[pct-l] Pct-L Digest, Vol 33, Issue 11

[Don Amundson]

If someone doesn't get lost going through the Red's Meadow/Devil's Postpile the first time it would be a surprise.  Last year three of us joked that all trails lead to Rainbow Falls. This year I had no problem but only because of last years experience.  I sometimes wonder if the confusing signing is a plot to keep us humble and wipe away whatever "I never get lost" attitudes we may have. 

> Date: Fri, 3 Sep 2010 00:24:38 -0700
> From: Steve Cosner <stevec at sfsu.edu>
> Subject: [pct-l] Lost on the JMT: Reds Meadow southbound

>   Last weekend I completed my last section of the JMT.  It's pretty 
> crazy, but my friend and I got lost ...twice!  Never before have I had 
> that problem.
> 
> The problem is that there are a lot more trails in the area due to the 
> horseback facilities at Reds Meadows and its proximity to Mammoth Lakes, 
> plus the fact that the JMT / PCT is not labeled at all the trail junctions.
> 
> We started at Devils Postpile heading south.   First thing I wonder is 
> why the JMT avoids the postpile!!!
> 
> We took the Rainbow Falls trail, expecting the JMT to split off to the 
> right at some point.   We came to a junction, where the sign points to 
> the north labeled "Muir Trail".  And the one to the right is labeled 
> "Reds Meadows".    Since the RM trail was heading abruptly east, I kind 
> of thought we'd come to another junction for the JMT.   Wrong.   Fifteen 
> minutes down the RF trail, I looked at the map.  We had to backtrack.  
> ...Ok, I SHOULD have checked the map at the "Muir Trail" northbound 
> junction.
> 
> Next day, we came to Crater Meadow.   See the map here:
> http://postholer.com/gmap/gmap.php?trail_id=1&lat=37.591145&lon=-119.058022&zoom=15&dist=0&vw=2 
> <http://postholer.com/gmap/gmap.php?trail_id=1&lat=37.591145&lon=-119.058022&zoom=15&dist=0&vw=2>
> No trail junctions at all on the map, and all we saw was a well-traveled 
> trail heading eastward along the northern side of the meadow, north of 
> and parallel to the stream.  There is no trail shown on the map.
> 
> However, we soon came to a junction, with a leaning tree with a sign:  
> "Muir Trail" to the right, and Mammoth Pass, left.  Unfortunately, 
> Mammoth Pass was off the edge of my map.  We took the Muir Trail 
> direction, but the trail appeared to be little used.  I was worried.
> 
> Pretty soon, we passed a tree with a white metal band nailed to it about 
> 10' up, that read,  "John Muir Trail".  So I thought we were good.  If 
> you are following on the map link above, it was somewhere about where 
> the trail under the large "F" in "FOREST", or where the trail crosses 
> the pink "Wilderness" boundary line just south of the "F".
> 
> But then, there came a junction:  No label for the direction we had come 
> in.  "Deer Creek" heading northwest, and "Mammoth Pass" heading 
> southeast.  I was confused, took the southeast direction.  Remember, my 
> map did not show Mammoth Pass.  And at the time I didn't see Deer Creek 
> on the map.
> 
> About 15 minutes up the Mammoth Pass direction, I could see we were 
> heading due north, obviously lost.  Here's where I called my son in 
> Michigan, he sat down at his computer and looked up my Spot signal 
> location.  With his help, I finally determined which trail I was on.  We 
> went back to the "Deer Creek" junction, which led, in 200 yards, to the 
> real JMT!
> 
> Apparently, we found an older section of the JMT -- must be that trail 
> out of Reds Meadow that circles around the the east of Crater Meadow.  
> And the horseback people have forged a new trail, which we erroneously 
> took.  At that junction, I did not see the southbound JMT at all.  Only 
> a large log crossing the creek to an inviting camp site.  Had I seen the 
> trail heading south, I sure would have consulted the map there, and 
> would have been ok.
> 
> So y'all are probably laughing at me by now, thinking what a dumb 
> cluck.   But I pride myself in my route finding skills.  I've never been 
> as badly confused about my location as this time.
> 
> I mentioned this problem to another hiker friend, and she said she also 
> got lost in the Reds Meadow area just a week or two before my hike, and 
> had talked to other hikers with similar problems.
> 
> So I am just writing to let everyone know.   Beware in this area.   Keep 
> your maps handy!
> 
> If you're interested, there is a trip report and pictures here:
> http://www.whitneyzone.com/wz/ubbthreads.php/topics/7036
> In the set of pictures, the 8th one shows the spot where we got off track.