Book Description
On the legendary John Muir Trail you pass through a land of 13- and 14,000-foot peaks, deep canyons, massive granite walls, and sparkling lakes. Here's the best guide to this 211-mile hiking wonderland, written by two of WP's most venerable authors. 28 2-color maps are based on corrected, updated USGS topo maps.
Customer Reviews:
greaat detail, could be better.......2007-08-23
Took this guide along on my recent JMT hike. Lots of detailed info on the trail, campsites, etc. Topos included, although the printing of these is a bit fuzzy so would recommend carrying the Harrison topo map set. Information provided was fairly accurate. Would be nice to include a table with cumulative distances and ascent/descent for the points of reference along the actual trail itself. As it is they only provide the elevation and the distance between points of reference. Distances provided didn't match the Harrison topo maps or the other trail guide we had on the trip, so much confusion in this respect for mile counters. Overall a very useful guide. I found it a bit hard to use to plan the trip since the descriptions of the campsites were not too detailed (poor, modest, spartan, good is about as descriptive as it gets in this regard).
Just o.k. .......2007-07-05
This book really is not much more than a turn by turn description of the trail. In that regard, it provides little in the way of interesting prose to prepare you for the trip. So, basically, you pretty much have to carry this book with you to get much use out of it. Its informative sure, just not what I'd expect. Also, the maps in the book are black and white and much much much too small to actually read/use easily--buy the Tom Harrison maps for the JMT.
Old Reliable.......2006-07-06
In 1981 I took the first edition of this book on a traditional north/south thru hike of the JMT and found it generally accurate and, most importantly, reassuring about the day(s) ahead. In preparation for a 25th anniversary reprise (this time south to north) I got the latest addition. About the only real difference is that the format is a little larger and the small inset maps are a little easier to read.
As a trip planner and inspiration it rates right up there with Pete Starr's guide and the author, Tom Winnett, has probably forgotten more about the eastern Sierra than most of the more "modern" writers ever will know...BUT, it is a somewhat historical work and one needs to acquire proper USGS topos to insure having the most up to date maps available. If you're only going to carry one "pack book" with you I'd suggest "The John Muir Trail" by Alan Castle first with Winnett's and Starr's as pre trip reading material that you leave at home.
The JMT is one of the most spectacular high country routes one can undertake and I can honestly say that trip 25 years ago changed my life. If you can manage it and you have the desire, it's well worth the sacrifices (and there will be some) you'll make.
Mediocre Guidebook.......2005-12-31
A disclaimer: I have not used this book to hike the JMT.
The trail description seem adequate, as far as I can tell.
The maps seem small, though how much area they cover is unclear since there is no scale. There is no indication of mileage, and side trails are not shown except where they appear on the underlying USGS topos (and how accurate are those?).
The brief introductory section has nothing I don't already know, or couldn't find out from a quick google search. The section on bears basically repeats the NPS line (ie, 'canisters and bear boxes are the only way!!'), and is followed by a note to "leave your pets at home" (huh?).
The most useful section to me (sitting on my butt at home) was the appendix on resupply options. This is the most comprehensive list of stopping points that I've seen. Contrary to what I've heard elsewhere, there are resupply options in the South, just not easy ones. My only problem is with the occasional use of the word 'access', as in "Access to Big Pine" (a mile down the road? 25 miles?), though most of the entries are ok.
Overall, I think this book is usable, but I would bring a supplementary map or maps, and I would look at other books before I attempt the JMT.
WORST GUIDEBOOK EVER WRITTEN-DANGEROUS!.......2004-08-07
DO NOT EVEN LOOK AT THIS VILE,PESTILENT BOOK! IT WILL GET YOU LOST IN THE WILDERNESS! The author may be a very fine fellow, and is probably a better backpacker than I am, but he can NOT tell anyone how to get from point A to point B. I wasted days getting lost from this awful book, as he yakked endlessly about flora, fauna, and geology. Meanwhile, you the sucker stand there at unmarked trail intersections getting no help. Do NOT follow the author's dangerous contention that you don't need maps if you buy this book-its maps don't show you the OTHER trails, and get you lost. The Tuolomne and Devil's Postpile sections just may constitute the worst writing of all time.
