c/backpacking-routes

Just found out the PCT has a 500 mile stretch with no reliable water sources

I was looking through the PCT water report last night and stumbled on this stat that threw me off. From the desert section near the San Felipe Hills all the way past the Aqueduct, it's like a 100 mile gap where caches are totally unreliable. I always thought you just hit creeks every 10 miles or so, but nope. Guess I'll be planning a lot more desert drops if I ever try that stretch. Has anyone here actually done that section in a dry year and found a secret water source?

Took a shortcut on the PCT near Crater Lake and it cost me 3 hours

I always thought I knew better than the guidebooks. Some guy named Dave at the Mazama Village store told me to stick to the rim trail even though it looked longer. I ignored him and took what I thought was a faster cutoff through the forest. Ended up bushwhacking through downed trees and lost over 3 hours finding my way back. Has anyone else learned the hard way that ranger advice is usually right?

Vent: My backpack zipper gave out mid-trail on the Appalachian last week

I was about 3 miles past the Springer Mountain shelter when my main compartment zipper just ripped apart. Had to stuff everything into a dry bag and rig it with paracord to my frame. I made it to the next camp but lost an hour of daylight fixing it. Has anyone had success with field repairs on zippers or do you just always carry a backup?

Overheard a guy at REI say he only carries 12 pounds total

Was standing in line at REI in Boulder last Saturday and this older guy behind me was telling his friend his whole pack weighs 12 pounds for a 5 day trip. I thought about my 35 pound Osprey and felt like an idiot. He said he ditched his tent for a tarp and sleeping bag for a quilt. Made me wonder if I am just carrying a bunch of comfort items I don't really need. Anyone else ever try cutting way down on weight like that and regret it or love it?

The Maze District in Canyonlands has some seriously overhyped sections

I did a 5-day loop through the Maze last fall and honestly, the Harvest Scene panels were way less impressive than the random petroglyphs I found on a side canyon nobody talks about. Why does everyone rave about that one spot when the real magic is just wandering off-route (safely, of course)?

Bought a $60 water filter that failed on day 2 of the PCT

I picked up this Katadyn BeFree filter thinking it was gonna be lightweight and simple. On the second morning near Mount Whitney, the flow dropped to basically nothing and I couldn't even backflush it enough. Had to use iodine tablets for the next 4 days until I hit a resupply. Anyone else had bad luck with squeeze filters?

Re-hiked an old trail I did 10 years ago and the views hit different now

Came back to the Blue Ridge segment I used to crush in college, but this time I was 40 with a bad knee and a toddler's snack bag strapped to my pack. The overlook was still the same, but I realized I spent the whole trip noticing how the trail had eroded and how quiet it was on a Tuesday. Anyone else find old routes feel totally different once your body and mindset have changed?

Just found out the JMT has over 15,000 feet of elevation gain one way

Was planning a thru-hike of the John Muir Trail for next summer and finally sat down with the actual topo data from the USFS website. Always heard people say it was 'climb heavy' but I figured it was like 8,000 feet total. Nope. 15,000+ feet of climbing from Happy Isles to Whitney Portal. That's almost 3 vertical miles. Kinda makes me reconsider my gear weight or at least my knee braces. Anyone else get caught off guard by the real numbers on a route they thought they knew?

That $85 'backpacker special' tent from Amazon lasted 2 nights

Bought it for a 5 day trip on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia and the seam tape started peeling on day 2. Woke up in a puddle after a light rain. Anyone else get burned by those cheap Amazon tents?

Had to cut my trip short after a stream crossing went bad in Glacier

Met a thru-hiker on the PCT who changed how I pack forever

This guy near Crater Lake told me to ditch my cook stove and just cold soak ramen for the first two weeks. I thought he was nuts until I tried it, saved a pound and a half and still ate hot meals at towns. Anyone else have a random trail encounter that totally flipped their gear setup?

Hot take: I think the AT is way overrated for thru-hiking

I did the first 200 miles of the Appalachian Trail last spring and honestly, it felt like a crowded sidewalk most of the time. Near Clingmans Dome, I counted 30 people in one hour on a Tuesday, which just killed the whole wilderness vibe for me. I actually bailed near Gatlinburg and spent a week on the Benton MacKaye Trail instead, and it was way more what I was looking for. Has anyone else felt like the AT is just too popular now for a real backpacking experience?

Wasted $200 on a lightweight tent that leaked on my first trip in the Smokies last fall

Tbh I bought this fancy UL tent online without reading the reviews about seam sealing, and after a night of rain I woke up in a puddle. Has anyone else had a piece of gear totally fail on a trip?

