We hope the following information answers every question you have. We have been doing this since the early 1950s, and have been asked a lot of questions, so on this page we have a lot of answers.
When does the ranch open for resupply in 2023?
We will be open from July 1st through September 30th. We are not accepting any resupplies for a June pickup due to snow conditions. This is subject to change on short notice later.
Our neighboring resupply stop, Vermilion Valley Resort at Edison Lake, is a great stop to use if you also want lodging, meals, and showers. We can only offer those services to customers who have booked a cabin with us and reservations are very limited.
How far is the ranch from the John Muir Trail?
From the north, it is 0.9 miles, 1.4 km; an elevation drop of 600 feet, 183 meters.
From the south, it is 1.5 miles, 2.4 km; an elevation drop of a mere 160 feet, 49 meters.
How do I pack and label my resupply?
Put your stuff in a sturdy plastic bucket with a tight-fitting lid (5-gallon is most popular, other smaller sizes OK). Why? We’re located in the wilderness and take packages across a lake, sometimes during rainstorms. A cardboard box won’t survive the trip. Buckets are waterproof (and recyclable!). Your cache may be hauled in to the ranch on horseback, or on a rugged truck that crawls over rocks. It’s almost impossible to keep meadow mice or chipmunks out of anything that isn’t just about armor-plated. Plastic keeps them out. As for bears, our stout storage building keeps them out. You can get free buckets and lids at a restaurant; they’re used for mayonnaise and such. Home improvement stores have them for sale for about $5 also. (The bucket can be any color but we have found that the dark blue ones are brittle and crack more easily.)
When you pay for your bucket via credit card, accessed via the link on our Resupply web page, you will receive a simple PDF of a mailing label that you can print, write in your name, address and expected pickup date, trim with scissors and tape to your bucket.
DO NOT put the address label on the side; ONLY THE TOP. It could be returned by the post office if on the side and the postage is also on the side where it could be knocked off in handling. It’s safe on the top. Tape the lid and handle down, too.
How do I ship my package to the ranch?
We strongly recommend that you use USPS Priority Mail with delivery confirmation. That way you can call a toll-free number or use the Internet to see if your package has arrived at the Lakeshore post office. (You may receive a message saying that delivery was attempted but not successful. Don’t worry. Until we pick up your package, that qualifies as an unsuccessful delivery attempt. If it is at the Lakeshore post office, we’ll pick it up within a week.) KEEP YOUR USPS RECEIPT! It has the Priority Mail tracking number that, in the event you cannot pick up your bucket and we return it to you, you can use to track its return. We do not keep that number, it is up to you to track your returned bucket.
Please allow 3 weeks for your bucket to get to us.
If you’re short on time you can drive your resupply to Florence Lake, or hike it in to the ranch. Email us for rates. The Lakeshore post office does not allow drop-offs.
YOU MUST HAVE YOUR EXPECTED PICKUP DATE AND NAME ON YOUR BUCKET! We will only return buckets shipped via Priority Mail.
International customers can use any shipping method that will go to a US P.O. Box. UPS and FedEx will not deliver to the Lakeshore post office. Occasionally it will take a while for international resupplies to get through customs, so we recommend allowing at least 4 weeks’ shipping time.
How early can I send before pickup?
When you mail your resupply, the post office clerk can give you an estimate of the delivery date. To be sure it gets here in time, ship at least three (3) weeks before you want to pick it up. Better safe than sorry. Make sure your expected pickup date is accurate, or a couple of days early! We store buckets at Florence Lake after we pick them up from the post office and due to limited storage at the ranch, bring them in a few days before the arrival date that is on your shipping label. If you are more than a couple days early, your bucket may not yet be at the ranch. International customers please allow a minimum 4 weeks to ship from outside the US.
What is the cost?
The service fee is US$95.00 for up to 25 pounds. (Buckets weighing over 25 pounds will be charged US$2.00 per pound overage fee.) This covers:
• Picking up your bucket at the Post Office in Lakeshore (about 30 miles from the ranch) by vehicle
• Securely storing your bucket at Florence Lake
• Ferrying it across the lake by boat
• Packing it in on horses and/or off-road vehicle the last five miles in to the ranch
• Storing your bucket until your expected arrival date, or you contact us
Our fee does not include USPS postage, that is separate and the cost depends on how much your bucket weighs, and where you ship it from.
For options other than mailing your bucket, please see “How do I ship my package to the ranch?” above and email us for rates.
How and when do I pay?
Our service fee is non-refundable once our staff has handled your bucket. You can use VISA, MasterCard, American Express or Discover in our secure online store by clicking the “Buy Now” button on Step 3 on our Resupply page.
Sometimes non-US credit cards are not accepted by our online sytem so if you are an international customer who has not been successful trying to use the payment page, please email us for options.
When you pay for your bucket online you will have the option to download a page of simple mailing labels in PDF format that you can print, trim and tape to your bucket.
