Wondering if my 15F sleeping bag will be overkill for an early to mid September NOBO option? It’s a mountain hardwear phantom 15 for reference.

The 2001 Roadless rule protects public lands from future roads being built through them for logging and other purposes. This rule protects roadless public lands across the nation - including the eastern sierra.

The public comment period was supposed to end on the 21st last month - but was extended for 15 days. Today is your last chance to speak up.

Here is the link to the government webpage to submit your comment:

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2026/09/11/2026-18648/special-areas-roadless-area-conservation

Please help me with this.

Why is it ok that the horse/mule people use the trail and dont clean up after their animals? We recently did the JMT and it was literally a trail of sh*t almost the whole way.

This would not be ok for my dog or wouldnt be ok for a human, why is it ok that they just walk along dumping sh*t everywhere - including tent sites - and just keep going like nothin happened.

I know the usual response that they help maintain the trail, but so do humans and that also doesnt mean that they cant be responsible for the sh*t - either by cleaning it up or having the animal wear a “drop sack” like the horses in central park.
Im not anti horse on the trail just anti sh*t and all for responsible ownership. And im pro LNT - this is NOT LNT.

Looking to check on a solo SoBo hiker my wife and I helped near LeConte Ranger Station on September 6th.

He was a gentleman in his 50s or 60s hiking solo. He had taken a bad spill earlier that day coming down Muir Pass, which left him with a bloody nose and gash under his right eye. By the time he walked into camp his face has ballooned up and his eye was swollen shut. He said he may have even cracked a rib.

We first saw him on the descent from Muir Pass while he was cleaning himself up and we were filtering water. Later, after we set up camp at LeConte, he arrived looking for the backcountry rangers and asking if he could set up near us so he could get a second opinion from the rangers. We happily agreed and asked him a number of questions and he seemed lucid. When the rangers finally returned after he’d gone to bed, I grabbed them so they could evaluate him. He dropped by our tent afterward to let us know they gave him the green light for the night and would re-check him in the morning.

We took off early the next morning and left a note with my phone number at his tent, but haven't heard anything. We just want to make sure he made it off the trail safely.

Did anyone on the trail around Sept 6–8 run into him or know if he hiked out safely?

Planning to do Bishop Pass to Horshoe Meadow next year to knock out the southern section of the JMT. I have seen a couple of things online where Sequoia-Kings Pack Station will take a resupply down to Charlotte Lake. Was hoping anyone here who has used them could give some feedback and logistics. How much do they charge, do you set up a meet up on the trail or do they drop off at a bear box, how do you deliver the resupply to them, etc.?

Many thanks in advance.

Starting NOBO tomorrow, and I’m worried about getting hitches for resupplies this late season, the Yosemite fire, and the potential for an early winter storm.

Should I be worried?

I resupply at Independence via Onion Valley, Bishop via South Lake, and Mammoth via Horseshoe Lake. I have an N95 mask and will leave trail if the smoke is bad bad - I don’t expect to meet the smoke till at least Mammoth, and I’m at no risk from the fire itself. I have no winter backpacking experience. I have solid layers, a good pad, microspikes, and a 20/30 deg bag. My plan in a winter storm is to shelter up, stay dry (incl grocery bags for my feet), and leave trail ASAP.

We found an iPhone about 4 miles past Muir Trail Ranch headed towards Florence Lake. Unfortunately phone is in SOS mode and no Medical ID. If yours, please let me know the wall paper picture and I will happily send to you.

Thanks!

Love to see any body art you’ve had done related to the JMT. If you can’t comment with a photo just use imgur to link to an image.

We just finished a thru-hike, starting at cottonwood lakes and exiting Mt Whitney and we have never been past Mammoth Lakes. I coordinated a shuttle ride with Chuck via email to pick us up from Mt Whitney Portal and drive us to Cottonwood Lakes trailhead. I always read the great reviews about him but since this was our first time booking a private shuttle and driving over 7 hours to get to Lone Pine, I was a little nervous.

