Finally finished the JMT section I kept bailing on

I tried the stretch from Reds Meadow to Tuolumne again after failing twice before, and I actually made it this weekend. I learned that taking a zero day at 9,000 feet made a huge difference for my legs on the climb out. Has anyone else had a section of trail they had to attempt multiple times before it clicked?

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logan2994mo ago

Dude, congrats! That's awesome. I swear the JMT is the trail equivalent of that one friend who ghosts you and then pops back up with a wild story. I feel like the whole Sierra section is a "third time's the charm" kind of deal honestly. My first attempt at the whole thing I bailed like 40 miles in because my pack was way too heavy and I legit cried on a log. Zero days are underrated, they're the real MVPs.

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kaimiller4mo ago

Dude you nailed it with the zero day description. I used to think taking a day off was weak but now I plan them into every trip like they're part of the route itself. That log crying story hits different because we've all been there. Pack weight is such a trap early on, you think you're being prepared but really you're just torturing yourself. Once I ditched half my "just in case" gear my whole experience changed. What kind of stuff did you end up cutting from your first setup?

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the_mia4mo ago

Dropped a backup water filter and three pairs of socks, just rawdogged the thirst and blisters like @kaimiller would approve.

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