c/backpacking-routes

Rant: My $120 GPS watch died on day two of the Wind River Range loop

Battery crapped out halfway up Texas Pass, leaving me with just a paper map. It was a total waste and almost got me turned around in the fog. Anyone have a reliable altimeter watch they actually trust for a full week out?

Finally pulled the trigger on the High Sierra Trail over the John Muir Trail section hike

I was stuck for weeks trying to pick between doing the full High Sierra Trail from Crescent Meadow to Whitney Portal or just a week on the JMT from Tuolumne Meadows south. The big thing was time. I only had 8 days free in July. The HST is about 72 miles, which felt tight but doable with some big days. The JMT section was maybe 50 miles and seemed easier. I went with the HST because I really wanted that classic east-west crossing. Man, it was tough. The climb up Kaweah Gap on day 3 wrecked me, but getting that first view of the Big Arroyo was insane. I summited Whitney on the last day totally spent, but it was worth every blister. Anyone else done the HST on a tight schedule? How did you pace it?

Ran into a guy on the trail in the Wind River Range who changed my route plan

He was coming down from Titcomb Basin and told me the snowfield on the pass was 'just a sketchy patch of ice, not a real problem.' I took his word for it and had to turn around halfway up. Anyone else gotten bad beta from a passing hiker?

I got stuck for hours trying to cross a washed-out creek near the North Cascades

Was on the Copper Ridge loop last week and a section of trail by Boundary Creek was totally gone from spring runoff. The map showed a simple crossing, but the actual spot was a 15-foot wide rush of fast, cold water over slick rocks. My group spent over two hours scouting up and down the bank, looking for any safe place to get across without getting soaked or worse. We finally found a shaky log jam about a quarter mile upstream, but balancing with full packs took another 30 minutes of very careful moves. That whole mess added nearly three hours to our day and we had to hike in the dark to reach camp. It really messed up our schedule and we were exhausted. Has anyone else hit that spot recently and found a better way?

I was sure the Wonderland Trail was too crowded to be worth it

I read a trip report from a guy who went in early October, and he said he only saw three other groups over the whole 93 miles (which is wild). The fall colors were amazing, and he said the permit situation was way easier. Now I'm looking at my calendar for next year. Has anyone else done it that late in the season and had a good time?

My uncle insisted we skip the switchbacks on the Timberline Trail loop

He said it would save us 45 minutes, but it was a steep, loose scramble that wrecked my knees. We ended up losing more time because I had to go so slow coming down. Anyone have a similar story about bad shortcut advice on a trail?

Just hit 500 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail section I'm doing and it made me rethink my whole plan.

I was dead set on doing the whole Washington section in one go, but hitting that 500 mark near Snoqualmie Pass last week showed me I was pushing way too hard. My feet were a mess and I was just grinding through the views without really seeing them. A guy I met at a campsite, who'd done the trail before, told me 'The miles don't matter if you're not having fun anymore.' So I'm getting off trail for a few days to rest. Has anyone else had to totally change their route because their body just said no?

Used to plan my Sierra trips with a paper map and a highlighter, now I'm glued to my phone checking AllTrails every five minutes. What happened to just walking?

Just got back from the Eagle Cap Wilderness and the trail damage is no joke

Hiked the Lakes Basin loop last week and the washout near Mirror Lake added like 3 extra miles of sketchy scrambling. The main trail is just gone for a good quarter mile. Has anyone else been up there recently and found a better way around?

Met a guy on the Lost Coast Trail who swore by hiking in jeans

Ran into him at the Mattole River camp last fall, and he was wearing full denim. He said he'd hiked the entire 25 mile stretch in them for over a decade, claiming they're tougher than any hiking pants. I argued that cotton is a terrible idea for coastal fog, but he just laughed and said his legs were fine. It stuck with me because everyone online says that's a huge mistake. Has anyone else met someone with a backpacking habit that goes totally against the common advice?

Got totally lost trying to find the old trailhead for the Lost Coast Trail, took me almost four hours to get back on track

A ranger in Yosemite told me the Mist Trail is 'a staircase, not a hike'

I was picking up my permit and overheard a park ranger describe the famous route that way to a group of new backpackers. It made me think about how we label trails and whether that sets the right expectations for difficulty. What's a route you've done that was totally misrepresented by its common name?

