💡Thought Shares

c/backpacking-routes

33

fiona_west21•10h ago

My worst trail day ever turned into something good

Last August I was hiking the Highline Trail in Glacier and about 6 miles in my water bladder sprung a leak inside my pack. Everything got soaked, including my map which turned into a soggy mess. I had to stop and dump out all my gear on a rocky slope just to figure out what was wet. A group of hikers from Missoula came by and one of them had an extra dry bag they gave me. I ended up hiking the rest of the day with them and they showed me a cutoff that shaved off 3 miles of switchbacks. The bladder failure was a total pain in the neck but meeting those folks made that day weirdly memorable. Has anyone else had a gear failure that ended up leading to a better experience on the trail?

20

miles_burns•3d ago

Just looked up how much elevation gain the Pacific Crest Trail actually has

I've been planning a PCT section hike for months and finally sat down to map it out in Caltopo. Turns out the full trail has around 300,000 feet of cumulative elevation gain. That's like climbing Mount Everest from sea level ten times. I found the number on the PCT Association's website buried in a PDF. Honestly it kind of made me reconsider whether I'm fit enough for more than a week out there. Has anyone else been surprised by a stat like that when planning a route?

4

jennifer833•5d ago

Found a hidden gem on the Appalachian Trail near Harper's Ferry

I did a 3-day stretch on the AT last month around Harper's Ferry, and I kept noticing these little side trails that weren't on my map. They looked like animal paths at first, but after following one for about 20 minutes, I found an old stone shelter nobody talks about. It had a logbook inside with entries going back to 1987, which was pretty wild to flip through. The main trail is so crowded these days (even on weekdays), but those unmarked routes felt like a secret escape. Has anyone else stumbled on cool spots off the beaten path around there?

22

simonp76•5d ago

Am I the only one who thinks the JMT is way overhyped for beginners?

I spent 10 days on the John Muir Trail last summer and the crowds at every camp spot drove me nuts. It took me 3 hours just to find a flat spot near Guitar Lake because of all the people. Has anyone else found a solid Sierra route that stays empty past August?

3

the_lee•6d ago

Switched from Guthook to FarOut after a bad day in the Sierra.

Used to swear by Guthook for years, but last summer my buddy and I missed a critical water source because his app glitched and showed the wrong spring location. Now I run FarOut and cross-reference with paper maps for every single stretch. Anyone else have an app fail them at a bad time?

17

sage308•21d ago

Got stuck overnight on the Highline Trail because I didn't check the water report

Spent 8 hours bushwhacking back to the trailhead after my dry creek crossing turned into a 3-mile detour. Anyone else ever get humbled by assuming a water source would be flowing?

11

the_elliot•21d ago

Warning: the PCT water report was 3 days stale and I nearly ran dry near Acton

I found out the hard way last week that the PCT water report I downloaded was from Tuesday and two key caches had already gone dry by Thursday, so has anyone else gotten burned trusting timestamps on those community water updates?

5

spencer981•22d ago

Realized my pack was killing me halfway up Half Dome last July

I was 3 miles into the Mist Trail when my shoulders were screaming and I couldn't figure out why. Turns out I had my hip belt adjusted way too low, so my pack weight was all on my spine instead of my hips. Anyone else spent half a trip with bad adjustment before you figured it out?

6

the_thea•24d ago

Hiked the Laurel Highlands Trail last month and my boots fell apart at mile 38

I was 6 miles from the finish at Ohiopyle when the sole on my right boot just peeled off. Not a slow tear, it flopped like a fish. I had an emergency roll of duct tape in my pack, wrapped it around three times. Finished the last stretch feeling like I was walking on a loose tire. Those boots were 2 years old, maybe 300 miles on them. I expected better. Now I'm shopping for something with a stitched sole, not just glued. Anyone else have a pair fail on them like that mid-route?

1

lewis.finley•25d ago

Just realized I was packing my backpack wrong for 3 years

Kept getting crazy lower back pain on hikes. Drove me nuts. Saw a video of a guide repacking someone's bag at Glacier National Park. He moved the heavy stuff way up high, right between my shoulder blades. I always shoved my tent and stove down at the bottom. Anyone else have that aha moment with their pack setup?

29

max_torres44•25d ago

Lost my tent stakes in the middle of nowhere and used rocks instead

I was hiking the Lost Coast Trail in California last month and my bag of tent stakes fell out somewhere on the beach. Ended up using big rocks and driftwood to hold down my tent through a windy night, and honestly it held up better than my old stakes ever did. Has anyone else had to MacGyver their camp setup with whatever was lying around?

5

avery_ross•28d ago

Lost 4 hours trying to find water on the JMT last August

Got to a creek crossing that was marked on my map but it was completely dry, and the next water source was supposedly 7 miles ahead. Had to backtrack 2 miles and bushwhack off trail to find a seep that barely trickled. How do you guys actually confirm water sources are flowing before you head out on a long stretch?

3

susanb34•29d ago

My old method of planning backpacking trips was a mess until last summer

I used to just pick a trail on AllTrails and hope for the best, but after a miserable 3-day trip in the Sierras where I ran out of water 10 miles from the next source, I switched to plotting every camp and water point on CalTopo first. Now I spend 2 hours minimum mapping before I even buy food. Anyone else rework their whole planning process after one bad trip?

