c/backpacking-routes

Hot take: The John Muir Trail is overrated for thru-hikers

I did the first half last summer and it was amazing views but also wall-to-wall people. The second half near Whitney felt like a highway. Am I crazy for thinking the Wind River High Route gives you more solitude and better technical challenge for your time?

Dropped $180 on a ultralight tent footprint and it ripped day two

I finally saved up for that fancy polycro ground sheet everyone raves about for the Pacific Crest Trail. First real campsite on the Gila River loop and a sharp rock poked right through it. The thing cost me $180 and it didn't even last two full days. I should have just used a cheap tarp from the hardware store for like $20. Anyone else have a pricey gear item fail on them fast like that?

My old route planning almost got us stranded on the Eagle Creek Trail last summer

I used to just print a topo map and wing it based on trailhead signs. Last July up in the Columbia Gorge, I missed a turn near Tunnel Falls because the signs were all faded and we ended up 3 miles off course before I noticed. Now I download every route onto my phone with Gaia GPS and double check waypoints the night before. Has anyone else had a close call relying on old paper maps?

Debate: Paper maps vs. GPS on the Pacific Crest Trail near Kennedy Meadows

I used to swear by paper maps for everything, back when I first hit the PCT in 2015. But after a 3-day stretch near Kennedy Meadows where my map got soaked and tore, I switched to a GPS app on my phone. Now I see folks arguing that paper is more reliable since batteries die, while GPS gives you real-time altitude and trail status. What do you guys use for longer stretches like the Sierra section, and has anyone else gone back to paper after a phone fail?

Spent 3 years carrying my backpack wrong on the Appalachian Trail

I was hiking the Georgia section of the AT last fall and my shoulders were killing me by mile 8. This older thru-hiker named Pete stopped me and asked why my hip belt was hanging loose. I told him I thought the straps did most the work. He laughed and showed me how 80% of the weight should sit on my hips. Tightened that belt and suddenly my 35 pound pack felt like 20. Has anyone else had a basic hiking skill completely pass them by for years?

Convinced the Pacific Crest Trail is overrated compared to the Colorado Trail

I did a section of the PCT in Washington last summer and another on the CT around Leadville, and honestly the CT was way more my speed. The scenery felt more varied and the crowds were like 1/10 of what I dealt with on the PCT. Am I missing something or do other people find the CT a better overall experience too?

Why I stopped carrying a full cook kit after a chat with a thru-hiker on the Wonderland Trail

I ran into a guy named Dave at a camp near Reflection Lakes who was doing the whole 93 miles with nothing but a plastic cup and a spoon. At first I thought he was joking (you know, like one of those ultralight people who cut their toothbrush in half). But then he explained how he just cold soaks everything - ramen, instant potatoes, even coffee - and hasn't carried a stove in 5 years. He pointed out all the extra weight I was hauling with my MSR PocketRocket, a fuel canister, and a titanium pot. That conversation made me realize I've been overcomplicating meals for years. I did the math and my cook kit was adding 1.2 pounds to my pack, plus the hassle of finding level ground and dealing with wind screens. So on my next trip up to the Enchantments next month, I'm trying his method with just a freezer bag and some cold water. Has anyone else here switched to cold soaking and regretted it or loved it?

Can we talk about trail markers failing on you mid-hike?

I was on the Long Trail in Vermont two weeks ago, about 30 miles in, when I hit a section where the white blazes just stopped. No warning, no fork in the trail, just woods. I spent 45 minutes circling before I found a half-painted cairn someone had stacked. One side says stick to paper maps, that GPS and apps fail when your battery dies or you lose signal. The other side says paper maps are useless if you can't read them right, like I clearly couldn't. Which side do you lean on when you're alone and the markers vanish?

Almost got swept off a cliff at Taft Point in Yosemite last fall

I was hiking out to the edge around 4 PM. Wind picked up out of nowhere. Grabbed a tree branch but it snapped. Slid about 10 feet before my pack caught on a rock. Now I always check wind forecasts before any ridge hike. Anyone else had close calls near dropoffs?

My "genius" shortcut through a cow pasture in Vermont cost me 6 hours last fall

Had a convo with a thru-hiker who said trail angels are overrated

Met this guy at a campsite near Ashland who said he never takes food from trail angels because it creates a crutch. I thought he was crazy but he pointed out how many hikers just rely on handouts instead of learning to resupply properly. Has anyone else seen hikers get too dependent on town support?

Rant: Took me 17 miles on the JMT to realize my backpack straps were adjusted completely backwards

I was an hour from camp near Thousand Island Lake with terrible shoulder pain when some 60 year old thru-hiker pointed out my hip belt was basically floating above my waist and the load was all on my shoulders the whole time, has anyone else made a gear setup blunder that took way too long to catch?