Customer Reviews:
good for planning a 3 week hike, but...........2007-08-23
Just finished the JMT. The book was useful for planning my trek since the book is organized into a 22 day hike and I planned our hike for 20 days, so I would recommend it for that purpose. Having it on the hike itself wasn't very rewarding. The distance and altitude change intervals were somewhat useful, although the numbers don't necessarily mesh with the Harrison topo maps. What was disappointing was the lack of detail about campsite locations. The author basically indicates where they camped, but provides little information about where other campsites are located or their quality. Not a problem if you follow his itinerary, but if you're like us (and most of the other JMT hikers) it doesn't help when it's late in the day and you're trying to figure out how much further you need to go to get to a decent campsite. I basically stopped referring to the book after the first week and relied on the other guide I had which had much more detailed information on the trail and camping. I would have burned the Cicerone guide except we couldn't have fires most of the way and one of my friends wanted to carry it for reading material. The maps it contains were fairly worthless, so you'll definitely want topos. The author also comes across a bit snobbish at times, which certainly allowed my friends and I to poke fun at him and added to our entertainment. Logistical informtation on getting to the trailhead and dropping a vehicle at the end of the trail is also incomplete. YARTS only serves Merced to Mammoth, so getting from Whitney Portal to Mammoth requires a hitch, getting a local to shuttle you, or paying high dollars for a commercial shuttle. Bottom line is this is a decent book for planning a 3 week trek on the JMT, but it's not worth the weight to carry it. The Winsett guide was much more valuable on the trail, although it also has it's flaws.
Great for planning a JMT trip.......2006-02-07
I purchased this book last summer as part of a planning effort for hiking the trail in September. Even though I was quite familiar with the Sierra, I had no idea on how to plan the trip out as far as legs and campsites. I found this book to be invaluable as far as proposing a reasonable itinerary and giving the person a good idea of what to expect on each leg and where to find campsites. Castle first gives an overview of what should be done before the trip, and then breaks it out into a very doable 21-day itinerary (with 2 layover days) that range from 10-15 miles per day. He gives you a quick-hit overview of elevation gains and mileage and then a more detailed description of the day's hike. Also, he does a good job of planning the days so that you start with a climb and end with a descent. The one unfortunate is that the book is a bit heavy, though compact in size to actually carry with you -- the person I hiked with did carry it though and we enjoyed reading it along the trail as well as at night. I suppose one might xerox the pages you found necessary. By the way, I also had the Winnett book and found that far less helpful, and less organized as far as actually planning the trip. This is an awesome trip, and I strongly recommend both the book as well as doing the JMT -- it is a life-changing experience!
Customer Reviews:
New definitive JMT book.......2007-09-20
The previous version of this book was, I believe, considered to be the definitive JMT book, and this new version must be also. In it are all the details anyone attempting or thinking of attempting the John Muir Trail will need to know; what clothes to take, which food is appropriate, permits needed, bear information, a guide to the flowers of the area, history of the trail, geology, directions and even maps and a list of possible campsites. In fact, details are the thing about this book - it's ram-jam with them, and I couldn't think of any detail that I'd like to know that wasn't covered (I've hiked the trail once)!
This is a guidebook for those intending to hike the trail, not an account of someone's experiences, but even so it must get even the most couchy potato interested in getting out and walking! I did find the referencing of the sections and maps a little confusing, but it's a small point. And it might be a little large too, so I'd probably elect to photocopy parts of it, or rip out sections to take on the trail.
Great for Prep Work, but a bit Bulky for the Hike.......2007-08-05
Wilderness Press continues to update some of their classic guides regularly and this new version of their John Muir Trail Guide is well written with a new author, Elizabeth Wenk. At its heart, the guide is similar to previous editions in giving a mile for mile description of the trail. I found it very accurate for all portions of the JMT that I have hiked. It also includes new features: numerous GPS coordinates for landmarks, updated regulations, appendices listing campsites, mileages, and resupply points, and new topographical maps from Tom Harrison.
All these new features come at a small cost, however, in that the book is more than twice as large as the previous edition, by Kathy Morey and Thomas Winnett. And while you will need these new features in planning your hike, they are less important on the actual trail. Backpackers trying to save space and weight have a couple of options. One is to simply tear out the sections of the book you will be using. You hardly need the classic South to North directions if you are hiking the other way. Another is to use this edition for planning, but to get one of the older editions for the actual trip. These can be found here (1998) or here (1986). But this book is still worth purchasing. Having it will improve your odds of completing the trail and dramatically increase your enjoyment of it as well.
