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John Muir Trail - Red's Meadow to Tuolumne Meadows 2016
Previous
Saturday September 3, 2016
Driving from Mammoth Mountain to Tuolumne Meadows and Back

Sunday September 4, 2016
Backpacking from Red's Meadow to the Minarets

Next
Monday September 5, 2016
Backpacking from the Minarets to Garnet Lake


We packed everything into Kent's' rig and drove up to Mammoth Mountain
john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
08:36

We drove up to the gate at Devil's Postpile.
With our backcountry permits we would be allowed to park in the Postpile if we wanted.
For some reason we decided it would be easier to take the bus, so we turned around, parked the car, got in line for bus tickets, and got in line for the bus.
I honestly can't remember why we thought this was the better plan, but it wasn't.

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
09:24
Mammoth Mountain, where we get to buy bus passes and wait in line for a busride into Devil's Postpile National Monument.

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
09:24
The line for the bus

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
09:30

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
10:21
The bus dropped us off at the trailhead to Devil's Postline.
My goal was to start hiking at Red's Meadow so the next time I hike a segment of the JMT I'd be starting at Red's Meadow and headed south.
They promised that the next bus would take us to Red's Meadow within 5 minutes or so.
Another 30 minutes later, we'd seen half a dozen buses come and go, and not a single one went further south.
This was because of the huge crowds for the three day weekend.
Very not cool, if they'd have told us how screwed up the buses were we'd have parked and started hiking nearly two hours ago...

I didn't realize until later that very few people start hiking northbound at Red's Meadow, and our permits technically didn't even allow us to hike on that part of the trail since it was south of Devil's Postpile.

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
10:21
Grand Central station at Devil's Postpile.

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
10:52

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
11:02
Kent's pic
Red's Meadow, elevation 7779 feet

Finally we were on our way!

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
11:02

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
11:20

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
11:20
Middle fork of the San Joaquin River
mile 0.9

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
11:20

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
11:21

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
11:38

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
11:44

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
11:46

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
11:59
Kent's pic

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
12:16
Devil's Postpile

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
12:17
Kent's pic

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
12:30

A few of the 400,000 trees that blew down in the 180mph windstorm of November 30, 2011.

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
12:33
The sign says this way to Minaret Falls.


john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
12:39
Kent's pic
What the sign should also say is the JMT and PCT diverge here.
Someone fortunately vandalized the sign to add that vital piece of information.
I'm used to hiking in Yosemite National Park where it is nearly impossible to get lost, every trail interection is very clearly marked with several signs.
Mile 2.3

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
12:42

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
13:07
Kent's pic

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
13:08
Superior Lake Trailhead
Mile 3.1

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
13:24
Minaret Creek double log bridge
Mile 3.3

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
Jed's pic

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
Jed's pic
Johnston Lake
elevation 8.174 feet
Mile 3.7

After Johnston Lake we knew we'd be hiking up nearly 1000 feet over a few miles before we saw any more lakes.

We decided to have a late lunch by an idyllic stream.

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
13:54
Kent's pic

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
15:06

Lunch

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
15:18

Lunch

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
15:22
Kent's pic
Lunch

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
15:22
Kent's pic

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
15:30

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
15:55

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
15:56

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
16:07
Kent's pic

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
16:15
Kent's pic

So we hiked... and hiked... and hiked... we were headed up, and we didn't see any lakes, and we were getting really close to the Minarets, which was really cool, I'd always wanted to see the Minarets!
But we didn't see any lakes, and by now we surely had hiked far enough.
We'd seen very few people all day, and we didn't see any people all afternoon, which seemed a little strange.
Finally we saw a couple coming down the trail and I asked them if we were near the lake.
They asked 'which lake' and I immediately knew I'd screwed up ... badly.
The girl got out her GPS and I quickly got out my iphone to confirm my fears
Turns out we were now very close to Minaret Lake, and we weren't supposed to be.
Somehow I'd missed a turn and we had just hiked up 1000 vertical feet and 3.7 miles up the wrong trail..
I hadn't even suspected a problem until the last 30 minutes or so, and it really hadn't occurred to me I could be that lost, so I never checked my GPS on my iPhone.
Very very stupid.
Worse, we needed to backtrack those 3.7 miles and 1000 feet of vertical tomorrow morning, then make up for lost time.
We were done hiking for the day, we set up camp here since we had water nearby.
Kent discussed the possibility of going through Minaret Lake or bushwacking to avoid the downclimb and backtrack.
I didn't think the trail went through and I didn't have maps or GPS tracks of that area.


We camped at 9,348 feet of elevation
Ironically our permit again was no good here though I didn't think about it too much at the time.
Our permit was for the JMT and we weren't on it.

Turns out we were about 1-1/2 miles southeast and 700 feet below the spot on Volcanic Ridge where Steve Fosset crashed.

Total for the day - 6.8 miles

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
18:02
Kent's pic

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
18:06
Kent's pic

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
18:13

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
18:37
Kent's pic

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
20:11
Kent's pic

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
20:11
Kent's pic

john muir trail ansel adams wilderness tuolumne meadows 2016 trip report
20:35
Kent's pic



Previous
Saturday September 3, 2016
Driving from Mammoth Mountain to Tuolumne Meadows and Back

Sunday September 4, 2016
Backpacking from Red's Meadow to the Minarets

Next
Monday September 5, 2016
Backpacking from the Minarets to Garnet Lake