The John Muir Trail: Through the Californian Sierra Nevada

This is a guidebook for walking the John Muir Trail (JMT) - North America's best known mid-distance walking trail. It runs for 216 miles through the high Sierra Nevada mountains of California, from Yosemite Valley to the summit of Mount Whitney (14,496ft), the highest peak in the US outside Alaska. The walking trail (named after the great 19th-century Scottish naturalist John Muir) is entirely through the unspoilt wilderness of the American West and passes through three national parks: Yosemite, Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks. The John Muir Trail is one of the world's most spectacular treks, and thorough planning is required to walk it successfully. All you need to know to plan and prepare for your trip is contained within this guidebook, from obtaining trekking permits to buying trek food and forwarding food caches along the trail. Abundant advice is given on such topics as dealing with inquisitive bears, coping with altitude, negotiating river crossings, as well as tips on booking transport to and from the trailheads and on what equipment to take. In addition there is a detailed description of the flora and fauna of this remarkable region.

Table of Contents:
TRAIL GUIDE Yosemite Valley Day 1 Yosemite Valley (Happy Isles) to Half Dome Trail Junction/Sunrise Creek and the Ascent of Half Dome Day 2 Half Dome Trail Junction/Sunrise Creek to Sunrise High Sierra Camp Day 3 Sunrise High Sierra Camp via Cathedral Pass to Tuolumne Meadows Optional Rest Day - Tuolumne Meadows Day 4 Tuolumne Meadows to Upper Lyell Canyon Day 5 Upper Lyell Canyon via Donohue Pass and Island Pass to Thousand Island Lake Day 6 Thousand Island Lake to the Devil's Postpile Day 7 The Devil's Postpile via Reds Meadow to Deer Creek Day 8 Deer Creek to Tully Hole/Cascade Valley Junction Day 9 Tully Hole/Cascade Valley Junction via Silver Pass to Edison Lake Rest Day - Vermilion Valley Resort Day 10 Edison Lake to Rosemarie Meadow Day 11 Rosemarie Meadow via Seldon Pass to the Muir Trail Ranch Day 12 Muir Trail Ranch to McClure Meadow Day 13 McClure Meadow via Muir Pass to Unnamed Lake North-East of Helen Lake Day 14 Unnamed Lake North-East of Helen Lake to Deer Meadow Day 15 Deer Meadow via Mather Pass to Kings River Day 16 Kings River via Pinchot Pass to Woods Creek Day 17 Woods Creek via Glen Pass to Vidette Meadow Day 18 Vidette Meadow via Forester Pass to Tyndall Creek Day 19 Tyndall Creek to Guitar Lake Day 20 Guitar Lake via Mount Whitney and Trail Crest to Trail Camp; and the ascent of Mount Whitney Day 21 Trail Camp to Whitney Portal Lone Pine Epilogue

About the Author :
Alan Castle has trekked in over 25 countries. A member of the British Outdoor Writers' Guild, he has written more than a dozen walking guidebooks, several on long-distance mountain routes in France.