In September 2013, fifteen Officer Cadets and three members of staff from NUOTC embarked on an expedition to complete a significant section of the John Muir Trail in California.

After spending the night in Twickenham, the team flew from Heathrow to San Francisco via Detroit. After a good night’s sleep in the Amsterdam Hostel, the group explored Fisherman’s Wharf and encountered the steep roads for which San Francisco is renowned – the first steep inclines on the trip but by no means the last. In the afternoon a select group braved the shopping aisles of Safeway in search of the supplies required for the trip. The staple rations of instant mash, pasta and oatmeal would all prove important to replenish our energy levels at the end of a hard day’s work. The addition, however, of the rubbery-scented tortillas raised a few eyebrows as they were packed into the bear cans – our means of keeping food and us safe from the native black bear.

All packed and eager to begin the trek, we departed from San Francisco for Tuolumne Meadows and the start of our trip. Our eight-hour bus journey included skirting around the areas affected by the untimely forest fires. In the evening we enjoyed a talk delivered by one of the park rangers on the wild bears. Having set ablaze a fire, he spoke at length about the bears and how best to avoid any trouble with these beasts.

Striding off purposefully from the tranquil meadows, the pace quickly dropped off as the fully laden rucksacks began to make their presence known. We followed the scenic Lyell Canyon, marvelling at the pleasant Tuolumne River and surrounding mountains; as we came into sight of the Lyell glacier in the distance, the largest glacier in Yosemite National Park, we began our first steep ascent - this posed more of a challenge for some than others! We camped in an open grassy area to enjoy the sound of the river trickling by and impressive views of the glacier.

The next day we set off with the aim of heading through Donahue Pass; on the way we enjoyed the serene headwaters of Lyell Creek before the steep ascent. The beautifully clear and still waters were particularly tantalising and all the more so on a hot day. Situated over twelve miles from Tuolumne Meadows, Donahue Pass lies between Mount Lyell and Donahue peak at a height of 3,378m as reckoned by our altitude meter. Although a little blustery, we enjoyed stupendous views before descending down the other side in the direction of Island Pass.

We awoke on the morning of day three to the glorious sight of Banner Peak brightening up as the sun’s warm rays touched the mountain. Descending from roughly 3,000m, it was mostly downhill for thirteen miles to Red’s Meadow. The path was shaded by the towering forestry and led us past the famous Devil’s Postpile National Monument – a fine example of columnar basalt which is America’s response to the Giant’s Causeway.

Next the group ventured about ten miles from Deer Creek to the stunning Lake Virginia. Enjoying scenic views of the Cascade Valley from the trail on the steep sides, we thoroughly enjoyed the plethora of switchbacks which brought us up the inclines. Resting by the pleasant blue-green waters of Purple Lake in the afternoon, we then pushed on up the pass to Lake Virginia and marvelled at the massive boulders which littered the area.

The following morning the group descended into Tully Hole before following Silver Pass which led us to the exquisite Silver Lake. Just beyond Silver Lake, dark and ominous clouds appeared in the distance and the prospect of our first rain on the trip seemed possible. In spite of the rumbling thunder, we were spared rain and chose our camping spot just short of the end of Edison Lake.

Day eight left us with the last stretch to complete our journey on the John Muir Trail. The last, gentle miles through the woods on the side of the lake led us to our final destination of Vermillion Valley Resort. Reunited with group one, we all enjoyed a cold and well deserved Corona after what had been an awesome and memorable trek.

The next day we travelled down from the resort to Huntingdon Lake where we spent our final night in the tents by the side of the lake and awaited the arrival of our transport back to San Francisco the next morning to enjoy the splendours of the Golden Gate City. We enjoyed an informative and enjoyable tour of Alcatraz. Whilst some relaxed after a tiring trek, others enjoyed the terrific spectacle of the America’s Cup, starring GB’s Ben Ainslie competing for Team Oracle and the awesome speed of the AC45 and the beauty of its craftsmanship.

As the whole party flew back to the UK, it was clear that all had thrived from tackling the challenges and demands of the John Muir Trail and finished the trek with some unforgettable experiences and memories.