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In approximately a season I am going to be starting the John Muir Trail! Let me share my history of what got me to this spot. Around a year ago my godfather and thru-hiking mentor, Trucker mentioned a group of hikes, known as the Tiara. In case you’re not familiar, the Tiara includes the Long Trail, the Colorado Trail and the John Muir Trail. Ever since I heard about these trails, I’ve been interested in completing them.
Where My Roots Began
When I was one year old, I was taken on my first backpacking trip. My parents and grandfather took me on a section hike on the Appalachian Trail in Maine. That first trip I was carried. A year later I was using my own feet to walk on a different section of the AT. At six I got my first Osprey pack and began carrying some of my own gear on trips. Between ages six and eight I kept building up on shorter backpacking trips, doing anywhere from 4-8 miles per day.
Ready for 20
In the spring of 2024 I first backpacked with Trucker. Trucker is currently devouring the 11 National Scenic Trails. He’s completed at least eight of the eleven since 2022 and has also done trails like the ECT and Te Araroa in New Zealand. I did my first 12 mile day on that backpacking trip with Trucker, which my mom and I thought was impressive. But that night at camp, Truckee said “Wait til you hit 20 miles in a day. Then, it’ll be a big deal.” “Ugh,” I thought, “Now I really have something to work for.” (This may sound harsh, but he’s actually a sweet pea and I was inspired.) We will be back on this topic in another paragraph.
I spent the rest of 2024 building up on shorter backpacking trips in NC and in the Olympics in WA and my first thru-hike, the Tahoe Rim Trail. I came pretty close on the TRT with a couple of 17-mile days. I also discovered that California is my favorite place to hike.
In January 2025 my mother and I left to go to New Zealand to hike a section of Te Araroa for a few weeks. I tried on the second day to hit my goal, but with the combination of jet leg, sore legs and rain, I only got to 19.8 miles. So close, but not quite. Then, we met up with Trucker a week later and I hit my goal of 20 miles! I did it!
Committing to the Tiara
While on Te Araroa, dealing with muddy trails and rain, I kept thinking back to California. I requested the John Muir Trail to begin the Tiara trails with because, a) it’s in California, b) it’s the shortest of the Tiaras and c) it’s hard to get permits for. I figured if we got a permit, we should do it first. We did some research and were able to snag a permit going NOBO. So, here I am, a few months out, preparing for the JMT.
What Sparks My Curiosity for the JMT
One of the things I’m most excited about on the JMT is attempting a summit of Whitney. Since it’s the highest point in the Continental United States, I’ll feel pretty blessed if I make it to the top. Another thing that I am curious about is making a tramily on the JMT. I didn’t meet any other thru-hikers going the same direction at the same time when we were hiking the Tahoe Rim Trail. With our Te Araroa hike, I did see many faces again and again, but because we were doing a section and not thru-hiking the entirety of the trail, it didn’t quite feel like I wanted it to. Also, I have a goal of visiting all of the National Parks in the US at some point before I turn 40. I’m happy we’ll be hiking through three national parks on this trail!
Wrapping Up
I’ll be sharing more about being a kid thru-hiker. Stay tuned for my upcoming posts about why I meow on trail and what kind of gear I’ll be carrying on the JMT this summer. Don’t forget to subscribe to my blog.
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