Just learned the real mileage for the Skyline to the Sea trail

I was planning a trip on the classic Skyline to the Sea route in California and always thought it was about 30 miles. I checked the official state park PDF last night and it's actually 29.5 miles if you take the official Berry Creek Falls route. That half mile might not sound like much, but it changes my whole food and water carry plan for the second day. I feel kinda silly for just assuming the round number all this time. Has anyone else had a route distance surprise them right before a trip?

Watch out for the 'shortcut' on the east side of Mount Hood's Timberline Trail

I was hiking the loop last fall and got caught in bad weather near Cloud Cap. My map showed a dotted line cutting straight down a steep slope to save about two miles. I took it and ended up in a mess of loose scree and downed trees that took me over an hour to navigate. The time I 'saved' was lost, and I nearly twisted an ankle. Has anyone else found that so-called shortcut to be more trouble than it's worth?

I finally listened to a ranger about the High Sierra Trail

A park ranger in Sequoia told me to carry a bear canister even for a quick overnight, saying 'the bears here are smarter than your average hiker.' I ignored it and hung my food, only to wake up to a ripped bag and a missing dinner near Bearpaw Meadow. How do you guys handle food storage on popular routes where the animals are really used to people?

Just looked at the official trail logs for the Wind River High Route and the numbers are way off

I was planning a trip for next summer and dug into the old Forest Service survey data from 2012. The common guidebook says the main off-trail section is about 35 miles, but the original surveyor's notes from the first mapping trip put it closer to 42 miles of actual cross-country travel. That's a big difference when you're planning food carries. Has anyone else run into this kind of mileage gap on other high routes?

A ranger in Yosemite changed my view on the John Muir Trail

I was picking up my permit at the Tuolumne Meadows station last August, set on doing the whole JMT southbound in 18 days. The ranger, an older guy named Mark, looked at my plan and just said 'You're gonna miss the point.' He explained that my schedule had me rushing past Cathedral Lakes at midday, which he called the best light on the whole route. I shifted my plan to add a zero day there, and he was right. Has anyone else had a ranger give them a route tip that totally flipped their hike?

That one day on the Colorado Trail where everything went perfect (and then totally didn't)

Last August, I had a 15 mile stretch planned from Tennessee Pass to a spot near Twin Lakes. The morning was amazing, you know, cool air, perfect trail conditions, and I made great time, covering the first 10 miles before noon. Then, about a mile past the High Point, a thunderstorm rolled in way faster than forecasted, turning the trail into a slick, muddy mess for the final push. It got me thinking, do you guys stick rigidly to your planned daily mileage no matter what, or do you think it's smarter to cut a day short when the weather turns like that? I'm still torn on what the right call was.

Pro tip: I read a trail guide that said the John Muir Trail actually has over 67,000 feet of total elevation gain.

Found that stat in a Sierra Club pamphlet at a ranger station, which made me rethink my training plan for next summer's attempt.

My buddy swore the High Sierra Trail was a beginner route

He told me it was a smooth, easy week with no real challenges. I got to the Bearpaw Meadow section and hit snowpack in late June, which he never mentioned. Ended up turning back near Hamilton Lakes because my gear was all wrong for those conditions. Has anyone else had a friend give them totally wrong trail advice?

I finally tried that 'shortcut' on the PCT near Snoqualmie Pass

I saw it on a map and thought I'd save an hour, but it was just a washed out game trail that dead-ended at a cliff. Had to backtrack over 3 miles of rough terrain in the dark, which totally wrecked my schedule for the next day. Has anyone else been burned by a bad map note on that section?

I thought the 'squirrel proof' food hang in Yosemite was a joke

My buddy insisted on using this crazy pulley system with a metal can lid above the bag on the bear line. I rolled my eyes, but after seeing a squirrel slide right off that lid three times at the Sunrise Lakes camp, I'm a believer. Anyone have other weird tricks that actually work against those little thieves?

I dropped $400 on a custom printed map for a 5 day trip in the Wind River Range. Some friends say it's a waste when apps exist, but having the whole route on one waterproof sheet saved me when my phone died. What's your take on paper maps vs digital?

My buddy's offhand comment about a 3-day loop in the Wind Rivers totally flipped how I plan trips now

My water filter gave out halfway through the Lost Coast Trail

The ceramic cartridge in my Sawyer Squeeze cracked on day three near Mattole Beach, probably from a bad drop onto river rocks. I had to boil all my water for the next two days, which really slowed down my pace and burned through my fuel. What's a more durable filter you'd trust for a rough week-long coastal hike?