I FAILED to complete the John Muir Trail
Вставка
- Опубліковано 30 вер 2024
- In June 2022, I headed out on the John Muir Trail.
Unfortunately, the trip did not go as I expected!
I still managed to learn a lot and I am excited to get back out there! Shoutout to all the amazing people I met along the way. You will never know it, but you lifted my spirits when I was down - the people you meet on the trail are some of the most amazing people in the world!
Be sure to follow along on Instagram: / elsbethweeks
You can sign up for my newsletter to get updates here: elsbethweeks.com/
The single most valuable thing you experienced hikers can do is to share hikes that weren't perfect. It makes the problems, obstacles and mistakes for us amateur hikers easier to accept and handle.
Yes, thank you so much for sharing this.
I gotchu fam: ua-cam.com/video/AkcYb1TQxLo/v-deo.html ua-cam.com/video/reocVDjvY_c/v-deo.html
Someone once told me while on trail "any hike is a good hike." No matter how short or long it is, it's still a good hike. An accomplishment to be proud of. It's not the destination, it's the journey, and you had an exquisite one. 💗
Sounds like that non-sensical, hokey "everyone deserves a participation trophy" wisdom that our increasingly effete society tries to bandage over every defeat or failure. She should feel down on her luck and depressed, as we all would in like circumstances. She put a ton of preparation into this hike, only to have the whole experienced ruined by a hapless "bug", virus, or whatever she had. Then comes someone with your hokey conciliation prize, which only rubs salt in the wounds, no matter how good intentioned.
This was a very moving video to watch. Not just from a backpackers perspective, but as a human. You showed your strength and your humanity here! A lot of this is symbolic of how life is and how hard it can be to ‘just keep walking’ sometimes. Sometimes life is so difficult, to the point of it seeming pointless! Well done and you are such an inspiration!
Thank you so much for such a nice comment - the whole experience was definitely a major learning lesson for me!
@@ElsbethWeeks my friends and I hiked the emigrant loop last year and we got caught in the worst hail storm I’ve ever experienced. Our hillside campsite was covered in marble sized hail within 10 min, and then a river in 20. We went through it all, panic, confusion, disorientation etc. One of my buddies thought he was going to die at one point.
Although I never want to do that again, that experience is part of me. So, your journey on John Muir resonated with me so much in that sense. Thanks again!
You should be so proud of yourself. 18 miles in one day is a victory in itself. Some people can't even do that. You are a fighter,have perseverance, and fight for your goal. Covid is very tough to get over. Most people need 2 weeks doing nothing but resting. I love the rawness of your honesty and mind battles. This is one true blog that shows we are human and you have not failed. Do we truly need a point A to B to define our accomplishments. You defined the odds of carrying on. You girl, are a rock star. A shining star at that!
Kudos for hiking what looks to be 138 +/- miles to Bishops Pass Trail, then another 10 +/- miles on Bishop Pass trail for a total of 148 +/- miles. That is no mean feat. You had the good sense to realize you were in over your head. Thanks for an important video.
Many people go into the mountains on backpacking trips to learn that there life is more comfortable than they thought and that's all they needed
It's not an adventure if you know how it ends.
The wilderness is both brutal and beautiful. It's about the experience. You were brave enough to face what most people can only imagine.
You go.
Let me update the headline for you: "I did MORE of the John Muir Trail than most people will ever do!" There all better. We hiked from the valley up to the top of Half Dome- about 12 hours. It was a lot of fun. I wasn't too tired- we made it back before dark.
The altitude, likely dehydration or bad water and the rigor of the whole thing was a lot to deal with and contributed to why you fell ill. I start to feel the same way hiking in Moab, UT- often on flat ground. The dry air gets you. You did great. It would have been better to set smaller goals next time- like half the distance and work your way up to the full trail. That way you can get a taste for it. Maybe you can look at this trip like that initial scouting expedition. It would also be good to bring a hiking buddy for support and definitely a GPS phone/locator just to be safe.
