[pct-l] Subject: New to pct-l planning JMT in Aug

[Ellen Shopes]

We did the JMT late July/early August the past 2 years.  Great adventure, and got to see the area in both low and high snow years!

The advice given so far is wise...permits are much easier to get on the Yosemite end.  The most challenging part is figuring food/resupplies.  If you don't have a bear can yet, get it and practice stuffing food loads into it.  It's harder than it sounds to plan for all the food you know you'll want yet have space to fit it all in.  It might make the difference in how many resupplies you do.  With a fair amount of obsessive planning, we got the food down to 1 pound/day per person, and (if we treated the can like a trash compacter) could fit 10-days supply (1 person) in a can.  We skimped a bit on calories and lost 5 pounds each.
VVR is hiker friendlly, but a bit out of the way and somewhat pricey.  Muir Ranch is convenient, but limits what they can help you with.  Both are nice stops.
I highly recommend an overnight at Reds Meadow; the hot spring showers in the campground are great; the hamburgers and pie at the cafe are the best food on the trip.