The John Muir Trail in 8 Days—With hints for seniors

A primer for newbies to backpacking. Doing 210 miles of high altitude Sierra trail in 8 days at age 75 means traveling light, and long distance hiker/author William Chipman says traveling light makes the difference at any age between an enjoyable hike and feeling like an overloaded mule. You may not want to hike big miles every day like he does, but being prepared to make miles fly behind you makes even ten miles a day more enjoyable. “Besides,” says author Chipman. “It’s easier to add a few luxuries to an ultralight pack than find that your gear is too heavy to comfortably carry and you have to figure out how to make it lighter.” Whether you are 75 or 17 it is possible to comfortably hike the entire John Muir Trail in 8 days, or you can make it a leisurely two to three weeks. Either way, this booklet will fill you in on everything you need to know, from training, preparation and permits to how to deal with bears, snow and roaring river crossings, and it even tells you three ways to get a campsite in Yosemite Valley without a reservation.