c/backpacking-routes

The John Muir Trail beat the Pacific Crest in one key way for me

Did both over the past two summers, 211 miles on the JMT and then a 400 mile PCT stretch in Oregon. The JMT forced me to plan water stops every 8 miles or so because there's just not much out there, but the PCT had me carrying way more weight 'cause of longer dry spells. Honestly the trail communities felt different too, the JMT folks were more willing to share maps and tips at camp. Anyone else find that shorter routes push you to be sharper with your resupply than big thru-hikes?

Old me planned every night's campsite, new me just walks until dark

I used to map out every mile and reserve spots months ahead, which made a 6 day stretch on the Appalachian Trail feel like a desk job with worse coffee. Last October I ditched the plan near Damascus and just hiked until I felt done, sleeping wherever the terrain allowed. Has anyone else found that skipping the schedule makes the route feel completely different, or am I just lucky so far?

Why does nobody talk about how boring the Ozark Trail gets

I used to defend the Ozark Trail to anyone who would listen, swore it was underrated. Then last month I was doing the section near Johnson's Shut-Ins and heard two thru-hikers talking at a campsite. One said it was just 'miles of green tunnel with no payoff,' and I got annoyed at first. But then I thought about my last three trips there and realized they were right, you walk all day and the views are basically the same trees and creeks. I switched my weekend loop to the Buffalo River Trail in Arkansas and the bluff overlooks blew my mind, way more reward for similar effort. Has anyone else ditched a trail they loved because it turned out to be repetitive, or do you find something in the monotony I'm missing?

That 3 AM rainstorm on the Pinhoti taught me a stupid trick

I ran the Pinhoti Trail section near Cheaha last month and got caught in a downpour at 3 AM, so I flipped my rain fly upside down to keep my vestibule from pooling. The water actually funneled away better than the designed setup, which blew my mind since I've been fighting puddles for 3 seasons. Has anyone else tried this, or am I just asking for a broken pole in a real wind event?

30 miles in before I realized my pack straps were backwards

I've been hiking the Ozark Trail for about 5 years and always wondered why my shoulders ached by mile 10. Last month on a 14 mile stretch near Steel Creek, a thru-hiker stopped me and asked if my shoulder straps were twisted. Turns out I had them routed under the load lifters instead of over, so the pack was pulling down instead of against my back. I fixed it on the spot and finished the day with zero pain. Has anyone else had a gear adjustment that felt like night and day?

Got snowed on for 3 days straight on the Salkantay trek

My group booked it in early May thinking we'd beat the rain, instead we got a whiteout at 4,600m near Abra Salkantay and had to bail to Santa Teresa a day early. Guide said it was the worst stretch he'd seen in 6 seasons, anyone else run into surprise snow on this route or should I just stop trusting May?

Hated the idea of paper maps, now I carry one on every trip

I spent 3 years swearing by GPS only, thought paper maps were for old timers who couldnt figure out tech. Then last October up in the Smokies my phone died at 2 PM and I had no backup, got turned around for 4 hours on the Ace Gap trail. A hiker from Alabama loaned me his folded map and showed me how to use a compass bearing, that got me out before dark. Now I bring a printed topo for every route over 8 miles, even if it just sits in my pack. Has anyone else switched back to paper after a close call, what map scale do you all prefer?

GPS said 14 miles, trail markers said 19, who do I trust?

Honestly, I was mapping a loop near Olympic National Park and my watch logged 14.2 miles but the sign at the trailhead said 19.3. Has anyone else had a huge mismatch like that, and which one do you plan around for a permit?

Spent $160 on a satellite messenger and it paid off on the JMT this summer

My group got separated by a fast-moving storm near Guitar Lake and the messenger let me coordinate with my buddy who had the tent poles, has anyone else had a similar rescue moment with one of these?

Finally finished the Lost Coast Trail, took me 3 tries

I've been trying to knock out the full 25 mile stretch since 2021, but the tide windows and weather kept messing with my plans. Last weekend it finally all came together, started at Mattole Beach and made it to Shelter Cove in 2 days. The black sand sections near Sea Lion Gulch were brutal on my ankles, but getting to see the elephant seals up close made it worth every ache. Has anyone else had to wait that long to complete a route they kept attempting?

A hiker in Colorado made me question my whole gear list

Last month I ran into a guy at a trailhead near Telluride who was carrying a 45 pound pack for a 12 mile loop. I asked why and he said he brings his cast iron skillet every trip because it cooks better and he likes the burn. At first I thought he was nuts, but then we talked for 20 minutes and he was the happiest backpacker I have ever met. Now I keep thinking about whether we all just pack for comfort or for fear. Has anyone else met someone whose setup makes zero sense but totally works for them?

Vent: took 6 hours to find a river crossing on the Kalalau trail

Got to the last big stream before the final beach stretch last month and the water was way higher than any guide said. Spent 6 hours scrambling up and down looking for a safe spot. Turns out the path was further inland behind some hau trees, but nobody marks it. Almost turned back. Has anyone else wasted a whole day on that crossing or did I just miss something obvious?