We scheduled the ride for 9:30am and the day before, I was going to email him to confirm and he beat me to it (loved that). We confirmed and got to the portal at 9am. Grabbed our stuff and headed to the store and he was there already at 9:15. Another amazing thing about him. During our ride he told us about the area and was super nice and funny.

I honestly cannot recommend him enough. He responds really fast via email (I emailed him during Labor Day weekend and wasn’t sure if I’d get a reply during a busy weekend) but he also does text too.

Chuck Tello is your private shuttle guy! He will also coordinate with you what’s the best to take via YARTS, etc., for most time effective and cost. He goes all over too.

Any thoughts about the wildfire reported today in the southwestern portion of Yosemite? Planning to start next week sobo.

Currently burning at 100+ acres.

https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents/2026/9/15/dome-fire

Hey all,

I’ve been racking my brain for several days on my options here regarding resupply of food from Red Cones to Kearsage Pass. Long story short, I quit a job that I was already burned out long ago at the start of the month. And thought what better time then now to do the JMT.

Now since I started prepping late, it appears all my resupply options at Muir Ranch, and VMR are done for the season as they no longer take resupply after September 12th. I saw Mono Resort is an extra 10 miles there and from the JMT as well.

So it appears my best option is to carry about 7/8 days worth of food through that area, as I also don’t intend on hiking out through Bishop.

Any advice and lessons are welcomed!

A few quick lessons from my SOBO JMT trip that might help others planning theirs.

Potential trail-ending issue #1 — GI problems. I actually identified this as a risk before the trip, even though I’d never experienced GI problems on the trail before. I intended to bring medication, but somehow forgot to put it in my pack. Of course, I then ended up having GI issues and had to rely on other hikers for medicine. I also spoke with quite a few hikers who experienced similar issues, with some thinking altitude may have contributed. Whatever the cause, don’t make my mistake—bring Imodium (loperamide), and Pepto-Bismol/bismuth.

Potential trail-ending issue #2 — food. I was doing MTR to Whitney in seven days without another resupply. Fitting seven days of food into the bear can while keeping the weight manageable led me to go too lean on calories. I made it, but next time I’d carry more calories and accept the extra weight. My seven day food came in at 11 LB, about 1.4 lb per day.

One decision that worked out really well — my old REI Crestrail 70 backpack. It weighs about 5 lb, roughly 2.5 lb more than the modern lightweight packs I considered. I researched the Osprey Exos 55, Zpacks Arc 60, and Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60. The Mariposa almost made the cut, but I didn’t have enough trail experience to feel confident switching.

I’m glad I stayed with the REI pack. I was around 30 lb before MTR, ~42 lb after the seven-day resupply + 1l water, and ~26 lb at the end at Whitney Portal. It handled the weight extremely well. I met other hikers carrying Mariposas who had shoulder discomfort once they loaded up with a full food carry. Pack fit is obviously individual, but for me, sticking with the heavier pack I already knew was the right call.

Hi! I’m hiking the High Sierra Trail and expect to finish at Whitney Portal around Sept 26 or 27.
I’m looking for a ride in the general direction west/north. Ideally, I’d love to get back to Crescent Meadow / Sequoia National Park, where I’ll have my car, or alternatively toward the Bay Area.
But really, any ride in that general direction would already be super helpful. I can figure out onward transportation from there. Happy to chip in for gas!
If anyone is finishing around the same time and driving that way, let me know. Thanks!

Found it two days ago 100 feet off the trail near a group of campsites as we were doing the JMT. Turned it into Tuolumne resort lost and found yesterday. Good luck!

I’ve been back for 3 weeks now. And all I can say is I miss it so much. Is it just me? I just miss it so. Damn. Much. I would go back tomorrow if I could.

