140: My Post John Muir Trail Debrief; Leaving My Identity in the Wilderness

Twenty days alone in the Sierra Nevada changes the math on what you think you need. Sam Pruitt returns fresh off a solo John Muir Trail thru-hike: 250+ miles, roughly 70,000 feet of elevation gain, two off-trail resupplies, and a 35 lb pack she carried without sharing a single piece of gear. We talk through the real logistics of wilderness backpacking: permits, water sources, navigation with FarOut and a paper map, high altitude from day one, and the river crossings that can turn from “just w...