The obsession with the John Muir Trail is making people miss out on better routes

I've been planning trips in the Sierra for over a decade, and I keep seeing the same thing. Everyone wants to do the full JMT, fighting for permits and dealing with huge crowds. But have you ever tried the High Sierra Trail? It's a 72-mile point-to-point from Crescent Meadow to Mt. Whitney, and it has just as much beauty with way less hassle. I did it last September and saw maybe ten other groups the whole week. The problem is, people think the JMT is the only classic Sierra route. They spend months trying to get a permit for Yosemite when they could walk up for the HST at Sequoia. Why does the most famous trail have to be the only one that counts? What's a less crowded route you think beats the more famous one nearby?

2 comments

2 Comments

jennifer6914d ago

Watch people line up for the famous burger joint while the better taco truck sits empty.

joseph45515d ago

Honestly, the whole permit lottery system for the JMT creates this weird sense of scarcity that makes people want it more. It becomes a trophy hike instead of just a walk in the mountains. I got totally burned out on that scene and started looking at loops in the Emigrant Wilderness north of Yosemite. You can link up miles of cross country travel without seeing a trail register, let alone another person. The freedom to just go where you want beats following a single crowded corridor any day.