c/backpacking-routes

24

sean_park8•14h ago

Ran into an old thru-hiker who made me rethink my whole packing list

I was grabbing coffee at the diner near the trailhead in Bishop last Saturday. This grizzled guy saw my 65-liter pack and just laughed, said he did the whole PCT with a 35-liter and a trash compactor bag. It hit different because he wasn't bragging, he just talked about how much more he saw when he wasn't constantly stopping to adjust weight. Made me wonder if I'm overpacking for my next route, has anyone else downsized and regretted or loved it?

19

the_ben•23h ago

Pro tip: Skip the switchbacks on Iceberg Lake trail in July

Everyone says to stick to the main route over Ptarmigan Pass, but I cut through the old avalanche chute on the north face last season and saved about 2 miles. The scramble was loose rock but doable with trekking poles and no snow. Has anyone else tried that side route or is it just me who thinks the main trail is overrated?

29

abbyc33•2d ago

That guy on the JMT who called me out for my bear can technique

I was on the John Muir Trail near Muir Trail Ranch last summer, and this older hiker named Dave watched me struggle to open my BearVault for like 5 minutes on a hot afternoon. He just said "you know those things open easier if you don't crank it down so hard, right?" and showed me this trick where you tap the lid on a rock first. I felt pretty dumb but it saved me so much frustration the rest of the trip. Has anyone else gotten a random gear tip from a stranger on trail?

1

cole_robinson•2d ago

I used to think everyone was crazy for doing the Superior Hiking Trail in winter

I always figured winter backpacking was for masochists who hate warm toes. Then a buddy dragged me out on the SHT last February for a 3 day stretch near Silver Bay. Temps dropped to -5 one night. I was ready to hate it. But the lack of bugs, the quiet, and the way the snow reflects moonlight so you barely need a headlamp... I get it now. Has anyone else had their mind changed by a route they wrote off for a specific season?

0

phoenix_campbell88•2d ago

I was wrong about hiking poles for backpacking

For years I thought hiking poles were just extra weight and clutter. I figured if you needed help walking, you should just train harder. On a trip through the Smokies last October, my knee gave out on a steep downhill section and I had to crawl half a mile to camp. A guy I met let me borrow his poles for the next day and the difference was night and day. Has anyone else had a stubborn opinion about gear that got proven wrong on the trail?

19

cole_robinson•2d ago

Took an alternate route over Muir Pass last summer and it wrecked my timeline

I decided to skip the standard JMT path and tried the Bishop Pass detour to get over Muir. Ended up adding 3 extra miles of talus hopping that just killed my knees by day two. I learned that sometimes the popular route is popular for a reason, especially when you're carrying a 40-pound pack. Anyone else ever take a shortcut that backfired like this?

2

christopher_flores46•3d ago

Got talked into trying a ultralight tarp shelter and it nearly ruined my trip

Last month I did a 3-day loop on the Ozark Trail and decided to leave my trusty tent at home. A guy at the gear shop swore a flat tarp would save me a pound and a half. First night it poured rain and I spent 2 hours trying to get a decent pitch before everything got soaked through my sleeping bag. I ended up huddling under a picnic table at a campsite until sunrise. Has anyone else tried those flat tarps and actually made them work in bad weather?

17

riverhill•3d ago

Friend told me to ditch the paper map and go all digital for a PCT section hike

He swore Gaia GPS would never fail, but my phone died on day 3 near Kennedy Meadows and I was totally screwed. Has anyone else had a paper map save them when tech let them down?

4

kevin_schmidt97•4d ago

Got caught in a freak hailstorm on the Highline Trail last July

I was about 8 miles from the Cooke City trailhead when the sky turned green and pea sized ice started pounding us, so I ditched my trekking poles and got everyone into a stand of thick pines until it passed. Ended up hiking the last 6 miles in wet clothes with a twisted ankle from stepping in a marmot hole, has anyone else dealt with sudden weather shifts on exposed stretches?

9

nathan545•5d ago

Showerthought: That guy who insisted on carrying a 70 liter pack for a 3 day trip

I met a guy on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia last fall who swore his massive 70 liter pack was better because he could bring cast iron cookware. He spent the first day asking everyone to wait while he repacked, then quit at mile 8 because his shoulders gave out. Has anyone else run into people who bring way more gear than needed and end up regretting it?

8

tyler176•8d ago

Tried pushing through a storm on the Appalachian Trail and it cost me a night

I was about 8 miles south of Harpers Ferry last month when the sky just opened up. Thought I could keep going since I only had 4 miles to the shelter, but the trail turned into a creek and I couldn't see the blazes anymore. Ended up hunkering under a rock overhang for 3 hours until a ridge runner came by and pointed me to a road half a mile east. Hitched into town soaked and paid $60 for a motel room. Anyone else misjudged a weather window and had to bail?

-1

miller.avery•10d ago

A thru-hiker in the Smokies changed my mind about water filters

I was dead set on using iodine tablets for years because they are light and cheap. Then on the AT near Clingmans Dome, a guy named Jim showed me his clogged filter and explained how giardia almost took him off trail for two weeks. He told me he spent $60 on a new Sawyer and it saved his trip. Now I bring a filter every time. Has anyone else had a similar wake-up call about gear they used to swear by?

