c/backpacking-routes

22

wendy205•2d ago

My tent pole snapped in the Smokies, do you repair or carry spares?

So last weekend on the Appalachian Trail near Clingmans Dome, the middle section of my pole just gave out on me around mile 6. I had to rig it with duct tape and a stick for the last 3 miles to the campsite. It got me thinking, is it better to pack a repair kit with splints or just carry a spare pole section like some folks do? What do you all do when gear fails mid route, fix it quick or always have a backup on hand?

9

sageburns•3d ago

Just found a way to cut 3 miles off the PCT resupply in Oregon

North of Crater Lake the water sources are garbage. I kept carrying 6 liters because the guidebook said so. Then a trail angel told me to cache a gallon at the Highway 62 crossing. Saved my back for 45 miles of climbing. Anyone else do pre-caches on dry stretches like that?

3

laura940•4d ago

Thought water crossings were no big deal until Swiftwater Creek nearly swept me away

For years I'd just walk through rivers with my boots on like it was nothing. Then last July I tried to cross Swiftwater Creek on the Sierra High Route right after a rainstorm and got pinned against a boulder for 20 minutes before I could crawl out. Now I actually scout the bank for a better spot and unbuckle my hip belt before crossing. Anyone else have a close call that changed their whole approach to crossings?

-1

kai602•5d ago

Just realized how many people misread water sources on maps

I almost ran out of water on a 4 day loop in Desolation Wilderness last summer because I assumed a stream marked on my map would be flowing in August. It was bone dry by the time I got there, and I had to backtrack 3 miles to a lake I passed earlier. Since then I've been checking satellite imagery and reading trip reports from the same season, and it's saved me a ton of hassle. It's wild how many people I see posting about carrying 4 liters for a stretch that looked fine on paper but turned into a dry canyon. The Forest Service even has seasonal flow notes for some areas, but barely anyone uses them. Have you ever gotten burned by a dry creek or spring that was supposed to be reliable?

21

quinns20•6d ago

Found a shortcut on the High Divide Trail that shaved off 2 miles

I was hiking the Seven Lakes Basin loop in Olympic last August and noticed a faint use trail cutting between Hoh Lake and Heart Lake. Decided to follow it for a bit and it looped back to the main trail near the junction. Saved me about 2 miles of switchbacks. But now I'm wondering if that was an official route or just some scramble someone made. Has anyone else found random shortcuts on popular routes that actually worked out?

6

jamie_price•6d ago

My $180 sleeping pad gave me a bruised hip on day 3 of the Long Trail

I shelled out for a super lightweight inflatable pad thinking it would save my back on the Vermont section. By the third night I woke up every hour feeling the rocks right through it. Ended up cutting the trip short at the Inn at Long Trail and buying a foam pad from a gear shop in town for $30. Anyone else had a fancy piece of gear totally fail them on a long route?

6

finley_harris5•6d ago

Tahoe Rim Trail feels overhyped compared to the JMT

I just got back from a week on the Tahoe Rim Trail near South Lake Tahoe and honestly, I don't get the hype. Everyone talks about those clear lake views but 75% of the time I was hiking through dusty pine forests with barely a glimpse of the water. The trail is packed with mountain bikers too, which makes for some sketchy moments on narrow switchbacks. I did the 170-mile section over 6 days and the water sources were way more spread out than the guides said. Compared to the John Muir Trail, which I hiked last year, the TRT just lacks that variety in terrain and those big alpine passes. Am I missing something or did anyone else find it kind of flat and repetitive for long stretches?

22

anthony426•6d ago

Found out the PCT has a 60% dropout rate by mile 700

I was reading the Pacific Crest Trail Association's annual survey last week and it floored me. Turns out nearly 6 out of 10 hikers who start at the southern terminus don't make it past the Sierra Nevada. I always figured most people quit because of injury or money, but the data says a huge chunk just lose motivation after the first few hundred miles. I'm planning a 2026 thru-hike myself and now I'm rethinking my whole training and gear setup for that middle stretch. Has anyone else seen these stats and changed their route plans because of them?

4

jason328•8d ago

Got lost on the JMT because I didn't listen to a hiker named Joe

Last summer near Muir Trail Ranch, this older guy Joe warned me not to take the high route over Selden Pass if the creek was high. I figured he was just being cautious and went anyway. Ended up knee-deep in freezing water for an hour trying to find the crossing. Joe was right, and I should have just waited a day like he said. Anyone else ignore good advice on a popular trail and regret it?

26

paige_west•9d ago

I was dead set against using trekking poles on the Appalachian Trail until I hit that rocky section near Roan Mountain last month.

After my knees stopped screaming on the descent, I realized the guy at the outfitter in Damascus was right about taking 30% of the weight off my legs.

18

roses69•9d ago

Stopped using trekking poles on the JMT after nearly taking out a hiker coming down from Donohue Pass

Was bombing down a steep section near the top and swung my pole back without looking. Smacked this guy right in the shin. He wasn't even mad but I felt terrible. Realized I was relying on them too much for speed instead of just balance. Now I only pull them out for river crossings or long flats. Anybody else ditch poles on steep descents?

25

jason328•11d ago

I finally saw what the California fire closures did to the PCT resupply towns

Back in 2020 you could still get a ride and a hot meal at most stops, but by 2022 three towns I used to count on had zero services left, and I think the constant reroutes just killed the local incentive to keep hosting hikers.

