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John Muir Trail Northbound Traverse (2025 NOBO) Record [Chapter 1] Preparation

Yoshihiro Murakami

Chapter 1 Preparation

I go to the same places every year. I've lost track of how many times I've been to the John Muir Trail (JMT). This was a good opportunity to look through my photo album and check. In the beginning, most of the JMT trips were southbound. At that time, you could easily get a permit by faxing in the date you wanted. Then, Yosemite switched to a lottery system, and it became difficult to get a permit on the date you wanted. So I ended up taking the northbound JMT from Inyo.

The southbound JMT is popular because it is accessed from Yosemite. In recent years, a checkpoint has been built at Donohue Pass, so a permit marked "Donohue Pass Eligible" is required. The number of people allowed has decreased, with reservations at Happy Isle limiting the number of people allowed per day to 9, and from Lyell Canyon (Tualum Meadows) limiting the number of people allowed per day to 18.

The southbound JMT is dramatic. The scenery changes completely with each high pass. After Donohue Pass, the mountains spread out like a plain in the distance. After Island Pass, the Thousand Islands Lakes and other lakes and marshes appear. Finally, the finale is at Mount Whitney.

On the other hand, the northbound JMT also has its advantages. The biggest advantage is that it's easy to get a permit. The combined number of hikers at Cottonwood Pass and Cottonwood Lakes is about 50 per day. Also, since the sun is always behind you, you won't be as bothered by strong sunlight while hiking. Also, since you first drive up to 3,000 meters, the elevation change to Mount Whitney is small. However, there's the issue of acclimatization.

How many times have you been on the John Muir Trail?

I'll try to dig up memories from the album.

*1 This time, he was at home and sent me the weather forecast for the area around the trail every day. He also prepared food and booked accommodations.

Figure 1.1: Overall view of the John Muir Trail. The red line is the official trail, but you'll need to walk a fair bit outside the red line, including the trail from Mount Whitney to Whitney Portal, the trail from Horseshoe Meadow to Crabtree Meadow, and a round trip to Onion Valley for resupply.

*2 Schroomer is a trail name and mushroom expert. His real name is Scott William, and he lives in Martinez, near San Francisco. He has been a member of the PCT-L (Pacific Crest Trail Mailing List) for over 15 years. This was our first meeting. He used to work as a senior civil servant in Japan, and since retiring has been devoted to hiking.

After this, I commuted to Winds (Wyoming) for three years, and the scenery was just as amazing as the JMT.

*3 Both have been members of PCT-L for over 15 years and use their trail names. Trail Hacker is a software engineer whose real name is Anthony Begen. Piper is an instrumentalist whose real name is Diane Soini.

I returned to the JMT. It's easy to access and the weather is stable. As long as I have a permit, there's no problem.

Then the COVID-19 pandemic hit. Then, in May 2020, I twisted my knee while climbing a mountain and suffered a torn meniscus. It took me more than a year to rehabilitate.

I had no intention of thru-hiking the JMT. I was just hanging out. I ended up thru-hiking six times and summiting Whitney eight times.

Get a permit

Since I started hiking the JMT, I've been feeling uneasy from the end of January to the beginning of February. Inyo permits can be obtained online from 7:00 AM 182 days in advance. Yosemite requires a lottery. No matter where you enter, the permit is everything. Without a permit, you can't hike in America. Once you have a permit, you can decide on the route you'll walk and book your round-trip flight. Getting your permit early is advantageous in many ways. That's why I always get my permit around the beginning of February.

There are actually two types of permits. One is a permit that must be obtained 182 days in advance, and the other is a walk-up permit that must be obtained one to two weeks in advance. These permits used to be obtained by going to a Wilderness Office, but since the pandemic began, they have been moved to the website. In Yosemite, permits can be obtained one week in advance, and in Inyo, two weeks in advance. Technically, both are permit reservations, not permits. In Yosemite, you must go to the Wilderness Office one day before you obtain your permit to officially obtain it. Due to bus and other delays, it's best to schedule a late pickup. In Inyo, permits are available for printing on the website eight to nine days in advance. You can print as many copies as you want by converting them to PDF and printing them. The printed permit is the official one; PDFs are not accepted.

Now, permits can be obtained on the Recreation.gov website from 7:00 AM, 182 days before the scheduled time. This is local time, so it's exactly midnight Japan time. Because it's a clicking war, permits can only be obtained from midnight to around 12:10 AM. After that, you won't be able to get one unless you cancel, so it's best to give up and go to bed early.