Better yet, for your next adventure, simply go to St. John, USVI. Put your feet up on a beautiful beach with a drink in your hand and call it a trip! Look up Trunk Bay. If you want to hike there you can too. You can also volunteer and walk some dogs at the local animal shelter- they love the exercise. Many adventures to be had out there.
Cheers!
Haha USVI sounds great! I’m well overdue for a beach vacation!
@@ElsbethWeeks You should seriously go. We have been about 5 times now. It's a paradise and easy to get to from the East Coast. If you are on the West Coast, there is Hawaii. ua-cam.com/video/ZSNyrBbsQZk/v-deo.html
So sorry to hear all this, I know from experience hiking through an illness absolutely sucks. The trail is hard enough as it is and honestly I’m glad people can see this so they stop romanticizing thru hiking - it’s hard and can wear you down, but worth it for those that love it. Just everyone be aware that could very well be you on day 13 and it may not even be any illness.
Elsbeth, awesome job!!!!! Remember, you control it; it does not control you. Doesn't matter how long or how many times you try, you have a whole life ahead of you. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. You can do this!!!!! Love, Aunt AnnMarie & Uncle Gus... GREAT JOURNEY...conquer it...you've got what it takes!!!!!❤😃👍👋
Such a sweet message! Great aunt and uncle!
Cool name 😎
Some very cool trail sign there at the beginning. But that illness wrecked you. Kudos for trying to soldier on but yeah that sounded rough. Incredible country though - sorry you didn't get to finish the trail but your video was extremely well done.
My first 200 mile thru hike I got eaten by bugs, blisters, low on food, sunburnt, washed downstream in a river, mild hypothermia, and fought a bear. I feels u. You can do it!
Wow ! Where was this?
You fought a bear? Boss af
Lol fought a bear. Girl…
Excellent video. So what did the Mountains say when they called? I watched your incredible journey and I cried with you, but you persevered and went on and you also smiled, a lot. The hike looks difficult under the best of circumstances. Point 19:50 of your video was powerful, what did the Mountain say? Looks like a success to me. Thank you for sharing this.
You didn’t fail, you had a hell of an experience. I’m 51 and only made it 30 miles this year on the jmt before my body said “no more”. Planned on 115 miles, but proud of the 30 I accomplished. Be proud of what you did, hiking straight up and down above 10,000 feet is no joke.
Aww Elsbeth! I was crying right along side you! Could feel your disappointment but I am so proud of you! Total badass and inspiring me to get out there too.
Lucy!! Thank you so much for watching and for such a thoughtful comment :)
You are a big person to show a trip that didn't go as well as hoped. You made a great video in the process and sparked a desire in me to do the JMT at some point - so you inspired! That is a reward in itself. Keep on trekking!
Thanks so much for sharing. I've been backpacking since 1957 when I was ten and I never did as long a hike as you just reported on. My longest hike was 13 nights and about 100 miles from Bishop to Whitney Portal in September of 1970 with my ex. It was a trip I will always remember. BTW, in 1970 we needed no permits, not even for Whitney, and we legally spent night 13 on Whitney's summit. No resupply but we started with two backpacks weighing 60 lb and 55 lb. Ugh. Now most of my trips are two or three nights, with starting weights 25 lb or less.
Honestly knowing your limits is so important in these moments. Hikers never talk about the hardships they face on trails like this and this such a perfect example of knowing when to stop😊 great video
Yes and learning to accept what we are given with gratitude and humility
I hope you are doing better. You made absolutely right decision to quit. Covid or similar sickness can turn into a post-viral syndrome for type A people. If anything, you should've quit earlier when you returned to Mammoth Lakes. Take care of yourself and good luck on your journey!
Fantastic editing. Thank you for keeping it real. The JMT will always be there and you will have a great appreciation for it when it calls you back.
I admire your strength and courage….and your honesty! Godspeed for your next adventure…Thanks for sharing what all backpackers have felt at one time or another
Thanks for sharing. Such a good video. Who says that the trail must begin here and end there? Look at what you accomplished. Fantastic! And so. Beautiful.
