Originally Posted by HooKooDooKu
Life circumstances have given me the opportunity to such a trip now. Who knows if the same opportunity will be there in the future. The time is now!
We are planning on doing the walk up permits!
Im coming from Atlanta. Which means a NOBO would require 2-3 extra days prior to my hike to acclimate.
Mammoth looks like a cooler place to hang out than Lone Pine. Pretty sure I can take the EST from Reno>Mammoth>Lone Pine
Not really. I drive up from low elevation to a Sierra trailhead, spend the night at the trailhead and just go. It's not like you're going to hit 14,000' your first day out. If your plan was to dayhike a 14er, yes, you'd need an extra day at elevation to acclimate. Otherwise just spend a night at Horseshoe Meadows. You'll be OK, unless you have some sort of history with altitude problems.
Don't forget the walk-up permits at Tuolumne. They hold several, and I met a few during my hike who got them, easily, first-try. If you can day-hike 20+ miles, you can still do Yosemite, then just bus it back to Tuolumne.
It is what it is.
Blue Indian, if this trip will be your first experience at higher elevations I would most definitely give yourself two maybe three days to acclimate if you can make that happen.
You might not have a of history with Alti issues but then again you might not have previously had the chance to see how your body reacts to gaining 9000' in one day. (Atlanta is roughly at 1000' / HSM is at 10,000')
Probably not an issue if you're flying into Reno anyway. The flight to Reno, Bus to Lone Pine, Shuttle to HSM would be a super long day and not even sure if the timing works with an east coast flight. Probably possible but it could be a stressful way to start a 3 week trip. A night or two in the Mammoth area will be a great investment into your overall enjoyment of the experience in my opinion.
Blue Indian, if this trip will be your first experience at higher elevations I would most definitely give yourself two maybe three days to acclimate if you can make that happen.
You might not have a of history with Alti issues but then again you might not have previously had the chance to see how your body reacts to gaining 9000' in one day. (Atlanta is roughly at 1000' / HSM is at 10,000')
Probably not an issue if you're flying into Reno anyway. The flight to Reno, Bus to Lone Pine, Shuttle to HSM would be a super long day and not even sure if the timing works with an east coast flight. Probably possible but it could be a stressful way to start a 3 week trip. A night or two in the Mammoth area will be a great investment into your overall enjoyment of the experience in my opinion.
Right! Ill keep that in mind..
Does anyone know what the next two trailheads and mileages nobo from Yosemite?? My map is still in the mail, I hope..
I was in Rocky Mountain NP this summer for a couple of days. I dont recall having any trouble with the altitude, but 9,000 ft is much different than 14,000. But that is my only experience hiking at elevation. I would rather give myself a couple of days to acclimate rather than rush into things if we end up nobo.
From brief research, Mammoth looks like it would have more lodging/food options than Lone Pine. ANy particular reason you recommended it? It looks nice
Anyone have any idea if At&T gets service anywhere near or on the trail?
There is list kept of where people reported service.
It can be fleeting.
Its quite short. Maybe 5-6 places, spots, the entire trail.
Many times it showed bars, but only 911 because other tower or such
I had a few bars ATT at donahue pass. Youre in sight of mammoth cell tower.senr text.
I had come and go service at VVR by lake. Texted there. At mono creek end and vvr end. None in my room at vvr. At the mono Creek end of lake you can actually call or text the vvr to they can come pick you up in ferry. They even put number on the sign. I think ATT is only one that works there if I remember .Right.
Thats it. I had bars on Whitney but couldnt text, many others did though.
I don't think much has changed over the past 5 years or so though.
Do..not..plan..on...cell...service
Last edited by MuddyWaters; 04-24-2018 at 22:04.
If you have the opportunity and you're willing to risk travelling out there for walkup permits... GO FOR IT!
Even if you don't get the chance to see the WHOLE JMT, seeing just a major portion of it would be worth it.I guess two years later I'm still tickled that on my first year trying, I got the golden ticket to hike the whole thing in one go from HI to WP.
On the issue of altitude... while everyone is different, as a point of reference, it took me about 5 days using diamox to acclimatize going SOBO. The 4th morning out on the trail, I was definitely feeling the affects of altitude. After spending the next night at Red's, I never felt any effects from the altitude for the rest of the trip. Of course the night before my hike, I was camped in Yosemite Valley at an altitude of only 4,000' (so that didn't do anything to acclimatize). I was maybe around 8,000' my 1st night on the trail, so starting the night before at Cottonwood gives you a day head start on the acclimatization. But then you're going to hit higher elevations must sooner than I did if you start at Cottonwood. In any case, no matter where you start, you'll need to be concerned with the altitude. I would suggest trying to see a travel clinic and getting a prescription for diamox and supplement what you can learn from a travel doctor what you can find online about the subject.
I had zero issues with altitude sobo. But everyones different.
Starting in yosemite my nights were
4500
8000 lyv
9600 upper cathedral lake
10700 below donahue pass
Easily under 3000 per night over 8000. In fact...half of that recommended max increase.
I met various nobo that had no issues either.
But diamox is hedging bet.
Someone here aborted their hike because of panic attacks or anxiety because they had difficulty breathing at night at 10000' . If i remember correctly.
