Mt. Whitney Portal Store & Hostel Forums General Mt. Whitney Portal Store Message Board JMT Section Hiking Rehash...

So it was a year ago, yesterday, that I finished off my section hiking of the John Muir Trail. I thought I might get motivated to do something special, like a photo book, but it never happened.

I decided I'd run thru the albums to remind myself about what a GREAT experience it was. Here are a few of my favorite photos...



Day 1: Wales Lake and where I'll be heading from near the summit of Mt. Whitney.

Day 1: Pretty cool feeling when you know you're heading Way Out There.

Day 2: It was looking at scenes like this that had me pick High Plains Drifter as my trail name for the JMT/PCT hiking that I'd do.

Day 2: Forester Pass view north.

Day 3: Glen Pass view north.

Day 3: Rae Lakes area. Absolutely stunning! My favorite section of the JMT.

Day 3: Endless meadows.

Day 3: Incredible colors of a tarn north of Lake Marjorie.

Day 4: The view south from Upper Basin.

Day 4: The view north from Mather Pass.
[img]http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/California.../DSC03034-L.jpg[/img]
Day 5: Looking north from Muir Pass.
[img]http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/California.../DSC03037-L.jpg[/img]
Day 5: Entering the Evolution Basin.
[img]http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/California.../DSC03055-L.jpg[/img]
Day 5: More of the Evo Basin.
[img]http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/California.../DSC03139-L.jpg[/img]
Day 6: The view north from Selden Pass.
[img]http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/California.../DSC03182-L.jpg[/img]
Day 7: The view north from Silver Pass.
[img]http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/California.../DSC03237-L.jpg[/img]
Day 8: A taste of what's to come... The Minarets.
[img]http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/California.../DSC03242-L.jpg[/img]
Day 8: Downed trees!
[img]http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/California.../IMG_0809-L.jpg[/img]
Day 9: Rosie at Red's.
[img]http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/California.../IMG_0793-L.jpg[/img]
Day 9: Thousand Island Lake. This was my second favorite section of the JMT.
[img]http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/California.../DSC03434-L.jpg[/img]
Day 10: Heading for Yosemite Valley.
[img]http://piotrowski.smugmug.com/California.../DSC03444-L.jpg[/img]
Day 10: Worn out footwear.

Wow!
Richard, all I can say is you need to do that Photo Book. A lot of people will want to do that trail when they see it.

Richard:
Thanks for those beautiful vistas of mountains, lakes and water falls and I don't have to remind myself why I am crazy to come again and again into your back yard (as Laura puts it from the flat lands of my midwest home! This is what I train for thru the year!

A little bit of smoke and a forest fire are not going to deter me from another fantastic journey! Thanks again!
Krishna

Thanks guys.
I don't think it's possible to not have a good time back there.

Well, I have to admit a certain bias toward the shot from Thousand Island Lake even though "my" mountain hides behind Banner in that view.

The shots of the Evolution Basin bring back memories of a week-long trip through that area back in 1976. That was my first trip into the Sierra and definitely got me hooked even before we started the quest for Mt. Ritter.

Hopefully one of these summers I can put together a plan and through-hike the JMT...although that last 100 miles (north to south) with no good resupply points could be a real challenge.

Thanks for the great photos...makes me wish I had a trip planned out there this summer but the closest I'll get will be Kings Peak and Borah Peak (Utah and Idaho).

Marvelous shots Richard!

Also I think that your trail name is probably one of the coolest I've heard.

Those photos are beautiful. The boot photo tells the whole story. Awesome country out there.

Oh man... am I homesick now....

Richard, your pictures are so beautiful, you REALLY do need to do that book... or at least another calendar! I kept the calendar that you did in 2011, just because I love all the pictures!!!

So, if you're looking for book printing/publishing company recommendations, I'd definitely suggest BLURB... it's a really user-friendly format (it's the company I used for the High Sierra book I did). You've got your first pre-order - me!!!

Rosie

P.S. thanks for including my picture as one of your "favorites"!

Thanks again.

Rosie, catching up to you multiple times on the JMT was the HIGHLIGHT of last summer. The last day with your brothers wasn't half-bad either.

Richard
Thanks for posting the pics. Brought back a lot of good memories of my JMT thru hike in summer of 2011. Best retirement present I gave myself. Rae Lakes was beautiful, Wanda Lake just before heading up Muir pass and spending a night at Thousand Island Lk. Great stuff.

Thanks Richard! You had no idea how it would brighten my day to see you coming down the trail or unexpectedly hear your voice - "look up"

Here's a couple of those moments:

Bullfrog Lake / JMT intersection


Whitney summit

Thanks, Richard. Truly an inspiration. I start SoBo from Happy Isles on Monday.

I'm jealous.

Since I classify myself as a Deadbeat right now, I put some thought into doing the hike again, over a couple of weeks, this year...can't happen without serious Family Troubles though, so it's off the agenda.

Rosie, the calendars aren't nearly as much work, so I'll probably do 3: the JMT, the W52W Project and (forcing myself to look at the photo albums, finally) the Nepal trip. I have a source for printing that keeps the price low enough that it doesn't hurt to give a bunch away. Then again, knowing me, time may pass with nothing happening...