John Muir Trail

$6,475

John Muir Trail
John Muir Trail

Dates

The John Muir Trail is one of the finest wilderness hikes to be found anywhere in the world and the trip of a lifetime. Our route starts near, and then climbs, Mount Whitney – the high point of the lower forty-eight states – and continues north some two hundred miles ending in Yosemite National Park. Along the way it climbs over 13,000’ passes, wanders beneath high alpine peaks, and traverses beautiful meadows and forested river valleys. The spectacular scenery is combined with the generally clement weather of California and warm summer temperatures. We have lived in the area for over 35 years and we are excited to share it with you.

You can expect to cover ten to twelve miles a day. The tentative schedule is as follows, but remember that weather, conditions and perhaps issues such as sore feet or a desire for a rest day may well vary this outline. Be flexible and adapt to the inevitable changes that will occur during a trip of this duration.

Logistics

Organizing logistics for a trip of this duration can be daunting, so leave it to us! We will plan and prepare meals for all 26 days. We will also schedule five food resupplies so that you never have to carry more than seven days worth of food at any one time. You will leave your vehicle in Bishop California during the trip. We will shuttle you to the Cottonwood Pass trailhead to begin the trip, and we will shuttle you back to Bishop, from Yosemite Valley, at the end of the trip. Your guides will have constant communication with our office, which means you will never have to leave the trial to grab extra items you need added to your resupply such as blister care, medicine, new shoes, etc.

Inclusions

Price includes 75 meals (breakfast, lunch, & dinner for the duration of the trip). Our meals are healthy and prepared by your guide before the trip. We use good quality dehydrated ingredients to make a variety of delicious, protein packed meals. We rarely serve pre-packaged dehydrated melas! Also included is five resupplies. We are able to add small, forgotten items to resupplies for you! Also included is guiding, permits, shuttles on both ends of the trip, tents, kitchen gear and other group gear.

Backcountry Communications

Your guide will be trained in wilderness first aid and will carry a satellite phone for emergency communication. Because of the length of this trip, there is always the potential for things to go wrong and the unexpected to occur. Family and friends can contact you through our office. If you want to check in with family or friends each night, we recommend bringing a personal satellite communication device such as a Garmin In-reach. The guide’s device will be reserved for emergencies only.

Backcountry Conditions

We do this trip from August to early September to get what we consider to be the best conditions. There should be few biting insects by August. In August and September the days, while getting shorter, should be warm with day temperatures in the 60 degree region and nights dipping to about 32 degrees rarely and only at the higher elevations. There may be small snow patches on the highest passes, but not normally enough to warrant ice axe and crampon use. This might well change should we have a big snow winter and we will let you know should this be the case. Stream flows will be well below peak flow and most should be easy to cross. There is the possibility of afternoon thunderstorms that may be heavy for a short time. You will be in the high mountains so there is always the chance of snow, but prolonged storms are not likely at this time of year.

Prerequisites

Prior day hiking experience is required. No prior overnight experience is required but you need to be in good physical condition, able to walk 14 miles, and gain up to 2,000 feet daily while carrying a multi-day backpack.

Acclimatization & Physical Training

For proper acclimatization, we suggest spending at least one night at a moderate altitude, higher than 8,000 feet, just prior to the start of the journey. See our detailed tips on acclimatizing and physical training in the “Resources” tab.

Shuttle

We meet in Bishop at SMC Headquarters for a gear check, then shuttle to the Horseshoe Meadows Campground, have dinner and an early bed. We’ve started the process of getting the body adapted to the thin air at 10,000 feet.

To further aid in our acclimatization, Day 1 is a short day; after this we steadily pick up the pace to Crabtree Meadows and from here climb to the 14,505 foot summit of Mount Whitney. After climbing Mt. Whitney we travel north and pick up a resupply coming in over Kearsarge Pass. The passes here are high and steep, as we travel through the wide open alpine valley of Upper Basin and below the jagged Palisade Range. But the effort is more than compensated for by the incredible scenery and after numerous high passes we drop into the deeply incised cleft of Le Conte Canyon where we get a resupply brought in by pack stock.

Next we travel into the heart of the Sierra. From Le Conte Canyon we cross Muir Pass and enter the stunning beautiful high alpine area of Evolution Valley. We drop into the San Joaquin River drainage and, staying well to the west of the main Sierra Crest, pass Lake Thomas Edison before climbing up onto the Silver Divide. We briefly touch an outpost of “civilization” at Reds Meadow where our next resupply arrives along with lunch.

For many people the last segment is the most beautiful section of the trip and now, being trail hardened and carrying lighter packs, we finish the final section quickly and efficiently. After leaving Reds Meadow we camp at Johnston Meadow. We skirt the beautiful Garnet Lake and well named Thousand Island Lake before dropping into Rush Creek and then cross Donahue Pass, our last pass. Lyell Canyon is long but nearly flat and we pause in Tuolumne Meadows to pick up our small resupply and then begin the long descent down to the the wonders of Yosemite Valley,  the end of our trip,  our shuttle pickup and our return the the “civilization” of Bishop.

