I took the 3400 and Annie took the 2400. If not for the chilly fall weather, the need for warm layers and a warmer sleeping bag, and some longer than normal food carries due to closed down resupply spots, I could have gotten by with the 2400 too. But our UL gear is really dialed in. As for bear canisters, putting them on top with HMG packs is the best way to do it in our experience. When you load them vertically in the pack it creates a weird pressure point on your back in-between the two frame stays. And I don’t believe they fit horizontally inside the pack. Still, the top strap method works very well and feels very secure. The one thing to watch out for is not to have any food that can melt (chocolate for example) in direct sunlight at the top of your bear can. If you avoid that and cinch the straps tight you’re good to go.

Yes, I believe you will need a permit to summit Whitney however you want to do it.

We hiked through in mid-June and it was very snowy. Way too snowy for the average hiker and we were mostly alone. Spring snow pack varies from year to year, so it really depends. The general rule of thumb is that mid-June is the earliest most hikers should plan to hike the JMT, and even then there might still be a lot of snow, so excellent navigation skills and the proper snow crossing equipment is necessary. Also, river fording can be very dangerous that time of year, so we really do consider that an experts only timeframe. Anyways, I hope that helps!

What were your spring dates? I’m thinking of walking end of May/June. I’ve solo hiked in Norway, England and Iceland so think I should be fine, but since it’s my first experience hiking in the US I can use all the preparation possible. Any thoughts?

Yup, we switched our north and souths up, thanks for catching that!

Congrats Kevin!! That’s super exciting news! You’re going to have an incredible journey. Happy trails!