22

margaret99•12d ago

My water filter failed on day 3 of the Rae Lakes Loop in Sequoia

I was halfway through a 5 day trip and my pump broke, leaving me to boil creek water for the rest of the week. Has anyone else had gear fail at the worst possible time on a remote route?

4

the_miles•13d ago

The day I stopped using trekking poles on river crossings after a close call in the Sierras

I was crossing Evolution Creek in Kings Canyon last summer, water was moving fast up to my thighs. Had both poles planted and one got wedged between rocks, almost pulled me face down into the current. That's when a ranger later told me poles give a false sense of stability on slick rocks and you're better off using a single sturdy stick or just taking them off your pack entirely. Anyone else had a sketchy crossing because of poles catching on something?

29

lindareed•14d ago

Pro tip: stop using trekking poles on rocky river crossings

Was on the Rae Lakes Loop last summer and watched three people eat it bad in the water because they kept their poles planted. The rocks shift and you go down fast. I always stow my poles and use my hands on exposed rocks now. How do you guys handle river crossings with a heavy pack?

16

harris.uma•14d ago

Took me 3 years to figure out I was carrying my pack completely wrong

I was on the Muir Trail last fall, about day 4, and my shoulders were killing me as usual. This older guy passes me on a switchback and casually asks if I know my hip belt is supposed to take most of the weight. I laughed it off at first because I thought I knew what I was doing. But then I watched him adjust his own straps and realized I had my hip belt sitting way too low, basically on my hips instead of around my waist. So I stopped and tried it his way, and it was like a totally different hike. All those years I thought back pain was just part of the deal, but I was just doing it wrong. Anyone else have that moment where a random stranger fixed your whole setup in 30 seconds?

20

theathomas•16d ago

Appreciation post: How the Sierras changed my whole view on hiking with other people

Last summer I did the Rae Lakes Loop in Kings Canyon solo and swore off group trips forever after dealing with slow hikers. Then 2 weeks ago I joined a buddy on a section of the PCT near Donner Pass and he showed me this trick for crossing snowfields that I'd never even thought of. Anyone else have their mind changed about hiking alone vs in a group after a specific trip?

16

kai602•17d ago

Bought an ultralight backpack off some random site... lost $120

Thought I scored a deal on a frameless pack from a brand I'd never heard of, but the seams ripped on day two of the JMT. Has anyone else had bad luck with those cheap online gear shops?

20

milac37•18d ago

Swapped the PCT for the Colorado Trail last minute

I was all set for the Pacific Crest Trail this summer but a ranger at REI talked me into the Colorado Trail instead after showing me the permit stats. Started in Denver 3 weeks ago and honestly the views have been way better than I expected, no regrets. Has anyone here done both and got a preference?

9

gonzalez.rowan•19d ago

Shoutout to that time I had to choose between a dry creek bed or a cow pasture in western Colorado

I was hiking the Plateau Valley loop near Grand Junction last fall and hit a fork where my map showed two equally gnarly options. One route went through this bone dry creek bed that looked like it'd be a scramble over loose rocks for like 2 miles. The other cut straight through a cow pasture that I could see from where I stood, and there were like 30 cows just staring at me. I figured rocks are safer than getting trampled or stepping in fresh cow pies so I picked the creek. Big mistake. After about 20 minutes of slipping on gravel and nearly twisting my ankle twice, I had to backtrack and commit to the pasture. The cows did not care one bit, they just watched me walk through like a total idiot making eye contact with a big bull. Anyone else ever pick the scenic route only to realize the boring option was way smarter?

13

torres.elizabeth•20d ago

My tent pole snapped in half on the Lost Coast trail last Saturday

I was 8 miles from the nearest trailhead when the aluminum just gave out during a gust, so I had to tie it together with paracord and a stick to get through the night, has anyone else had a pole break mid trip without a backup?

2

beth_ward80•21d ago

Found a hidden trail near Glacier that the guidebooks skip over

I hiked up to Grinnell Lake last month and stumbled onto a use path heading east along the ridge - no signs, no cairns, just wildflowers and a view of the whole valley. Has anyone else found an off-map route that was WAY better than the main trail?

22

kai_nguyen•24d ago

The PCT veteran who told me to skip the water filter tablets was totally right about Utah's desert springs

He said just grab a bandana and boil for 3 minutes instead of carrying a heavy filter, and after 200 miles in the Henry Mountains I never got sick once, anyone else ditch their gear based on local advice?

11

claire958•24d ago

Found a way to shave 3 miles off the Eagle Creek trail in Oregon using an old fire road

I was doing the full loop last month and got tired of the switchbacks near the waterfall section. Noticed a faint overgrown road on my GPS that wasn't on the main map. Followed it for about 20 minutes and it cut straight across to the back half of the trail. Saved me almost an hour. Anyone else ever find random shortcuts like this that actually work and aren't just a bushwhack?

23

rivera.jesse•24d ago

Saw a huge difference in trail erosion between 2017 and last month on the Howe Ridge loop in Montana

I hiked that loop back in 2017 and it was in decent shape. Came back last month and there are these deep gullies carved right through the trail in at least 4 spots. I think the big forest fire in 2018 killed a lot of the root systems that held the soil together. Now when it rains, the water just cuts straight through. Has anyone else noticed trails changing that fast after a fire?