On the bright side, you did more of the Muir trail than I’ll ever do.
I can really relate to your hike. I've been toying with the idea of walking the JMT, literally, for years. I'd solo and making the preparations and fact-finding, etc., would be the worst for me. Years ago I did the Mt. Whitney Hike (in a day) and reflecting on that, I found I was walking, just to get the trip over with. It was hard for me but I made it. Well, I'm afraid the JMT may be the same thing. I fear that hiking it would be a repeat of Mt. Whitney-----after so long, I'd just like to get it over with. The scenery is great but in my mind, would I be able to appreciate the same scenery, day after day? I have a romantic heart but especially, after viewing your video, I don't know if I could hike the trail for the right reasons. Thank you for your honesty. A lot of soul-searching needed here but time's running out. I'm 71 now and who knows what kind of shape I'd be in, in the near future. Decision time.
Honestly being sick and then still trying to complete the trail is baddie behavior! You rock! Super proud of you , thanks for sharing your journey! I hope to try this trail as well one day ❤️
Sweetie, you were sick. You are run down and exhausted and you need to take care of yourself, stop, and rest. The trail will always be there and you can continue later. This is a tactical retreat for the sake of your health and your happy state of mind. I know you are conflicted, disappointed, and sick! So call it quits without guilt and simply say, " Not today! But later!" You can trust yourself to make the right decision by putting your emotions on the back burner and being practical. If you continue when you are sick, you may really get yourself and others into more serious trouble. Just say, Ok. and take a break.
You didn't failed, just paused. 👍
Haha that’s how I like to think of it too!
loved this video, was sad when you were sad but the journey was so beautiful!
This was a great video. I wouldn't call it a complete fail. The fact that you went out there means a lot. When it comes to health, you can only control what you can handle. The fact that you kept pushing says a lot of who you are as a person. Stay safe. ✌️
Thank you so much for the kind comment :)
@@ElsbethWeeks no problem. I have been running into mental block myself.
So sorry you were ill its no fun on the trail the end is always the start of another beginning remember that. Despite what you may think your fortitude was outstanding.
For sure , one of the better hiking videos on YT! And very useful for planning a trek. Thanks for sharing and baring. Nice video shooting, by the way. That saps energy.
Amazing editing and why does the trail have such a call when we know that it tests us the way it does!?!?
I can semi relate I was so afraid to hike alone due to some of the stories that I'd heard so I always hiked with others and I've never finished a single section due to it. it left me embarrassed and frustrated with myself for not overcoming my fears. One time I had planned a weekend hike with my son, mom and her boyfriend, the goal: A simple 13 mile trek in one weekend. She's older so I figured this was definitely an easy goal to accomplish. We began and hiked over various tornado blow downs which really took its toll on her as we only managed 1 mile that day. by that night As we unpacked we quickly noticed we had one stove and the one tent I'd packed was my one single person tent! some how sleeping in the weirdest fashion we all managed to "sleep" together. Day two there was a race on trail, my mom is terrified of heights and the section ahead of us had narrow ledges, as runners went passed her she started to second guess herself and avoided a panic attack by resting several times. We made .5 miles total that day and by night fall it had started to down pour pushing against the walls of the tent with four bodies the rain came pouring in badly. I think those hiccup moments really make great stories later, But I can understand the feelings that encompass us in the moment. You went alone, you carried on, you carried on even sick and that alone is an accomplishment never feel "less than" when you actually attempt things versus dreaming them your entire life with regrets. Don't let it shake you, we learn and we rise back up and come out stronger from it. I'm glad you kept walking even though it wouldn't mean finishing. I ended up walking our last day by myself to my car when my mom's boyfriend was passing in and out of consciousness, I was really scared but my fears of being alone were dashed and eventually I found help from the ranger he'd ended up with heat exhaustion from the oversized pack he was carrying and we still feel like he'd also drank contaminated water. I felt like guilty when people asked about my trip bc It wasn't "fun" or "great" I was really scared. But the silver lining is that it pushed me to realize I COULD actually do it next time alone. I think it's great to see you CAN do it and I can't wait to be watching when you do! *Subscribed*
Don't beat yourself up. Adversity and disappointments are as natural as the great outdoors. I'd bet the farm that you will prevail on your next attempt! The tasks ahead of you are never as great as the power behind YOU. Stay strong.
