The John Muir Trail crowds pushed me to the Collegiate Loop

I did the JMT in 2019 and then again this summer. Back then I saw maybe 5 people a day past Reds Meadow, now it felt like a sidewalk in LA with groups every few hundred yards. So I swapped my permit for the Colorado Trail's Collegiate Loop in August, 162 miles of alpine that reminds me of the Sierra without the conga line. Yeah, the passes are shorter and you deal with afternoon storms, but I got campsites to myself and actually heard birds. Anyone else ditch a famous route for a quieter neighbor?

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maxpalmer13d ago

Trail crowds got so bad I started talking to marmots just to have a conversation. Might need to pack binoculars for the quiet now, at least they don't ask about my tent setup.