The best places to go northbound on the JMT are Cottonwood Pass and Cottonwood Lakes, but Cottonwood Lakes requires crossing New Army Pass, a rather steep pass. There are many lakes and the scenery is beautiful, but if there's snow on the pass, you'll need ice axes and crampons to get there. It's difficult to get there in July. So, it's generally safer to get a permit for Cottonwood Pass.

To get a permit, go to the website, select No for Commercial Guided Trip?, and choose either Overnight or Overnight Exiting Mt Whitney for the Permit Type. Overnight Exiting Mt Whitney means descending to Lone Pine via Whitney Portal. This option should only be selected if you are entering the JMT midway, ascending Whitney, and descending to Lone Pine.

If you are going to Cottonwood Pass, an overnight trip is fine. If you start from Cottonwood Pass, you will climb Whitney from the east, then descend east and continue north on the JMT. The rest depends on the number of people and the date.

To be the first to click and retrieve the image at midnight, narrow the image frame on the website to the area you want to click. Note that your computer stores past images in a cache, so move the cursor and refresh the screen frequently to quickly retrieve the image when the 0 in the number of people column becomes a different number
. The image you get at this point is shown in Figure 1.2.

Figure 1.2: Inyo's permit acquisition screen. The screen will not change even if you stare at it. You must refresh the screen yourself frequently. The best time is about 10 minutes after midnight. The image is from September, so it will be slightly different from the end of July.

On the permit, you write down the dates of entry and departure and the itinerary between those dates, but you can add it to your shopping cart and edit it after purchase, so it's a good idea to use the list below as a reference to shorten and create your own itinerary. It's basically like a mountain climbing notification, and can be used as a reference if you go missing. Of course, most hikers have Garmin inReach devices, which can immediately send out an SOS in an emergency, so in reality it won't be used. There's absolutely no need to strictly follow the itinerary.

First, I got a Cottonwood Pass in the middle of the night on January 26th. It would take me a little while to get in and out on July 22nd and cost $11. I might

The itinerary is shown below. You can shorten it to create your own itinerary. Of course, there is no problem if you get a longer permit period.

  1. Chicken Spring Lake (PCT- Cottonwood Pass)
  2. SEKI – Rock Creek(84)
  3. SEKI – Crabtree (83) → Mt. Whitney round trip
  4. SEKI – Crabtree (83)
  5. SEKI – Tyndall Creek(80)
  6. SEKI – Center BAsin – Vidette (65)
  7. SEKI – Bubbs Creek (66)
  8. SEKI – Charlotte Lake (83)
  9. SEKI – Kearsarge Lakes(64) → resupply
  10. SEKI – Kearsarge Lakes(64)
  11. SEKI – Rae Lakes(62)
  12. SEKI – Twin Lakes (58)
  13. SEKI – Upper Basin(46)
  14. SEKI – Palisade Basin(45)
  15. SEKI – LeConte Canyon (39)
  16. SEKI – Evolution Basin (34)
  17. SEKI – Goddard (28)
  18. Senger Creek JMT – Sallie Keys near Florence Lake
  19. Marie Lake JMT – Seldon Pass
  20. Bear Creek Meadows Upper JMT – (Lake Edison) → resupply
  21. Bear Creek Meadows Upper JMT – (Lake Edison)
  22. Silver Pass Lake JMT -north of Lake Edison
  23. Tully Hole JMT – Upper Cascade/McGee Pass
  24. Purple Lake JMT
  25. Deer Creek JMT junction (South of Devils Postpile)
  26. Gladys Lake (JMT – North of Devils Postpile)
  27. Garnet Lake JMT- Thousand Island Lake
  28. Island Psss JMT – Thousand Island Lake
  29. Marie Meadows JMT (Rush Creek)
  30. Yosemite – Tuolumne Meadows/Lyell Canyon
  31. Yosemite- Cathedral Lakes
  32. Yosemite – John Muir Trail- Little Yosemite

Permit violations

If you camp in a US national park without a permit, you could be fined several thousand dollars or even imprisoned. I don't know anyone who has violated the permit, so I'm not sure how true that is, but it's probably the most severe penalty you'll face. You could even be banned from all national parks.

What about me? I've committed a number of minor permit violations. I wasn't caught, so I wasn't arrested. On this hike, I was so bored that I crossed Cottonwood Pass the day before. I've also hiked the JMT with Chieko many times, but I got permits for both of us and let her join me halfway through, so that's definitely a violation. I've told Shroomer, but he always said, "Nobody cares."

Since permits are issued for environmental conservation, you can get two permits and walk alone without any problems. However, it is a violation if another person joins you midway through. Officially, all members must be present from the beginning. However, no one notices. In other words, no one cares.

