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Sierra High Route vs John Muir Trail, I picked the hard way and paid for it
Last August I had two weeks off and finally had to pick between the JMT for the third time or trying the Sierra High Route. I went with the high route because I figured the JMT would always be there, and honestly I wanted to brag a bit. Big mistake on day two. I lost the trail near Puppet Lake and spent six hours scrambling over talus that just would not end. My 35 pound pack felt like 80 and I ran out of water twice because the route finding was way slower than I planned. I did finish in 11 days but only because I skipped two sections and took a bailout to Bishop. The views were unreal, don't get me wrong, but the daily mileage was brutal and I was done by 3pm every day. Has anyone else bailed on the high route mid trip? Would you say the JMT is the better call for a first timer doing the Sierra at all?
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gibson.morgan11d ago
Is that talus section near Puppet Lake really as endless as it looks on the map, or does it just feel that way with a heavy pack? Sounds like you made the smart call bailing though, the JMT might be crowded but at least you know where the damn trail is.
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