It’s been two years since the greatest adventure of my life: solo thru-hiking the 211-mile John Muir Trail or JMT. The JMT begins at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley and stretches all the way to Mount Whitney, the highest mountain in the contiguous U.S. The day before I started, I arrived in the Valley to the thickest smoke I had ever seen. The wildfires were plentiful that year, and the smell was invading my lungs. I was truly worried about how it would affect my hike. When I woke up the next day, though the smoke had magically cleared up, and there was nothing but blue skies. It was the perfect way to start my epic journey!
I left the backpackers’ camp early and started the JMT from the Valley floor, as I said goodbye to the comforts of bathrooms, real food, and cell service. I won a Half Dome permit and would be summiting the iconic rock the same day I started the JMT. I arrived at Little Yosemite Valley, set up my tent, then took off for Half Dome. The hike up until subdome was easy, especially without a heavy pack. Subdome’s huge granite stairs were challenging, but I knew it would be worth the climb. Once I got to the cables, I took a moment to admire the behemoth of a rock. I put on my gloves and started to really test my grip strength, as I began to ascend. It was hard, but luckily, there weren’t a ton of people coming down. I climbed my way to the top and realized there were only five people up there with me. It was surreal seeing a bird’s eye view of Yosemite Valley from the top of Half Dome. The five people eventually started the climb back down, and I was the only one left. I sat down to reflect on my first day on the JMT and wondered what was in store for me over the next few weeks. I finished the JMT on Sept. 9, 2021, when I reached the summit of Mount Whitney. Solo thru-hiking the John Muir Trail changed me. I am a more confident backpacker. I realized I don’t need a lot to be happy. And I know if I am mentally strong, I can accomplish anything!
Alison Chang, Wilderness permit applicant
