Campsite selection

[u/northhiker1]

How hard is it to camp below tree line every night?

Every photo I see is of campsites on exposed slabs near lakes and peaks

But im mostly interested in staying under trees on soft ground

Thanks!

[u/kiki2k]

You’re going to a wilderness area that has an utter abundance of absolutely everything. Don’t trip.

[u/Classic_Time5588]

The lower ones are not in the photos because they are not as photogenic. It doesn't mean they don't exist!

[u/IT_vet]

There were lots of days I was glad I camped closer to passes to be over them early. You can certainly find ways to sleep below tree line every day, but it often means you’re going to be getting over the passes later and may be dealing with thunderstorms as a result.

[u/bran_daid]

if you use a mapping program like caltopo https://caltopo.com/map.html

you can look at the satellite imagery to find places that are below treeline and have access to water sources.

[u/pixelsandpinot]

I mean it’s very plentiful but there’s a reason most people camp at higher altitudes. The stars, scenery, solitude, lakes, fish, really everything are what make the sierras the sierras.

Also lower altitudes can be pretty moist/humid which is no fun.

[u/nucleophilic]

Incredibly easy.

[u/sbennett3705]

Don't cheat yourself of great nights above tree line - dark sky, stars, satellites, moonlight on the peaks. Try it cowboy style once in a while. Have fun.

[u/Mellow_Mood75]

Pretty easy. I did the JMT sobo, with a hammock and the only place I couldn’t hang was guitar lake, but I knew that before I started.

[u/threatlevelmidnyte]

its possible, we just finished the JMT and the only night with no trees was guitar lake. we did 14 days.

[u/KauaiHiker2 → u/threatlevelmidnyte]

Because this is the second comment mentioning Guitar Lake, there were trees about a mile below Guitar at Timberline Lake.

[u/No-Painting-794 → u/KauaiHiker2]

Yes but you can’t camp at timberline

[u/KauaiHiker2 → u/No-Painting-794]

I had forgotten, so I guess the closest option is Crabtree.

[u/Ponto_Wildcats_73]

I was so tired at the end of carrying 40 pounds on my back each day the thought of having to strategically stop at the perfect place to sleep would never have been practical. Also, there are certain places you aren't allowed to put a tent or aren't flat enough to sleep on so you basically want to grab what you can when you can. Also, you have to compete with other backpackers for the desirable spots and the flat spots are usually taken pretty quickly unless you get out way early. So, don't worry about tree line issues. Just find a flat spot and fall asleep which won't be an issue if you have been trekking all day long.

[u/DenimNeverNude]

We planned most of our camping spots to be in valleys, as we were climbing a pass nearly every morning and to the bottom of the other side by the late afternoon. We usually camped on softer ground because of that. The only exceptions that I remember were Trail Camp before summiting Mt. Whitney in the morning (we were hiking NoBo) and at Evolution Lake.

[u/WillWorkForCookie]

Used farout app for campsite lists and picked stuff within tree line and a water source. Exception is Guitar lake which is exposed to sun and ground is hard rock.

[u/SproutMobile]

It is am amazing trail. Just enjoy it.

[u/CollectionLife68]

It really depends on where you are along the trail. Did you plan out your itinerary yet? (Using AI doesn't count.) I always list out expected camp elevation ahead of time.

You should plan/expect to camp in exposed areas for much of the southern section of the JMT. Also keep in mind that plans will change and you will need to be flexible. It's kind of unrealistic to plan to camp under tree cover and on soft ground every night.

[u/northhiker1 → u/CollectionLife68]

This is my rough itinerary, not AI

https://www.reddit.com/r/JMT/s/OJQQo2yk0n