Spent 3 hours shaving grams off my pack for nothing

I spent a whole Sunday afternoon trying to trim weight from my gear, cutting tags, swapping out a heavy stuff sack, even trimming my toothbrush handle. Got down maybe 6 ounces total. Then I realized I left a 2 pound bag of trail mix in the bottom of my pack that I forgot about. Anyone else waste time on micro-optimizations while missing the obvious stuff?

Ran into a thru-hiker who said he ditched his water filter after 500 miles

Met this guy at a shelter on the AT last week who swore he just drank straight from springs and checked trail reports for clean sources. Said his Sawyer clogged on day 3 and he never looked back. Has anyone else actually tried going filter-free like that without getting sick?

Got lost in the Sierra Nevada for 5 hours because of a trail reroute

I was hiking the Rae Lakes Loop last summer and hit a section where the trail was rerouted due to a washout. They had these tiny temporary markers that blended right into the rocks. I spent almost 5 hours wandering around before I found the new path by following footprints from another hiker. Has anyone else dealt with trail reroutes that were WAY harder to follow than they should be?

Took the Smokies shuttle from Newfound Gap vs. approached from Fontana Dam - night and day for crowds

Last June I hiked the AT section from Clingmans Dome to Davenport Gap and tried going through Newfound Gap Road first. Huge mistake, honestly. The parking lot was overflowing by 8 AM and I ran into maybe 30 day hikers in the first mile. A few weeks later I started from Fontana Dam instead and saw maybe 6 people the entire morning. The trail was quieter, the campsites were emptier, and I actually saw a bear cross the creek right in front of me. Has anyone else noticed a big difference in traffic depending on which direction you approach a popular section from?

Sequoia guy at the ranger station still haunts me

I was checking in at the Mineral King ranger station last June and this dude in line just casually goes 'you know that route you're doing has a creek crossing that's chest deep right now' and then walked off before I could ask anything. Still wonder if he was messing with me or actually trying to help, has anyone else had a random stranger give unsolicited beta that turned out to be real?

Serious question about how you pack your bear canister

I used to just throw everything in my bear canister haphazardly until a ranger at Yosemite told me I was wasting like 30% of the space. Now I Tetris everything in there tight. Anybody else have a moment where you found out you were doing a basic backpacking thing totally wrong?

Chose the scenic ridge trail over the valley shortcut last weekend

Figured the ridge would add maybe 2 hours but give better views. Ended up scrambling over loose rocks for 4 miles and missed sunset entirely. Was the view worth blistered hands and hiking in the dark?

Hot take: The JMT is overrated and I'll take the Wind River Range any day

I did my first JMT thru-hike in 2018 and thought it was amazing. Then I spent 10 days in the Winds last August and it totally changed my mind. The JMT has way too many people (saw 50+ hikers in one afternoon near Muir Pass) and the permits are a nightmare. Wind River Range? I went 4 days without seeing another soul near Titcomb Basin. The scenery is just as good too - maybe better because the peaks feel closer. What's the deal with everyone treating the JMT like the holy grail of backpacking? Has anyone else felt let down after doing both?

Yellowstone's backcountry zones are way too popular now

I hit the Thorofare trail in Yellowstone last August and it was a total mess. I saw 12 other groups in just 3 days on a route that's supposed to be remote. The permit system needs to cap numbers way harder or we're gonna ruin the whole point of going there. Has anyone else noticed major trails getting flooded with people like this?

Got caught in a freak storm on the Appalachian Trail near Roan Mountain

Last spring I was hiking the AT section through Tennessee and got hit with a sudden hailstorm above 6000 feet. My tent poles snapped because I was using a cheap Amazon special that I bought for $40. Anyone have recommendations for a solid 3-season tent under $250 that can actually handle mountain weather?

Rant: My $90 sleeping pad failed in 35 degree weather on the Pacific Crest Trail

Ngl, I bought a budget inflatable pad off Amazon thinking I was saving cash. First night near Crater Lake the baffles split and I was basically on the cold ground. Ended up spending $200 on a Therm-a-Rest in Bend the next day. Anyone else had cheap gear fail at the worst time?

Got caught in a freak hailstorm on the Highline Trail in Glacier last August

I was about 8 miles in near the Granite Park Chalet when the sky just turned dark green out of nowhere. The hail started the size of marbles and I had no tree cover, just open alpine tundra. I pulled my inflatable pad out and held it over my head like a shield for 20 minutes while my pack got soaked. Has anyone else had to use gear in a totally unintended way to survive a sudden storm?