, the flush of the alpenglow … it still seems to me above all others the Range of Light, the most divinely beautiful of all the mountain chains I have ever seen.”

Indeed, many would call the Sierra Nevada range one of the finest, most magnificent sights in the world. It seems fitting that the John Muir Trail, which meanders through the very heart of this land that enraptured the man, honors this eccentric and passionate conservationist. Were it not for John Muir’s perseverance and dedication to the environment, Yosemite National Park would likely not exist in the pristine state that we find it. Legend holds that John Muir used to climb into the trees during storms to fully embrace the experience. An original tree hugger of sorts.

It was Theodore Solomons (1870–1947), however, who conceived of this classic high route from Yosemite Valley to the top of Mount Whitney (14,495 feet). An early member of the Sierra Club, and the surveyor responsible for naming many of the region’s peaks, Solomons reportedly came up with the idea while herding his uncle’s sheep at the age of 14. He has since been dubbed the “Father of the John Muir Trail.” And in 1915 the Sierra Club broke ground on the trail dedicated to their founder. It took 23 years—and a lot of blood, sweat, and dynamite—for the route to be completed. It’s only when you witness firsthand the way the trail snakes over a seemingly impassable chain of unending granite peaks that you can truly appreciate the endeavor. Fittingly, the trail’s christening came upon the 100-year anniversary of John Muir’s birth. While born in Scotland and not setting foot in Yosemite until he was 30 years old, Muir was a vastly successful crusader in saving California’s wild lands.

The pull of the Range of Light remains strong: These days more than 800 hikers are drawn each year to complete the John Muir Trail. They come for different reasons, from different places, and with different expectations, but they all come away affected by their journey. Stretching out over more than 200 glorious miles between Yosemite and Mount Whitney, the trail climbs over ten high-altitude passes (over half of which are above 11,000 feet) and includes an ascent of the highest point in the lower 48 states. By all accounts, the trail is a big, beefy wilderness experience worthy of the accolades heaped upon it. Unlike some long trails, the John Muir Trail is a true wilderness experience: One needn’t cross roads, see cars, or take a hot shower for the entire stretch. Resupplies must be mailed or packed in to remote locations, and there isn’t cell phone coverage for miles and miles. For much of the way, the JMT and Pacific Crest Trail (a 2,650-mile route from Canada to Mexico, originally blazed in 1930) mirror each other, and this stretch is considered the most spectacular of the PCT’s long journey.

Without a doubt, tackling the John Muir Trail in one fell swoop is a worthy quest for any hiker. There is a sense of accomplishment and journey that prevails when you travel more than 220 miles from point to point without reentering civilization. It makes the hike feel that much more remote and the adventure that much more epic.

For many, however, hiking the John Muir Trail is a dream that needs to be realized over the course of several months or years. Not everyone has the vacation time, desire, or physical rigor to withstand three or more weeks in the backcountry. Yet that certainly doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy this glorious stretch of country. For this reason, we’ve designed a book to allow hikers to get a taste of the trail via various day hikes and to complete the trail via a series of different sections that can be combined to eventually traverse the route in its entirety. We’ve divided the sections into the shortest possible routes given the remote nature of the trail, and we’ve selected the most accessible entry and exit points to allow you to plan your journey. We’ve also chosen routes that are fantastic backcountry journeys in their own right. Thru-hikers will find the sections a useful resource for friends who want to join them on shorter legs of their journey.

Whatever the length of your stay, may you come away from your experience as John Muir did when he wrote My First Summer in the Sierra in 1911, proclaiming “Exhilarated with the mountain air, I feel like shouting this morning with excess of wild animal joy!”