c/backpacking-routes

Overheard two guys at a trailhead in Oregon comparing gear lists

I was getting my boots laced up at the Eagle Creek trailhead last Saturday and caught these two dudes going back and forth about their pack weights. One guy said he cut his base weight down to 11 pounds just by ditching his tent and going with a bivy and tarp setup. Honestly, it got me thinking about how much extra stuff I lug around on multi day trips. Has anyone else tried switching to a minimalist shelter and actually stuck with it?

My tent pole snapped in the middle of a downpour on the Pacific Crest Trail last month

I was 8 miles from the nearest trailhead in Oregon when one of my aluminum poles just gave up. Ended up duct taping it to a trekking pole and limping out the next morning. Anyone else had a piece of gear fail at the worst possible moment?

A guy on the CDT told me I was carrying too much water and he was right

I used to fill my 3L bladder to the brim at every stream even on short stretches. He pointed out I was hauling an extra 6 pounds for no reason and now I just carry 1.5L and filter more often. Anyone else get stubborn about water weight until someone called them out on it?

Stop trusting water sources on your GPS without double checking

Was hiking the Susquehannock Trail System in Pennsylvania last June and my GPS showed a creek at mile 12. Got there and it was completely dry, just a muddy ditch. Three other groups I passed on the way out had the same problem and were rationing their bottles. The issue is that these maps don't update seasonally, especially in drought years, so a spring that flowed last fall might be gone by July. Has anyone else gotten burned by a dry water source on a long stretch that should have had reliable flow?

Hit 500 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail last month and it threw me off

I was hiking a section near the Sierra Nevada and crossed over 500 miles total on that trail. I didn't even realize I was close until I checked my GPS app that night. Something about hitting that round number made me stop and think about all the blisters and bad meals I went through to get there. It felt more real than just saying 'I've done a lot of hiking' because the number was right there. Anyone else have a milestone on a route that caught you off guard?

Water filter shortcut on the JMT saved me 3 days of hassle

I was on the John Muir Trail last summer and kept getting slowed down by filtering water every few miles. My friend showed me a trick where you fill up a 3-liter dirty bag at a creek and then hang it off your pack while you hike. The gravity does the work through the filter tube as you walk, so you don't have to stop and sit there squeezing or pumping. I tried it near Thousand Island Lake and it worked way better than I expected. I got through 15 miles that day without stopping once just for water. The trick only works if your filter has a hose long enough to reach your mouth, so check that before you go. Has anyone else tried hiking while filtering like this or found a better system?

Picked the lesser-used alpine route over the standard trail on Mount Whitney last July and it was the best call

I was debating between the Mountaineers Route and the normal Whitney Trail. Everyone said go regular for the views but I chose the scramble route instead. Way fewer people, like maybe 10 total on the whole thing compared to hundreds on the main trail. Only issue was route finding above Iceberg Lake but I used my GPS after nearly going off course. The summit at sunrise was quiet and amazing. Has anyone else tried an alternate route on a popular peak and regretted it or loved it?

Blew $200 on a water filter that clogged after 3 days on the JMT

I bought the Katadyn BeFree 1-liter on a recommendation and took it on the John Muir Trail last August. Worked fine for the first couple creek crossings, but by day three the flow dropped to nothing. I tried backflushing it a few times, no luck. Anyone else ditch the BeFree and go back to a Sawyer Squeeze?

Can we talk about people who race through the Appalachian Trail

I overheard a guy at a hostel in Damascus say he did the whole thing in 45 days. Rushing like that misses the point. Why even bother if you're just trying to beat some record instead of actually seeing the views?

Overheard a thru-hiker in a hostel say he never carries water and I almost laughed out loud

I was staying at a hostel in Gatlinburg last month and this young guy was telling his friend he never carries more than a single 16oz bottle on the trail. He said he just filters from every stream he passes. I hiked a section of the Benton MacKaye Trail last spring where the next water source was 12 miles away over a ridge with no shade. That kind of planning works until it doesn't. Has anyone else run into people with ultra-light strategies that seem way too risky?

Finally stopped carrying a full first aid kit after a thru-hiker on the JMT showed me their 3-ounce setup

I used to haul a 2-pound pharmacy through the Sierra until I met a guy near Muir Pass who had done 800 miles with just leukotape, ibuprofen, and an iodine tab split in half, and now I'm down to 10 items total; what's the one thing you'd never cut from your kit?

Why does nobody talk about how fast trail data gets outdated

I was planning a route through the Smokies last weekend and pulled up a map from just 2018. Turns out a whole section of the Appalachian Trail near Fontana Dam got rerouted in 2019 and my old GPS route had me bushwhacking through someone's private property. Has anyone else gotten burned by old maps or am I just the unlucky one?

