c/backpacking-routes

PSA: My $40 GPS tracker saved my trip in the North Cascades

I was doing the Maple Pass Loop last fall, and a thick fog rolled in faster than I thought it would. I had a paper map, but the trail markers got hard to see and I started second-guessing every turn. I pulled out this little GPS unit I bought on a whim for about forty bucks. It wasn't fancy, but it showed my exact spot on the trail. I followed the little dot for two miles until I got below the fog line. Without it, I would have had to stop and wait, or worse, get lost. It was the best money I spent that whole season. Has anyone else had a piece of gear that felt like a total trip-saver when things got sketchy?

Just hit 500 miles on the same pair of trail runners

I was cleaning out my gear closet last week and checked the log I keep in my shoe box (a little weird, I know). My go-to Altra Lone Peaks from my Colorado Trail section hike last summer just passed 500 miles. I honestly thought they'd be toast at 300, but the tread is still decent and the uppers are holding strong. It got me thinking about how long you all push your main hiking shoes before swapping them out.

Had to pick between the full John Muir Trail or just the northern High Sierra section for my 2-week trip last August. Went with the shorter loop.

Talked to a ranger in the White Mountains who said the old Appalachian Trail reroute around Mount Washington was better for wildlife, got me thinking.

I used to plan my trips around the highest peaks, but now I aim for the quietest lakes.

After a crowded weekend on the John Muir Trail last July, I realized the solitude was gone. Anyone else shift their route goals from summits to secret spots?

Always thought the 'no campfires' rule in the Wind River Range was overkill

Did a 5-day loop near Cirque of the Towers last summer and the ranger was super strict about it. After seeing how dry and beat-up the ground was in some spots, I get it now. Anyone else have a park rule they hated at first but ended up agreeing with?

Warning: The trail to Lake Serene in Washington will wreck your feet if you don't pack right.

I did that hike last fall with my usual 35 pound pack. The first 4 miles are fine, but the last mile is just brutal rock steps. My boots were fine, but I had cheap insoles. By the time I got to the lake, my heels were raw and I could barely stand. I spent the whole next day limping around camp. Now I always bring my good Superfeet insoles on any hike over 5 miles. Anyone else have a specific piece of gear they learned to never skip after a bad day on trail?

TIL a washed-out bridge in the Smokies turned my 3-day loop into a 20-mile road walk.

We had to bail off the planned Hazel Creek route near Bryson City and spent a whole afternoon trudging down a gravel forest service road because the spring floods took out the only crossing, which really makes you appreciate having a backup map section.

Rant: I think the push for ultralight gear is overrated after my $400 sleeping bag failed in the Sierras

Everyone says to cut weight, but my fancy 20-degree bag got soaked in a surprise storm near Bishop and I spent a miserable, cold night because the down clumped up, so what's a better way to stay dry without carrying a brick?

Hiked the same trail in Yosemite five years apart. The difference is crazy.

First time, the High Sierra Camp loop was quiet. Went back this fall and the trail is way wider, almost double in spots. Rangers said it's from the huge visitor jump after some viral photos. Anyone know a less crowded 3-day loop in the area now?

Choosing between the Teton Crest Trail and the Wind River High Route

I had to pick one for a 5-day trip last August and went with the Teton Crest. The views from Hurricane Pass were incredible, but the permit lottery was a real hassle. Has anyone done the Wind River route and can compare the crowds?

Vent: People keep skipping the first 5 miles of the Teton Crest Trail loop

I've done the full loop three times now, and each time I meet hikers who start at the Paintbrush Canyon trailhead to 'save time'. They miss the whole Cascade Canyon section, which has the best views of the Grand. Last week, a guy told me he 'didn't want the extra climb', but that climb is what makes the view worth it. Has anyone else tried to convince friends to do the full route?

Got called out for my 'fastest time' obsession on the PCT

A buddy I hiked with in Oregon last summer told me I was missing the point, that I was treating the trail like a race to finish instead of a place to be. He said I was blowing past side trails to hot springs and skipping viewpoints just to hit my daily 25 mile goal. I changed my plan after that, cutting my daily target to 18 miles. The next week I took a half day at Big Lake Youth Camp just to hang out, and it was the best part of the whole trip. Now I plan routes with built-in 'zero effort' days just to explore. Anyone else get too focused on the numbers and have to reset?

