260 miles, 17 trail days, 12.8 pounds of gear, 8 alpine passes, 2 frostbitten ears, and 1 camera.

California’s John Muir Trail extends from the summit of Mt. Whitney, winding 211 miles north to Yosemite National Park. The JMT follows the spine of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, rarely dipping below 8,000 feet in elevation, and includes some of the most rugged scenery in the western United States.

My thru-hike of the JMT started soon after sunrise on September 11, 2017, roughly 40 miles south of Mt. Whitney. I would be hiking northbound, the reverse of the more popular north-to-south route, with a rough itinerary of 21 days on the trail. I had mailed my resupplies of food and meticulously weighed and packed up my gear. There was nothing left to do but trek 260 miles north to Yosemite.

DAYS 1-5, COTTONWOOD PASS TO ONION VALLEY

The first few days on the trail validated a common saying: “The Sierras make their own weather.” A crystal-clear sky in the morning would turn dark with thunderstorms and hail in the afternoon, only to clear up again for sunset. Add the extra volatility of hiking in the late season, and you’ve got yourself a recipe for some wet socks. And a wet tent. And a wet pack. Remind me again what dry clothes feel like? Despite this, the first section was an exciting culmination of months of anticipation.