“I’d bet the farm” - never heard that one before but I think I’m going to use it!
I didn’t quite understand - did the sick days mess up the time you had to get off trail because of your permit?
I wouldn't doubt you got a bug on one of those bus rides. Sorry you had to end your hike but next time you will finish the trail.
Yeah - I’m hindsight that was a lot of public transportation, just bad luck!
had a similar experience...started June 19th at cottonwood and resupplied at muir ranch, and while we were planning 10 day carries, at muir ranch we decided to get out at reds and take a zero...we even resupplied, got a ride set up for the following day and on that day cancelled. so we did 180 Mike's of the 230 in 11.5 days..why didn't we finish..I needed more recovery time and we had limited time out there. I thought at this point the remaining 3 or so days was just to say I finished it..not worth it. good job...don't beat yourself up...
Most people won't even try. So you are not a failure; you tried.
You hiked your hike and did the best you cold. Congrats!! I tried my JMT this June as well solo. Started at Cottonwood Lakes and cut my trip short at Onion Valley (~70 mi.). I was in the same situation you were in. I wasn't having as much fun as I thought I would, and the walking just felt more like a job. HOWEVER!! The trail will always be there, and at least you got a good chunk of it done so less vacation days to use next time. Focus on what you accomplished. I was really bummed about not being anywhere close to finishing but my friends helped me focus on the things I accomplished. (Climbing Whitney, Hiking 70 mi solo, Walking 18 miles in one day, Forester Pass, Kearsarge Pass, and my biggest accomplishment was swimming in an alpine lake) Not to mention all of the other small accomplishments!!!
You are an inspiration for all people 💕💕
sorry you got sick and lost your joyfulness on the trail, hopefully you can indeed do it again when you are feeling great, and maybe with a hiking friend
Yo. This is your best video I think
Thanks! I think so too
I am proud that you put a plan together and tried, most people would not. People fail everyday at different tasks. It seems like you learned a lot and your still alive ,so it's all good. You are an awesome human being and very inspiring. We love your show here in Arizona. The reason why I made it is because I just took my time and drank a lot of water. That was the single most important thing that I learned.
You did pretty good considering. I know those feelings precisely. Experienced them last year on the GDT here in Canada (I didn’t finish). I discovered that backpacking is not my thing. I’m a day-tripper. Max 4 days. A heavy pack and crappy sleeps are fun killers.
Thanks for sharing.
We have a dream that we can do anything.
There was an invisible wall to what you're trying to do, but in the not too distant day your beliefs will overwhelm you.
The challenge is beautiful.
So you are a happy person.
I did the PCT and had an absolutely amazing time. Every day was amazing, I loved it. I did the AT a couple years later.. and I just didn't have the same experience. I wasn't enjoying myself. But- I just kept walking. I probably should have just gone home at that point, but I didn't. Just kept walking. I still had a good time, but it was just walking. Sometimes I ask myself- should I have just quit? Sometimes it's harder to tell yourself it's okay to quit than actually doing it. You're strong to be secure in your decision. You realized what you loved about the wilderness- and to catch up and do 20 miles a day to finish the trail on time wasn't that. Maybe one day you will finish. Or maybe you wont- and that's okay! Do what you love in life and you've done what most people never have (follow their heart)
Hi there, I have hiked, fished, camped in Yosemite for many years...
My start points were from the valley most of the time. I know the trails exceptionally well. Nice you did this hike on your own. It says much about you. Pat yourself on the back every once in a while... Things happen, and your health is always more important than anything.