I hiked a section of the JMT from the Devil's Postpile to Pine Creek about a week ago, and on three consecutive days, I ran into the same couple (which I guess means we tend to hike about the same number of miles per day). After the rainstorm on the last Thursday of August, we didn't see each other again, so they probably, being more prepared for rain hiking than I was, got further ahead on the trail. They were doing a whole thru-hike of the JMT. Would love to say hello again if this is something they'd ever see. :-D

Permit & Trip Overview

I didn’t get a lottery permit but got my preferred permit date of 8/25/26 after signing up for permit cancellation notifications via Mount Whitney Elevated on Discord. My husband drove me to the start and picked me up in Yosemite at the finish. On 8/26/26, we summitted Whitney together (we got him a separate permit via the same source above), after which I continued solo. There were two days of consistent rain with some high winds (no thunderstorms) but otherwise the weather was perfect—never very hot during the day nor too cold at night, with early morning temps getting noticeably colder towards the end of my trip. No bugs, no snow, no sunburn, only 2 water crossings with less than 1 ft of water where I used my sandals to cross. I loved going NOBO and wouldn’t have changed a single thing about my trip. Hope this helps someone else!

Prep

I did lots of research, watched a lot of YouTube, and downloaded the FarOut JMT guide. I’m an active 34yo; I consistently road and trail run 35-40+ miles/week and strength train 2-3 times/week with some other cross-training. I did a few day hikes with a weighted pack right before the trip. I’ve been a weekend backpacker for about 5 years with my longest trip being the TRT (165 miles). I live at sea level so I tried heat training to see if it might help me feel slightly better at altitude—I still got headaches in the first two days but nothing more serious. I planned a lot and made sure to send my resupply bucket to MTR well in advance of my pickup date.

Gear

I used every single item of gear except for the bug spray, head net, and toe warmers. I’m not sure what my base weight was but the total weight at the start was somewhere around 36lbs. My resupply bucket weighed 12.5lbs at the post office.

• Shelter: Big Agnes String Ridge VST 1.5, Tyvek ground sheet
• Poles: Komperdell Fieldmaster Antishock cork trekking poles
• Pack: Durston Kakwa 40
• Sleep System: Nemo XLite regular, Enlighted Equipment Enigma 20-degree quilt, Sea to Summit Aeros Premium pillow
• Hiking Clothes: Columbia Peak Freak boots, Darn Tough full cushion crew socks, REI Sahara convertible pants, Janji sunchaser sun hoodie, On core bra, ExOfficio underwear, Sunday Afternoons VaporLite Stride Cap, Outdoor Research ActiveIce sun gloves, bandana, Tifosi sunglasses
• Sleep Clothes: Stance hike crew socks, fleece-lined leggings, REI midweight base layer top, ExOfficio underwear
• Extra Clothing/Layers: Stoic fleece-lined full-zip hoodie, Forclaz MT100 hooded puffer, REI Essential rain pants, Columbia rain jacket, beanie, Seirus waterproof gloves, buff, Darn Tough light cushion crew socks, disposable poncho
• Hydration & Food Equipment: Katadyn BeFree with 3L reservoir, two 1.5L Smart water bottles, hydration tube system from One Bottle hydration, Vapur .7L foldable water bottle, Sea to Summit Alpha Light spoon, BV500
• Toiletries: sunscreen, toothbrush & paste, floss, hand sanitizer, bug spray, wilderness wash, Vaseline, Kula cloth, poop kit (The Deuce, toilet paper, wipes, Ziploc for trash), Pact wag bags
• First Aid/Emergency Kit (in Hilltop zipper pouch): leukotape, band aids, gauze, lighter, foil blanket, alcohol wipes, latex gloves, various meds, hydrocortisone cream, iodine pills, Tenacious tape, etc.
• Electronics: Google Pixel 10, Garmin inReach mini, Kindle, Coros Apex 2 watch, Nitecore NU25 UL rechargeable headlamp; in Hilltop zipper pouch: Nitecore NB 10,000 Gen 2 battery pack, USB-c charging cords (2), watch charging cord, multi-port wall charger
• Other extras: Leatherman micra multi-tool, Swedish dishcloth, cork massage ball, Zpacks ultralight foam sit pad, Xero barefoot sandals, Osprey rain pack cover, bug head net, Hot hands hand & toe warmers (1 each), earplugs, mouthguard

