John Muir Trail: ‘We Can’t Do That?’

Reg Spittle



“We can’t do that!”

Those were my words when Sue said we should walk across Spain on a famed pilgrimage.

The Camino de Santiago and distance trails in seven countries have taught me to question my first reaction to a backpacking challenge.

Two years ago, Sue and I tackled the John Muir Trail in California’s Sierra Nevada. Mules helped carry our stuff, but our legs carried us 246 miles from Horseshoe Meadow southeast of Mount Whitney to Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley. One of the most memorable days was the trek to the Mount Whitney summit; the bottom photo shows me on the switchbacks above Guitar Lake during my climb to the highest point in the continental USA. The other photos show us at Muir Hut and near Cathedral Peak.

We slept in a small Nemo tent, filtered our water, and went without showers or toilets for 30 days. It was all part of the adventure that kept us above 10,000 feet much of the way on a trail through astounding scenery.

Sue and I are preparing for our seventh distance trek, which begins September 1. If we are able to complete the 42 days on the trail, it will be our longest trek yet. This time, we plan to carry everything we need, but our packs won’t contain a tent or sleeping bags.

Stay tuned.

11 thoughts on “John Muir Trail: ‘We Can’t Do That?’”

    1. Thank you! I will post occasionally on my site. Sue will likely post more often on carryoncouple.com, which is more travel and photography oriented. (And she is the artist/photographer in our family.)
      Best regards,
      Reg

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      1. Thanks, Reg. You must count the days now. In 2 weeks and a half you will be on the trail I was in May/June 2019. You will not be alone. There will be other pilgrims and hopefully a few of them will speak English. I will check out Sue’s blog !!!!

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    1. Thanks! Rock Creek Pack Station provided mules, packers, and meals. It was a great experience all around. They took care of permits and much more. I am publishing a book about our adventure toward the end of this year.

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