Date: Thu, 21 Aug 1997 12:00:12 -0700
From: lacavacl@ccmail.orst.edu (Clem LaCava)
Subject: John Muir Trail Report #1

     Hello Friends!

     In late July, I sent a message and ended with, "I'm off to fastpack
     the John Muir Trail."  Well, I'm back and ready to start writing a
     report. I'll write the report in segments.

     The report will be laid out similar to Tim Tweitmeyer's, Bruce Hoff's
     and Hal Winton's reports of their JMT Fastpack, maybe not as long,
     because they did a great job of sharing lots of information.

     Here goes!

     My good friend, Larry Halford after reading about previous trips
     decided last winter to start planning for the JMT.  Immediately, he
     asked his  good friend, Curt Ringstad to join him.  Curt and Larry have
     an extensive backpacking, rock climbing, mountaineering background.
     Lots of experience!   They know what's it's like to be out there in the
     mountains for days on end.  I did not have that kind of experience.

     Larry asked me if I was interested last January.  We run together, so
     he felt I had or would have the training to finish.

     Although fastpacking the JMT is different from an ultramarathon race,
     it does consist of the two primary elements I see in ultramarathons.
     Being prepared and doing the logistical things you need to do in the
     race or adventure run and in the later stages having that dogged
     determination to just keep on going.

     Of course, if you don't take care of the first, all the determination
     you can muster, probably will not carry you to the finish.

     That is the part of ultramarathoning I'm still learning. That's why
     this sport excites me so much.  It's one hell of a challenge!

     There were several other friends of Curt's and Larry's, who showed an
     interest in joining us for the trek but other commitments arose.  Jan
     Gnass, from Bishop was on board and when he couldn't make the trip,
     volunteered to resupply us at Lake Charlotte over Kearsarge Pass.  I
     still have not met Jan, but I now know the effort he made to help us
     out.  Jan, if I get the chance, I'll buy the beer at Wasatch!

     My best friend Jan and my son Paul, resupplied us at Toulomne Meadows
     and Reds Meadow and car-pooled Curt's car from Yosemite Valley to
     Whitney Portal.

     In late June, Max Welker, from Tacoma decided to join us.  I had never
     met Max, but Curt and Larry's description of Max was, "He's a nice guy
     and has lots of experience at 100 miler's and will finish." They were
     right!  Max stated from the beginning that he may be a little slower at
     times,  but not to worry about him.

     Larry, Curt and I had read many times since January; Bruce Hoff's (8
     days, seven nights), Tim Tweitmeyer's (six days and five nights) and
     Hal Winton's (ten days and nine nights) reports of the JMT Fastpack.
     They provided lots of information, but as I was relaxing last week
     after the fastpack, up in the High Sierras, in Little Lakes Valley,
     reading their reports again, their words jumped out at me with a new
     found reality.  The information is there in those reports.

     I'll quote, Tim, "There's a special section of trail through these
     mountains that provides spectacular scenary accompanied by some of the
     most difficult trail in the nation."

     When I read it the first time, all I could think about was the
     spectacular scenary, which draws us all to run these ultramarathons
     and adventure runs and I didn't spend a whole lot of thought on the
     second part of that sentence.

     I will not keep you all in suspense, before I continue on with the
     report, but I bailed out over Kearsarge pass on the 7th morning.

     We reached Kearsarge Pass trailhead (178 miles) at the end of the 6th
     day.  For two days, my feet were in constant pain.  After everytime we
     stopped, it would take about 15-20 minutes for me to get into a stride
     and forget about the discomfort.

     On the seventh morning, I waved bye to my friends and hiked out over
     Kearsarge Pass.  It was hard to hike/run anymore.  I didn't want to
     hold them up.  We were on an 8 day, 7 night plan.  Larry, Curt and
     Max did not want me to quit, and would have changed plans, but the
     fun factor was a memory.

     They finished at 4PM on the 8th day, similar to Bruce Hoff's trip! I
     hiked over Kearsarge and hitchhiked to Independence, Bishop and on up
     to the cabin in Little Lakes Valley.  I KNOW, I should have crawled to
     the finish!

     How in the hell Tim Tweitmeyer, Bruce Van Borstel and friends made it
     in six days, is amazing!

     The following reports will have logistical information, I promise.

     More later! Run long, Run Hills!

     Clem LaCava
     lacavacl@ccmail.orst.edu