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Highs and Lows on the John Muir Trail
This book, which won the Best Outdoor Book Award from the Outdoor Writers Association of California in 2015, is a lively account of one woman’s adventure on the John Muir Trail. It is a must-read for those who plan to hike the trail or anyone interested in the trail. Written in journal style, the author’s description of the majestic scenery, camaraderie of trail friends and challenges of the terrain are engaging and informative. Along the way, trekkers will see how she and her husband met challenges head-on, lightened their load, planned meals and managed daily logistics for more than three weeks on the trail. The John Muir Trail traces an undulating path along the crest of the High Sierra with legendary elevation gains and losses of more 84,000 feet, topping out at 14,505 feet on the summit of Mt. Whitney. Updated to include a northbound section from Horseshoe Meadows to Onion Valley. Full-color photographs are included in the Kindle version only.
- GenresNonfictionOutdoorsTravel
261 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 11, 2015
46 people are currently reading
142 people want to read
About the author
Inga Aksamit
9 books3 followersInga Aksamit is an award-winning author, globe-trotting adventurer and veteran oncology nurse who writes about travel and human connection. Her love of exploration has taken her around the world to hike in remote mountain ranges, explore ancient ruins, and immerse herself in different cultures. She started traveling at age four when her family embraced the expat lifestyle and moved from the US to Asia for her father’s work. Her childhood experiences as a third-culture kid (TCK) in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Peru, and Indonesia, combined with her career in oncology nursing, allow her to see the world through a compassionate lens of wonder and discovery. Her memoir, “Between Worlds: An Expat Quest for Belonging,” will be published in 2024. Her hiking memoir, “Highs and Lows on the John Muir Trail,” won The Best Outdoor Book award from the Outdoor Writers Association of California in 2015 and “The Hungry Spork Trail Recipes” won the Best Outdoor Guidebook award in 2020.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
December 2, 2015
The current popularity of long-distance walking means that many new personal narratives have appeared in the past years. Inga Aksamit's book is a wonderful addition to these "trail tales," as she describes the 23-day trip she and her husband took along the John Muir Trail.
Readers will especially be drawn to this narrative both because it is very well written and accurate and because it represents the experience of an "everyday" person. She and her husband set out on the JMT to challenge themselves with a much longer backcountry adventure than they'd previously completed and to experience the changing perspective one has after multiple weeks in the backcountry, but not to launch into a completely unknown activity. Aksamit had backpacked frequently before her trip, had trained for her trip, and meticulously planned her itinerary, food, and gear.
Her extensive planning made her aware of all the problems that might arise - she does a superb job of weaving these into her story, one-by-one as many of the anticipated problems do materialize - medical problems, rare weather events, gear problems, and lack of motivation. I was especially drawn to her descriptions of how her mood, physical strength, and motivation shifted from day-to-day - as she sometimes found "difficult" sections to be straightforward and dragged where the going should have been "easy". As a guidebook author, I have to force myself to detach how I feel at a given moment from my "unbiased" perception of the terrain; it was wonderful to read an account that emphasized how difficult it is to predict how you'll feel on a given stretch of trail and what progress you'll make. As she and her husband experienced, two people hiking together will have different "good" and "bad" days - and will therefore have very different memories of stretches of the trail.
Finally, I appreciate her repeated emphasis that she was "hiking her own hike" - and comfortable with that decision. She reflected upon other hikers with faster or slower itineraries, but did not deride others for choosing a different JMT experience.
Readers will especially be drawn to this narrative both because it is very well written and accurate and because it represents the experience of an "everyday" person. She and her husband set out on the JMT to challenge themselves with a much longer backcountry adventure than they'd previously completed and to experience the changing perspective one has after multiple weeks in the backcountry, but not to launch into a completely unknown activity. Aksamit had backpacked frequently before her trip, had trained for her trip, and meticulously planned her itinerary, food, and gear.