This is it!.......2007-08-04
This is the new edition of the Morey/Winnett (sp?) book but it's much, much more than that. I've hiked the JMT a couple of times and done a fair amount of hiking in the Sierras. Basically tho I'm a city boy and can't tell one tree from another and know nothing about geology. This book will - I haven't had the chance to hike with it yet - fill in the ignorance and satisfy the curiosity about what I'm hiking past. The author knows her stuff. But, wait, there's a whole lot more. Aside from a large number of GPS coords, more than I've found anywhere on the Web, there's all kinds of info you need to orchestrate your hike - names, addresses, prices, policies, regulations, campsites, side-trip peak-bagging, Harrison maps, informed suggestions - it's all here. One more item - it's only occasionally you read a book that makes you feel the author really worked hard to make it "complete", didn't cut corners, "pushed" when the going got hard - this is one such book. If you're thinking of hiking the JMT or any part of it, buy the book. If you're not thinking of doing the hike, buy the book and discover what you're missing.
Book Description
Walter Starr, Jr., was a life member of the Sierra Club who ardently loved the High Sierra. He could not rest until he had seen it all - and then he wanted others to see it, to enjoy it, and to be inspired by it as he had been. So he made notes of practical directions to the John Muir Trail, a high-country trail that runs from Mount Whitney to Yosemite National Park. Although Starr did not live to take part in the final preparation of his guidebook, so thoroughly was his work done that it was possible to publish it very nearly in the form that he had planned. The preparation was done by his father, Walter Starr, who also was well acquainted with High Sierra trails.
In the introduction to his book, Walter Starr, Jr., wrote: "By joining the United States Geological Survey maps of the region from Yosemite National Park to the headwaters of the Kern - a distance of more than one hundred and fifty miles - one will observe a continuous strip of blue lakes running down the map immediately west of the Sierra Crest. Through the heart of this blue strip winds the famous John Muir trail with laterals leading to it from the east and west, some of them vying with the Muir Trail itself in scenic grandeur."
Acting on the suggestion contained in these lines of his son, Walter Starr had a map made for the book showing the trails and approaches the author so well describes.
This classic guide covers:
Keys to trail descriptions and map references
How to obtain a wilderness permit
Yosemite National Park Region
Middle Fork of San Joaquin River Region
South Fork of San Joaquin River Region
North, Middle, and South Fork of Kings River Region
Sequoia National Park Region
Customer Reviews:
Pete Starr.......2005-04-02
My dad and I hiked the length of the JMT many years ago. At that time Starr's Guide was invaluable. In terms of its accuracy, we encountered only one minor hiccup and it was probably our own fault. We didn't recognize Senger Creek when we passed it and we kept looking for it for a few miles when it was actually behind us. Hiking a few extra miles at the end of the day was hard but it all worked out as we took a layover day for some fishing on the middle fork of the San Joaquin River.
For more information on "Pete" Starr, check out William Alsup's book, "Missing in the Minarets: The Search for Walter A. Starr Jr."
As history, a must, but not up to date.......2004-03-01
There's no doubt that Robinson's guide is one of the great books written about the JMT, no one disputes this. It's nicely written, informative and gives background on the trail not found in other guides. However (and this is a huge "but"), this book is *not* useful for planning a present-day thru hike of the John Muir Trail. It was written in the mid 1930's and so much has changed in the intervening 70 years. Locations to trailheads, water sources and resupplying points and all drastically changed since 1936.
Most people who thru hike the JMT want all books every published about it, to remind ourselves of our accomplishment. This book definitely deserves a hallowed spot on your bookshelf, it just doesn't belong in your pack in these modern times.
The best JMT guide--ever.......2002-12-20
Having grown up in the John Muir Wilderness as a Boy Scout, I can attest to the greatness of the guide. Its size and intricate, step ny step trial guidance is second-to-none. An absolute must-read for anyone even remotely contemplating a trek between Mount Whitney and Yosemite. Despite the fact that the information in the guide originates in the 1930's, it is still relevant today and provides a very sound planning tool for Scouters and "civilians" alike. I recommend it highly for another reason: It fits in the outer pocket of my backpack!
The prolog about Walter Starr is amazing........1999-05-18
The problem with this guide is it was written in the 30's and the trailhead info is not totally reliable. For hardcore JMT fans this is a must-read.
Book Description
The John Muir Trail, the most popular long-distance trekking trail in the West, runs from California's Yosemite National Park through 211 miles of roadless wilderness to Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks. Along the way lie challenging mountain passes, hundreds of lakes and streams, and the most magnificent alpine scenery imaginable, climaxing with an ascent of 14,494-foot Mount Whitney, the highest peak in the continental United States. Guy Saperstein's 25-year-old son Jacobus invited him on a month-long hike along the entire length of the John Muir Trail just before Guy's 60th birthday. The trip was to be the realization of a lifelong dream. A prominent attorney, Guy served on the board of the Sierra Club Foundation. It was the Sierra Club's founder, John Muir, who had originally explored the spectacular High Sierra landscape, and the trail was established in Muir's honor shortly after his death in 1914. But could an older guy with a desk job actually survive a solid month of backpacking and mountain climbing? The Getaway Guide to the John Muir Trail contains Guy Saperstein's account of the father-and-son trek and the colorful characters they meet along the way, as well as detailed advice on planning, equipment, food and everything that neophytes and experienced hikers alike need to know to undertake part or all of this high country journey for themselves. Written with panache and humor, the book is an insiration to hikers of all ages. The Getaway Guide to the John Muir Trail is the first in a new series of Getaway Guides to great American trails from RDR Books.
