c/backpacking-routes

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.

Walked the Appalachian Trail in Virginia and saw why everyone hates the roller coaster section

I always thought people were just being dramatic about that stretch near Pearisburg. But last month I hiked it myself and man, those constant up and down hills just beat you down. No views, no payoffs, just 14 miles of climbing and dropping over and over. I changed my mind real quick after the third time I thought I was done and hit another climb. What section of trail surprised you the most?

Bought those $90 'ultralight' camp shoes and they ripped on day 2

I was hiking the Rae Lakes Loop in Kings Canyon last month and brought a pair of those fancy camp shoes everyone talks about. After one short walk to filter water, the strap broke clean off near the heel. $90 down the drain and I ended up hiking barefoot around camp the rest of the trip. Anyone else had bad luck with ultralight camp footwear?

Just realized my filter was leaking the whole time near Garnet Lake

I was on the JMT last summer and couldn't figure out why my water tasted weird after three days. Turns out the o-ring on my Sawyer Squeeze was cracked and I was drinking unfiltered lake water the whole time. Anyone else had a filter fail mid-trip without any obvious signs?

Tried the JMT switchback route vs the side trail near Donahue Pass

Last summer I was stuck deciding between the standard switchbacks and the climber's trail that cuts over the ridge. I went with the side trail to save time and it kicked my ass. Lost the trail twice, ended up on loose scree for an hour, and added an extra 3 miles backtracking. Meanwhile my buddy took the switchbacks and rolled into camp 45 minutes ahead of me. Has anyone else found a shortcut that actually works better than the main route?

The shortcut through Eagle Pass saved me 4 hours on the JMT

Everyone said to stick to the main trail past Thousand Island Lake, but I found this old use trail near Donahue Pass that cuts off that big loop. I tried it last August and it was rough but totally doable. Anyone else find a hidden shortcut that actually worked?

Why does nobody talk about how bad the water situation is on the High Sierra Trail?

My buddy swore we only needed 1 liter per 5 miles and I ran out at mile 12 near Kern River, had to hike down a sketchy cliff to refill.

TIL about a hidden section of the Appalachian Trail in Pennsylvania

I was hiking the Appalachian Trail last October near Duncannon, Pennsylvania, and I stumbled onto this side path that wasn't on my main map. A local guy told me it was an old alternate route used by hikers back in the 70s to avoid a tough rocky stretch... it cuts through this beautiful little valley with a stream and a waterfall I'd never seen before. The trail was kind of overgrown but still marked with faded blazes on the trees. I followed it for about 3 miles and it looped back to the main AT just past a shelter. It made me wonder how many other forgotten spurs are out there that nobody talks about anymore. Has anyone else found an old alternate route like this on a well-known trail?

Tried that new GPS route app on the PCT near Crater Lake

I shelled out $40 for a premium trail app that promised offline maps and perfect elevation data, but it guided me onto a washed-out side trail that added 5 extra miles of bushwhacking. Spent two hours backtracking and lost half my water supply scrambling over deadfall. Has anyone else had a GPS app steer them completely wrong on a familiar stretch?

That time I found out how fast an alpine start really saves you on the John Muir Trail

I was planning a solo section hike on the JMT for this summer and kept reading forums about starting at 4 AM to beat the heat. I always figured it was just personal preference, but then I crunched the numbers using a GPS tracking app from a buddy's trip last July. He started at Red's Meadow at 5 AM and did 12 miles before noon, while another hiker he met started at 8 AM and only covered 8 miles in the same heat window. The early start let him avoid 3 hours of direct sun exposure above treeline near Silver Pass. I never realized how much temperature and shade affect your pace on those exposed granite stretches. Does anyone else map out their start times based on sun exposure rather than just sunrise?

Took me 3 tries to figure out how to ford a river safely in the Smokies

Why nobody talks about water crossings after a storm in the Sierra

I was crossing a creek near Bishop Creek last June and a log bridge shifted mid-step. I barely caught myself. The online route descriptions all said "easy crossing" for that spot. Is it better to check for recent storm runoff reports before you go, or just pack a backup plan for every crossing?

Swapped from a paper map to AllTrails on a 3-day loop in the Smokies and didn't take one wrong turn

I used to think paper maps were the only reliable way, but last month on the Gregory Bald trail I pulled out the app during a rainstorm and it saved me from missing a key junction - has anyone else found digital route tracking way better than they expected?

Pro tip: Met a guy on the JMT who carried a full cast iron pan

I was hiking the John Muir Trail near Muir Pass last August, and this dude named Steve had a 12-inch cast iron skillet strapped to his pack. He said he cooked a full breakfast every morning, eggs and bacon and all, and offered me some at 10,000 feet. I laughed my ass off but honestly that pancake he made was the best thing I ate the whole trip. Has anyone else run into someone hauling ridiculous gear out there?