A permit is issued for one continuous hike. A continuous hike means staying within the wilderness, and even if you go into town to resupply, you can return to the trailhead 24 hours later. However, if you stay in town for two or three days, the continuity is broken, and you must obtain a new permit. However, in practice, no one seems to mind, and rangers tend to overlook it unless there's a major discrepancy with the itinerary. I stayed at Vermilion Valley Resort (VVR) for about three days, scavenging for food at hikers' barrels and searching for discarded valuables, so I violated my permit, but no one complained about it. There are sometimes some nagging people on the American Facebook group, so I don't say anything there.

Obtaining a permit is absolutely necessary, but enforcement is not particularly strict. However, since the Trump administration, it seems that the regulations have become stricter for foreigners, so if you commit a similar violation as I did and are caught by a ranger, you may be banned from all national parks. In particular, when the QR code is scanned, it is compared with the personal information you entered on Recration.gov. It is best not to let your guard down.

Figure 1.3: The actual permit. I was checked near Glen Pass, so it has the signature SEKI-116@Glen Pass 8/1. When I was checked at Ray Lakes, they scanned my QR code, which is very dangerous because it sends personal information to a computer. At Donohue Pass, I just took notes in a notebook, which is not scary at all.

Steps after Permit

Once you get your permit, everything else is decided automatically. The permit I got was valid from July 25th until August 21st.

Purchase of airline tickets

Once I decided on the dates I would start and finish the trail, I bought a round-trip ticket. I flew to the US about a week before starting the trail and returned four or five days after finishing my hike. So, in February, I accessed the ANA website and bought a ticket. Lately, I've been splurging a little and flying premium economy. The front row seats with more legroom tend to sell out, so I booked them right away.

Travel insurance

Medical costs in the United States are several hundred times higher than in Japan. Without insurance, you'll go bankrupt. It's important to note that some insurance companies won't cover you for simply bringing crampons or an ice axe. It's best to check. Sompo Japan is OK, and they even cover items broken during travel. I broke my camera twice, both times due to car vibrations and a fall, and both times Sompo Japan repaired it free of charge.

Hotel reservations

Once you've decided on your flight, you need a place to stay for the night. There are no nice hotels in Los Angeles, so recently I've given up and am staying at the Miyako Hotel near Union Station. It's expensive, but it's safe and clean. However, the room facilities are poor and the space is just too spacious. The breakfast buffet, which was once expensive but delicious, has also gotten worse. This seems to be due to the rising cost of living in the US and the economic slowdown. Since one night is enough, I immediately head to Lone Pine. I stayed at the Portal Motel for two nights. It was cheaper than the Miyako Hotel, but still expensive. I decided to quickly go to Horseshoe Meadow and stay two nights. I walked to Yosemite and returned to Los Angeles, but finally stayed at the Miyako Hotel for two nights.

Resupply

I no longer have the stamina to carry two weeks' worth of food from Horseshoe Meadows to VVR like I used to. I need to replenish my supplies in Onion Valley. A few years ago, I stayed at the Independence Inn, but the town was small, with only a sandwich shop and nowhere to sleep, due to the elevation drop. So, instead of descending from Onion Valley, I decided to simply replenish my supplies there. I emailed shuttle driver Kurt and asked him to deliver a shuttle to Horseshoe Meadows and resupply to Onion Valley on July 23. The shuttle cost $80, and the resupply delivery fee was $60. Kurt is a reliable person who always keeps his promises. Tipping is not necessary; the price is fair. If you live in the United States, you can probably pre-pack your resupply in a food box at Onion Valley.

means of transportation

From LAX to Union Station, the FlyAway express bus is convenient. Since last year, only credit cards with a touchscreen are accepted. So, I brought my Yodobashi card with me. I took Amtrak from Union Station to Lancaster, but I couldn't make a reservation here either; I had to buy it on the spot. The ESTA bus from Lancaster to Lone Pine can be reserved online.

Obtain ESTA

There is another ESTA, the US Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) (https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/). It is easier to fill out after making a hotel reservation in the US. It is also available in Japanese, so it is recommended that you apply through this site. It costs $21 and is valid for two years.

Just as I was getting everything ready, I got a Facebook message from James Weselaar.

"Have you got your summer itinerary? Where on the trail will you be walking? When will you fly in and when will you be back?"

I wasn't particularly close to James. I only knew him from Facebook, but it turns out we'd known each other for about 15 years through the Pacific Trail Mailing List (PCT-L). James knew me well. He invited me to come over to his house before starting the trail, but I declined because I would have had to reschedule my flight.