Last edited by MuddyWaters; 04-24-2018 at 23:37.
Probably the biggest reason I would choose Mammoth is the benefit of acclimating to higher elevations. Mammoth is just under 8000' but Lone Pine is just under 4000'.
Additional Benefits:
If you need a one-way rental from Reno due to flight delays causing you to miss your 1:30pm ESTA bus then Mammoth is a great option as there is a Hertz return that accepts one-way rentals.
If you are spending 2 nights Mammoth you would have the time to take your resupply in person to Red's Meadow saving some shipping cost. They do charge a holding fee though as I understand it.
Since you're already at Red's dropping off a resupply do a slow paced day hike up to the Devil Post Pile and Rainbow Falls. This low level of exercise will be huge in acclimating.
Just some thoughts. I'm excited for you Blue Indian!
If you need some more info reach out to Sam in the video I linked above about getting a NOBO permit. He's very helpful.
If you happen to go with using dome Diamox, and I personally use the stuff when I go "high" (like 18K and above), look into some of the online discussions about dosage. Chances are your doc won't be familiar with using Diamox for altitude sickness prevention. Diamox was developed for Glaucoma, I believe, and the general dosage for that malady is 250mg twice a day (my mom took it for a decade or more). Such a dosage will probably give you lots of side effects, like having to pee a LOT, tingly fingers, weird tastes with various foods, etc.
Turns out, and you don't have to believe me, check it out for yourself, a much smaller dose of Diamox works in staving off AMS (acute mountain sickness). I take a half of a 125mg tablet twice a day for my high climbing, basically 62mg twice a day, starting a couple days before heading up high (I start this about 14000 feet or so when heading much higher).
Also, that sleep thing mentioned below is probably Cheyene-stokes breathing arrhythmia, basically the partial pressure of CO2 is also lower, which is the trigger for our breathing, so this lower trigger temporarily stops our breathing when we try to sleep, until CO2 builds up and we finally gasp for breath, which startles you awake, a very scary thing, and this repeats over and over and it's tough to sleep. Diamox, again in low doses, helps this greatly. I get this Cheyene-stokes thing big time trying to sleep above 15-16K or so, only Diamox allows me to sleep well. After a few nights I can stop taking it.
Finally, if you do try Diamox, take some at home first, again, look into the low dose thing, make sure it doesn't adversely affect you in a more controlled environment. It is a "sulfa drug", which is not tolerated well by some folks. Your doc will have plenty of info on this.
Matches exactly with my first few nights on the JMT. That was followed by
9900 Ruby Lake
7600 Red's Medows
I had been using low dosage Diamox colorado_rob talks about. The evening below donahue pass I was feeling ill... but I think that was from dehydration (just didn't drink enough during the easy walk thru Lyell Canyon after the climb from the valley). But the morning I woke from Ruby Lake, I had the classic symptoms of a loss of appetite.
By the time I made it down to Red's Medows, I could feel how much easier it was to climb hills compared to what it felt like back in Yosemite going above 9,000' for the first time. Never had any issues beyond Red's I felt like I could tie to the altitude.
That is exactly why I specifically recommended a "Travel Clinic". OP is from Atlanta and I'm thinking the city is big enough that they might have such a thing.
I personally when to the "UAB Travelers Health Clinic" in Birmingham, Alabama to get my advice and prescription for Diamox.
The clinic only discussed the "typical" dosage of Diamox and it's potential side effects. But I followed the advice I found in online discussion groups that recommended a lower dosage.
Quit using Diamox once I got to Red's.
One other quick note on the permit thing.... I'm currently "on" the PCT heading NOBO (taking a couple weeks off for family matters, hence the quote marks). Heading back in a couple weeks and I want my wife to join me for quite a while, hopefully through CA to Oregon. So, just a couple days ago, from links on the PCTA website, I easily scored a PCT permit for her starting at Aqua Dolce (~mile 460) north to Canada. Meaning, she is totally legal for the PCT section that is also the JMT, at least to Tuolumne (where the JMT branches form the PCT).
So basically, if you're willing to exit NOBO at Tuolumne (or keeping on hiking on the PCT north from there), this is another way to be perfectly legal on the JMT/PCT.
Two years ago my hiking buddy and I got permits for an alternate start out of Yosemite Valley. My buddy got injured and I didn't want to start on this remote trailhead by myself. I found a group through JMT Facebook (I think) that was starting at Twoulemene Meadows on an alternate route. (I can't remember the name of the pass at the moment). The alternate start joined up with the JMT on day 3 or 4. I got a walk-in permit the day before we were to start. Some people in line with me got walk-in permits to hike the "proper" JMT from Twoulemene Meadows. You should be able to get a walk-in permit, although you may have to be flexible about the initial route. You may even be able to get a "proper" walk-in permit out of Yosemite Valley. Good luck!
Good to know. So how do people contact their SO's and family? Phones at resupply? Phones in hostel/motel/hotel? Ive gone thru periods of days without service but never weeks.
The altitude is definitely making me anxious...I plan to give myself 2-3 days prior to actually starting to try and link up with the altitude. Diamox may be a good plan too....Now I need to find one of these travel clinics (Ive never heard of them). I wonder if the CVS clinic would be useful for that
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