c/backpacking-routes

Had to choose between the PCT reroute or the original trail last month in Washington

I was hiking near Snoqualmie Pass and came to a fork where the route split. One way was the official reroute around a washout, the other was the old trail that some folks said was still passable. I picked the reroute because it was marked better, but it added 4 miles and 2 hours of slogging through mud. Turns out the old trail had a sketchy log crossing that someone fell on the week before... has anyone else dealt with a reroute that seemed pointless but actually saved your hide?

Used to plan every mile on the map until Grand Canyon taught me a lesson

Last month I hiked the South Kaibab Trail and got so stubborn about sticking to my printed route that I missed a side canyon my tentmate pointed out at the last minute. She just said "man, look where you are" and I finally realized I was missing the whole point of being out there. Has anyone else found that letting go of the plan made for a better trip?

Pacific Crest Trail vs Colorado Trail: Which was harder for a first timer?

I had to choose between the PCT and the Colorado Trail for my first long hike last summer. Picked the Colorado Trail because it's shorter at 500 miles and figured I could handle the altitude. Turns out the elevation kicked my butt way more than I expected - I was sucking wind at 12k feet for 3 days straight. But the logistics were way easier since you can resupply in small towns every 4-5 days. My buddy did the PCT and said the desert water carries were brutal but the trail was more gradual. What's your take - would you rather deal with altitude or water weight for a first big trip?

That guy who told me to skip water filters on the JMT was dead wrong

Met a thru-hiker at a gear shop in Bishop who swore he did the whole John Muir Trail without a filter, just treated with iodine drops. By day 3 I had giardia symptoms so bad I had to bail at Tuolumne Meadows. Anyone else run into bad advice from people who got lucky?

Took the wrong trail split on Mount Whitney last weekend. Cost me 3 extra miles.

I was following AllTrails and missed a wooden marker near Trail Camp. Went straight instead of left. Ended up on some climber's bypass route. Had to backtrack through loose scree. Has anyone else had AllTrails send them the wrong way on a well marked trail?

The moment I realized I was hiking with my backpack straps backwards for three trips

I was on the Pacific Crest Trail near Crater Lake, maybe 8 miles in, and my shoulders were killing me. A guy in his 60s comes up and asks if I'm okay, I said yeah just sore. He points at my pack and goes 'son, your hip belt is supposed to sit on your hips not your stomach.' I looked down and realized I had the whole thing upside down and backwards. The waist strap was riding up under my ribs and the load lifters were doing nothing. Has anyone else noticed beginner backpackers making this kind of obvious gear mistake?

Got roasted by a thru-hiker for my bear bag setup on the Appalachian Trail

Last summer on a section hike in Virginia, this older guy with a tramly beard watched me struggle with my bear bag line for 5 minutes before he finally said 'you're gonna feed a bear with that knot work.' He showed me the PCT method where you tie a rock to the line and toss it over a branch, and now I can get my bag up in under 2 minutes. Has anyone else gotten a piece of advice from a stranger that completely changed their camp routine?

Got roasted on the PCT Facebook group for my pack weight

Someone told me I was carrying 'two of everything' after I posted my gear list, so I cut my backup layers and ditched the camp shoes. Has anyone else gotten humbling advice that actually made your hike easier?

Learned a costly lesson about water crossings on the High Sierra Trail last summer

I was hiking the High Sierra Trail in late July and hit a creek crossing near Kern Canyon that was way deeper than I expected. The snowmelt that year was still cranking, so what was supposed to be knee-high turned chest-high real quick. I didn't have a dry bag for my sleeping bag, and it got soaked through. Took me two days of stopping early to dry everything out, and I ended up cutting my trip short by a full day. Since then, I always pack a lightweight dry bag for my quilt, even on routes where I don't think I'll need it. Anyone else had a water crossing ruin a section of a trip?

Worst stretch I ever had was day 3 on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia

I hit a rock slide that added four extra miles and then my filter clogged from a muddy stream. Has anyone else had a single day totally wreck their planned route?

Finally finished the JMT section I bailed on two years ago due to altitude sickness

Took my time on the climb from Reds Meadow to Muir Pass this August, pacing at 1.5 miles per hour instead of pushing harder, and made it the whole way without any headaches.

Just realized taking the high route in the Smokies saved me 3 miles but added 2 hours of climbing. Is shorter always better?

Tried the Sierra High Route vs the JMT for a 10-day trip in California and one felt way more wild.

The High Route gave me these insane cross-country sections with no trail at all, but the JMT was just too crowded even with the permit system - has anyone else gotten sick of sharing the trail with that many people?

Why does nobody talk about the hike down from Mount Whitney?

