GEAR CHECKLISTS
- Inga’s Basic Backpacking Checklist (for intro class)
- REI Backpacking Checklist
- Backpacker Magazine Gear Checklists
- Erik the Black’s Ultralight Backpacking Checklist
BACKPACKING GEAR TO BUY OR RENT
- Thru-Hike Gear-suggested items from The Trek
- REI (Recreation Equipment, Inc., some stores rent backpacking gear)
- Sports Basement (San Francisco Bay Area-rental and sales)
- Lower Gear (based in Arizona, they rent quality gear by mail order at reasonable prices)
- MEC (Mountain Equipment Co-op-Canada)
- Sierra Designs*
- Big Agnes*
- Gossamer Gear*
- Marmot*
- North Face*
- Deuter*
- Granite Gear*
- Z-Packs*
- Osprey
- Tarptent
- Ultralight Cottage Industry Companies (list maintained by Eric the Black)
- Sleeping Bag Comparison Chart by Switchback Travel
- Tent Weight Comparison Chart by Switchback Travel
- When Less is More: A Guide to Ultralight Backpacking article by My Open Country
FOOD
- Mountain House* (freeze dried backpacking meals and bulk #10 cans)
- Backpacker’s Pantry* (freeze dried backpacking meals and bulk #10 cans)
- Good to Go* (freeze-dried backpacking meals made from “clean” ingredients, no preservatives, gluten-free, vegan options)
- MaryJane’s Farm Organics (freeze dried organic backpacking meals and bulk foods)
- Pack It Gourmet* (quality backpacking foods including vegetarian, vegan, low sodium, diary-free, gluten-free, dairy, sauces, individual packets)
- Harmony House* (freeze dried ingredients, no additives or preservatives, vegan choices)
- Honeyville* (freeze dried bulk foods, including meat, veg, fruit, eggs and dairy-no or minimal additives)
- Karen’s Naturals (assorted freeze-dried fruits and vegetables-no additives)
- Thrive Life (freeze-dried meats and cheese, instant beans, honey crystals)
- Santa Fe Bean Company* (instant bean flakes)
- Outdoor Herbivore (vegetarian and vegan)
- Good to Go* (clean ingredients, vegan options, gluten-free options)
- Hawk Vittles (gourmet, no artificial flavors or preservatives, lower sodium)
- A Yummy Life*: “Six Instant Meals on the Go” (A hiker’s wife presents a week’s worth of freezer-bag recipes that are tasty and nutritious)
- Pack Light, Eat Right (a dietitian dishes on favorite trail recipes and nutrition)
- Paleo Meals To Go (Paleo backpacking meals and more)
- Lotus Foods-Rice Ramen*
- Koyo Organic Ramen*
- Peak whole milk powder or Nido* (from Amazon)
- The Spice Tin* (online and physical store for specialty spices, such as Umami Dust Seasoning)
- Minimus.biz* for condiments (e.g. Sriracha sauce) and a wide range of other foods in individual packets
- PROBAR* (flavorful organic energy bars)
- Clif Bar* (large variety of organic bars with gluten-free, soy-free, kosher and low-glycemic choices)
- Tailwind Nutrition*(hydration mix–all natural products)
- Skratch Labs* (hydration mix–all natural products)
FOOD RELATED
- The Hungry Spork: A Long Distance Hiker’s Guide to Meal Planning by Inga Aksamit (planning guide and recipe book)
- The Hungry Spork TRAIL RECIPES by Inga Aksamit (nothing but recipes)
- Backcountry Foodie (recipes and meal planning for thru-hikers by a registered dietitian)
- Backpacking Chef* (instructions for dehydrating food, recipes and cookbook)
- The Dietitian’s Resupply Box: A Guide to Thru-Hiking on a Plant-Based Diet* (planning guide and recipe book)
- BMICalculator.net* (find Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) and Harris-Benedict Calculators to determine calorie needs based on height, weight and activity level)
- Pill pouches* (sturdy (4 mil) baggies, 2″x 3″, for spices and other small items-Amazon)
- Opsak/Loksak* odor-proof food-safe plastic bag that can hold boiling water to rehydrate food
- Mylar foil pouches* (Amazon)
*Products I have tried and can vouch for
FOOD LOCKER LOCATIONS-SIERRA NEVADA
BACKPACKING FORUMS
- John Muir Trail Facebook Group
- Ladies of the JMT Facebook Group
- John Muir Trail group in Groups.io (with an extensive library of backpacking-related files for those who join; it’s free)
- California Backpacking Women Facebook Group (Inga’s)
- Pacific Crest Trail Facebook Group
- Women of the PCT
- Bearfoot’s Hiking Gear Flea Market Facebook Group
- Healthy Gourmet Backpacking Food Facebook Group (Inga’s)
- Altitude Acclimatization Facebook Group (Inga’s)
- Chilkoot Trail and Yukon Travel Facebook Group (Inga’s)
KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
- Leave No Trace (LNT)-Seven Principles
- Ten Essentials
- California Campfire Permit (free; required for camp stoves, campfires; available online)
FIRST AID, HEALTH & SAFETY
- First Aid Kit-Inga’s (Google Drive document)
- First Aid Kit-Comprehensive (Google Drive document)
- An Unofficial Acclimatization Guideline for JMT Hikers (free)
- Kula Cloth (pee rag)
- Lightning-Myth Crushers (NOLS video)
- Stream Crossing Safety While Hiking and Backpacking (PCTA)
- Nutrition Guide-U.S. Special Operations Forces or download here
- Wilderness First Aid Classes (REI/NOLS) or Foster Calm in CA
- Wilderness First Aid Courses
MAP SOURCES
- Tom Harrison Maps (waterproof topo maps and apps for California, also available on Amazon, ~$6-20 per map)
- Halfmile’s PCT Trail Notes (free, downloadable, printable trail notes and GPX downloads, though the maps are no longer availabl)
- CalTopo (free, printable, interactive topo map with route planning tools for the lower 48 states in the U.S.)
- Wilderness Press Guidebooks for the John Muir Trail, Yosemite and many more areas.
- John Muir Trail: The Essential Guide to Hiking America’s Most Famous Trail by Elizabeth Wenk
- Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail: Northern California: Section Hiking from Tuolumne Meadows to Donomore Pass by Philip Kramer
JOHN MUIR TRAIL PRODUCTS
- JMT Medal by Wim Schalken (also medals for PCT, AT and other trails)
- JMT stickers, patches, buff and bandana by Laundry by Lindsey (Etsy)
- Search Etsy.com for other JMT products
- Yosemite Trail Signs Authentic trail sign reproductions by Peter Hirst.