Hacker News Reader

Comment by larkinrichards | Hacker News Reader

Was planning to hike the JMT starting tomorrow from cottonwood meadow and ending on the 22nd. Permits canceled at 6pm tonight.

Anyone got recommendations for a last minute 20 day off grid vacation? Have car, supplies, ready to go.

View on HN

It's a bit of a haul but you could head for CO and do part/all of the Colorado Trail (485 miles, "the most beautiful trail in the USA"). Probably too long for the 20 days.

Offbeat idea: The middle America route (SF to DC) is about 40 hours of driving. If you have enough drivers to do it in shifts, the appalachian trail in Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee is fantastic right now.

Go north. Montana, Idaho, etc. Wind River range is absolutely breathtaking.

Just be grizzly aware.

Glacier NPS is sweet and so is the Bob Marshall Wilderness. Both have a section of the CDT.

You had me until the last part about the grizzlies.

Taking Yellowstone for example For all park visitors combined, the chances of being injured by a grizzly bear are approximately 1 in 2.7 million visits. So very good odds.

https://www.nps.gov/yell/learn/nature/injuries.htm

Surely being in a very populated area of the park lessens the chance greatly. Which would mean 1 in 2.7 million visits isn't accurate for what they would be doing.

I'd guess it raises the odds. You don't want them used to people. Especially not associating people with the presence of food.

the drive there is probably the dangerous part compared to grizzlies.

Smoke in Idaho and western Wyoming was awful a few weeks ago. Maybe it’s improved since then, but I wouldn’t bet on it.

Maybe central Montana?

Plenty of fires up there too.

Probably still much open wilderness.

Bummer. I did my JMT in 2016. I can’t imagine your disappointment, because I know it takes a lot preparation. I’m curious, did they cancel all JMT permits because the JMT goes through Inyo, or is it only because you were entering from Inyo? I’m curious what happens to people entering from national parks (or people en route for that matter).

As for me, I’m supposed to be doing a 5 night, 60-ish mile loop in Yosemite this week, Sep. 2-7. We’ve had our eye on the air quality and shockingly all signs point to the air quality being quite good, although who knows what will happen!

> Anyone got recommendations for a last minute 20 day off grid vacation?

Any number of Wilderness Areas in the Rocky Mountain West. Prepare for inclement weather as you might encounter an early season snowstorm.

Can confirm. Got snowed on 9/1 (at 12k') last year in south western colorado.

Drive east. I think a lot of Colorado is public? You’ve got the time!

Drive through Canada into Alaska. The Yukon was a bit prickly on getting your read end in and out of province within 24 hours due to covid, but that’s easily doable. Don’t know if that policy is still in effect.

Once in Alaska, there’s plenty of off grid things to do. If you head to Anchorage you can grab a plane to some bush areas, or drive to Denali, or whatever floats your boat.

That spot in the river where the water flows down a ledge and there’s copious bears feeding on fish? That’s there, and so are the bears right now.

katmai national park has the bears eating the fish

Array of 2-5 day options in Utah, if you haven't done much there before? Buckskin Gulch, Salt Creek Canyon, into The Maze overlook, Coyote Gulch, etc.

If you're into canyoneering, you could just spend a while canyoneering in Zion and camping on BLM outside the park or get one of the walk in spots in the park (which I think you can just keep indefinitely until you decide to check out)

Be flash flood aware when canyoneering out here, though...

No joke, we are in the sights of Hurricane Nora.

Humbolt-Toyaibe NF in NV. I think you can avoid the smoke maybe in a mountain range in the South/Central part of the state.

Second this. You could do the Toiyabe Crest Trail and it won’t be as far of a drive as the suggested CO off grid hike. Make sure to check out some hot springs while in NV.

Colorado trail? It would be quite the drive. Also probably a bit long for 20 days.

PCT in Washington State?

Colorado trail or segments of the Continental Divide trail.

Thanks all for the recommendations. Looks like we may link up two longer (6-10 day) hikes and take some time to travel and relax in between.

For a really remote option, look into the GDT. Probably best if you already have experience on a trail like the CDT.

Highline trail in the Uintas is nice

Lost Coast?

Reply on news.ycombinator.com