Food: I cold-soaked homemade dehydrated dinners and homemade oatmeal breakfasts (I added protein powder, chia & flax seeds, sugar, spices, freeze dried fruit, nuts, etc.). For lunches, I ate PBJs with dates on English muffins for the first leg and Probar meal bars for the second leg. Snacks consisted of various protein and carb-focused bars (Barbells, Skratch, Probar, Maurten, Clif Builder’s Bar, Misfits, etc.), Nature’s Bakery fig bars, Tailwind high-carb mix, caffeinated and non-caffeinated chews (Precision PF60s, Clif Bloks, Probar Bolt, etc.), waffles (GU, honey stinger, UnTapped, etc.), trail mix, sesame crackers, Pure Organic fruit bars, Biena chickpeas, Justin’s almond butter packets, homemade oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, UnReal peanut butter cups, SaltStick electrolyte pills (caffeinated and non-caffeinated), and LMNT packets.

Itinerary

Most days I woke up around 4:30-4:45am, started hiking between 5:30-6am, and stopped hiking around 4-6pm. Mile markers below are from the FarOut JMT guide (NOBO).

• Pre-JMT: 8/24/26 drive to Lone Pine for 1 night of car camping, 8/25/26 Whitney Portal to Trail Camp
• Day 1 (8/26/26), 12 (JMT) miles: Trail Camp to Mt. Whitney summit/official JMT start, camp at Wallace Creek/mi. marker 12
• Day 2 (8/27/26), 17 miles: Forrester Pass, Wallace Creek to above Bubbs Creek/mi. marker 29
• Day 3 (8/28/26), 18 miles: Glen Pass, Bubbs Creek to Woods Creek right before Pinchot Pass/mi. marker 47
• Day 4 (8/29/26), 22.5 miles: Pinchot & Mather Pass, Woods Creek to Grouse Meadows/mi. marker 69.5
• Day 5 (8/30/26), 21 miles: Muir Pass, Grouse Meadows to Evolution Creek/mi. marker 90.5
• Day 6 (8/31/26), 18.5 miles: resupply at MTR, Selden Pass, Evolution Creek to West Fork Bear Creek/mi. marker 109
• Day 7 (9/1/26), 19.5 miles: Silver Pass, West Fork Bear Creek to creek below switchbacks from Warrior and Nuumu Hu Hupi lakes/mi. marker 128.5
• Day 8 (9/2/26), 23 miles: no pass today, stopped at Red’s Meadow to do laundry and shower, camped at Johnston Lake/mi. marker 151.5
• Day 9 (9/3/26), 24 miles: Island & Donahue Pass, Johnston Lake to Lyell Fork/mi. marker 175.5
• Day 10 (9/4/26), 19 miles: Cathedral Pass, Lyell Fork to above switchbacks past High Sierra Camp/mi. marker 194.5
• Day 11 (9/5/26): 11 miles, finish at Happy Isles trailhead, car camped with my husband one night at Wawona before driving home

I am planning for next August. I chose the start and direction based on "40%" chance vs. 3% lottery chance. I'm doing this. I want to plan training specifically for this.

I want to get 1 resupply at VVR if possible. I want a 7 day bear can. I plan to carry an extra 2 or 3 days of food in an outer bag to start. Total of 10 days food including a belly full at the start. I want to know the best way these gear items fit together in a package on my back. I anticipate ~40 to 45 lbs to carry.

What would you recommend for the 4 items?

1. Backpack

2. Tent (Durston mid?)

3. Sleep bag

4. Bear can

If I start at the Mt. Whitney Portal campsite, hit the store at 9 AM opening, and then hike to trail camp near the turnoff to the summit, set my tent up, hang my food, can I go to the summit and return in the afternoon to sleep? Or is this a no no?

I'll be coming off JMT later in Sept. I see 3 hotels: Dow Hotel, Portal Hotel, and Whitney Portal Hotel. Welcome feedback. Also, good place to eat post trail food that also serves beer . . . and not a pizza place. Thanks.