I spent $150 on a portable water filter and it almost got me killed

Last month on the Olympic Peninsula trail, I thought my Sawyer squeeze was fine until it clogged completely at mile 8. I had no backup and ended up drinking straight from a creek, spent the next 2 days puking my guts out in a motel. The filter had maybe 20 gallons through it, way under the rating. Anyone else had a filter fail mid-trip and have to switch to tablets or boiling?

Always thought the Appalachian Trail was mostly flat in the middle section... boy was I wrong

I was planning a section hike for next summer and started reading about elevation profiles. Found out that the entire trail has something like 515,000 feet of elevation gain total. That is basically climbing Mount Everest from sea level 17 times! I just assumed the part through Pennsylvania and Maryland would be easy rolling hills. Guess I need to step up my stair climber training, has anyone else been surprised by a trail's real stats when they looked closer?

That stretch on the JMT near Evolution Valley was a nightmare for me

I got caught in a freak hailstorm for 3 hours straight, soaked everything I owned despite my rain gear, and had to set up camp in the dark shivering. Has anyone else had a perfect forecast fall apart on them out there?

Pro tip: stopped relying on AllTrails ratings after getting stuck on a goat path in Colorado

Used to just pick whatever had 4.5 stars and go. Now I cross-reference with CalTopo and read the recent trip reports before any hike over 8 miles. Anyone else have a bad experience from a misleading trail rating?

A guy on the PCT told me my pack was too heavy and I finally listened

I was doing a section near Crater Lake two years ago and this older hiker passed me on a climb. He looked at my pack and just said 'you're carrying a chair up there?' I laughed it off but then I actually weighed it when I got home. 47 pounds for a 5 day trip. That's insane. I cut out the camp chair, the extra cook pot, and swapped my tent for a tarp. Dropped to 32 pounds. Next trip I felt like I was flying. Still not ultralight by any means but that one comment saved my knees. Anyone else have a random stranger's advice that actually stuck with you?

Lost $60 on a stupid dry bag that failed after 3 trips

I bought this cheap dry bag off Amazon for $60 thinking I was being smart saving money. First trip on the John Muir Trail it leaked on day 2 and soaked all my clothes. By the third weekend it had a hole in the seam. Shoulda just spent the extra $40 on a Sea to Summit one like my buddy told me. Anyone else learn this lesson the hard way with gear?

Question about packing for the Enchantments loop

I was halfway up Aasgard Pass with my 55-liter pack feeling like I was hauling bricks. A guy coming down with a much smaller pack asked if I was moving in. He said he does the loop every fall with just a 38-liter bag and a tarp. That got me thinking. I checked my stuff at the next stop and realized I had packed three pairs of socks for a two-night trip and a full cookset when I only needed a pot. Has anyone else cut their pack weight way down for that route? What did you leave behind?

My friend told me to skip the official trailhead for the Lost Coast and it saved my trip

My buddy, who hiked the Lost Coast in California two years back, told me to skip the main Black Sands Beach start and instead begin at the Mattole River trailhead. He said the permit situation was easier and the first day's walk was way nicer. I was nervous about changing the plan, but I listened. Starting at Mattole meant we got the tough beach sand section done early when our packs were light, and we scored a walk-in permit at the ranger station with zero hassle. The official advice online pushes the other direction, but his tip about the flow of the hike was spot on. We had smooth sailing while other groups we met later were already beat from a rough first day. Has anyone else gotten game-changing route advice from a friend that went against the common guidebook wisdom?

I finally tried the 3-day loop in the Sawtooths everyone raves about, but the constant afternoon storms had me pinned in my tent for hours each day, so is it better to plan a shorter route or just accept the weather risk on longer trips?

After getting caught in those storms near Sawtooth Lake, I learned to check the mountain-specific forecast, not just the valley town's, but does anyone else have a go-to source for reliable alpine weather?

Got turned around in the fog on the Wonderland Trail last fall

I was on day four, near Mowich Lake, when a thick fog rolled in and the trail markers vanished. My map said to follow the creek, but I ended up in a boulder field after about an hour. I stopped, ate a snack, and used my compass to backtrack to the last known switchback. It added nearly three miles to the day, but I found the camp just before dark. Anyone else have a story about navigating when the trail completely disappears?

Spent 90 minutes trying to find the trailhead for the Sawtooth Ridge loop

The GPS pin was a full mile off and the forest service sign was down. Anyone know a reliable way to spot that specific turnoff from the main road?

Met a guy on the trail to Lake Edna last summer who insisted his 15-mile day was 'just a warm-up'.

Can we talk about the actual length of the Appalachian Trail?

I was looking at the ATC's site yesterday and saw the official distance is now 2,198.4 miles. That's a full 9 miles longer than the number I've had in my head for a decade. Makes you wonder how many other classic routes we're all just casually misquoting. Anyone know if the PCT length has changed recently too?