By Sean Goodbody
Staff Writer
This summer, Mira Costa sophomore Justin Matsui will embark on a journey where walking in a valley surrounded by towering granite peaks, crossing rushing mountain streams and climbing skyward over mountain passes will just be a regular day.
Matsui will begin a three-week, 210-mile journey across the Sierra Nevada mountain range on the John Muir Trail. The trail starts at the top of Mount Whitney, a summit of 14,505 feet, and ends in Yosemite.
“The John Muir Trail is going to be a lot longer of a trip than I’ve ever been on, Matsui said. “It covers more miles than I have ever walked and presents many more risks of injury, yet there will be so many more opportunities for me to have fun and gain new experiences.”
According to Matsui, he has had extensive experience when it comes to backpacking in the high Sierras. However, he has never experienced anything like the treacherous, varying weather and rough terrain that he will deal with on his upcoming trip.
“I really do need to be prepared for any weather situation,” Matsui said. “To prepare, I’ve had training and experience with hiking and cooking while backpacking in the rain.”
In its entirety, the John Muir Trail winds through three of California’s iconic National Parks including Kings Canyon, Sequoia and Yosemite. This year, Matsui feels his extensive preparation will propel him through each of the parks and to the end.
“My experience comes from backpacking trips with the Boy Scouts, which I’ve participated in since I was eleven years old,” Matsui said. “One of the most memorable trips we took was last summer when we did a trans Sierra trek for 85 miles.”
As stated by Matsui, outside of being properly prepared for the trip, hikers must also beware of the curious brown bears attracted to the campsites. As a result, along with their food and supplies, hikers are required to bring a minimum of one bear-proof food container.
“We’re walking right into bear country on this hike, so it’s definitely possible that we’ll see some bears,” junior hiker Jaden Kessel said.
With the start date only three weeks away, Matsui has already started preparing for his lengthy trip by packing his gear and buying nutritious food.
“I am most excited for the experience of being able to walk for weeks in nature and be on top of the tallest peak in the lower 48 states again,” Matsui said.
Excellent article. Thanks for sharing the excitement of the trip.