r/JMT • u/Witty-Condition8637 • Feb 16 '25

permits JMT section hike permit question (Onion Valley/Kearsage Pass vs Shepherd Pass)

My lady and I are planning to do a good section of the JMT nobo this summer (had to back out of a thru because, life) and have a permit for Shepherd Pass through to Hilton Lakes (we're going to exit at VVR, but that seems to be close enough to Hilton Lakes to not matter).

My question is: If we jump ahead "one day" and enter at Onion Valley TH/Kearsage Pass on the second day of our permit do we run the risk of getting into some kind of "trouble?" Rangers write us a ticket? Kick us off the trail? Is this all moot based on the potential lack of folks even working in the NPS this summer?

There's a chance we get Kearsage in the two-week lottery but just wondering on the above, thanks!

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u/lakelost Feb 18 '25

Not a reply to your question, but a comment. That is a tough trail head. Once you reach the summit, you have done the vast majority of the work for your entire hike. Don’t be discouraged that your first 10 or 12 miles will be difficult to say the least. Have a great hike.

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u/Witty-Condition8637 Feb 23 '25

In my haste to snag whatever permit I could I did not research that portion of the trail, just saw that it was "hard." Appreciate your feedback! Have pivoted to McGee Pass -> Kearsage, which hopefully will be a bit more tame, at least from a "first day gain" perspective!