Your achievements will be many. Feeling down and sick is terrible but you are strong. And most importantly very Human 🙂
I’m so sorry you got sick… this vlog feels like a microcosm of life lately… just trying to survive this pandemic. My little girl also just started daycare and I’m sick all the time. It’s hard. Parenting is hard, it makes you question everything. Way to go getting out there and keeping moving. No mistakes, just happy accidents…
4 days ago...?
you did what you could...it seems like you rearranged your goal and that's when your mood improved. it's a life lesson. Do what you can.
I hope you are feeling better. The older you get, the more you realize that life doesn’t often go as planned. You adapt and keep going- just like you did on this journey. Great video.
I just saw this video , it popped up because I’ve been researching JMT since my older son and his girlfriend of 8 years are hiking it as I write. I’ve only seen the introduction and her getting 😅her gear ready. She is really crying hard. The thing is I don’t know why people have to follow a guy like John Muir. First of all he was a complete woodsman! He lived and hiked like his entire life. He didn’t just come out of LA surfing and said oh I’m going to hike this trail. He didn’t pay $600.00 like my son had to and buy a bear can. I did 11,000 miles with my sons 20 years ago I was 51. I hated the driving but the hiking and the camping was awesome. I drove from NJ picked my older son up in Brooklyn and we were off for 10 weeks. We started camping when we got to Grand Canyon from there Las Vegas and into California . We did the whole coast from Southern California to Northern California. Covered a lot of territory and saw the epic places from San Diego to LA to Malibu to Big Sur Carmel up into San Francisco Yosemite Lake Tahoe The only thing I hated was losing my keys Down the river on a raft in the Truckee and when I got poison oak outside the Yosemite park getting firewood. I climbed up into a brush of jagger bushes and that cut my legs up a perfect entry for the nasty oils of poison oak! I had it bad as the pharmacist said. 😢😢 I was jumping off the bridge in Yosemite into the Merced River and sleeping for a month in camp 4. Climbing to the Emerald pool and swimming across to the other side! The hikes were amazing. Bear came through every night in camp 4 Yosemite. That was 20 years ago you can’t even get in that walk in part of the park for like 2 years now. Everything has changed because of internet. The only thing that hasn’t changed is the beauty of the forests and mountains! But the Point I’m trying to make is why people feel they have to do this 2 to 3 week hike of over 200 miles in 2/3 weeks. It’s extreme if you’re not use to it. And that’s not how John Muir did it. Believe me.
That trip was deeply spiritual for me. When I saw the redwoods I broke down and started crying and telling my boys that’s all I wanted them to see and feel on that 11,000 mile trip. To take in the beautiful nature that is such a gift in life! Like when you see a shooting star or a rainbow. That aweha moment that goes right to your heart and soul. I wanted them to see it and feel it and for me to witness my boys seeing and feeling it. For a Mom there’s nothing better! There were so many moments like that! It was a once in a lifetime. It’s something you can’t duplicate. God rolled out the red carpet the entire way! And watched over us. We made it up into Portland and int Seattle and started heading home but still so much more to see . We went to Jackson hole and saw the Grand Tetons and camped in Yellowstone for 4 nights. So incredibly breathtaking! I’m pretty lucky to have had these times.
I hope you took the time in Dusy Basin to admire the Palisades. Nice Job kiddo. Now you can finish as a section hiker. That's how I did it.
Dusy basin is one of the absolute gems of the sierras - if it’s any consolation, when I start again later I get to go through dusy again!
on the contrary you didn't fail. when I first went to Yosemite and got off the bus it started to rain. after an hour or to it cleared up and was sunny clear as bell. I did Yosemite facelift so many time lost count. one year I did the 4 mile trail. heard an enormous tree crash to the ground up at granite point. hiked back down legs were like jello. next day last day in the park I had to do my upper yosemite falls hike. legs feeling good hike success. you accomplished a great hike minus personal challenges. you have absolutely nothing to be demoralized about, rather success to build off of. the calculations and challenges are the sweetness that builds character and morale. look more of it as essential hiking exercise experience a major hash tag in your wilderness experience. no failure, rather know experiences! Jim
Nothing about what you did is a failure, nothing. Americans make too much out of the "gotta finish" and the whole competitive aspect of everything - you went on a great backpacking trip, and saw amazing beauty. I do understand the disappointment, but the word Failure is not applicable.