That moment on the Pacific Crest Trail when I realized I'd been filtering water wrong the whole time

Got giardia south of Crater Lake and a ranger told me I wasn't letting the filter soak long enough before pumping, so now I take 10 seconds instead of 3 and I haven't been sick since, anyone else miss this basic step for years?

Ran into an old guide on the John Muir Trail last month

He said the section near Evolution Valley has changed more in 5 years than in the previous 20... more downed trees and the creek crossings are way different now. Made me wonder how much of my old route notes are still valid for next season. Anyone else notice trails shifting faster than they used to?

My $250 water filter setup almost got me sick on the JMT

Ngl I dropped $250 on a gravity filter system before my John Muir Trail trip last August because I thought it would save time. First day out I set it up and the whole thing leaked everywhere, took me 45 minutes to get dirty water filtered. After three days the flow rate got so slow I was better off just using my backup iodine tablets. Tbh I should have just gone with a simple squeeze filter for a third of the cost. Has anyone else had a pricey filter turn into a headache on a long route?

TIL the hard way that water sources marked on a map can be totally dry by July

I planned a 5 day loop in the Sierra Nevada last summer based on a map from 2018 that showed three creek crossings and a seasonal spring. By day 3 I was down to half a liter and the next marked water was a bone dry wash. Turns out I should have checked recent trip reports instead of just the map. Took me about 6 hours of backtracking and detouring to find a sketchy puddle. Has anyone else had a map totally fail them like that?

Question about water crossings on the John Muir Trail

I've been studying maps for a JMT trip next August and I keep seeing people underestimate how dangerous the creek crossings can be. Last year a hiker had to be rescued near Evolution Creek because they tried to cross late in the day when the water was really high. I've done the trail twice before and I always plan my crossings for early morning when snowmelt is lowest. Has anyone else found that most people ignore the ranger advice about timing these crossings?

Last week I finally got why people love the Long Trail

I always thought hiking the Long Trail in Vermont was overhyped compared to the AT. Then I did a 15 mile stretch near Killington last Thursday and the ridge views completely changed my mind. Anyone else have a route they dismissed until they actually walked it?

Had a chat with a ranger that made me rethink the JMT timing

I was at REI in Reno last weekend and a ranger from Yosemite told me that everyone tries to do the John Muir Trail in late July to mid August because of the weather. She said the crowds are brutal and the permits are a nightmare. She suggested going late September instead and dealing with the cold. Am I the only one who just assumed summer was the only option?

I dropped $80 on a super lightweight tent that leaked on night one

I was so convinced I needed that ultralight Big Agnes tent for the Pacific Crest Trail. Spent $80 just on the footprint and seam sealing supplies, thinking I was saving weight. First real rainstorm near Mount Whitney and I woke up in a puddle at 2 AM. Took me 3 days to dry everything out and I ended up buying a heavier tent in Bishop. Anyone else fall for the hype on those thin-wall ultralight shelters?

Hot take: The 4-day loop in the Sawtooths is better done clockwise

I did the Alice-Toxaway loop in Idaho last month, going clockwise from Tin Cup trailhead. The climb up to Alice Lake felt brutal with a full pack, but the views opening up were worth it. My buddy swears the counter-clockwise direction is easier, spreading the elevation gain over two days. I think getting the big climb done first is better, ending with the gentle walk along Pettit Lake. The debate in our group got pretty heated over campfire coffee. Which direction do you think is the better way to hike it?

A quick warning about the water crossing on the West Fork Foss River trail

Last September, about four miles in, I hit the main crossing and the log bridge was completely washed out. The water was moving fast and looked about knee deep, but I tried to cross anyway and got swept off my feet about halfway. I managed to grab a branch and pull myself to the other side, but my pack was soaked and I lost a trekking pole. Had to turn back and spend a cold night in a shelter. Has anyone been up there recently and seen if they've put in a proper fix yet?

TIL the John Muir Trail has over 200,000 annual permit requests for only about 50 starting slots per day.

I read that stat in a National Park Service report last month, and it really makes you think about how to plan a realistic alternative route for that area, doesn't it?

Everyone says to avoid the west side of the Lost Coast Trail in May, but I went last week and it was perfect.

The forecast called for heavy fog, but I packed a simple compass and navigated the headlands easily, seeing zero other hikers for two days. Has anyone else found that going against the seasonal advice actually paid off?

My dad told me to always carry a physical map on the Skyline-to-the-Sea trail, even with GPS. I thought he was being old-school until my phone died in a canyon near Big Basin.