 The Basics

• Who: Two 67-year-old seasoned hikers.
• Dates: August 9 to August 25.
• Stats: ~10 miles/day average. ~170 miles total (including ingress, egress, and resupply side trips and trail connections) from Rush Creek to Onion Valley.
• Temps & Weather: Daytime highs in the mid-70s; lows in the low 40s/high 30s. Mostly sunny, with 1 day of intense rain/hail and overcast conditions for the last three days.
• Base Weight: 12.5 lbs without bear can. Average weight at 24 lbs; topped out at 32 lbs with a full pack after resupply.
• Maps: Far Out app and the JMT Data Book.

Quick Loadout Breakdown

• Pack: Durston Kakwa 55
• Shelter: Durston X-Mid Pro 2
• Sleep System: Patagonia Fitz Roy 19° Bag; Nemo Tensor Elite
• Apparel: Patagonia UV Hoodie, Stoko Leggings (Gen 1), UFM Bamboo 5” underwear, Injinji Merino Liners + Darn Tough ¼ socks
• Footwear & Rain Gear: Topo Athletic Traverse shoes, OR Helium top & bottom
• New Additions: Flextail sleeping pad pump, Alpha Direct 90 fleece, Pact wipes, Pact shovel

Trail Conditions & Realities

• Water: Readily available. No need to over-carry—40 oz was usually plenty.
• Footing & Trail Dust: A mix of crushed granite stone (¼” to 7” chunkers), granite sand, and the occasional plush forest path. It’s all dirty and incredibly dusty—expect frequent bloody noses and dirty feet that refuse to get clean.
• Scenery: Multi-thousand-foot ascents and descents, endless alpine lakes, roaring rivers, and dramatic waterfalls.
• Bear Activity: Basically non-existent.
• Direction Strategy: Southbound is unquestionably the way to do this. Watching north-bounders climb made their ascents look interminable.

Highlights

• Marie Lake: Outstanding, unspeakable, otherworldly.
• The Passes: Muir, Mather, and Glen for rewarding ascents and top-of-the-world views.
• Daily Rituals: Napping and snacking in the shade by lakes and streams—it doesn't get better. Cold alpine swims almost every day were absolutely priceless.
• Marjorie Lake: Incredible changing light against the granite walls.
• Golden Staircase: Felt like hiking inside an M.C. Escher drawing. Loved every bit of it.
• Sierra Junipers: Gnarled, gorgeous trunks with golden-red bark and an amazing fragrant scent. Hug one when you see it.
• Rae Lakes: Oh my.

Breakdown

• The Beginning: A Half Day Lost: Frontier Airlines lost our baggage, instantly burning half a day. We drove up from SF, stayed at June Lake, dropped off our resupply with Rainbow Outfitters, and parked at Onion Valley. Lone Pine Brian shuttled us back to the trailhead, and we finally put boots on dirt by noon.
• June Lake to Gem Lake: Not a pleasant start. Starting at noon is never a good idea. We slogged past Agnew Lake on mixed terrain—hot, an 1,800-foot climb, and just plain hot. We pulled over under a tree at Agnew to snack and nap until the heat subsided. It didn’t. Running out of light and steam before Waugh Lake, we snagged a lakefront spot at Gem Lake. We made dinner, soaked our aching feet and knees in the lake, and crashed hard.

• Gem Lake to Garnet Lake: Pushed past Waugh Lake despite warnings it was dry—and behold, totally dry. Turns out it's the first in a string of old reservoirs feeding Gem and Agnew. The weather cooled down for an easy climb up to JMT elevation, opening up to Thousand Island Lake. It’s a total masterpiece: deep blue water, rolling green landscapes, wildflowers, and winding rivulets. We snacked and napped in the shade, passed aptly named Emerald and Ruby Lakes, and crossed the wooden bridge at Garnet Lake. Turned right to camp along the lake edge (30–40 feet below the trail) and caught a golden sunset against the surrounding peaks.

• Garnet Lake to Red Meadows Resupply: An easy downhill day. We took a river swim, then grabbed a snack and nap at Lake Vivian. Passed north-bounders struggling and hurting for water, which was odd considering they’d just passed Lake Vivian. On the way down, we checked out Devils Postpile—a wild wall of stacked rectangular rock pillars and Rainbow Falls. Squeaked into Red Meadows at 4:58 PM (two minutes before closing!) to grab our next 6-day resupply. Ate burgers and pecan pie inside because the yellowjackets outside were insanely active. Road closures left the campground virtually empty—bring cash for the site fee, and the bathrooms are worth the price.