Then, on May 14th, I received an email from James.

"I've booked the Muir Trail Launch (MTR) for August 10th and 11th. What's happening now? I'm in Yosemite until the 16th and just walked the 4 mile trail back. There's only a little snow at Glacier Point."

He shared his schedule with me and strongly urged me to meet him on the MTR. To be honest, I didn't want to be tied down by a fixed schedule. However, it wasn't that difficult to get to the MTR on August 10th. It seemed he had made the effort to book the MTR to fit my schedule. I couldn't just refuse, so I agreed. So, we were scheduled to arrive on the MTR on August 10th, which was unusual.

Main equipment

I happened to have photographed the equipment I would be carrying on the JMT in 2025, which is shown in Figure 1.4. My equipment weighs about twice as much as that of American hikers (up to 28 kg), so I need to train myself to carry a load.

Figure 1.4: JMT Equipment in 2025

I will only explain the main equipment.

Sleeping bag

The Thermarest - 6°C rated, air mattress with R-value 4.0, freezing rated. 2025 was very hot, with the lowest temperature inside the tent being 8°C. However, there were a few times when the tent was frozen. It will drop below freezing a few times on the JMT, so be prepared.

tent

It's a Vango Helium UL2, a double-walled two-person tent. It has two entrances, so it's well ventilated when it's hot, and when it gets cold, you can close both entrances to keep warm. This tent was very comfortable.

Backpack

I reinforced it with Thule GuidePost 65 to prevent it from sagging. I also modified and attached Arn's Universal Pocket to the front pocket. I put my Sony full-frame mirrorless camera in the left pocket and documents and gear in the right. The GuidePost's hip belt swings, so it doesn't interfere with walking. However, it weighs 3.4 kg, so after the hike I replaced it with a Mammut Ducan Spine 50-60 (Figure 1.6). This also has a swinging hip belt and shoulder harness.

food

My staple food is a blend of alpha rice and dried natto, which I cook for about 5 minutes, and I also grill side dishes like dried mirin. My stove system is a highly efficient, separate Primus Primatec. It's heavy, but I bring it because I need it.

Basin equipment

I have a full set of toiletries, including a razor and a battery-operated electric toothbrush. I've had dental problems for years, so I need to brush my teeth properly. I also can't grow a full beard like Americans do; I only have a small beard at best, which makes me look very shabby. I shave at least once every three days.

clothing

My clothing is ultra-light. I wear a Rab rainsuit top and bottom, a cotton, polyester, and wool T-shirt, and shorts. For sleeping, I wear a thin Rab fleece long-sleeve shirt, old tights from REI, and a thin Haglofs down jacket. When I sleep, I layer a polyester T-shirt over the wool T-shirt.

camera

I have a Sony full-frame camera with a 20-70mm zoom. This alone weighs 1.2 kg. Because of this, I have a 20,000mAh battery attached to a solar panel to power my Garmin watch, Messenger Plus, and smartphone (Figure 1.7). It's definitely not ultralight.

Special equipment for JMT

Special equipment for the JMT includes bear canisters, cases for storing food, water filters, and diapers. It is illegal not to have a bear canister. A water filter is an essential item. If you develop diadelphia, you will be unable to move for two weeks due to constant urination. You are required to take toilet paper home with you, so try to avoid using it and use a diaper instead.

Navigation

For navigation, I used the free topographical map DesertSouthWest loaded onto my Garmin Fenix ​​7. While a GPS isn't necessary, it's good to know clearly that I'm only 200 meters away from my destination campsite. The paper map I used was Caltopo, with my route and campsites marked on it. You can download and print it at any scale (https://caltopo.com/m/SHN7).

Behavioral eating

I don't eat anything that sounds like road food. The same goes for supplements. For me, my supplements are roasted almonds for vitamin D3 and skin health, and dried fruit for dessert. I used to get sunburned every year in the US without using sunscreen, and I ended up with actinic keratosis (a type of cancer), which taught me a lesson. So now I use sunscreen and eat almonds to nourish my skin. After about a year of doing this, my skin has become clearer. I've had almost no skin damage this year.

Figure 1.5: Jim (left), the owner of the Independence Inn, and Kurt (right), the shuttle driver. Both have German surnames. Jim was an artistic man, handcrafting the inn's doors and other fixtures. He was often away taking photographs, and only allowed guests to stay at the inn when he felt like it. He seemed to dislike dirty PCT hikers. Perhaps because I'm Japanese, he took a liking to me. He sold the inn and disappeared. Kurt was a man of good word, and I get the impression he patronized Japanese people. Photographed in 2022.

