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Overheard someone say the JMT is overrated and it got me thinking
I was grabbing coffee last Tuesday and this guy at the next table told his friend the John Muir Trail is too crowded and not worth the permit hassle. He said he did it in 2019 and saw like 50 people a day on some sections. I get that crowds can suck, but does anyone else think that's kind of missing the point of a classic route like that? Has anyone tried a less popular segment of the Sierra instead of the whole thing?
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lopez.brooke1mo ago
The real issue with the JMT isn't the crowds, it's the timing. Most people try to do it in July or August when everyone else is out there. I went late September one year and saw maybe ten other hikers total over eight days. The weather was crisp, no bugs, and the fall colors along Evolution Valley were something else. If you can swing an off-peak window, it changes the whole experience.
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