c/backpacking-routes

That ranger in Yosemite told me to ditch my 45L pack, she was onto something

Last August I showed up at the Tuolumne Meadows trailhead with a 45L pack stuffed like I was crossing Antarctica. A ranger named Dana walked by, laughed, and said "you're gonna hate yourself by day three." She suggested I trim down to a 28L and mail half my gear home from the store there. I ignored her, and by day two my shoulders were wrecked on the Cathedral Lakes loop. I finally shipped 12 pounds of stuff back to Fresno and finished the 4-day route feeling 10 years younger. Has anyone else gotten gear advice from park staff that actually saved your trip? I still bring my heavy tent when it's just me, but that pack change stuck with me.

Old paper maps vs GPS on the JMT this summer

I did the John Muir Trail back in June and brought both a paper map from 2009 and my phone with the CalTopo app. The GPS was great until my battery died near Muir Pass on day 4, and that old map got me through the next 18 miles without a hitch. It made me realize I lean way too hard on tech when the paper version just works and never needs a charge. Anyone else still carry a physical map as backup or am I the only dinosaur left?

The 2 AM thunderstorm that made me ditch my paper maps for good

Got caught near the Smokies last August with a soaked map that shredded when I tried folding it, had to guess the next 4 miles to the shelter. Switched to a waterproof phone case and downloaded offline topo, does anyone else keep a backup battery clipped to their shoulder strap?

Why does nobody talk about the altitude gain on the Pictured Rocks loop

I did the 42-mile loop last month and the elevation profile on the map said 2,100 feet, but my watch logged closer to 3,400, has anyone else noticed the maps are off or was my GPS just glitching?

I finally hiked the Pacific Crest Trail and found out it has 1,000+ miles of pure desert

I did the section from Campo to Kennedy Meadows last summer. Everyone talks about the Sierras but NOBODY warned me that over half the trail is just dry sandy nothing. I legit ran out of water 3 miles before a cache and had to signal a day hiker. How do you guys even carry enough water for 20 mile dry stretches without breaking your back?

Found out the hard way that the Continental Divide Trail actually gains 90,000 feet of elevation total

Was planning a section hike in Colorado and looked up the full stats on the CDTC website. I knew it was long but 90k feet of climbing is basically doing Everest from sea level ten times over. How do thru hikers even handle that kind of cumulative vert without their knees giving out?

Trail fork north of Glacier Lake: went left on the steep scramble instead of the flat river walk

Figured I'd save a mile and a half by taking the ridge route, ended up crawling on my hands and knees over loose shale for 45 minutes while a marmot watched me struggle. Has anyone else taken a shortcut that turned into a total disaster?

That $400 Garmin InReach Mini was a waste on the JMT

Bought it before my JMT thru hike last summer. Paid $400 after taxes. Thing sat in my pack the whole time. Never once needed SOS. Cell service was fine at most passes and lakes. My buddy had a $30 Spot tracker that did the same thing but cheaper. Guess I fell for the marketing hype. Anyone else regret a big gear purchase?

Pro tip: check your water filtration before you leave, learned this the hard way on the JMT last summer

Day 3 on the John Muir Trail near Muir Trail Ranch, I go to pump water and my filter is completely clogged. I'd used it maybe 5 times before and thought it was fine. Ended up drinking straight from a creek because I was so dehydrated. Got giardia symptoms by day 5 and had to hitch out of Yosemite Valley. Cost me $400 in bus tickets and a ruined trip. Now I always test my Sawyer squeeze at home with a bucket of water before any long hike. Anyone else ever skip checking gear and regret it?

Took the 'old logging road' shortcut on the Pinhoti Trail near Cheaha last month

Everyone online says to stick to the main trail because the logging roads are longer, but I shaved 4 miles off my day with better views. Has anyone else found a marked route that's actually a faster alternative?

Lost the trail in Big Sur because I trusted GPS over my map

I was hiking the Pine Ridge Trail last April, phone died at 4pm, and what should have been a 6 hour loop turned into an 11 hour bushwhack through poison oak because I never bothered to look at the paper map until it was too late, has anyone else had a GPS fail that taught you a lesson?

Overheard a thru-hiker talking about drying socks on the trail, changed my whole approach

I was grabbing coffee near the Yosemite visitors center last week and overheard this guy who just finished the PCT talking about how he never uses campfires for drying socks because the heat damages the fabric and makes them stink worse. He said he uses a simple mesh bag tied to the outside of his pack while hiking, and the wind and sun do the job in like 2 hours if it's not raining. I've been doing that on my last 3 trips into the Sierra and it honestly works way better than my old method of hanging them from a tree branch. No more crispy socks from fire embers or that damp smell from trying to dry them inside my tent. Has anyone else tried this mesh bag trick or do you have a different system that works for wet gear on longer routes?

