c/backpacking-routes

Walked the JMT back in 2018 and last week I tried a section of it again

The trail markers are way more faded now and there's cell service at some of the old campsites. Has anyone else noticed trails getting more crowded even on weekdays?

Hit 500 miles on the PCT this season and it totally flipped my opinion on starting later in the day

I used to think dawn starts were the only way to go, but after that milestone I realized hiking from 2pm until sunset avoids the crowds and the heat way better, so has anyone else found a weird number that made you rethink your whole routine?

Hit 1,000 miles exactly on the Appalachian Trail this weekend without planning it

I was coming down off Mount Moosilauke on Saturday and my GPS watch ticked over to 1,000 miles right at a stream crossing. That number just felt surreal since I started in Georgia back in March with zero hiking experience. Had no idea I was close until I checked my stats later that night in camp. Anyone else ever hit a big milestone by accident like that on a long trail?

A thru-hiker told me my pack was too heavy and I dropped 8 pounds after one gear swap

They said I didn't need a 3-pound tent when a 1.5-pound tarp would work, so I traded it out last week and my shoulders don't ache anymore has anyone else cut their base weight just by switching shelter types?

My water filter clogged on day 3 of a 10 day trip on the JMT

I was near Muir Trail Ranch and my Sawyer Squeeze just stopped flowing. I didn't bring a backup so I had to boil everything for the rest of the hike. Has anyone else had luck unclogging these on the trail with just a bandana and some elbow grease?

Spent 6 hours trying to find a water source on the PCT near San Jacinto

It was already getting dark and I had run through 3 liters by 4pm. My map showed a seasonal creek but it was totally dry when I got there. Ended up backtracking 2 miles to a ranger station I passed earlier. Should have just asked at the start instead of assuming.

That stretch on the JMT near Muir Pass nearly broke me

Last August I was hiking the John Muir Trail and hit a 12 mile stretch between Muir Pass and Evolution Creek that was brutal. Sun was beating down, no shade, and my water filter clogged halfway through. I ended up rationing my last liter for 6 hours until I reached the creek. Anyone else ever hit a section that just drained everything out of you?

My dad's buddy Phil shut down my whole pack weight theory in 5 minutes

I was bragging to him about my new 30 liter pack with a base weight under 10 pounds, thinking I had it all figured out. He just looked at me and asked when I last carried more than 2 liters of water on a trail. I said never really, I just filter along the way. Then he pointed out that my ultralight setup fell apart if I did a dry canyon route where water caches were 15 miles apart. He had a point. I've been so focused on grams that I forgot about real world conditions like carrying extra weight for actual trips. Now I'm wondering if I need a middle ground pack for those situations. Has anyone else had to rethink their whole system after talking to an old school hiker?

A ranger in Yosemite told me my planned route was a bad idea

I was set on hiking the full High Sierra Loop in five days last August. A park ranger at the Tuolumne Meadows station looked at my map and said, 'You're going to hit snow above 10,000 feet, and your daily miles are too high for that elevation.' I changed my plan to a shorter, lower route around Glen Aulin. It turned out great, with no issues. Do you usually stick to your original route, or are you open to changing it based on local advice?

I finally understood why my dad always packed a second map

I was talking to a guy at the trailhead near Bend, Oregon last weekend. He was maybe seventy, just coming off a three day loop. I mentioned how I only use my phone for nav now. He said, 'I carry a paper map too. Batteries die, but a map just needs light.' It hit me because my phone died on a trip two years ago and I had to guess my way out. I've since added a basic National Geographic map for my main route. Anyone else have a simple backup they swear by?

I always planned my trips around water sources until a ranger in the Sierras gave me a different tip

For years, I'd plot my routes by stringing together lakes and streams, thinking that was the only safe way. On a trip near Mammoth Lakes last fall, a park ranger told me to look for 'dry camps' near ridges instead. He said the views are better, the bugs are fewer, and you can carry just enough water for the evening and morning. I tried it on a three-day loop, carrying two liters to a high spot between two known creeks. Waking up to that sunrise with no one around was worth the extra weight for a few hours. Has anyone else switched to planning around campsites instead of just water?

My GPS track from the Wind River Range trip just hit 500 miles total

I was cleaning up my old route files and saw the number. It's not one trip, it's all the loops and side trails from three summers out there. That first year I only did the popular Cirque of the Towers route, maybe 40 miles. The next summer I linked it with the Titcomb Basin area, and last year I added a big northern loop near Green River Lakes. Adding it all up, it's a full 500. It made me realize how much ground you can cover if you just keep going back to the same range and exploring new drainages each time. You start to see how the whole area connects. Has anyone else ever tallied up all their miles in one specific mountain range and been shocked by the total?

