John Muir Trail Gear List: 211 Miles from Happy Isles to Whitney Portal

This list covers a southbound John Muir Trail thru-hike: 211 miles (340 km) from Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley to the summit of Mount Whitney, then 11 miles (17 km) down to Whitney Portal. The window is August to September, two to three weeks on trail, and permits are a scarce lottery win; gear is the part you can control.

Three conditions shaped the list. First, a SIBBG-approved hard-sided bear canister is required for nearly the entire route, so the BearVault BV500 is here at 41 oz (1160 g). That is 2.6 lb of the 14.4 lb base weight, roughly 18 percent, and there is no legal way around it. Plan the rest of the kit around the canister instead of pretending it isn't there. Second, afternoon thunderstorms build over the high passes in August; the rain jacket is a real one (Montbell Versalite), and the big climbs belong in the morning. Third, the food carry after Muir Trail Ranch runs 7 to 8 days if you skip the Kearsarge Pass exit, which is why the pack is a framed Durston Kakwa 55 rather than something frameless. It swallows a full canister plus a week of food without collapsing on your shoulders.

The shelter is the silpoly Durston X-Mid 1 at 26.2 oz (745 g). A DCF tent saves about half a pound for double the price; on this trail the money does more in the sleep system. Nights above 10,000 ft (3,000 m) drop below freezing by September, so the quilt is a 20 F Enlightened Equipment Revelation over an insulated pad.

Base weight: 14.4 lb (6.5 kg), bear canister included. Copy the list into your own account and adjust quilt sizes, food days, and the resupply plan to your own itinerary.