John Muir Trail September 2023

[infrastellar]

Very nice... I recommend to put the strap loop on the other side of the tree, to move it from left to right. Less stress on the loop with the strap that is going through.

[joe411k]

Congratulations! And thanks for sharing!
I'm in the dreaming/pre-planning phase... not yet knowing when I'll get to go. It's great to know that it can be done comfortably in a hammock!

Are there many lakes that don't have some trees nearby at which to camp?

WanderingKansas - there are many places along the JMT with no trees available for hammock camping. Some of the most popular lakes and camp sites have no trees or very small trees / shrubs only. This suited me just fine as those places tend to be more crowded. However, with careful planning, it is very possible to hammock camp the full JMT. I relied extensively on Gaia and Farout both in doing my pre-trip planning. For Gaia, you can use the satellite view to see where the trees are. For Farout, you can see pictures of the marked campsites to get an understanding of where the trees are. I carried a torso length foam pad as my go to ground emergency backup, but in hindsight, I wouldn't have carried it at all! Good luck and feel free to reach out once you get to the planning phase as I am happy to share my spreadsheet that had my approximate mileage and campsite plans.

[Twistytee]

This is on my bucket list too. I got to do a section of the PCT and up San Jacinto Peak last year and would really like to get a permit for the JMT. Great that you got to navigate it with a hammock!

[WanderingKansas]

WanderingKansas - there are many places along the JMT with no trees available for hammock camping. Some of the most popular lakes and camp sites have no trees or very small trees / shrubs only. This suited me just fine as those places tend to be more crowded. However, with careful planning, it is very possible to hammock camp the full JMT. I relied extensively on Gaia and Farout both in doing my pre-trip planning. For Gaia, you can use the satellite view to see where the trees are. For Farout, you can see pictures of the marked campsites to get an understanding of where the trees are. I carried a torso length foam pad as my go to ground emergency backup, but in hindsight, I wouldn't have carried it at all! Good luck and feel free to reach out once you get to the planning phase as I am happy to share my spreadsheet that had my approximate mileage and campsite plans.

Thanks, Joe! Would you mind sharing with me that itinerary with campsites?

[joe411k]

Wandering Kansas - send me a PM with your email and I will send over the spreadsheet.