Picked the John Muir Trail over the PCT section hike, and I'm still second guessing it

I had two weeks in September and had to choose between doing the JMT from Reds Meadow to Whitney or just knocking out 100 miles of the PCT near Crater Lake. I went with the JMT because I figured the scenery would be better, but the permit hassle and the crowds at the campsites near Muir Pass were worse than I expected. Has anyone else made a similar call and regretted skipping the less popular route?

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the_ben13d ago

Man, the first time I tried the JMT I got so caught up in the permit dance that I almost missed the whole point of being out there. Ended up spending a whole afternoon at Red's Meadow trying to sort out a bear canister swap and missing the hot springs because I was stressed about the next day's mileage. The crowds near Muir Pass are no joke, I had a guy set up his tent literally six feet from mine and snored like a chainsaw. But here's the thing, the scenery near Evolution Lake made me forget all that noise by the second morning. Crater Lake is gorgeous on its own, but that stretch of the PCT can be a bit samey with the tree cover. Your mileage may vary, but I'd take the hassle of the JMT again just for those granite views at sunrise.