Got caught in a freak hailstorm on the John Muir Trail near Evolution Lake last August and it wrecked my tent in 10 minutes flat

I was about 2 miles past Evolution Lake heading southbound when the sky just turned this weird greenish gray. Thought I could outrun it but nope. Hail came down so hard and fast I barely got my tent up before it started pelting. Ended up with three rips in the rainfly and a bent pole that made the whole thing sag. Spent the night huddled under a tarp I always carry as backup. That storm made me switch from a cheap three-season tent to something way beefier for Sierra trips. Has anyone else had to patch up gear mid-trail during a surprise storm?

Just looked up how many miles the Appalachian Trail actually added over the years

Turns out it grew by over 400 miles since it was first mapped in the 1920s. Found that on the ATC website last night. Anybody else ever check how their favorite route has changed over time?

The day the sky opened up on the John Muir Trail

I was heading over Muir Pass near the Evolution Lake basin, about 20 miles in, when a storm rolled in around 2 PM out of nowhere. Hail started pounding down and I had to hunker under a rock overhang for 5 hours until it passed, soaked through everything I had. Anyone else had a single day on trail that nearly broke their spirit but ended up being a weirdly good memory?

TIL why the old PCT thru-hikers swear by starting before dawn in the Sierra

Last month at Kennedy Meadows I met a guy who'd done the trail 3 times and he showed me how crossing snow in the late morning sun turns it into slush that soaks your feet, and after postholing up to my waist for 2 hours I finally get why they leave camp at 4 AM.

Water filter straws are overhyped for long trips

I brought a Sawyer mini on the JMT last summer and after day 4 the flow rate was so slow I was spending 20 minutes just to fill a liter. Backflushing helped a little but not enough. Has anyone else had better luck with the full size Squeeze instead?

Tried the Appalachian Trail in winter boots last October

Thought they'd be fine for a weekend section hike in Georgia. Feet got soaked by day two from sweat and no breathability. What boots actually work for wet cold weather without turning into sweat boxes?

Spent 3 days testing paper maps vs GPS on the John Muir Trail section near Mammoth

I finally put this to the test last month on a 4 day stretch south of Mammoth. I had my phone with AllTrails downloaded plus a backup battery, and I also carried the Tom Harrison paper map for that section. The GPS was great for quick checks but it died twice on me, once when the battery got cold overnight and once when I hit a dead zone in a canyon. The paper map never failed and I could see the whole day's route at a glance without squinting at a tiny screen. By day three I was barely pulling out my phone and just using the map folded in my hip belt pocket. I also noticed I paid more attention to the actual terrain instead of staring at a blue dot. Has anyone else gone back to paper after relying on digital for a while?

My buddy's trail transformation over 6 months was wild to see

Ran into my friend Dave on the Appalachian Trail near Harpers Ferry last weekend. Six months ago he was the guy with a 60 pound pack full of canned food and a cast iron skillet. This time he had a frameless pack under 20 pounds and was crushing 20 mile days like it was nothing. Said he just got sick of being miserable and started cutting every ounce after his first trip to the Whites. Anyone else watch someone go from gear disaster to trail pro that fast?

That $160 Pacific Crest Trail resupply box I shipped to Kennedy Meadows was a total waste

I spent like 3 hours packing this box full of my favorite snacks and dehydrated meals, drove it to the post office, paid $28 for shipping. Got to Kennedy Meadows after 200 miles of hiking and the box was there but I realized I hated everything I packed. The peanut butter powder was gritty, the instant mashed potatoes tasted like cardboard, and I had way too many Clif bars. Meanwhile the general store there had fresh stuff and I ended up buying $40 of food I actually wanted. I should have just planned to buy along the way or sent way less. Has anyone else overhyped their resupply box and regretted packing so much?

Serious question, has anyone else fallen for the ultralight gear hype? I wasted $200 on a titanium pot set that I barely use.

Last spring I got suckered into buying a $200 titanium pot set from a guy at a trailhead outside of Bozeman. He swore it would shave half a pound off my base weight. I took it on a 4 day loop in the Absarokas and the thing just doesn't conduct heat right. My dinner took twice as long to boil and I burnt my oatmeal twice. Then I went back to my old aluminum mess kit that cost 40 bucks and works fine. Anyone else ditch expensive ultralight stuff for cheap gear that actually works better?

I swore I'd never use GPS for backpacking routes but a paper map fail on the Pacific Crest Trail changed my mind

A hiker on the JMT told me my pack was killing my shoulders and I finally fixed it

Last summer on the John Muir Trail I ran into this guy at a resupply who watched me adjust my straps for the 5th time that morning. He just said "your hip belt is too low, dude." I had it sitting on my hips like a fashion belt instead of up around my actual hip bones. Moved it up 2 inches and the difference was insane. No more shoulder pain. Has anyone else had a random stranger give them a tip that completely fixed a problem?

Discovered the Pacific Crest Trail has a 60-mile waterless stretch that nearly broke me mentally

I was reading the PCT water report last night and found out the section through the Mojave Desert has no reliable water for 60 miles, so now I'm trying to figure out if anyone actually carries all that weight or if there's a cache system I'm missing.