There is no trail more deserving of celebration than the one at the very heart of our mission. Stretching 213.7 spectacular miles from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney, the John Muir Trail stands as America’s first long-distance recreational pathway, and arguably its most breathtaking. Ever wondered what it truly takes to backpack this iconic terrain?
First official map of the John Muir Trail produced by California State Engineer W.F. McClure. (Fifth Biennial Report of the Department of Engineering of the State of California, Dec 1, 1914 to Nov 30, 1916 (1917). Courtesy of Sierra Club William E. Colby Memorial Library.
In her article “The Tetris Game of Packing,” JMT Wild Project Team Coordinator, Riley Shaper, breaks down what it looks like to prepare for an eight-day “hitch” in the backcountry. From charging every device the day before, to repackaging freeze-dried meals into Ziplocs to save space, to squeezing eight days of food into an 11.5-liter bear canister, Riley brings you inside the meticulous, deeply personal process of getting ready to head into the Sierra Nevada.
By the time the team is packed and ready, each person’s pack weighs between 45 and 55 pounds, carrying everything needed to live and work beyond the safe zone for eight days. It is a good reminder of what the trail demands, and what our field staff takes on every season to do the work that matters.
Read Riley’s full article, and explore our Spring 2026 Journal, “Beyond the Safe Zone, Risk in the Sierra Nevada Backcountry”, at the link below.
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