c/backpacking-routes

Vent: My $60 trail map app totally failed when I needed it in the Smokies

Bought a fancy app for the Great Smoky Mountains loop, but it crashed and lost my location after 8 miles with no cell signal. Ended up backtracking for 2 hours using a paper backup I almost didn't pack. What's your go-to offline navigation tool that actually works?

Update: A missing trail marker in the Wind River Range turned a 2-hour hike into a 6-hour ordeal

I was trying to connect from the Big Sandy trail to the Cirque of the Towers, but a key cairn was gone where the path splits near Clear Lake. My partner and I spent four extra hours bushwhacking up the wrong drainage before backtracking and finding the real route. How do you all prepare for when trail markers just vanish in remote spots?

Tried two ways to cross the same river in the Pasayten Wilderness... one was a total game changer

Last fall, my group hit the Phelps Creek trailhead aiming for Spider Gap. The usual route has you ford the creek right before the climb, which was running high and cold. We tried that first, nearly lost a boot, and got soaked to the waist. The next day, on the way back, we went a quarter mile upstream and found a huge, stable logjam... crossed it dry in about 90 seconds with no stress. Has anyone else found a sneaky, better crossing on a classic route?

That time a washed-out bridge turned a 3-day hike into a 5-day epic

Back in 2017, I was on the West Coast Trail in BC and a big storm the week before had taken out a key bridge. The reroute added 12 miles of muddy, overgrown coastal bushwhacking that took our group two extra days. We ran low on food and had to stretch our last freeze-dried meals, which was pretty grim. Anyone else had a route change completely flip the script on a planned trip?

Got stuck on a washed out section of the High Sierra Trail last summer

Just past Bearpaw Meadow, a whole chunk of the trail was gone from a rock slide. I thought we could scramble around it in maybe 20 minutes. It ended up taking us over three hours to find a safe way across with our full packs. We had to backtrack almost a mile to a creek bed and work our way up. Has anyone else hit a major trail failure that ate up a whole afternoon?

I always thought the best views were at the top, but a ranger in Glacier National Park told me I was missing the point.

Lost the trail in a whiteout on Mount Washington

Couldn't see three feet ahead. Pulled out my phone, opened Gaia GPS, and used the offline map to find the tree line. Anyone have a better backup for zero visibility?

Got turned around on the High Sierra Trail near Hamilton Lake last fall

I was hiking the High Sierra Trail solo in October, aiming to make it to Precipice Lake by sunset. The trail was clear until I hit a big rock slide about a mile past Hamilton Lake. The cairns just stopped, and the path on my map was totally buried under fresh scree. I spent a good hour scrambling over loose rock, trying to find where the trail picked up again on the other side. My GPS was useless because it just showed the old, now-gone trail line. I finally backtracked and found a faint use trail that cut high up the slope, which got me around it. That detour added like two extra miles and a bunch of elevation gain I hadn't planned for. Has anyone else hit that slide and found a better way through, or know if the park service has fixed it since?

Watched a group in the Sawtooths try to follow a GPS line straight up a scree slope instead of the actual switchback trail.

I was on the Alice-Toxaway loop last weekend and saw them ignore the clear, maintained path for a direct route their app suggested, which really makes me wonder how many people are blindly trusting digital maps over visible, on-the-ground trail markers and common sense.

Talked to a ranger in the Tetons who changed my trail plan

I was set on doing the Paintbrush Canyon loop in three days, but she pointed out a spot on the map where a new bridge washed out last spring, making the creek crossing too risky for solo hikers. She suggested the Teton Crest Trail instead, which adds a day but has way better views and safer passes. Has anyone done the Crest Trail lately and know what the snowpack is like on Hurricane Pass?

Can we talk about the Highline Trail in Glacier? The difference between July and September is insane.

Overheard two guys at the trailhead talking about a shortcut on the Timberline Loop

They were saying they cut off almost 4 miles by taking an old fire road that isn't on the map anymore. I stuck to the main route, but now I'm wondering about using unofficial shortcuts to save time. Do you guys ever take unmarked routes you hear about from other hikers?

Just realized my $400 satellite messenger was worth every penny after a freak snowstorm on the PCT last October.