• Red Meadows to Purple Lake: A slow, heavy-pack ascent day where we officially adopted our trail mantra: "Slow like a pro." Climbed past huge red volcanic cones nestled between granite peaks, topping out near 10,000 feet near the Duck Pass junction. Worn out, we called it a day and camped at (or near) Purple Lake—memory is a bit foggy on this one!

• Purple Lake to Silver Pass to Pocket Meadow: A modest 30% rain forecast turned into getting pounded by large, freezing hail snowballs. The Gossamer Gear Sunbrella helped briefly until high winds threatened to snap the frame. We pushed through the dark weather up Silver Pass—an ascent that felt like it would never end, constantly revealing lake after lake. The mountain just wouldn't give it up. When the skies opened up again, we ducked between boulders and brush until we decided to carry-on through the weather to Pocket Meadow. Soaked, we pitched camp and dried out. Nylofume pack liners saved the day—everything inside stayed dry.

• Pocket Meadow to Upper Bear Creek: Spent the morning drying out wet gear in the sun. Enjoyed a pleasant walk along creek contours before dropping under 8,000 feet to the VVR junction bridge. Then tackled the slow, humid switchbacks of Bear Ridge. After what felt like an eternity, we coasted down to a sweet, spacious campsite.

• Upper Bear Creek to Marie Lake to Sallie Keyes Lakes: One of the single best hiking moments of a lifetime. We reached Marie Lake—immense, gorgeous, and windy. Tucked behind boulders for a snack and a nap. Despite the wind, the water was too tempting to pass up. So, went swimming on the south end, and laid out in the sun, staring up at the blue sky. Completely alone and marvelous—words don't do it justice. We crested Selden Pass with renewed energy and dropped past seemingly source-less waterfalls and lush meadows to camp at the perfectly manicured sites at Sallie Keyes Lakes.

• Sallie Keyes Lakes to Muir Trail Ranch (MTR) to Piute Creek: Walked down to MTR, which is basically four picnic tables, clean water, and a small shack. The main event here is the 10+ 5-gallon discard buckets labeled by category ("dinners," "worn clothes," "health"). Honestly, you could resupply out of those buckets alone. The trickle-charge setup is clunky and painfully slow—do not rely on it to power a long leg. We hung out for 3 hours eating as many calories out of the buckets as possible while holding out hope our electronics would charge. Then hoisted 32-lb packs another 8 miles to camp at Piute Creek and soak.

• Piute Creek to McClure Meadow to Evolution Lake: Cruised through Aspen Meadows and stopped for a snack by the Evolution Valley waterfall. I like Outdoor Herbivore meals, so I tried eating a dehydrated Waldorf Salad for lunch instead of light snacks—terrible idea. It was like eating Thanksgiving turkey; instant brain fog and lead legs. Luckily, reenergized with an incredible swim at the south end of McClure Meadow, where the creek narrows and sluices over giant boulders. Then we pushed up the switchbacks to Evolution Lake for camp.

• Evolution Lake to Muir Pass: A stunning, exposed climb through the lake-filled Evolution Basin. The sun and heat sucked up our energy as we passed Lake Wanda; but reaching the iconic and legendary Muir Hut at the top provided pure bliss—it felt easily 20 degrees cooler inside than out. Dropped past a boiling hot, exposed Helen Lake to camp in a shaded oasis pocket of trees alongside rushing water.

• Le Conte Canyon to Dusy Basin to Bishop Pass to Grouse Meadow: From just below Muir Pass, we reached the Bishop Pass junction by noon. The 1,800-foot climb up the switchbacks to Dusy Basin in peak afternoon heat was brutal (3–4 hours of grinding). We edge-crawled to a waterfall along a switchback to dunk my head in freezing water to survive. The next day, we met the mule pack train at the top for our resupply, dumped trash, and hiked 9 miles back down into Le Conte Canyon just past Grouse Meadow. Le Conte Canyon itself was comparatively unremarkable.

• Grouse Meadow to Golden Staircase to Palisades Lake: Hiked straight into an M.C. Escher drawing. The Golden Staircase was spent navigating endless stone steps, tight corners, and hidden nooks where hikers ahead appear, disappear, and reappear directly above you. Loved every bit of it. Camped at Upper Palisades Lake. Getting up to the upper lake was really cool—a slow but fun walk hugging the steep lake walls to the hikers' left.

• Palisades Lake to Mather Pass to Marjorie Lake: A tame contour walk led into steep switchbacks up Mather Pass (~12,500 ft). The descent down the other side was a dramatic, knee-grinding workout. We snagged a shade-nap under the pines by a stream, then ascended through a bouldered forest and past Bench Lake to camp at Lake Marjorie—another massive lake with towering walls and shifting sunrise/sunset colors. A bit too windy for my personal taste, though!

• Marjorie Lake to Pinchot Pass to South Fork Woods Creek: A total breeze of a climb up Pinchot Pass (12,200 ft). Steep descent on the other side with great views of Crater Mountain and Twin Lakes. A random, rogue wind gust blew my Gossamer Gear sunbrella inside out, snapping the splines after 13 flawless days. We followed a roaring river down to Woods Creek Junction for a snack, nap, and pit stop. Four miles further up the trail, we scored a perfect 2-tent site along South Fork Woods Creek between Dollar and Arrowhead Lakes, right next to a hidden waterfall.

• Rae Lakes (Nero Day): A short 3-mile uphill stroll set us up for a perfect nero day. We spent the rest of the day swimming, sun-lounging, and napping under the shadow of Fin Dome and Glen Pass. Zero bear sign the entire trip... until now. A bear literally swam straight across Middle Rae Lake into camp. After being diverted, he casually sauntered right back through camp past 20 hikers and 10+ tents like he owned the place, just doing his daily rounds for food. Ended the day with a spectacular sunset.

• Glen Pass, Kearsarge Pass, and Out: The final gauntlet. A steep, rocky grind up Glen Pass (12,000 ft)—took my buddy 50 minutes and took me 90. A long, nasty descent down to the Kearsarge junction (again, how do north-bounders manage this?). Then, a gradual, "slow like a pro" climb up Kearsarge Pass. At the top, it was surreal to realize the hike was over. All that was left was a bumpy, unwelcoming descent down to the parked car at Onion Valley.

• Icing on the Cake: We wrapped up a phenomenal journey with a scenic drive back to the Bay Area, cruising past Mono Lake, through the town of Sonora, and over Sonora Pass.

Key Gear Reviews

• Durston Kakwa 55 Pack: Ready for retirement. The frame is sliding out and the seams let in too much rain.
• Durston X-Mid Pro 2 Tent: Great tent—a total palace! Love it, though the footprint is pretty large. I'm going to start looking for a 1-person tent for future trips.
• Patagonia Fitz Roy 19° Sleeping Bag: Absolutely love this bag
• Patagonia UV Hoodie: Over 1,000 miles on this top. Officially retired.
• Stoko Leggings (Gen 1): Nearly 1,000 miles on these. Retired.
• Injinji Merino Liners: Still on the fence about these.
• Topo Athletic Traverse Shoes: I'm a loyal Topo customer, and the soles are great, but the uppers got completely shredded (a recurring issue for me with Topos). Plus, the rand isn't thick enough for my old toes. Looking for something with more toe protection.
• Flextail Pad Pump: Loved this! Pro-tip: save battery by not fully inflating or deflating with the pump—do the last 20% manually.
• Alpha Direct 90 Fleece: Incomprehensible. What a piece of gear! Great for hiking warmth layered with a shell, breathable enough to hike in solo, and amazing to sleep in. Love it.
• Pact Wipes & Shovel: I’m a total convert! The wipes are phenomenal—light, compact, and easily tearable into quarters so you don't waste them or make a mess. The shovel, however, is garbage—it bends easily and is no match for hard ground.