Day One: Meet in Bishop, do a gear check and shuttle to Horseshoe Meadows.

Day Eight: Arrive at Bullfrog Lake with a resupply coming in over Kearsarge Pass.

Day Thirteen: Arrive in Le Conte Canyon and receive a resupply. Hike north to Big Pete Meadow.

Day Seventeen: A short side trip to Muir Ranch to pick up a resupply.

Day Twenty One: Arrive at Reds Meadow north of Mammoth. Here we pick up our re-supply and head north to Johnston Meadow.

Day Twenty Four: Arrive in Tuolumne Meadows.

Day Twenty Six: Arrive in Yosemite Valley.

Rental Equipment

We have rental equipment available at checkout.

Reviews

Paul, Evolution Loop Backpacking Trip

“I went on the 6-day Evolution Loop backpacking trip. I had the time of my life. The scenery was stunningly beautiful. Our guides kept us safe, prepared excellent meals, and were very knowledgeable about the area. They were friendly and kept us informed about what to expect each day. I only wish the trip lasted more days. I’ll be back for more.”

Brecken, Women’s Beginning Backpacking

“This service is great! I talked at length prior to the trip with the office staff on several different occasions. They answered all my questions and made me feel comfortable with the decision to take the trip. They were always so happy to chat at length. It was easy to book and the service was perfect!”

Ken, John Muir Trail

“SMC and it’s staff were completely responsible for making my JMT trip such a wonderful experience. Very competent and helped me prepare for the journey from their wealth of experience and expertise! Highly recommend this company to anyone looking for an adventure in the Sierra!”

Collette, Death Valley Backpacking

“Death Valley backpack with SMC guide Larry Gumina was exceptional!! He made awesome dinners and guided through exciting conditions (running creeks!). What a trip!!”

Related Trips

Length

26 Days

Technical Difficulty

Moderate on-trail hiking

Distance

240 Miles

Mike Mourar

Mike is originally from Pennsylvania where he learned to ski on the icy mountains of the Northeast. He moved to Northern California soon after high school and received degrees in Outdoor Adventure Education from Feather River College and later Southern Oregon university. He has worked in outdoor education for over 15 years, leading wilderness education expeditions all across the world and the American west. Mike currently ski guides and teaches avalanche education courses in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. He loves to ski steep narrow couloirs on warm sunny days in the Sierras! When not guiding on skis, Mike can be found kayaking the rivers in the Pacific Northwest. 

Heather Shaw

Heather grew up in the Bay Area and has many fond memories of backpacking and camping in the Sierra as a kid. She moved up to Oregon to attend Lewis & Clark College and obtained a degree in Environmental Studies focusing on education and food systems. While living up in Oregon Heather fell in love with the Cascades and began guiding her peers on backpacking trips, cross-country skiing and even local mushroom foregoing. Following her passion for guiding and the outdoors she spent the summers guiding children on backpacking trips and adults in sea kayaking. Heather enjoyed living in the Portland area, skiing on Mount Hood and doing lots of cycling but eventually she decided it was time to come back to sunny California. For the past couple of years she has been spending summers and fall in California guiding students in backpacking, river trips and day hikes. She is excited about guiding backpacking trips in the Eastern Sierra this summer. Heather is a Wilderness First Responder and Leave No Trace Trainer.

Robert "SP" Parker

Robert “SP” Parker, hails from the picturesque landscapes of New Zealand. His journey into the realm of mountaineering began during his days at the University of Auckland, where he delved into the world of climbing alongside the university tramping club (akin to “backpacking” for our American counterparts).

He relocated to Yosemite Valley in 1979. He traveled the US climbing in all the great places: Yosemite, Tuolumne, Colorado, Joshua Tree, Devils Tower, Canada. In 1996, he joined forces with Todd Vogel to found Sierra Mountain Center. SP has over 40 years of full-time professional mountain guiding experience. He has earned IFMGA certification in Rock, Ski, and Alpine disciplines and has served as a past director of the AMGA.

As the torch of ownership at SMC passes into the capable hands of Emma, his passion for guiding in the breathtaking Sierra region continues to burn bright, and he eagerly supports Emma in her new role.

Larry Gumina

Larry is a native of the New Jersey shore. Raised as an ocean lover, Larry spent his early days surfing and being in the water as much as he could. Through an active involvement in scouting, as well as an adventurous friend group, Larry found a passion for the mountains. Naturally, this passion had him trade his surfboard for a snowboard, and he went west! Larry graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder with degrees in Environmental Studies as well as Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulation. In Colorado, he fell more in love with the mountains. After graduating, Larry moved to Alaska to explore the wilderness of the last frontier through backpack and canoe guiding. When COVID struck and found Larry abroad in Central America, he came back to the states hoping to get back to Alaska, but discovered the Sierra along the way. And the high peaks and the fairer climate of California was as far as he made it. Larry now resides here in Bishop, where he spends his time exploring the mountains via roped climbing, splitboarding, and hiking. When not guiding, Larry enjoys traveling and climbing the high, glaciated peaks of Central and South America. Larry’s favorite trip to lead in the Sierra is the Bishop to Mammoth backpack as the variety of the terrain offers tremendous opportunities for natural and human history studies! Larry holds a certification as a Wilderness First Responder, a Leave No Trace Trainer, and a AIARE Level I.

