John Muir Trail - Florence Lake to Edison Lake - Itinerary
- About the Trip: The John Muir Trail is one of the most famous trails in the world. It is 212 miles long, spanning from Yosemite to the North, following the spine of the Sierra Nevada, and eventually finishing on top of Mt. Whitney, the highest peak in the continental United States (14,495') to the South. This 5-day section is in the heart of the John Muir Wilderness between Florence and Edison Lakes, including the lofty Selden Pass at 10,900 feet.
- Group Size: 3-12 clients, 2 guides, 1 packer
- Grade: Moderate. This section of the JMT has moderate but challenging hiking in elevations ranging from 7,500-11,000 feet. All hiking is on trail and daily mileage is between 6-11 miles/day. You'll only be expected to carry small daypack with water, camera and light rain gear.
- Accommodations: First night spent camping in Tuolumne Meadows Campground, Yosemite National Park. Remaining nights spent camping on the trail.
- Equipment: All camping gear can be provided, sleeping bags, ground pads, tents, if requested on the registration form. You provide your personal clothing, broken-in boots and other personal items. You may print from our web page a detailed clothing/gear, directions, and this itinerary.
- Meals: All meals are provided while in the backcountry, beginning with lunch on Day 2 through lunch on Day 6.
- Included: Cost of the trip includes shared lodging at the Piccadilly Inn in Fresno on day 1 arrival,
All meals while in the backcountry, guides, permits, group gear, pack stock, private shuttles to the trailhead on day 2 and back from Edison Lake on Day 6.
- Not Included: Meals while in the front country (including dinner on day 1 and breakfast on day 2), alcohol, personal items, tips for mountain guides (10-20% of trip cost recommended) and packers. Optional trip cancellation insurance.
- Preparation: Hike. The John Muir Trail is a committing trip where you have minimum mileage each day. You should be aerobically and cardiovascularly fit, and should train by working out, carrying weight, and hiking stadium bleachers up & down. Reading The Guide to the John Muir Trail by Thomas Winnett will also be helpful.
- About the Pack Station: Mules will be carrying all of our equipment and your personal gear each day. We won't be hiking with the mules and perhaps maybe not even camping with them. Pack stock regulations change frequently depending often on grazing considerations. You will need to pack your personal belongings efficiently into one mid-sized compression sack. You'll be entitled to 15 lbs of personal gear. This doesn't include your tent, bag, pad. Weight is strictly enforced.
- Cost of the Trip: $2695 4-9 participants
$2196 10-12 participants
- Day 1: Arrive Piccadilly Inn Fresno airport anytime before 6pm. At 6pm, meet on the patio of the Piccadilly Inn for a brief orientation. There, you will meet your guide(s) and fellow travelers. We will do a final gear check and discuss the details of the trip.
- Day 2: Shuttle deep into the high-country at Florence Lake, where we will meet our packer and stock for the trip. We'll then take a ferry across Florence Lake to start our hike. The days' hike takes us from 7325' at the end of Florence Lake to the Shooting Star Meadow at about 7800' over 6 miles by early afternoon. Make camp on the South Fork of the San Joaquin River. Fishing for native Golden Trout and stargazing round out our first day.
- Day 3: Today we set off northward on the JMT proper. 7 miles and 2,000' climbing see us to our picturesque camp at Sally Keyes Lakes.
- Day 4: After breakfast another 900'of climbing takes us to Seldon Pass (10,880'). We'll descend past the scenic Marie Lakes to our camp at the stunning Rosemarie Meadow (10,000') below Seven Gables ((13,160'). Only 4 miles of required hiking gives us ample opportunity to explore the nearby lakes basins or just relax and enjoy the solitude of camp.
- Day 5: From Rosemarie Meadows (10,000') we'll be hiking down Bear Creek (8900'), over Bear Ridge (9800') and again down to the mouth of Mono Creek at Quail Meadows for the night (7870'). The hike is a long 11 miles.
- Day 6: Hike out from Quail Meadows 1.5 miles in the morning to catch the ferry across Edison Lake. Lunch and our shuttle will meet us at the other side of Edison. We'll leave Edison about 1pm for the 2.5 drive back to Fresno airport area.
Back to John Muir Trail - Florence Lake to Edison Lake