You did a great job, you can't control sickness (or a ton of other variables). On the plus side, you can always go back and re-tackel the JM trail. I hiked the AT in 2021, you played it right by listening to your body and what you wanted to do at the end of the day. Get well, be well, hike on - and get back in the saddle..... Trail Name - Smooth
I really appreciate these experiences. I had my own this last august. For similiar reasons I left the trail after a week. It was devastating in many ways. Many lessons learned and already starting to plan for this next year. Not giving up!
I really enjoy your Channel, Elsbeth and I often watch in admiration of all that you set out to achieve. I also respect your honesty when some journeys do not go as well as you might have wished. To quote, I think, John Wayne, ".... you've got True Grit"!! All best wishes for your future adventures.
Oh thank you so much for such kind words! I try to be honest with the channel, but sometimes it is really hard - making this video was actually quite difficult :p
You never told us what it was...was it Covid? Altitude sickness? Food poisoning?
Day 3 looked like a great day and a great place to play some ukulele.
Great Video! Rest up and feel better
Thank you! Will do! :)
In Freediving we solidly believe, the moment you decide to turn around and head back to the surface, is the best & right decision you ever made, as there’s no such thing as deep or shallow when it comes listening to your intuition.
In this case, it’s miles.
You know your limits, you know your threshold. Showing up even after countless discomforts paints a lot of your heart. It’s not by any means, a failure. It’s growth, it’s strength. 🤍♥️
A valuable lesson for the next adventures.
Better to pull the plug than to end up needing a medevac chopper.
Give yourself the grace, and take all the time you need to recover. The trail will be there next year and beyond... :)
If you could get a MT Whitney portal to J.M.T permit. I would highly recommend it and get the full 28 days soak it in and smell the flowers!
Thanks so much for sharing your adventure! It was sad to see you go through the lows of being sick during your adventure, and exciting to hear your renewed enthusiasm after making Muir Pass. Being so close, I hope you get (or got by now) the chance to finish the hike.
You did bit fail! You are merely section hiking the JMT. I have gone a exited early 3 times and now accept that I am a section hiker also. Planning for August 2024 trip from VVR to WHitney. Cheers!
You dared to fail by beginning in the first place. I say well done! Thank you for sharing your honest experience on trail with us:)
Thanks for sharing and your honesty. Hopefully you will get back to try it again
I know how feel I've felt the same way while taking pictures in Yosemite. Nature can and sometimes will kick your ass as well as your spirit.
Hey I remember you great video
Thank you!! :)
My friend and I attempted (and "failed") the JMT in '01 - the record breaking snow year. Also left out of Lyell Canyon. First night camped at little lake just below Donohue Pass; my friend accidentally spilled his pot of boiling water on my ankle. Severe second degree burn; but I persisted including a visit to Mammoth ER, and onward. Crossed Bear Ridge, and was staring at Bear Creek with an ankle in severe pain and aborted back to VVR. I made it 77 miles on a burned ankle; that wasn't failure. Neither was your outing. Way to persist!
It seems that fever took your strength and you should have recovered for longer. You may attempt this next year or do the entire PCT. I have also the impression that your baggage is rather heavy.