Tyler Logan

Tyler grew up hiking in the Sierra Nevada before being introduced to rock climbing as a teenager. Since that time, he has climbed extensively in this same mountain range, including Yosemite (he has climbed El Capitan multiple times) as well as various other crags and mountain ranges throughout the West. Much of this climbing happened during spring, summer and winter breaks while working as a high school English teacher in southern California. After more than ten years in the classroom, Tyler made a career change and began guiding in 2016. He loves being able to make use of his teaching background while working outdoors and helping people achieve their goals. While climbing is his first passion, Tyler also enjoys hiking, backcountry skiing, running, cycling, and a bit of fly fishing now and then. He lives in Bishop with his wife, Mona.

Louie Allen

Louie began guiding with Sierra Mountain Center in 2015 after falling in love with the people and places of Bishop, CA, and the Sierra Nevada mountains.  He grew up climbing and backpacking in the southeastern US and moved West to pursue bigger mountainous terrain.  He is a passionate and dedicated climber in all of its forms and has backpacked extensively across the Sierra.  It is a joy for him to share his favorite peaks and trails with visitors.  Louie is an equal-opportunity cookie lover and die-hard Cincinnati Bengals football fan.  He travels to the eastern US often in order to pursue world-class rock and ice climbs, but always finds his way back to the Sierra.

Louie is an AMGA Certified Rock Guide and is pursuing Alpine Guide certification.  He holds an MS in Recreation and Sport Sciences and a Graduate Certificate in Sport Coaching.  He works as a guide, strength trainer, and climbing coach to help developing climbers and hikers achieve meaningful goals in the mountains.

Anouk Erni

Anouk grew up on the glaciers and peaks of Switzerland where her family is from and currently resides. Anouk has had an appreciation for the elevated outdoors from an early age. She has lived in Europe, America’s east coast, and finally, she came to the west coast in her teens, and never left. Even though she calls the Eastern Sierra her home, she began her guiding career in the Pacific Northwest, where she worked on glaciated peaks such as Mt Rainier and Mt Baker, and rock guided during the summers. However, having learned to rock climb in California and frequenting the Eastern Sierra during her years living in Los Angeles, she ultimately returned to California eight years ago and has been guiding here year round. In the summers, Anouk guides rock and alpine trips, and during the winter seasons, she ski guides and teaches avalanche courses. She sees her guide work as a way to increase and infuse passion and knowledge into the outdoor community – her way of giving back after having been fortunate enough to receive solid mentorship during her initial years climbing in California.

 

Anouk is an AMGA Certified Rock Guide, Apprentice Ski Guide, and Apprentice Alpine Guide, as well as an AIARE avalanche course leader and AAI course leader.

Dave Stimson

Dave is originally from Alberta, Canada, but has traded in his Canadian passport for his American one, lured by clean Sierra granite and perfect California weather. He graduated from Mount Royal University in 2007 with an undergrad in Ecotourism & Outdoor Leadership and has been working ever since as a ski patroller and avalanche forecaster in Canada during the winters. Dave has been climbing since 2003 and has climbed in Squamish, the Canadian Rockies, The Bugaboos, the Tetons, Red Rock, Indian Creek and Peru, to name a few destinations. His first time climbing in California was in 2103 in Yosemite Valley and was instantly in love. He has been with the SMC team since 2015 and is excited to continue climbing and guiding in the Range of Light. 

Dave holds a Wilderness First Responder certification, and a Canadian Avalanche Association Level 2. He began the AMGA program in 2014 and has become a fully certified IFMGA Mountain Guide.

Emma Gasman

Emma joined the Sierra Mountain Center team in early 2021 as the Program Director. Fast forward almost three years, and she has now taken the reins, becoming the proud owner of the company previously helmed by the legendary Robert “SP” Parker. Emma is passionate about making the marvels of the mountains accessible to individuals of all skill levels. Emma grew up backpacking and skiing in the western Sierra Nevada, where her personal connection to these majestic landscapes began. While attending college in Oregon she discovered rock climbing and skiing touring, which ultimately led her to the Eastern Sierra. Emma is ready to carry forward the rich legacy established by SP back in the 1990s, eager to nurture and expand upon the successes of the company.

Barb Bemis

Barb began working for SMC in the summer of 2016 as a backpacking and climbing guide. After 4 summers, she began working as an adaptive sports instructor and program coordinator with Disabled Sports Eastern Sierra in Mammoth Lakes. Fast forward to 2024 and Barb is back in the office at SMC. She enjoys organizing all the trip details and other behind-the-scenes tasks to help guests get outside and enjoy the Eastern Sierra. She has always been involved in the outdoors in a variety of ways: hiking, climbing, mountain biking, running, and more. Moving to the Eastern Sierra was a great choice!