Vent: That 2017 John Muir Trail thru-hike vs. last year's reroute mess

Back in '17 I just followed the classic JMT route without any apps or fuss, but last summer I tried piecing together a detour through Evolution Valley after a trail closure and spent half my time arguing with a GPS track that had me bushwhacking through manzanita instead of enjoying the view - has anyone else had a favorite route ruined by these constant reroutes?

3 comments

3 Comments

nina_hall4814h ago

Used to be pretty stubborn about sticking to a set route no matter what, but after a couple of those reroute disasters I finally learned your way around that... sometimes the new path is actually better if you just let it be.

stella_scott9613h ago

Oh man, that Evolution Valley bushwhack sounds brutal. I had a similar meltdown in the Sierra Nevada a couple years back when a fire closure sent me on this endless detour that was supposed to be a "beautiful alternate" but ended up being a dusty cow path with no water for miles. It really does take the joy out of it when you're fighting with a GPS instead of just looking at the scenery. I feel your pain for sure, sometimes you just want the classic route to still be there and not have to figure out a whole new plan on the fly.

evan54316h ago

Nah man I gotta push back on this. Reroutes are annoying sure but they are just part of hiking now, not something that ruins anything. The JMT in 2017 was nice because it was straightforward but that trail has always had closures and alternate routes. Evolution Valley is actually a way better stretch than the standard JMT through that section so you just got unlucky with your GPS bust. Honestly if you had just looked at a paper map or asked a ranger you would have saved yourself the headache. Routes change, trails evolve, and if you can't roll with that then maybe thru-hiking isn't for you.