[pct-l] Muir Trail Ranch resupply, footwear and shorts

[Bill Thoms]

There's only so much food you can pack into a Garcia bear canister rented
from the Park Service.  I planned on going off-trail to resupply on my
August southbound JMT hike last year but I encountered other hikers who
offered me food to lighten their packs and well-stocked discard barrels at
Red's Meadows, Vermilion Valley 'Resort' and Muir Trail Ranch.  You can't be
too picky, though, and I wouldn't recommend living off the fat of the land
as a strategy unless you are also prepared to hike out to pavement if the
need arises.  Resupply at MTR is the most important of the three way
stations due to the distance from Whitney.  I made the transit from Tuolumne
Meadows to Whitney Portal in 12 and 1/2 days with a few of these available
freebies.  

John Muir himself often set out alone on High Sierra rambles with little
more than a couple loaves of bread. In fact, he was recklessly unprepared
even by the standards of his day. Great way to lose weight.  I dropped from
185 to 172 lbs.

As for clothing and footwear I wore a pair of high cut running shorts with
built in liner, allowing complete freedom of leg movement.  My Montrail
trail runners were fine except on the sharp rocks that the trail crews broke
up to fill and 'improve' the trail with.