25

piper_kim•1mo ago

Spent $200 on a GPS watch for backpacking and it barely lasted two seasons

I picked up a mid-range GPS watch two years ago thinking it would save me on long trips in the Cascades. The battery life was great at first, but after about 15 trips the screen started flickering in rain. Now it won't hold a charge past 4 hours, which is useless for anything beyond a day hike. The repair shop quoted me $150 to fix it, almost what I paid. Anyone else have luck with cheaper options like a basic compass and a paper map instead of these pricey gadgets?

8

milarodriguez•1mo ago

Ditched my fancy tent for a tarp shelter after 3 rainy nights in the Sierras

I was dead set on using my $400 ultralight tent for years, thought it was the only way to go. Then I got stuck in a 3-day downpour on the Rae Lakes Loop and spent hours fighting with wet condensation inside it. A guy camped next to me showed me his simple tarp setup, no condensation at all, and he was bone dry. I tried a cheap 8x10 tarp last weekend on a quick trip near Shasta and I'm really impressed. Has anyone else made the switch away from tents and found it works better for them?

26

williams.sage•1mo ago

Chatted with a PCT thru-hiker at a diner and he wrecked my whole plan

He said my 45L pack is overkill for a 3 day trip and I've been overpacking for years. Has anyone else had a stranger totally change how you pack gear?

24

the_elliot•1mo ago

That trail in the Smokies I hiked 15 years ago is barely recognizable now

I went back to the Laurel Falls area last month for the first time since 2009. The old gravel path I remember is now paved almost the whole way, with railings and signs every few feet. I get it, too many people were getting hurt and eroding the hillside, but it felt like walking through a park instead of a real trail. My boots made this weird hollow sound on the pavement the whole time. I was hoping to find that quiet spot by the creek where I used to filter water, but it's all roped off with a "stay on trail" sign. I guess I learned that sometimes the best routes are the ones nobody maintains anymore. Has anyone else gone back to an old favorite and found it completely different?

13

phoenixw11•1mo ago

Took me 6 miles to realize my map was upside down

Was hiking the Timberline Trail around Mount Hood and kept wondering why the landmarks didn't match. Pulled out my phone after 2 hours of frustration and realized I'd been reading the paper map wrong the whole time. Anyone else ever make that dumb mistake on a route?

29

wyatt_mitchell26•1mo ago

Hit 50 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail segment near Tahoe and felt like I was cheating

I did a 50 mile section of the PCT around Desolation Wilderness last month and it felt too easy compared to what people talk about online. Everyone says the Sierra is brutal, but I cruised through with just 30 pounds on my back and never hit a real wall. Did anyone else have a milestone that felt way easier than the stories made it seem?

22

ellis.faith•1mo ago

Finally ticked off the last 12 miles of the John Muir Trail switchbacks after 3 tries over two years.

Turns out everyone I saw posting about it was skipping the Whitney Portal water cache resupply and then wondering why they bonked a day later, so has anyone else noticed how often people just overlook that one stop?

19

skyler_jackson27•1mo ago

That $180 GPS watch I bought was a complete waste on the Appalachian Trail

I dropped $180 on a fancy GPS watch before my thru-hike of the AT last summer, thinking it would save me from getting lost. Turns out, the battery died after 8 hours every single day, so by 3 PM I was just carrying a useless brick on my wrist. I ended up relying on my phone (which I kept charged with a power bank) and paper maps from a ranger station near Harpers Ferry. The watch couldn't even handle dense tree cover for accurate tracking, which is half the reason I bought it. Anyone else have a pricey gadget that flopped on a long route?

20

nancyj11•1mo ago

Rolling my pack instead of stuffing changed how I hike the Sierra

I used to just cram everything into my Osprey for years. Then a ranger at the Rae Lakes trailhead said I was wasting space and showed me how to roll each item tight. Switched to that method and gained at least 5 liters of room for my gear. Anybody else get a piece of advice that completely changed their packing system?

18

karen361•1mo ago

A ranger's comment on the Wonderland Trail made me pack differently

At Longmire last summer, a park ranger looked at my pack and said, 'You're carrying your fears, not your needs.' He pointed out I had three separate rain covers but was skimping on socks. I dropped the extra covers and added two more wool pairs. Has anyone else gotten a piece of advice that really simplified their gear list for a specific route?

24

luna_wright•1mo ago

Appreciation post: A wrong turn in the Wind River Range taught me to trust my map over my gut

I was on the Cirque of the Towers loop last fall and took a fork that looked right but wasn't. My phone was dead, but my old paper map showed I was heading toward a dead end. I backtracked a full mile and got back on track before dark. Anyone else have a moment where the old school gear saved the trip?

28

the_harper•1mo ago

Overheard a guy at the trailhead planning a 50-mile day hike

I was at the Mount Hood Wilderness permit office last week and this guy was telling his buddy he was going to do the Timberline Trail loop in a single day. That's over 40 miles with serious elevation. He had a tiny daypack and one water bottle. The ranger just looked at him and said, 'You know that's a 3 to 4 day trip for most, right?' The guy just shrugged and said he'd 'jog the flat parts.' It made me think about how people can totally misjudge a route's difficulty just by looking at a map. Have you ever seen someone attempt something on a trail that was just clearly a bad idea from the start?