Her extensive planning made her aware of all the problems that might arise - she does a superb job of weaving these into her story, one-by-one as many of the anticipated problems do materialize - medical problems, rare weather events, gear problems, and lack of motivation. I was especially drawn to her descriptions of how her mood, physical strength, and motivation shifted from day-to-day - as she sometimes found "difficult" sections to be straightforward and dragged where the going should have been "easy". As a guidebook author, I have to force myself to detach how I feel at a given moment from my "unbiased" perception of the terrain; it was wonderful to read an account that emphasized how difficult it is to predict how you'll feel on a given stretch of trail and what progress you'll make. As she and her husband experienced, two people hiking together will have different "good" and "bad" days - and will therefore have very different memories of stretches of the trail.
Finally, I appreciate her repeated emphasis that she was "hiking her own hike" - and comfortable with that decision. She reflected upon other hikers with faster or slower itineraries, but did not deride others for choosing a different JMT experience.
February 9, 2022
A well-written account of Inga and her husband Steve’s hike on the JMT. It’s always interesting to learn what gear others carry and the decisions they make as they “hike their hike.” If you’re planning a thru-hike, their experiences will give you a lot of insight.
June 27, 2025
helpful read before starting the JMT!
October 5, 2020
good realistic view of hiking the trail.
December 17, 2019
The cover of this volume proudly announces that it was voted "Best Outdoor Book - 2015" by The Outdoor Writers Association of California. It's an OK book, but I'm guessing there wasn't a lot of competition in 2015. Inga and her husband Steve hiked most (but not all) of the JMT. That's still an impressive feat as the two were middle-aged, and not very experienced in long-distance backpacking, especially on such a challenging trail. They certainly did much more than I could have done. (I read books like this for the vicarious experience.)
Inga's account is a day-by-day journal of the hike. There are many interesting anecdotes, such as meeting a guy named Ralph, who had set a record for hiking the entire JMT in 4 days, instead of the more typical 3 weeks. They also met a vigorous guy, age 85, who could still out hike others 50 0r 60 years younger. As a journal, the book is worthwhile for giving useful details about most parts of the trail, such as where to camp and what the most difficult parts are. So, at least, the book is valuable for anyone thinking about doing the trail themselves and planning for it - many things to be expected along the way (especially if walking southbound). There are also 7 useful appendices that detail things such as gear to take, meal planning, further reading, and even elevations of the major passes.
However, there aren't a lot of more interesting details, such as musings on the natural wonders along the trail or more in-depth accounts of the people they met. So the book is a pretty quick read. This definitely isn't the sort of account John Muir himself might write, or of someone like Colin Fletcher (who's written about his "thousand-mile summer" on much more of the PCT). Instead, there is perhaps more detail on things one might not especially care to know, such as the aches and pains that Inga and Steve experienced.
Inga's account is a day-by-day journal of the hike. There are many interesting anecdotes, such as meeting a guy named Ralph, who had set a record for hiking the entire JMT in 4 days, instead of the more typical 3 weeks. They also met a vigorous guy, age 85, who could still out hike others 50 0r 60 years younger. As a journal, the book is worthwhile for giving useful details about most parts of the trail, such as where to camp and what the most difficult parts are. So, at least, the book is valuable for anyone thinking about doing the trail themselves and planning for it - many things to be expected along the way (especially if walking southbound). There are also 7 useful appendices that detail things such as gear to take, meal planning, further reading, and even elevations of the major passes.
However, there aren't a lot of more interesting details, such as musings on the natural wonders along the trail or more in-depth accounts of the people they met. So the book is a pretty quick read. This definitely isn't the sort of account John Muir himself might write, or of someone like Colin Fletcher (who's written about his "thousand-mile summer" on much more of the PCT). Instead, there is perhaps more detail on things one might not especially care to know, such as the aches and pains that Inga and Steve experienced.