I did the Whitney Portal trail last weekend and everyone online obsesses over the summit push. But nobody warns you that coming back down is brutal on your knees. I'm talking 6,000 feet of descent in one day with loose granite scree everywhere. Saw a guy blow out his knee about 2 miles from the trailhead. Why isn't there more chatter about training for the downhill part instead of just the elevation gain? Has anyone else wrecked their legs on that descent?

Question about resupply on the PCT in Oregon

I was set on mailing myself boxes for the whole Oregon section until I read a post from a guy who hiked it last month. He said the stores in Sisters and Mazama Village had everything he needed and he saves 40 bucks by buying as he went. Has anyone else just bought food on trail through that stretch?

That one perfect week on the John Muir Trail I still think about

Last summer I planned a 7-day solo hike on the JMT and honestly it felt cursed from the start. I got to the trailhead and realized I forgot my cooking pot back at the hostel in Mammoth. So I'm eating cold oatmeal and instant coffee for two days and I'm already in a bad mood. Then on day 3 I hit this stretch near Evolution Valley and everything just clicked. The weather was perfect, like 70s and sunny with no bugs. I found this spot by a creek where the water was so clear I could see trout swimming right past my feet. I sat there for an hour just watching and forgot I was even frustrated about the pot. That week ended up being the best hiking I've ever done even with the rough start. Has anyone else had a trip that started terrible but turned into something magical?

The Sierra High Route seemed like overhyped nonsense until I actually walked it

I spent years doing the JMT and thought the Sierra High Route was just for people who wanted to sound cool at outdoor gear shops. Then last July I did a 5 day section from Bear Creek to Mono Creek and holy cow the cross country travel was unreal. Way more solitude and those lake basins felt like I had the whole range to myself. Has anyone else found a route that totally flipped your opinion once you actually tried it?

Hiked the Ice Age Trail in Wisconsin last weekend and noticed the orange blazes were way easier to follow than the yellow ones on the northern section

Just realized the PCT is overrated for solo beginners

I hiked the first 100 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail last summer and honestly, it felt more like a crowded sidewalk than a wilderness route. Every night I had to camp within earshot of other people, and the permits were a headache to book. I think the Colorado Trail gives you the same kind of scenery with half the people. Has anyone else found a less popular route that still has epic views but fewer hikers?

Ran into an old thru-hiker who made me rethink my whole packing list

I was grabbing coffee at the diner near the trailhead in Bishop last Saturday. This grizzled guy saw my 65-liter pack and just laughed, said he did the whole PCT with a 35-liter and a trash compactor bag. It hit different because he wasn't bragging, he just talked about how much more he saw when he wasn't constantly stopping to adjust weight. Made me wonder if I'm overpacking for my next route, has anyone else downsized and regretted or loved it?

Pro tip: Skip the switchbacks on Iceberg Lake trail in July

Everyone says to stick to the main route over Ptarmigan Pass, but I cut through the old avalanche chute on the north face last season and saved about 2 miles. The scramble was loose rock but doable with trekking poles and no snow. Has anyone else tried that side route or is it just me who thinks the main trail is overrated?

That guy on the JMT who called me out for my bear can technique

I was on the John Muir Trail near Muir Trail Ranch last summer, and this older hiker named Dave watched me struggle to open my BearVault for like 5 minutes on a hot afternoon. He just said "you know those things open easier if you don't crank it down so hard, right?" and showed me this trick where you tap the lid on a rock first. I felt pretty dumb but it saved me so much frustration the rest of the trip. Has anyone else gotten a random gear tip from a stranger on trail?

I used to think everyone was crazy for doing the Superior Hiking Trail in winter

I always figured winter backpacking was for masochists who hate warm toes. Then a buddy dragged me out on the SHT last February for a 3 day stretch near Silver Bay. Temps dropped to -5 one night. I was ready to hate it. But the lack of bugs, the quiet, and the way the snow reflects moonlight so you barely need a headlamp... I get it now. Has anyone else had their mind changed by a route they wrote off for a specific season?

I was wrong about hiking poles for backpacking

For years I thought hiking poles were just extra weight and clutter. I figured if you needed help walking, you should just train harder. On a trip through the Smokies last October, my knee gave out on a steep downhill section and I had to crawl half a mile to camp. A guy I met let me borrow his poles for the next day and the difference was night and day. Has anyone else had a stubborn opinion about gear that got proven wrong on the trail?

Took an alternate route over Muir Pass last summer and it wrecked my timeline

I decided to skip the standard JMT path and tried the Bishop Pass detour to get over Muir. Ended up adding 3 extra miles of talus hopping that just killed my knees by day two. I learned that sometimes the popular route is popular for a reason, especially when you're carrying a 40-pound pack. Anyone else ever take a shortcut that backfired like this?