If you cannot pay by credit card, please email us. We can accept checks and money orders (in US currency only).
How long will the ranch hold my bucket past my expected pickup date?
Two weeks (14 days). We do not charge by the day past your estimated date. If your resupply date is in late September we will have your buckets available at the ranch until our closing date, after which they will be shipped out for disposal. We can’t keep your bucket over the winter. We will try to contact you to determine your plans, so please make sure you let us know how to contact you (email is best).
What time of day can I get my package?
We are open seven days a week from 8 AM to 5 PM, holidays included.
What if I can’t show up for my bucket?
If you have a misfortune or change of plans, there are several options. You can give your resupply to someone else. Simply give them your claim check (sign it on the back). You can contact us to have your bucket returned to you. If you have paid our service fee and you sent it by Priority Mail there is no charge if unopened. If you sent it Parcel Post or other means, we are unable to return your bucket (period). Let us know soon if you won’t be picking up your bucket.
Will you return my bucket?
We will only return unopened buckets shipped via USPS Priority Mail!
If we have received payment for our service, and your bucket was sent via Priority Mail, we will send the unopened bucket to your United States return address for no charge. KEEP YOUR USPS RECEIPT from your original mailing! It includes the Priority tracking number, and if you want to track your bucket on its return to you you must refer to that number. We do not have that information on file, it is your responsibility.
Let us know what to do with the bucket as soon as possible, no later than two weeks after your expected pickup date. If we don’t hear from you we will send the bucket out for donation to a charity food distributor.
If you sent your bucket via parcel post or other non-Priority shipping method we will automatically send your bucket out for donation after two weeks.
Do you sell stove fuel? What else?
Yes. The US Postal Service prohibits mailing flammable liquids. At the ranch we have white gas for sale by the ounce. We no longer carry denatured alcohol due to new California restrictions. We carry screw-on iso propane canisters. They are compatible with the following backpacking stoves: GAZ Turbo 270, Jetboil, Primus, Snow Peak and the following MSR stoves—WindPro, Super Fly, Pocket Rocket, and Reactor. They are in stock at all times; you do not need to reserve one. Our prices are reasonable. We try to keep both 100g and 230g sizes in stock, but sometimes will have just one or the other.
We also carry basic first aid supplies, bug spray, sunscreen, and such. We do not have any type of food for sale in our store.
Do you have a hiker box?
We do not keep a hiker box.
If you pack extra that you don’t want to carry, we will sort through and donate it to local Fresno and mountain area food banks.
Will you take my trash?
Yes. In recognition of the Leave No Trash ethic, we have recycling and trash barrels available for your sorted food, plastic, paper and metal trash. We’ll recycle your bucket, too. No charge for this service.
Please, no dead fish and NO WAG BAGS.
Can I ship things out from the ranch?
Yes. There is a $10 handling charge plus postage for a Priority Mail flat rate box. If you are sending out too much for one box, there is a handling charge plus postage for each additional box. We have small, medium and large flat rate boxes. Inquire while at the ranch. If you are shipping back a bear canister, there is a $50 flat fee to cover the postage plus handling.
Can I send and receive email?
We rent computer time, $10 for 15 minutes, and our satellite connection to the Internet works just about 80% of the time. You will be able to access your email account. No big downloads or uploads, though. We have limited bandwidth and if we go over our allotment, we get punished by suffering up to 30 days of dial-up speed! Some people forget their email login password—don’t let that happen to you.
Can I send and receive postal mail?
Yes, we accept letters up to a Priority Mail flat rate large envelope at no charge. We do not accept boxes without prior arrangement! Tell your correspondents to allow at least three weeks’ lead time and that your address is:
[Your name]
c/o Muir Trail Ranch
PO Box 176
Lakeshore, CA 93634
We have local area postcards and stamps for sale. Your mail will be sent out the next time there is a trip to Florence Lake.
Can I phone home from the ranch?
Nope. The phone number we show is at our Business Office location in the foothills north of Fresno. It is for general information only. If you need to know about trail conditions, or specific things about your resupply, email is best.
Sometimes you can get a cell phone connection from the high peaks of the Sierra, but areas of reception seem to change yearly so don’t count on it.
There is no phone at the ranch!
How about charging the batteries of all
my toys?
No problem. Most of the season we have 24-hour power, 120 volts AC, just like your house has. Bring your charger for your camera, phone, iPod, whatever. No charge for a charge.
Can I get a hot meal, a shower, and use the restrooms, laundry and hot spring baths?
Since we are primarily a guest ranch and it is very difficult to get supplies in to our remote, off-road location, we do not have hiker services other than as a resupply depot and basic store.
If you stay with us as a guest in our cabins, our meals and facilities are available for your use. Occasionally we have openings, and you can go to our Short Stay page for more information.
Thanks for reading through the instructions you need to make your resupply experience go smoothly. Happy trails.