Figure 1.6: After the hike, I changed my backpack from a Thule GuidePost 65 to a Mammut Ducan Spine 50-60. Its durability is unknown, but it supports the weight well on the hip belt and does not interfere with my walking posture.

Figure 1.7: Cameras and other electronic devices. Since there are so many of them, it is also important to pay attention to power backup.

Figure 1.8: After the hike, I changed my watch from a Garmin fenix 7 to an EPIX Pro 51mm. The free topographic map is DesertSouthWest. The wrist compass is useful for quick orientation. The paper map is Caltopo. Garmin Messenger Plus is used for communication, making it easy to send photos.

Food Planning

How much food should I bring? I had no idea on my first JMT, and ended up losing 4-5kg. Now I understand it well, both theoretically and practically. For more details, see The Science of Hiking

Assuming the average weight of a Japanese person is 65 kg for men and 53 kg for women, if they carry a backpack that is 20% of their body weight and go about their daily routine for eight hours, the calorie expenditure for men will be 4,368 kcal and for women 3,562 kcal. Let's convert this to dry weight food. Assuming a calorie ratio of 60% carbohydrates, 20% protein, and 20% fat (a balanced diet), the calorie expenditure is 4 kcal/g, 4 kcal/g, and 9 kcal/g, respectively. Therefore, for 1 kg of dry weight, the calorie expenditure is 4 × (600 + 200) + 9 × 200 = 5,000 kcal. Dividing this by 5,000, we find that men and women need 0.87 kg and 0.71 kg of food, respectively.

In summary, the average Japanese man needs 0.9 kg of food per day, and the average Japanese woman needs 0.7 kg. Many parts of the JMT are at altitudes of over 3,000 m, and many climbers lose their appetite due to altitude sickness, making it difficult to eat. In this case, as the theory suggests, they lose weight due to a calorie deficiency.

Figure 1.9 shows the food list I ate on my hike. Adjust this to 1 kg per day. For a 10-day hike, 10 kg of food is enough.

When sending food from Japan to the US, I use the post office's EMS service. The problem this time was canned mackerel. It wasn't on the list, so I decided to send processed mackerel. By the way, sending 26 days' worth of food (beef jerky, etc., was procured locally) cost about 56,000 yen. The postage cost per day is 2,100 yen. However, prices in the US are quite high. It would probably cost 3,000 to 4,000 yen per day. There are many foods that cannot be procured locally. I don't think mailing is a bad idea.

Buying food for yourself in the US takes time, and it's not always to your liking. I once bought whole wheat couscous in San Francisco, but it smelled so bad I couldn't eat it. Freeze-dried food for hiking costs about $10 for a pack of two servings. You need two packs to eat it, and Mexican food can have a very strong, pungent taste. Dried vegetables are hard to come by.

As the flight approaches

Things get busy one month before departure. Chieko buys things like alpha rice, dried natto, and dried fruit. We buy things like cheese and mirin-dried fish, seal them in a food sealer, sterilize them by boiling, and store them for a long time. We also need three loaves of JMT bread, so we bake them, cut them into quarters, seal them in a food sealer, and sterilize them by boiling. This way, they won't go bad.

Resupply is sent directly to VVR, but in the case of Onion Valley, it is sent to the Portal Motel in Lone Pine, where beef jerky and energy bars are added before being handed over to Kurt. Previously, EMS mail from the post office took about three days to arrive, but I was surprised when I checked the website. It said it would take about a week. So I sent it a week before departure.

Next, you need to print your permit. Officially, it's available to print one week in advance, but if you check every day, it's available nine or ten days in advance. As soon as it's available to print, you should immediately print it out as a PDF, print it out, and sign it. You need to carry the permit in print with you.

Finally, I used ANA's computer check-in service. Until now, with Singapore Airlines, it was possible to check in two days before departure, but now it's impossible unless you check in 24 hours before departure. However, it wasn't difficult, and I was even able to print my boarding pass.

Figure 1.9: Food list. Most of the food is readily available dried foods. I don't eat freeze-dried packets.

Figure 1.10: Seven-day resupply. ③ indicates three days' worth of food is procured locally. VVR, Onion Valley's resupply is sent via the post office.