September 25, 2017
This was a really fun read. Since I don’t have experience doing extensive backpacking I found it very interesting to follow the course of the author’s long hike through the arduous trails and mountain passes. The details were especially interesting – how they stayed clean, how they organized their food, how they calculated everything so that it all worked. This is a great book for anyone contemplating a major wilderness journey. Or for people who would rather live vicariously!
December 3, 2015
This was a really fun read. Since I don’t have experience doing extensive backpacking I found it very interesting to follow the course of the author’s long hike through the arduous trails and mountain passes. The details were especially interesting – how they stayed clean, how they organized their food, how they calculated everything so that it all worked. This is a great book for anyone contemplating a major wilderness journey. Or for people who would rather live vicariously!
July 24, 2020
I'm sorry, but, I really just didn't like it very much at all.
This is basically just someone who has published their diary. At least, that's just how it reads. Like you've turned the page to the next day's entry and read that one, before turning the page to the next one.
It lacked the substance that books like Bill Walker's accounts or Bill Bryson's books that really draw you in to the 'story' and make you wish you could walk the trail, or even make you think that maybe one day you actually could.
The writing was bland and lacked any kind of depth. I just found no inspiration whatsoever in this account. And, there was waaaaay too much use of "he said, she said, I said".
Sometimes you just need to let the conversation flow because it's easy enough to work out which person is saying what (particularly when it's a two person conversation) without having to suffix each sentence with 'x said'
I listened to the Audible Audio Unabridged version of this book, so, in fairness, perhaps it was the narrator as much as the book - I couldn't really say for sure.
We listen to all this style of book by audio book in the car when travelling so all I can really say is that in comparison to other books on the same or similar subjects, I simply found this one to be lacking.
Using the "If another one of his/her books landed in my lap" style of marking;
Would I give it a try?
Hmmm....maybe? If I had the time and nothing better to read/listen to.
Would I go looking for another one of his/her books?
Definitely not.
This is basically just someone who has published their diary. At least, that's just how it reads. Like you've turned the page to the next day's entry and read that one, before turning the page to the next one.
It lacked the substance that books like Bill Walker's accounts or Bill Bryson's books that really draw you in to the 'story' and make you wish you could walk the trail, or even make you think that maybe one day you actually could.
The writing was bland and lacked any kind of depth. I just found no inspiration whatsoever in this account. And, there was waaaaay too much use of "he said, she said, I said".
Sometimes you just need to let the conversation flow because it's easy enough to work out which person is saying what (particularly when it's a two person conversation) without having to suffix each sentence with 'x said'
I listened to the Audible Audio Unabridged version of this book, so, in fairness, perhaps it was the narrator as much as the book - I couldn't really say for sure.
We listen to all this style of book by audio book in the car when travelling so all I can really say is that in comparison to other books on the same or similar subjects, I simply found this one to be lacking.
Using the "If another one of his/her books landed in my lap" style of marking;
Would I give it a try?
Hmmm....maybe? If I had the time and nothing better to read/listen to.
Would I go looking for another one of his/her books?
Definitely not.
February 22, 2024
I love reading books about long-distance hikes, even though I have no desire to experience them for myself. Inga's book is interesting to me, as she and her husband are older people. And her photographs are beautiful. I enjoyed the encounters with fellow hikers, her descriptions of her homemade and dehydrated meals, and her feelings - highs and lows are not confined to altitude. But I was confused when she concluded her trail story, and then added a chapter predating the trek, which was a 'trial' to see if they could do the JMT hike. This would've worked much better as a preface to the story. But that being said, it's a well-written and entertaining book, and for anyone who is considering a long-distance hike, there is some useful information in the appendices.
November 6, 2024
This is a well-written fascinating narrative by an (extra)ordinary woman undertaking an amazing challenge with her husband, along the John Muir Trail (JMT). The ‘Highs and Lows’ not only relate to the terrain, but the ‘state of play’ each day. This was a mental, as well as a physical endeavour. It’s beautifully descriptive…of the landscape and campsites, the food, and all that they encountered. The social connections with people en route, like fellow members of Facebook trail groups, and friends who joined them, enhanced their journey. Parts 2 and 3 were a bonus. And the photographs were a fantastic addition in glorious colour. Thoroughly entertaining throughout. Highly recommend for the interested armchair traveller, and anyone planning a hike!