I finally tried the old trail bypass near Marble Mountain last week

My map showed a washed-out bridge, so I took a side path marked with faded ribbons that added about two miles. It led me to a hidden meadow full of wildflowers I never knew was there, completely changing the feel of the whole day hike. Has anyone else found a better route by ignoring the main trail lately?

Just read the trail log at the Desolation Wilderness permit office. Only 18 people got walk-up permits for the Lake Aloha loop last Saturday.

I started mapping my water sources backwards and it saved a trip in the Tetons

I was planning a four day loop in the Tetons last August and kept hitting a wall with the daily mileage. The problem was a long dry stretch on day three. I flipped my map and planned the route from the last water source back to the start. This showed me a better campsite near a creek I had missed. Has anyone else tried planning a route in reverse to solve a problem like that?

DAE have a trail chat that totally flipped your plan?

I was set on doing the whole 45-mile loop in the Sawtooths next month, but this guy at the gear shop in Boise said, 'Man, the west side is just burnt out and sad now, the real magic is in the alpine lakes on the east fork.' It made me stop and actually look at the fire maps from last year. Anyone else had a local tip completely change your route?

I always thought the John Muir Trail was the longest continuous trail in the Sierra.

I was looking at a National Park Service map for Sequoia last week and saw a note about the High Sierra Trail. It's actually 72 miles from Crescent Meadow to the summit of Mount Whitney, which is longer than I realized. The fact it crosses the Great Western Divide really surprised me, I thought that was a much harder barrier. Has anyone here actually hiked the full High Sierra route?

I tried using a fishing line to cross a washed-out trail in the Smokies

Got stuck on the Alum Cave Trail last fall when a storm took out a 15 foot section of the path over a steep drop. Had no rope, but I did have 50 yards of 20 lb test monofilament from a tiny travel fishing kit. Tied one end to a tree, looped it around a rock on the other side, and basically tightrope-walked across holding the line for balance like a complete idiot. It actually worked, but I spent the whole time picturing my obituary: 'Hiker perishes in bizarre fishing line incident.' Has anyone else ever MacGyvered their way past a trail obstacle with totally wrong gear?

Someone on here told me my 12 mile a day plan for the Wind River Range was 'a great way to hate backpacking' and they were right.

Just got back from the Lost Coast Trail and the tide charts are no joke

We started at Mattole Beach last Thursday and almost got pinned against a bluff near Sea Lion Gulch because we misread the schedule. The high tide window was only about 2 hours long that afternoon. Had to scramble up some sketchy rocks to wait it out. Anyone have a good app or method for planning daily mileage around those narrow passes?

The PCT near Stevens Pass is way more crowded than it was a decade ago

I did a section hike there in 2014 and maybe saw a dozen people over three days. Went back last month and it felt like a highway, with a steady stream of thru-hikers and weekenders. The established campsites were full by 4 PM, which forced me to push on a few extra miles. Has anyone else found a quieter alternate route through that part of the Cascades?

Finally tried a shortcut on the Teton Crest Trail and it actually worked

I was looking at the map for the Paintbrush Canyon to Cascade Canyon loop and saw a faint line marked 'game trail' cutting across a ridge. Figured I'd save maybe two miles and try it... the slope was way steeper than it looked, like 45 degrees of loose rock. Got across in about an hour, but my heart was pounding the whole time. Learned that 'shortcut' on a topo map doesn't mean 'easy' and to always check the slope grade first. Has anyone else found a sketchy trail that paid off, or one that totally wasn't worth the risk?

Met a guy on the PCT who insisted his 80 pound pack was 'ultralight philosophy'

I was hiking near Mount Hood last summer when I passed a guy whose backpack was so huge it looked like he was carrying a fridge. He stopped me, sweating buckets, and said, 'It's all about the mindset, not the weight, this is the true ultralight way.' Has anyone else run into someone with a truly wild take on gear on the trail?

Just hit 500 miles on the same pair of trail runners, mostly on the Colorado Trail