Your video showed up on my UA-cam home page, probably because I follow some female long-distance hikers. I am a small man (5’6” and 130 lbs), so I often find female hikers more interesting (equipment choices, etc.). The JMT has been ruined; it is overbid. Sad. When I was an adolescent backpacking in the Adirondacks in northern New York State in the 1960’s, I and the other members of my Explorers Post never saw anyone else in the woods. You can still have this experience. I was in the Wind River Range last month. I well remember my two weeks wandering the Sawtooths in Idaho. I saw a total of 8 or 9 people, most of them on the Alice Lake/ Toxaway Lake loop. As for the Sierras, yes, Thousand Island Lake is cool, but so are the Chocolate Lakes at the base of the Inconsolable Range. There are over 400 National Forests. The quiet and stunning beauty of nature can be found in so many places. I feel so luckily to be able to hike at my age, an age when many former athletic young men are in armchairs.
envy, for those living in California. living in a crappy Miami where there is nothing but heat, extreme humidity, and insects, Cali looks heaven for hiking and backpacking. - thank you for amazing videos, details, logistic info, emotion, for sharing feeling along the trip, and amazing scenery videos. only looking 👀 forward to set on another trip around pacific north west again!! don’t stop getting lost!
Thanks for sharing. It does not seem fair to say you 'failed', after catching a bug that sapped your energy and spirit. It's reasonable to just to recalibrate your expectations based on the realities of your health at the moment. You will complete it another time, if you're so inclined. I've section hiked the JMT, but not in one contiguous go. I'm fine with that, as I enjoy lingering and exploring areas without time pressures for passing through. It's an alternative to prioritizing time/travel goals over those of your health, enjoyment, and being attentive to both the weather and JM's 'mountains calling'. Example: There are a lot of nice diversions around Bishop pass - dozens of lakes, several (small and shrinking) glaciers, (5) 14'er peaks, unlimited views.
I live in California and none of my friends are down to backpack. If you’re open I’m looking for people that are down. I have the America the Beautiful Pass and am trying to visit all 9 National Parks in California!
🤣 so dramatic 🙄
Exactly, geez, the drama !
The reason hiking is skyrocketing in popularity should be obvious. The internet, Google Maps, All Trails, etc., have transformed how easy it is to locate trails near you, get detailed information on them, drive to their obscure trailhead locations, and even track where you are on them to make getting lost less likely. These are all tech features that are less than 20 years old. In the 1990's, if you wanted to go for a long hike deep in the mountains, you first would have to find a way to learn what local trails existed, then you'd have to learn which ones were good and how hard they were by phoning up some forest ranger or something, then you'd have to get a paper map you'd hope could take you to some obscure trailhead in the middle of nowhere, then you'd have to hope you could memorize which way to go at all the trail intersections unless you had a trail map, and if you got lost and couldn't figure out where you were on a trail map, you had no tech to help your way back. And if you wanted specialty equipment, you'd have to locate some outfitter store and hope they had everything you wanted, instead of Amazon delivering you everything a hiker could ever need within 2 days.
Add in Covid making outdoor activities more appealing, and expensive times for young people pricing them out of hobbies like golf and skiing, and all these things have made hiking explode.
Plus, I think people always WANTED to go for long hikes through beautiful wilderness. It just is, it's never been easy. In the last 20 years, all these factors have made hiking become easier than any point in human history.
I just came off 70 miles of GA, AT...day hiking and meeting my husband for supper and bath and bed...
I think that any hike should involve flexibility...as one hikes into the unknown...
Your videos showed fantastic views...and the true grit of hiking...I consider your hike more than a success...and yes do return when feeling better...even for a few day hikes.
Yes, always good to go in with a flexible mindset since the unpredictable can always happen!
@@ElsbethWeeks So, I was forced to change my John Muir Trail plans vs "failed",
To me is healthier...not only for you but for each of us that plan a hike and change our plans...to fit the current situation...
Always use ear phone ……When bear coming back ??
Alway use a long sharp stick to defend yourself from animal.
excellent video, how heavy was your pack? how many pounds?
Thanks for the video Elsbeth. I was rooting for you. If I were 40 years younger I would be knocking at your door. Hang in there. Kevin.