To Los Angeles

I arrived at Narita Airport Terminal 1 in the afternoon, planning to go early and have a free lunch. Since I had already checked in via computer, all I had to do was check my luggage, which was easier than usual. The buffet at the ANA lounge was very well stocked with vegetables, fruit, bread, and other items, which I was very grateful for. Actually, rice doesn't go well with me, and I get bloated easily. I'm a bread lover, and while vegetables and fruit are fine, I also love sweet treats. Anyway, I enjoyed the ANA lounge and spent over two hours eating there (Figure 1.12).

Shortly after boarding, a slightly more luxurious business class dinner was waiting for me, but I was already full and didn't bother ordering it. The chair was slightly wider, with plenty of legroom, so I was able to sit comfortably. I had brought a bidet for use on board, but the plane had a washlet instead. I also brought Bose noise-canceling headphones, but the headphones provided were noise-canceling, and I was given earplugs as well. There was no place to plug in the Bluetooth adapter, so I ended up carrying around a useless item for the whole month.

The flight was smooth, with no turbulence, and I arrived at LAX. Immigration asked me the usual questions, except that I was asked to show my return ticket. My checked backpack was brought out just as it was, and there was no indication that its contents were inspected. I put my front pocket back on and headed for the exit. There was no further inspection at the exit. I simply left.

Figure 1.11: Japan Post EMS Goods List. Entry of the HS code of the goods is mandatory. It's easy to do by looking at the list or searching on Tsuukanshi.com. Once you've entered the information, it's saved and can be reused. Printing it on a color printer creates beautiful labels.

Figure 1.12: The buffet at the ANA lounge. I peeled the orange with my fingers, even without a knife. The bowl on the right contains zenzai. I'm a greedy eater, so I ate two to three times as much as shown in this photo.

The arrival terminal is Tom Bradley. Exiting the train, you'll immediately see the FlyAway bus stop. Here, I met a Japanese man living in America. He said he'd returned home and brought his wife with him. Many Japanese people work and live in America. You can generally tell them apart at a glance. Their mannerisms and demeanor are different from Chinese or Korean people. I swipe the touch-sensitive credit card I'd prepared in advance to pay the fare and get on the bus. It's $10, and the nonstop ride to Union Station takes about 30 minutes. If I take the bus, it costs just $1 if I use the senior discount, but it takes about an hour and a half with transfers.

The Miyako Hotel was about a 15-minute walk away. Along the way, we came across a group of people criticizing Israel, putting up signs and collecting signatures. There was trash scattered on the road, but the atmosphere didn't seem particularly chaotic. It seemed like the violent demonstrations had ended a few weeks ago. A police car was watching the scene a little further ahead. The police officer looked bored, too.

Figure 1.13: Japanese Village and Miyako Hotel. The Japanese Village is worthless to those who are not interested in Japanese food, while the Miyako Hotel is simply clean and quiet.

I checked into the Miyako Hotel, but first I had to worry about dinner. There was a microwave on the first floor, but the room only had a coffee maker, refrigerator, and TV. The coffee maker only made coffee, not boiled water. In other words, the room had almost no amenities.
The Ninja Market in the nearby Japanese Village didn't have anything good, so I went to Marukai Market a little further away, but it was also disappointing. I didn't want to eat out, so I bought bread, sausages, vegetables, and fruit for dinner. The sausages were too salty and inedible. I filled the bathroom with hot water and let them soak for a while to remove the salt. The salt content in American bread, sausages, and ham is incredible. I always read the salt content in small print before buying, but there was no choice when it came to ham and sausages.

For breakfast, I paid over $30 for the breakfast buffet at the hotel's restaurant, Tamon, but the food was much worse than it was a year ago. A year ago, there was delicious stewed beef and plenty of fruit. This year, there was no beef, and the bread was hard and tasteless. There was only a little fruit. The yogurt was all sweet and not tasty. It seemed like their profitability had deteriorated considerably. So, I decided not to eat it on the way home.

To Lone Pine

In 2024, Saji*4, a member of the American hiking group, was left behind on an ESTA bus. That year, he only had a 10-minute layover, and even though his train was delayed, the bus didn't wait for him. It happened on a Friday. He assumed he couldn't travel on Saturdays or Sundays, so he returned to his lodgings in Santa Monica. However, starting in 2024, ESTA buses began operating on Saturdays.

*4 Yasukazu Saji. He successfully completed a long hike from Onion Valley to Yosemite.

Figure 1.14: Metrolink trains are huge, double-decker trains, but they move very slowly. One time, on my way back from Lancaster, I had a breakdown and was delayed by about an hour. But I like trains and ride them all the time. Since most people travel by car, they're usually empty.

I immediately contacted Saji via messenger. The next day, he returned to Lancaster, traveled to Lone Pine, and successfully obtained his permit. The ESTA bus will operate daily from 2025.