October 12, 2018
I read this while hiking the JMT because I was experiencing the same terrain. Unfortunately, it is a trail journal, not a book, so lacked a cohesive storyline with a main point. Furthermore, Aksamit's experience along the trail was neither a NOBO nor SOBO through-hike; she experienced it as a series of section hikes. This made it hard to follow.
I much prefer books like "Girl in the Woods" and "Wild" because they follow the trail while integrating emotion to provide the reader with new theories, concepts, ideas, thoughts, and morals.
I much prefer books like "Girl in the Woods" and "Wild" because they follow the trail while integrating emotion to provide the reader with new theories, concepts, ideas, thoughts, and morals.
April 10, 2018
I will never hike the John Muir Trail, but I certainly enjoyed the vicarious experience of Inga and Steve on their 23 day hike. If I were hiking the trail, this would be one of the many books and blogs I would read. It has personality, and it also covers it all from the physical, to the psychological to the emotional aspects of this adventure. Hats off to them and to all the hikers of the JMT! Inga is a good writer and brings a lot of heart to her writing. I like that.
January 15, 2023
Inga Aksamit describes in detail the long distance backpacking journey she and her husband made on the beautiful John Muir Trail. She shows their ordeals and their joys, the characters they met along the trail, and the gorgeous natural landscape. Those who intend to hike the JMT will find this full of valuable information. Those who love the Sierra will enjoy this vicarious armchair adventure.
October 11, 2019
A must read for older hikers
Having been a life long hiker but recently getting a chance, after retirement, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The best relating to” hike your own hike “ that I have read. I just want to know what chair Steve carried!
Having been a life long hiker but recently getting a chance, after retirement, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The best relating to” hike your own hike “ that I have read. I just want to know what chair Steve carried!
June 20, 2020
It took me awhile to warm up to the book, and I won't say I became a true fan - but I did start to get in the rhythm of her days on the trail and her appreciation of the natural beauty and the humans she spends time with.
June 29, 2019
Enjoyable
Nice adventure and good advice. Awesome pics. I especially appreciated the gear list and information at the end of the book.
Nice adventure and good advice. Awesome pics. I especially appreciated the gear list and information at the end of the book.
February 22, 2020
Lots of great info from someone about my age. Now I just have to get in shape.
June 11, 2024
Very helpful practical guide to hiking the JMT.
April 30, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
May 24, 2025
3.75/5
November 23, 2025
Entertaining account of her and her husband‘s travels on the John Muir Trail. Nothing life-changing for sure, but pleasant to read. It reads like a diary, but a pretty well edited one.
June 21, 2018
The book flowed sinuously, almost undulating as one would follow the terrain of the JMT itself. Unlike hiking the trail, reading the book was effortless; it piqued my interest enough that I was able to complete it in one sitting. Inga's retrospections elicited flashbacks to trials experienced during our trek last year, sharing a camaraderie of sorts with her as she recalled her experiences, even though our journeys were years apart.
December 5, 2015
As a long distance backpacker myself, Aksamit's book detailing her journey on the JMT resonated strongly with me. Aksamit's thorough explanations of her emotional highs and lows allowed me to experience the trail as though I was hiking along right beside her. She vividly describes both the beauty and the challenges of hiking at high altitude. Readers share her joy as she overcomes a trail migraine, rejoices at her husband's understanding on a day she lacked hiking energy, and when she first bonds with other thru-hikers. Her honesty is appreciated as she details some of the struggles she and her husband faced as somewhat new long distance backpackers and also as hikers more mature in age than the twenty-something's commonly found on the trail. Askamit continues to create a bond with her readers as she confesses to us that areas above tree-line are not her personal preference, hikers were not always as openly friendly as she had expected, and that by the end of the trail she was more than ready to be finished hiking. By the end of the book I felt like I had completed a second thru-hike of the JMT. This book is a welcome addition to the limited selection of JMT literature and I look forward to reading future adventure tales written by Askamit.