Got chased by a llama on the Collegiate Loop and it rerouted my whole style

I was solo hiking the west side near Mount Princeton last month and this llama, probably from a pack train, just locked eyes with me and started trotting over. I panicked, dropped my trekking pole, and beelined down a side drainage for like 15 minutes before I realized it wasn't even following me. Later at the trailhead, a guide told me llamas get defensive if you stare too long, and now I never stop for photos if livestock is within 50 feet. Anyone else had a close call with pack animals on a route that changed how you handle those sections?

My Katadyn filter gave out on day 4 of the JMT, and I'm done trusting the hype

I know everyone swears by these things, but mine clogged so bad near Red's Meadow last August that I was scooping water with my cookpot and praying. The说明书 said clean it every liter, I did that, still took 45 minutes to get 2 liters through. I had to hike 6 miles back to the store and drop $60 on a backup. Has anyone else had a filter just die mid-trip, or did I get a lemon?

Bought a fancy water filter for the JMT, then realized I left the cartridges at home

I spent $85 on a new gravity filter system for my John Muir Trail trip last August, but when I got to Bishop I found the cartridges sitting on my kitchen counter. My buddy let me borrow his squeeze filter, but the whole thing cost me an extra day of waiting around at the post office to get replacements mailed. Has anyone else ever bought gear they couldn't even use because of a simple packing mistake?

Navigation app vs paper map on a 40 mile stretch, which one actually kept me on trail?

Guthook said 14 miles, my legs said otherwise, finally learned to trust the map not the app

I was on the JMT last August near Rae Lakes and kept pushing to hit the mileage my app showed. Turned out the route had way more elevation gain than the profile let on, I was spent by 2pm. A ranger at the campsite told me she plans by contour lines and water sources, not app estimates. Switched to paper maps for planning after that, app only for real-time position. Anyone else ditch the digital tools after a rough day on trail?

Old-timer told me to skip the Half Dome cables, I wish I'd listened

Ran into a retired ranger at the Happy Isles trailhead back in June. He said to skip Half Dome and do Clouds Rest instead because the cables would be a zoo by 9am. I figured he was just gatekeeping the classic route, so I went for it anyway. Got to the subdome at 10:30 and it was a two hour wait in direct sun with people panicking above me. By the time I got down, I saw Clouds Rest from the valley and it looked totally empty. Has anyone else ignored local advice on a famous route and paid for it with crowds or worse?

Appreciation post: my broken trekking pole saved a 9 mile day in the Smokies

The lock on my right pole gave out halfway up Charlie's Bunion last Saturday, but I found that wrapping a $3 roll of duct tape around the joint held it steady enough to finish, so has anyone else had a gear failure turn into a surprisingly solid workaround?

The compass app fallacy on the Appalachian Trail in Maine

I keep seeing folks out here with their phones out trying to follow a GPS line through the boulders and blowdowns north of the 100-Mile Wilderness. Last October I watched a guy spend 20 minutes fighting a spotty signal near the Bigelow range while his buddy just read the paper map and walked right around the problem. The thing is, the trail itself is usually marked well enough, but the second you bushwhack for a water source or a campsite, the phone lies to you about your pace and direction. It might be fine on a sunny afternoon in Shenandoah, but in thick tree cover with a wet screen, it's worse than useless. I found my old Silva compass in a drawer last month and took it on a two-night loop, and I never once felt the panic that comes with a dead battery. Why are we treating a fragile tool as the only one that matters, when a 10 dollar compass and a folded map weigh less and work forever?

Spent $120 on a lightweight tent footprint - ended up using a $2 trash bag instead

I went out to the Sierra last fall and bought an official footprint for my tent. Thought it would save my floor from rocks and all that. First night out I forgot it at home, so I grabbed a heavy duty trash bag from the camp store. Honestly it worked just as well and weighed less. Has anyone else found that the cheap fix is better than the fancy gear?

That guy on the JMT last summer who told me I was hiking wrong because of my pack weight

Dude literally stopped me at Crabtree Meadow to give me unsolicited advice about my 38 lb pack while he was eating a freeze dried meal that probably cost $12, has anyone else had someone try to gatekeep their own hike like that?

Met a hiker on the Appalachian Trail who changed my gear mindset

I was taking a break at Overmountain Shelter in Tennessee last October when an older guy asked why I carried a 50 pound pack. He showed me his setup with a tarp and a foam pad, saying 'the trail teaches you what you really need.' Anyone else have a stranger's advice completely shift how you pack for a trip?

Tried the 'cowboy camp' method on the Lost Coast Trail last month

I skipped my tent and just slept under the stars with a bivy sack near Shelter Cove. Figured I’d save weight and setup time, which I did. But I didn’t account for the fog rolling in at 3am and soaking everything through my bag. Learned the hard way that even in summer, coastal humidity means you still need a shelter. Anyone else get wrecked by unexpected moisture on an open route?

Why does nobody talk about how the Appalachian Trail has gotten way busier since 2018?

I hiked the AT back in 2012 and it was quiet. Then I did a section in Virginia last June and it was packed, like waiting in line for shelters packed. The difference is crazy. I think the movie 'Wild' and social media blew it up after 2015. Trail registers had triple the entries I remember from before. Has anyone else noticed this on other long trails like the PCT or CDT?