Staying at the Miyako Hotel is just boring, so I decide to take the 9:39 Metrolink to Lancaster. All I have to do is say "Senior, Lancaster" at the ticket counter. It's only $5.75. I go up to the second deck of the train, grab four seats, take off my shoes, and sit back. These days, the conductor comes to check tickets. About 10 years ago, the conductor didn't do anything.

The wait in Lancaster is about two hours, but I can just relax in the station, and there's a convenience store. I'm an only child, and I've never minded spending time alone doing nothing. However, things don't always go as planned. The station is completely closed. I have no choice but to wait outside, with no air conditioning. The restrooms are closed, which is a real problem. I sneak out to a place away from the station. Outside the station, there was a black man selling cell phones, but I had no reason to buy one, so I only chatted with him briefly.

The ESTA bus arrives at exactly 2 PM. Since I have a reservation, I just need to show my QR code ticket. The ride is quite long, as I arrive at Lone Pine at 5 PM. Fortunately, there is a toilet break at a place called Inyokan.

Figure 1.15: Lancaster station. This photo shows the same situation in 2024. The station building is closed, the toilets are inaccessible, and people have no choice but to wait in the shade for their bus.

First time at Lone Pine

Come to think of it, I've climbed Whitney eight times, so I've been to Lone Pine eight times, and therefore stayed at the inn at least eight times.

My first stay was at the Whitney Portal Hostel in 2009. I stumbled along, carrying a heavy pack, until I left VVR and found myself at Crazy Dock, the entrance to the Bear Trail. He gave me a commemorative custom carabiner. He apparently took one look at my gait and my large backpack and thought I'd never see him again. But then, time and time again, he stumbled back into view after I'd pitched my tent. He seemed to feel like he was being followed by a zombie. No matter how much I tried to shake him off, he'd always reappear in the evening. I met him again at Guitar Lake, our final stop, and we summited Whitney at roughly the same time. He promised to give me a ride from Whitney Portal if I accompanied him on the descent. The descent was no problem, even with a heavy backpack. He only pulled away a little, and I followed him to the end. His final sprint was intense. The young Czech man with me was also puzzled.

Crazy Doc disappeared for a while, then reappeared calmly, offering to buy me and the Czech youth hamburgers and drinks. While I was daydreaming, I heard Tosaka-san, whom I'd met on the JMT, loudly yell "Double, double!" Without really understanding what he meant, I ordered a "double." It was a substantial burger with two patties. Thanks to that, I didn't need dinner. Perhaps this had riled up Crazy Doc, as he called from a restaurant in Portal, negotiating quickly. A short time later, he told me he'd secured lodging for me. The Czech youth and I headed to Lone Pine in Doc's car. Meanwhile, Tosaka-san had drank beer and collapsed, losing consciousness. Joel and his son, whom I'd met on the trail, were forced to drive me to San Francisco. A first-time JMT can be full of surprises.

I went to the Whitney Portal Motel, got my key, and entered my room, only to find there was another guest there. The man became angry and said he was renting the room, so he went to the motel manager. A few minutes later, he appeared with a smile on his face and told me to take a bath and get clean. He was staying there because he was working on building road bridges. He boasted that his work would put him on maps. Looking back, it seemed a bit odd. Years later, I found out that Crazy Doc was actually a hospital owner and quite wealthy. He also knew the hostel owner. He must have paid for one night's stay. So, when he heard that one night's stay was free, his attitude toward me must have completely changed. A few years later, the Whitney Portal Motel changed owners and was remodeled into two types of rooms: hostel rooms for several people and single motel rooms. I stayed there once after the remodeling.

*5 I named him "Doc" because my companions kept calling him "crazy." His real name is Stephen Kandl. I found out his true identity when I was invited to his home with his wife, Chieko, after hiking the JMT in 2012. He was actually a doctor and ran a pediatric hospital. Their home was a large mansion on the outskirts of Los Angeles. His wife was quite shy, and their daughter was an artist who made patterns. He said that the JMT was extremely difficult, and that he never wanted to descend Mount Whitney again.

*6 Akira Tosaka, software engineer living in the Kanto region. Recently, he has hiked in Patagonia, Kungsleden, and other places.

Shopping and Prep in Lone Pine

The main part of Lone Pine is shown in Figure 1.18. It had been a while since I last stayed there, but it had become more hiker-friendly than before.

I stayed at the Portal Motel because it was relatively cheap and located in the center of town, convenient for shopping. Online reservations were available. Another option, although a little more expensive, is the Dow Villa Motel, which offers a safe and secure stay. For a more affordable option, try the Whitney Portal Hostel & Hotel.

