[pct-l] sierra miles

[David Toms]

We thru-hiked in 05 in a relatively average time (5 months), doing 
25+miles/day once trail-fit and not in snow.

We returned to hike the PCT/JMT mammoth to whitney last september (06), no 
longer so trail fit, with two friends who've got good hiking experience but 
are not thru-hikers.

We had no problem with average 15 mile days, the range being 13-17miles. 
This meant c. 7am starts and 5pm finishes, with a long lunch break, and time 
to swim in a lake or two each day.

On that basis, I'd suggest that if you're still at a similar level of 
fitness to your thru-hiking days, then 15-20 miles/day should be fine, 
assuming no snow.

We resupplied at VVR only, and carried a full load up bear ridge. I 
unfortunately believed some JMT journals I'd read that said there was no 
water on the way up bear ridge, so we carried 3L+ each. Around switchback 35 
(the point at which I'd used about a litre) there was a short side trail to 
a good creek... Murphy's law of hiking.

Have fun. We loved the JMT, particularly at a relaxed pace. We swam in lakes 
that we didn't know existed in the snow!

Dave

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