December 4, 2015
As hikers, we are all about preparation. We read all the trail guides, agonize over gear decisions, scrutinize every calorie we carry, and look to shave ounces here and there. Particularly for hikers who are new to multi-week hikes, we show up at the trailhead with the right stuff, but not necessarily fully prepared. What about the "inside game" of a long hike?
I can think of no better way to prepare oneself for the psychological rigors of the trail than by reading Ms. Aksamit's "Highs and Lows on the John Muir Trail."
From unforeseen medical problems to the struggle to eat enough to the challenges of the near constant climbing, Ms. Aksamit tells her story with refreshing honesty and candor. By reading this book, potential JMT hikers will get the insights necessary to ensure that they are ready with the right attitude and expectations to ensure success.
As the author of a planning guide to hiking the John Muir Trail, you can bet that I'll be recommending this book to my readers. Once you have your stuff, you still need to get your "head right;" and there is no better way to do so than to read "Highs and Lows on the John Muir Trail."
I can think of no better way to prepare oneself for the psychological rigors of the trail than by reading Ms. Aksamit's "Highs and Lows on the John Muir Trail."
From unforeseen medical problems to the struggle to eat enough to the challenges of the near constant climbing, Ms. Aksamit tells her story with refreshing honesty and candor. By reading this book, potential JMT hikers will get the insights necessary to ensure that they are ready with the right attitude and expectations to ensure success.
As the author of a planning guide to hiking the John Muir Trail, you can bet that I'll be recommending this book to my readers. Once you have your stuff, you still need to get your "head right;" and there is no better way to do so than to read "Highs and Lows on the John Muir Trail."
August 7, 2016
Of all the long distance trail hiking accounts I have read this is by far my favorite. This is not a humors, "i have no backpacking experience but long for adventure" tale, nor is it about the young and reckless or about someone's quest to find oneself. It is an account of a more mature hiker who sets out on this journey with lots of backpacking experience under her belt. Her descriptions took me straight to the trail. If you are interested in hiking the JMT this will be an excellent read about what to expect. The appendices at the end offer valuable details on gear and trail planning.
July 13, 2016
Thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Inga's account of her JMT hike was captivating. I loved reading about her trip, and it made me even more excited to do it myself one day. Great details and interesting writing made it a pleasure to read. All of the references in the back for meal and gear suggestions are very helpful for those of us who have never through-hiked before. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves hiking and hearing about other people's adventures.
Inga's account of her JMT hike was captivating. I loved reading about her trip, and it made me even more excited to do it myself one day. Great details and interesting writing made it a pleasure to read. All of the references in the back for meal and gear suggestions are very helpful for those of us who have never through-hiked before. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves hiking and hearing about other people's adventures.
August 12, 2016
I find it's much easier to complete the trail if someone else is doing the hiking. I read this travel log with found memories of my hikes in the High Sierra. Inga captures the beauty, the struggle, and the adventure of California mountains. The hike would not be complete with out the people you meet along the way, as she well describes.
December 4, 2015
I love this book! The descriptions are wonderfully written and the interesting people on the trail were a real highlight for me. It's not just a technical how to do it book, but a beautifully written love song to this adventure.
January 31, 2016
How wonderful it would be to have a partner to hike the JMT
As these two did. They had great respect for one another even when they were out of synch, they were a team. It was nice to meet the folks they met on their hike.
As these two did. They had great respect for one another even when they were out of synch, they were a team. It was nice to meet the folks they met on their hike.
January 22, 2016
Nothing spectacular in this book, just an account of their hike, which I liked. I don't like it when they get overly psychological and introspective in these types of books. Just give me the facts. Well done.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews