I have read some previous threads that speculated it could be done, but was looking for an update - perhaps someone who actually did the hike with a hammock, and how it turned out...i.e. would you do it again?
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I have read some previous threads that speculated it could be done, but was looking for an update - perhaps someone who actually did the hike with a hammock, and how it turned out...i.e. would you do it again?
I did a portion of the trail last Summer, and found that it was very possible to hang, with the exception of a couple of alpine areas. Depending on what your daily mileage ends up being, the camps above treeline completely will be few.
I should mention that I use a dbl layer hammock with a pad between, so that if I need to go to ground I at least have a pad under me.
I hiked the JMT with hammock in the Summer of 2010. It worked really well, I set up on the ground one night when I was above treeline otherwise I found hammock spots very prolific.
The weather turned very cold on us and I found my JRB Nest and 20 deg down bag quite insufficient. I now have a JRB Mt Washinton 4 underquilt and the same WM bag and with a down jacket I think I would have been warm enough. Hike was from Mid August to first week of September.
Rangers in the Yosemite backpacking camps at Yosemite Valley and Tuolumne Meadows dont like hammocks, they gave me a hard time but did not ban me from hamocking.
Oddly enough, we had Rangers come by our hammocks in TM bper site and ask questions about our set up. No hassle, no negativity at all.
I’ve never heard of JMT… What and where is it?
JMT = John Muir Trail
I believe it is, someone on the left coast could likely tell you for certain.
JMT runs from Mt Whitney in the South, to Yosemite Valley in the north. Hikers are either NB or SB, as in North Bound or South Bound. 212 miles, not including the summit of Whitney which is off the JMT, but the trail uses the pass just below the summit on its way to Whitney Portal. Last Aug, I started from Yosemite and hiked to Duck Lake before having to leave the plan. This Aug, we are going back to do North Lake to South Lake, around Bishop, Ca. We may go back another year to do more of the southern end, but no plans as of yet. The future holds many trails, and only so many days.
trip report here report not mine, but lots of good pics.