I thought the water crossing on the Lost Coast Trail was no big deal

In my experience, the tide charts said we had a 4 hour window at Mattole Beach, but a big swell came in and we got stuck for almost 8 hours waiting for it to go down. We had to huddle on a tiny rock shelf and it got pretty cold. Has anyone else had a tide table fail them that badly on a coastal route?

Everyone says to avoid the east ridge on Mount Adams in late season, but I tried it last September and it was fine.

Just realized my tent's rain fly seam tape is failing after only 2 seasons

Noticed it starting to peel on a trip in the Sawtooths last week. I patched it with some seam grip in the field, but it's a bummer for a tent I've only used maybe 15 times. Anyone have a good fix for this that lasts longer than a season?

Vent: I hiked the same 30-mile loop in the Smokies two ways, and the direction made all the difference

Last fall, I did the Deep Creek Loop clockwise over three days, starting at the trailhead near Bryson City. The first day was a brutal 12-mile climb with a 3,000-foot elevation gain, which wiped me out before I even saw the best views. This spring, I went counter-clockwise, spreading the climb over two shorter days. The second day was only 8 miles with a more gradual ascent, and I actually enjoyed the hike instead of just surviving it. The scenery felt more rewarding staged that way. Has anyone else had a route completely transformed just by flipping the direction you hike it?

Appreciation post: I finally gave the Lost Coast Trail a shot last month after avoiding it for years, and it completely changed my mind about coastal hikes.

I always thought the constant sand walking and tide charts on the 25-mile stretch in Northern California would be a huge hassle, but the raw, empty beaches and seeing whales from the bluffs made the extra planning totally worth it, so what's another coastal route that's worth the logistical headache?

Always thought the official trail was the only way to go in the Sawtooths

I was planning a three day loop out of Stanley last fall, and the map showed a clear trail around Sawtooth Lake. A guy at the trailhead, who looked like he'd been hiking there for years, pointed to a faint line on the ground and said, 'The old fisherman's cut-off is way better, trust me.' I was sure it would be overgrown or dead-end, but we gave it a shot. It was a steep scramble for about twenty minutes, but then it opened onto this perfect granite shelf right above the lake that the main trail misses completely. We had the whole sunset spot to ourselves while the main trail crowd was a quarter mile away. Totally changed how I look at maps now. I'm curious, has anyone else found a better 'unofficial' route that beat the marked one?

Just got back from the Enchantments in Washington and the permit system is a total mess. Is it fair or just broken?

Took the old trail versus the new reroute on the Timberline Loop last weekend and wow, what a difference

Just heard a ranger at the Grand Canyon say they've had 12 heat exhaustion cases on the Bright Angel Trail this week alone.

I was picking up my permit at the Backcountry Office and overheard them briefing a group. They said people are starting too late, carrying way less than a gallon of water per person, and ignoring the 'hike before 10 am' rule. It made me realize how easy it is to get casual about a classic route. What's your go-to method for checking current trail conditions before a trip?

My tent pole snapped on the Lost Coast Trail last weekend

I was setting up camp near Punta Gorda when a gust of wind caught the fly. Heard a loud crack and my main pole just gave out. Had to MacGyver it with some duct tape and a sturdy stick I found. Spent the whole night listening to it creak. Anyone have a good fix for a broken pole section, or should I just replace the whole tent?

My pack weight was a total mess until I saw a photo from my trip

I got back from a five day loop in the North Cascades last month and a friend sent me a picture they took. In it, I was bent over adjusting my boot, and my pack looked like a giant, lumpy turtle shell. I could see stuff sacks hanging off the sides, my tent was strapped on weird, and the whole thing just sagged. I always thought I had a decent 30 pound base weight, but seeing that photo made it click: I was carrying my gear, but I wasn't *packing* it. The weight was all over the place, pulling me backwards and to the left. I spent the whole trip fighting my pack instead of the trail. Has anyone else had a moment like that, where a simple picture showed you a major flaw in your setup?

That one perfect day on the Lost Coast Trail

Back in 2014, we had a day on the Lost Coast in California where everything just clicked. We woke up to clear skies, the tide was perfectly low for the whole 8 mile stretch, and we saw a dozen whales from the beach. It was one of those trips where you didn't see another person for two days. I feel like you just don't get that kind of quiet out there anymore. Has anyone else done that trail recently and found it more crowded?

Heads up about the new permit system for the Lost Coast Trail

I used to just show up at the King Range office in Shelter Cove and grab a walk-up permit, no problem. Did that for three years straight. Last month I drove up there again, and they told me they switched to a full online lottery system six months ago. I mean, I had no idea and had to turn around. It's all through recreation.gov now, and you need to book like four months ahead for summer. Has anyone else gotten caught by this change? What's the backup plan if you don't win the lottery?