14

felix155•11d ago

Had a ranger in Yosemite set me straight on trail markers

I was hiking the Pohono Trail last week and stopped to chat with a ranger near the Taft Point junction. He said over 30 people a year get turned around on that stretch because they rely on phone maps instead of the actual carsonite posts. He showed me how the markers are spaced exactly 500 feet apart on that route, and how the old blazed trees are still the most reliable markers when the fog rolls in. It hit me hard because I've been guilty of just following my GPS without paying attention to the physical trail signs. Has anyone else had a ranger or veteran hiker point out a simple thing that made you rethink your whole approach to navigation?

9

mia_singh24•11d ago

Caught myself cutting switchbacks on a trail in Colorado last week and felt like such a jerk

I noticed like 4 different groups ahead of me taking obvious shortcuts that are ruining the trail edges, so why do people keep doing it when it literally causes erosion and makes the route worse for everyone else, has anyone else called out a hiker for this without starting a fight?

8

elliot_miller22•12d ago

The CDT in Colorado turned into a total zoo in just 5 years

I re-hiked a 50 mile section near Silverton that I did back in 2019 and the difference was insane. Trail was twice as wide, campsites were trashed, and I saw 30+ people a day compared to maybe 5 last time. Anyone else notice popular stretches getting hammered that fast?

-1

morgan316•12d ago

GPS tracks showing the trail on the wrong side of a river - seen it 3 times this month on AllTrails

How are people putting these routes up when the track clearly cuts across a bend in the creek without a bridge or ford, has anyone else noticed this messing up their trip planning?

25

tara700•14d ago

Quick trick for crossing creeks on the AT in Maine

I was hiking the 100 Mile Wilderness last September and kept having to ford these sketchy streams. Found out if you grab a sturdy stick about 5 feet long and use it as a third leg, you stay way more stable on slick rocks. Saved me from taking a dip in the West Branch of the Pleasant River near the White Cap trailhead. Anyone else use a hiking pole or stick for creek crossings up there?

27

patricia_wells•14d ago

The time I found a shortcut avoiding that switchback hell on the JMT

Last summer I was dreading that endless uphill near Muir Trail Ranch until a ranger told me about the old cattle trail that cuts off a solid 2 miles and 800 feet of climbing. Has anyone else stumbled on forgotten use trails that actually work better than the official route?

3

roberts.jordan•14d ago

Hit 100 miles on the Appalachian Trail in 6 days and my knees nearly quit

I was so focused on making good time I ignored the pain until mile 80, now I'm sidelined with tendonitis for two weeks. My advice is take zero days from the start even if you feel fine, they matter more than miles. Anyone else push too hard early and regret it?

10

knight.diana•15d ago

Overheard someone say the JMT is overrated and it got me thinking

I was grabbing coffee last Tuesday and this guy at the next table told his friend the John Muir Trail is too crowded and not worth the permit hassle. He said he did it in 2019 and saw like 50 people a day on some sections. I get that crowds can suck, but does anyone else think that's kind of missing the point of a classic route like that? Has anyone tried a less popular segment of the Sierra instead of the whole thing?

21

the_fiona•16d ago

Switched from paper maps to digital for my John Muir Trail hike this summer

Honestly, I used to be the guy with the laminated topo map and compass, spending 20 minutes each night figuring out the next days route. This year I finally caved and used Gaia GPS on my phone with a battery pack. The difference was wild, I spent way less time worrying about getting lost and more time just walking. The change happened when my old map got soaked on the second day of a Sierra trip last year. Anyone else make the switch recently and find it messes with your sense of direction?

13

henrygrant•18d ago

Just hiked the JMT in 2021 and again this summer. The difference in trail conditions is scary.

Sawers Creek crossing went from knee-high to waist-deep in just two years. Snowpack melt timing is shifting a full week earlier now. Anyone else noticing creek crossings getting sketchier?

10

christopher_flores46•18d ago

Got wrecked by a sudden hailstorm on the Lost Coast Trail last summer

I was 8 miles in near Shelter Cove when the sky just went dark and pea-sized ice started hammering down out of nowhere. Had to ditch my trekking poles and curl up under a tarp for 45 minutes while my pack took a beating. Anyone else ever get caught in a random microstorm that made you rethink your gear choices?

17

dakota_singh39•19d ago

Pro tip: that 'shortcut' trail on AllTrails near Willow Creek is a trap

I learned this the hard way last Saturday. Saw a user marked shortcut on AllTrails that claimed to save 2 miles off the main Willow Creek loop. Thought I'd try it since I was running late. Turned out it was a steep, overgrown deer path with loose rocks and no clear markers. I slipped twice, lost my water bottle down a ravine, and took an extra hour to bushwhack back to the main trail. The shortcut added 3 extra miles of misery. Now I always double check those user routes against satellite images. Anyone else get burned by a bad AllTrails shortcut?

12

alice242•19d ago

That 3,000 mile figure for the PCT keeps getting quoted wrong

I was looking at the official Pacific Crest Trail Association data last night and they list it at 2,650 miles. Not 3,000. Every forum post and influencer keeps rounding up and it bugs me because that extra 350 miles changes how people plan resupplies and permits. Has anyone else actually checked the mileage numbers from the source instead of just repeating what they heard?