As a young boy, I often saw the snowcapped Sierra Nevada mountains and dreamed of one day hiking the John Muir Trail (JMT).
In the fall of 2024, I finally had time to give it a go.
Over the course of 220 miles, the JMT achieves a vertical gain and loss of 47,000 feet, crossing 10 high mountain passes and terminating at the highest point in the lower 48 states, Mount Whitney.
For two years, my friend Randy Reiswig and I had planned this trek, calculating our daily routes and weighing our food, tent, clothes and gear to eliminate all but the essentials.
But on the very first day, sickness forced Randy to exit the trail.
“What now?” I wondered as Randy encouraged me to go on without him. I prayed and spoke with my wife, who did not want me to hike alone. In the end, we agreed I should continue, provided I would try to hike and camp with others.
The path was never straight, level or easy—I lost count of the times I crossed water—and I soon realized I desperately needed Jesus’ closeness and encouragement.
One day I prayed, “Lord, I know you are with me. Help me to notice you.” God sent a little bird to accompany me.
Once when I was cold, I prayed and immediately the sun shined on me through the clouds as if someone had turned on the lights, reassuring me that God was with me (Joshua 1:5).
In the middle of a high desert, I ran out of water. Another time, I ran out of food. I faced snow, hail and storms. But through it all, I sensed Jesus saying, “Trust me.”
On the day before the Mount Whitney climb, I needed to find and filter 4 liters of water. After filling the last bottle, I realized I had lost the cap to close it. I searched and prayed, but God didn’t show me the cap’s location. I took the partially filled bottle with me and tried to trust God.
The next morning, I stood in the pitch dark with only 2.5 liters of water, fearful to hike up the first 1,000 feet of switchbacks in the dark. Looking back down the trail, I saw bouncing lights headed my way—hikers, who allowed me to join them.
After about an hour, we came to a part covered by a landslide. As I tried to climb through, I fell against the sheer wall, injuring my right leg and breaking one of my trekking poles.
Now my goal felt unreachable. I didn’t have enough water. My leg hurt. One wrong step meant the possibility of falling to my death, and with only one pole I was even more vulnerable.
“Trust me,” I sensed immediately in my soul. Despite the blood running down my leg, I continued on. Four hours later, I stood at the top of Mount Whitney’s 14,508-foot peak. God made this possible. Clouds had given me shade so that my water was enough. Two men had hiked with me like angels encouraging me on.
In the 28 days of constant challenges, my training, fitness and preparations were not the only things that enabled me to finish. Jesus had walked with me (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Editor’s Note: Click on the images below to view larger files.
John E. Warkentin is a member of New Life Community in Dinuba, California. At 72, he is no longer working full-time but still volunteers for various mission organizations as a video storyteller who tells “God Stories.” He is married with three married adult children and 11 grandchildren. Over the years, he and his wife have sponsored students from Germany for student exchange experiences and consider one of them to be their German son, and his children as grandchildren.
