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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?
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keithwalker11d ago
That description of the Mist Trail is spot on. I remember counting over 600 granite steps on that one brutal section. Calling it a "trail" makes people think it's a walk, not a climb. The worst for me was a path called "Lakeside Loop" back east. The name sounds flat and easy, but it had a relentless 1500 foot climb right at the start. Names like that set people up for a rough day.
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