There was only one supermarket, Lone Pine Market. There was a sign on the wall saying PCT HIKERS 2019, so as expected, there were more items that hikers want, such as freeze-dried food, beef jerky, and energy bars.

Figure 1.16: Crazy Dock went down at a tremendous speed.

Figure 1.17: Bridge workers at the Witney Portal Hostel, 2009.

Figure 1.18: The main part of Lone Pine. It's a small town, but it's hiker-friendly and has recently improved its supermarket selection.

The outdoor shop is Elevation Sierra Adventure, which stocks gas canisters, freeze-dried food, and various gear.

Merry Go Round is a Chinese restaurant. It used to be good, but since the management changed, the food has become too strong and difficult to eat. There's a rule that American Chinese food is good on the West Coast, but the taste deteriorates as you go inland. It's not the same as what you'd imagine Chinese food to be in Japan. Seasons Restaurant is the most prestigious restaurant in Lone Pine. I had a steak there once. Alabama Hills Cafe & Bakery is popular with American hikers and is always full. However, their policy is "Everything is big," and while they do have some tasty dishes, it's all about quantity. The Grill is a little pricey, but the food is good. In general, I recommend this restaurant. It's full at lunch and dinner time.

When I arrived at Lone Pine and checked in, it was already 5:30. I quickly went out to do some shopping. I bought gas canisters, two 250g canisters and one half-size canister. I didn't have much of an appetite, so I had a sandwich at Subway. After that, I went to the supermarket and bought bread, vegetables, fruit, meat, etc. A banana, yogurt, and a bagel were enough for breakfast.

The next day, I settled down and bought beef jerky and other supplies for Onion Valley, as well as food for the two days at Horseshoe Meadow. I found all the food at the supermarket. Some photos of the food are shown in Figure 1.19. Other items included two packs of whole-wheat bagels, a fruit pack, yogurt, and bananas.

Figure 1.19: Some of the food we bought at Lone Pine. The beef jerky was good. The vegetable bags were lightly cooked and served as a salad.

We opened the boxes we'd sent for resupply in Onion Valley, added gas canisters, beef jerky, energy bars, and other items, and stuck a note with the pickup date on top. All we had to do was hand it over to Kurt. The inspection and sealing were finished just after 10 a.m.

Just eating bread and other things at the inn is boring, so I went to Alabama Hills Cafe for lunch. As soon as I sat down, I was kicked out. There were many people waiting outside. It wasn't a place worth waiting for, so I went straight to The Grill, which was close to the inn. It was before noon, so there were no customers. What's more, they only had breakfast menu items. When I first came to America, I ate only pancakes, but recently I've been eating mostly burritos. So I ordered a burrito (Figure 1.22). As expected, it was served with the atmosphere of a meal, not just food. I've had pancake breakfasts there before, and this restaurant never disappoints.

Figure 1.20: Homemade dinner. Smoking is strictly prohibited in motels, but it's okay to stew a little or grill some meat. Of course, to avoid any lingering odors, do it in the bathroom, turn on the exhaust fan, and destroy any evidence.

Figure 1.21: Alabama Hills Cafe. A popular cafe for hikers. Service and food can be hit or miss. Photo taken in 2018.

Figure 1.22: Burritos at The Grill. It was after 11 a.m., so they only had breakfast options.

My appointment with Kurt was set for 9:15 a.m. on July 23rd, but I got a message and was 20 minutes late. I gave him $140 in cash and loaded up the supplies. The pick-up point was a food box next to the restrooms in Onion Valley.

It's about a 40-minute drive to the Horseshoe Meadow Campground. It's a familiar spot. When I got there, it was deserted. I'd brought the $12 fee for two nights plus plenty of extra food, but when I looked at the notice board, I saw a ridiculous situation. <Continued in Chapter 2>

Nobuhiro Murakami's new hiking guide, "The Science of Hiking, 4th Edition," is now available on Amazon

Nobuhiro Murakami, a former professor at a national university and an experienced through-hiker who continues to share rational solo hiking know-how from a unique and profound scientific perspective in books such as "Hiking Handbook" (Shinyosha) and "The Complete Guide to Hiking in the United States" (Ei Publishing), has released his new book, "The Science of Hiking," which is now available on Amazon. This compelling and logical hiking textbook is based on his accumulated experience dating back to the dawn of long trails in Japan, as well as objective sources such as academic papers on hiking, exercise physiology, and a wide range of other fields.

The Science of Hiking, 4th Edition
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