Thanks for sharing! I did a lot of hiking when I was in the military and your video made me realize the difference between the two types of hiking (and why I frequently get into trouble when I now hike with my wife :-)
In the military, you hike because you need to go from a to b and the terrain is almost always as bad ad the part where you missed the shuttle. And walking extra miles because the maps (or your own navigation) was wrong is also pretty frequent. Not even speaking of catching one form of sickness or the other along the way.
I nevertheless always enjoyed these hardships. But maybe this is not something that other people can enjoy and what actually becomes a huge demotivation. Therefore: Thanks again for sharing, will help me to plan our future hikes with more motivational boosts. :-)
But nevertheless: You still did a hell of hike and it was absolutely the right decision to do the remaining parts another time! Keep going!
I'm sorry you didn't reach your goal this time, but this was a lovely video. It seems like all the elements for a thru-hike of the JMT were there, you just got sick and ran out of time. Thank you for sharing and best of luck to you in the future. Following!
What a bummer. I watched the video, and it's still not clear to me why it seems she seems to never get good sleep. She mentioned she took a covid test, but it's not clear what the results were? Maybe I missed something. Getting covid on trail would definitely be tough though. Wondering if she often gets poor sleep hiking, or if not, what exactly it was? Getting poor sleep would ruin any hike.
You didn't miss anything at Kearsage Pass. When I did my PCT attempt one of the straps on my bag died and after having already done the pass to exit and reenter the PCT I had to do it a third time. The best part of it was that on the day I did it I had already passed over Glen Pass and made it to Rae Lakes when my strap died so after jerry-rigging my bag back together I not only did Glen Pass for the second time that day I also hiked over Kearsage Pass for the second time in two days. It was really exciting. I ultimately managed to make it to Lake Tahoe before I was forced off trail due to problems with my home life and funding.
Kinda Bitter Sweet. You always wish you could do more. But the trail will always be waiting. Drifter
fantastic share, hugely valuable, thank you so much for sharing!
I know how hard it is to make the call to not finish a trail that you’ve planned to do. Happened to me last year and I had to hop off the long trail in Vermont with only 13 trail miles left. Planters fasciitis got the best of me and unfortunately each day the pain got worse and I became slower and slower. It’s been a year and I still haven’t been able to get rid of the pain so I know it was the right call. Sounds like you had to make the call because hiking can be hard on your body especially when not feeling well. 😁
The only failure is to never try. Great try!
First of all, great job. The JMT is not easy for someone in complete health, much less if you got sick. My second time on the JMT I had to bail off because of the fires in 2018. As much as I wanted to complete it, the smoke was too uncomfortable and too unhealthy. You have to know when to bail to come back another time, good job for recognizing it and taking care of yourself. BTW, the video quality here is outstanding.
Good job girl....no really, you did good
LOVED THIS VIDEO!! What do you use to edit?? It's amazing
I absolutely felt your emotions , right along with you! Thank you for being authentic! You kept right on trekking ! Yes, I too feel the mountain’s calling me! Blessings of healing & strength on your journeys! Great, great vid! Better than watching the Discovery channel!
I would love to get myself in condition enough to do something like this. I think this would be an awesome trip with some good friends.
John Muir was a jerk and he didn't deserve you anyways. Sorry, I haven't watched the video yet.
Her eyes are so beautiful
Don’t get down on yourself, keep moving forward to new horizons ahead!
After flu, you need 5 days at least to recover 100%. It was a dream to make this trail and half dome, in Yosemite! But The US embassy denied my visa, even showing i'm a multinational company employee there are 9 years! Sad!
You can try another day! But me, i won't ever get the chance to try it!
Next year, i'm going make Laugavegur, Fimmvörðuháls, Kristínartindar and Hornstrandir trail! I will have 30 days to do it! Enjoying the journey, no hurry to finish it!
Sorry about your visa issues - I have heard many horror stories about people trying to get US visas :( Though I am so jealous! I wish I had 30 days to spend in Iceland - sounds like an amazing trip!
US Embassy is giving visas only for dr%g d3alers or t3rror1st$. Not for work people.
Great footage, educational. Thank you.