Had to pick between the standard High Sierra Trail or a longer loop last August

The choice was the classic 72 mile High Sierra Trail from Crescent Meadow to Whitney Portal, or a 90 mile loop starting at Mineral King that added the Sawtooth Pass. I went with the longer loop for more solitude. Big mistake. The Sawtooth Pass route was way steeper and the scree was awful, adding a full extra day of tough travel we didn't plan for. We ran low on food by day 6 and had to ration. Has anyone else taken that Mineral King loop and found a better way to manage the time?

Wasted a whole day on a 'shortcut' near the Maroon Bells

I tried a trail marked on an old map as a connector between East Maroon and West Maroon Creek. It was totally overgrown and I spent like 8 hours bushwhacking before I had to turn back, losing a full day of my trip. The ranger later told me that route hasn't been maintained in over a decade. Has anyone else gotten burned by an outdated map suggestion in that area?

Had to pick between the high route and the valley floor on a trip in the Wind River Range

I was looking at a map near Cirque of the Towers and saw two ways to get to Lonesome Lake. One was the main trail, and the other was a sketchy looking ridge line. I went for the ridge, which added about 400 feet of climbing. It was a bit scary with a full pack, but the view down into the cirque was insane. Anyone know other high route options in that area that are worth the extra effort?

Honestly, I was shocked to find out the official PCT mileage is actually 2,653.3 miles, not the 2,650 everyone says, after checking the Pacific Crest Trail Association's site.

Has anyone else found a small but important detail like that for a major trail they were planning?

The Teton Crest Trail versus the Wind River High Route for a real challenge

I did both routes in Wyoming last summer, and the Wind River High Route wins hands down. The Crest Trail is beautiful, but it's basically a well-marked path with other people around. The High Route near Pinedale has no real trail for about 80 miles, just pure cross-country navigation over passes above 11,000 feet. You feel completely alone out there, which is the whole point for me. Anyone else think the popular 'classic' routes are getting too crowded?

My old 'follow the creek' navigation method versus my current GPS app (the change happened after a very wet night in the Smokies).

Just hit 1000 miles on the same pair of trail runners and they're not dead yet

I logged the miles on my Altra Lone Peaks after a trip on the Colorado Trail last week. I was sure they'd be shot at 500, but the tread is still decent and the uppers are holding. This is my third pair and I've never pushed one this far. I'm carrying a spare set of insoles now just in case they finally give out on a long stretch. Has anyone else gotten this kind of distance from a single pair of shoes on rough terrain?

Hot take: Everyone pushes the 100-mile mark, but hitting 50 solo was my real turning point.

It happened on the Ozark Highlands Trail, and it forced me to slow down and actually see the place. Has anyone else found a smaller number more meaningful than the big, popular goals?

A quiet trail in the Sierra Nevada got overrun after a magazine feature

Three years ago, I had the Minaret Lake loop to myself over a long weekend in July. Last month, I went back and counted over thirty tents at the main lake on a Tuesday. A ranger in Mammoth Lakes said a big outdoor magazine put it in their 'top ten hidden gems' issue last fall, and now the permit lottery is full the day it opens. It's a bummer when a peaceful spot gets that kind of attention. Has anyone else seen a once-quiet route get totally changed like that?

Honestly, I just realized I've been overpacking for every single 3-day trip for like a decade. A ranger in Yosemite saw my 50-pound pack and asked if I was moving in. What's your take: is a lighter pack always better, or is there a case for carrying the comfort items?

My uncle told me to skip the John Muir Trail permit and try a different route

He said the High Sierra Trail out of Sequoia was just as good and easier to get a spot for (which was right). I did it last August and only saw a handful of other groups the whole week. The views from Precipice Lake were insane, and I didn't have to deal with the JMT lottery. Has anyone else found a great alternative to a super popular trail?

Tried a new route in the Sawtooths and ended up with a completely different view

I planned a three day loop starting at Tin Cup Trailhead, but a washed out bridge forced a big detour. We ended up camping near a lake called Sawtooth Lake instead of the planned spot. The view was way better than the one on my original map. Has anyone else had a trail problem turn out for the better in Idaho?