Customer Reviews:
Pretty Good, But With Serious Deficiencies.......2006-09-28
Mr. Saperstein's personal credibility leaves much to be desired. First, and most troubling, is that he describes himself as a through-hiker, but isn't - by his own admission. He hiked the trail in two time periods separated by months. Sorry, Mr. Saperstein, but that's not through-hiking. The other troubling aspect to the text is his constant hyping of homeopathic remedies. Mr. Saperstein may be a very bright guy, but just as I would expect people to take everything I say with a grain of salt if I constantly reminded them that I had been abducted by aliens, I often wondered if the text I was reading was "reality based." Having said all that, I did enjoy the book and would recommend it to those contemplating a through-hike, including to Mr. Saperstein, should he ever decide to do it.
a nice place to start.......2006-03-27
This fine book inspires as well as educates. It gives a nice overview of the trail as well as some handy info. The pictures are beautiful and writing very colorful. It made me want to go hiking right now. It offers perhaps the best way to do the trail, slow and relaxed. If I only had the time.
RC
Personal, and Information Packed.......2005-06-07
I must report how much I enjoyed the trip along the John Muir Trail.
This book is written in a very detailed and interesting way.
It held my interest through the night until I finished it. I am sure that anyone wishing information regarding the trail will find the book very helpful and interesting along the way. I saw the beauty and grandeur of the sights and sounds of the JMT through this book.
Book Description
Declared recently as one of the top five hiking trails on the planet by National Geographic’s Adventure magazine, the John Muir Trail (JMT) runs a spectacular 221 miles from fabled Yosemite Valley to the foot of Mt. Whitney, the tallest peak in the lower 48. Along the way from Yosemite the JMT takes in Kings Canyon and Sequoia national parks, the Inyo National Forest, and the Devils Postpile National Monument. The only way to experience this world-class trail is by foot and Day and Section Hikes: The John Muir Trail is here to guide hikers the entire way, whether out for one of the day hikes, out for a few days on a section hike, or tackling the entire trail. Combining detailed narrative with GPS-based trail maps, Day and Section Hikes: The John Muir Trail, is the definitive go-to guide to enjoy this world-class trail.
Customer Reviews:
An accessible, well-crafted guide to one the Top 5 Trails on Earth.......2007-07-30
Kathleen Dodge explores California's Range of Light with a zesty spirit that channels John Muir's infectious enthusiasm. Whether you are a Mount Whitney peak seeker, would-be John Muir Trail thru-hiker, casual day hiker or ultralight fastpacker, this accessible, well-conceived guide delivers a fresh take on a classic, life-changing pilgrimage.
- Andrew Dean Nystrom, author of Top Trails Yellowstone & Grand Teton National Parks: Must-Do Hikes for Everyone (Top Trails)
(Winner, 2005 National Outdoor Book Award, Best Outdoor Adventure Guidebook)
I have been waiting for this guidebook!.......2007-04-26
Unfortunately, I have never had the time to hike the John Muir Trail in its entirety (that is still a goal one day). Kathleen Dodge has written a book that makes it easy and exciting for people who either want to or need to visit the trail one part at a time. I have always been daunted into thinking I needed to have 3 weeks of vacation to experience the John Muir Trail but this book makes me feel like I can see it at my pace and not lose the wonderful outdoor experience. I recommend this book to anyone who likes to hike or just be outdoors!
Elegant, well produced.......2007-04-15
Kathleen Dodge has put together a great guide to the John Muir trail. Half of the effect of this book was to inspire me to tackle (or at least dabble in) the trail and the glories it offers. It's a part of the country I didn't much think about it until I encountered this book and got a better sense of how awesome it is. The other half of this book is how much it puts you at ease. It's clear that a lot of care has gone into the book, such as getting maps that are really accurate and useful. This book is a great resource and should be the starting point for anyone exploring points along the John Muir trail.
Average customer rating:
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Guide to the John Muir Trail and the High Sierra region
Walter Augustus Starr
Manufacturer: Sierra Club
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