John Muir Trail Hiker Survey 2023 (10th Annual)

Why should I take this survey?

This is the Tenth Annual JMT Hiker Survey. Each survey participant must answer individually (not as a group).

The JMT Hiker Survey collects valuable information for hikers in the Sierra Nevada. The main author, John Ladd, first hiked on the JMT in 1970. In 2023, John transferred ownership to the JMT Wilderness Conservancy, a non-profit dedicated to repairing and restoring meadow ecosystems, riparian corridors, and damaged or aging backcountry infrastructure along the John Muir Trail. John is an advisor to the Conservancy and will continue to participate in the survey management.

Eligibility: It is your planned hike that determines eligibility. It focuses on mid-length Sierra hikes. It is NOT limited to JMT thru-hikes.

· Was the overall hike plan more than four days?

· Was the planned distance under 501 miles?

· Did the plan include some of the JMT (however short) or at least cross the JMT?

You are invited to participate if you answer "yes" to these three questions. Please answer even if you switched mid-hike to a "Plan B" that would not qualify on its own. Plan B hikes provide beneficial data.

Scope & Size of the Survey: Over 6,000 JMT hikers completed this survey in prior years. We hope to add 500+ responses each season. We believe this is the largest detailed survey ever conducted on middle-distance hiking. This helps future hikers better prepare their gear, food, and themselves.

Privacy: Collated results will be published online and shared with academic researchers. Personal identifying information will not be disclosed without your permission. There will be no commercial use or distribution of email addresses. All participants will receive the JMT Wilderness Conservancy's newsletters to stay informed and invite their feedback on the trail conditions, field issues, and the status of bridges and crossings. Participants will have the option to unsubscribe from receiving any future emails.

Contact information: Questions about the survey and field updates can be directed to the JMT Wilderness Conservancy (info@jmtwilderness.org).

Question Title

* 1. Are you willing to start with the questions now?

I am familiar with the survey and just want to start my answers

I would like to review a description of the survey before continuing

My hike was cancelled (never started) and I'd like to exit now STOP REMINDERS

I already finished the Survey OR I don't want to participate STOP REMINDERS

I haven't finished my hike yet

I will return later to take the survey

Throughout this survey, the Save and Continue button below will move you forward and will save any prior answer. Once you have saved answers by moving forward, you can use the Back to Previous Page button if you realize you need to change anything. You can exit the survey without losing your answers and return later to finish the survey (more detailed information on how to return below).