c/backpacking-routes

Finally found a way to cut 3 miles off the Laurel Highlands Trail without breaking any rules

I was so sick of that long gravel road section near the Ohiopyle end. It's like 4 miles of nothing but crushed rock and heat. Last trip I spotted a blue blazed side trail on my Gaia app that I always ignored. Decided to follow it and it cut through the woods and popped out right at the parking lot. Saved me like 45 minutes of boring walking. Has anyone else found hidden shortcuts like that on this route or other trails?

Saw someone planning a Grand Canyon loop on Google Maps without checking elevation profiles

I was at a gear shop last weekend and overheard a guy telling his friend he mapped out a 45 mile loop on the South Rim using only Google Maps satellite view. No elevation data, no water source research, just eyeballing it. I wanted to say something but figured that's a lesson he's gonna learn the hard way. Has anyone else run into people who think mapping an app is the same as knowing the route?

Vent: Lost half my Sierra route to a creek that didn't exist on older maps

I planned a 6 day loop in the Emigrant Wilderness based on a 2012 USGS map I found online. Got out there last week and a major crossing was completely washed out, no sign of the trail on the other side. Had to backtrack 8 miles and reroute through mosquito hell near a meadow. I guess the 2023 floods really changed the drainage, but my map showed a solid blue line like it's been there forever. Anyone else run into old topo maps being completely wrong after heavy snow years?

Pro tip: A guy on the JMT told me my pack was way too heavy

Back in 2018 on the John Muir Trail, some older hiker pointed at my 45-pound pack and just laughed. Said I was carrying three times what I needed and offered to help me dump stuff. I ended up mailing home my stove, most of my clothes, and a heavy tent at the next resupply. Dropped to 28 pounds and honestly the whole trip got way more fun. Anyone else get called out by a stranger and actually listened?

Noticed more folks skipping the well-known AT sections for obscure state trails this summer

Last month I ran into three different groups on the Buckeye Trail in Ohio who said they deliberately avoided the Appalachian Trail crowds, has anyone else seen this shift toward lesser known routes?

A ranger in Glacier told me to ditch my filter and I wish I listened sooner

Last summer I was dead set on carrying my heavy pump filter for the whole John Muir Trail. A ranger at the backcountry office said just grab some Aquatabs and save the weight. I rolled my eyes but bought a small pack anyway. After 3 days my pump clogged with silt from a muddy creek near Evolution Valley. Used those tabs for the rest of the trip and honestly my water tasted fine. It saved like a pound in my pack. Has anyone else found a filter to be more hassle than it's worth on certain routes?

Got caught in a freak hailstorm on the Pacific Crest Trail near Crater Lake last August and now I'm torn between carrying a tarp vs. a full rain fly

TIL I was carrying my backpack way too heavy for 5 years

I always packed extra clothes and gear "just in case" for every trip, even day hikes. Last month on the Pacific Crest Trail near Snoqualmie Pass, a guy maybe 60 years old passed me carrying a pack half my size. He pointed at my bulging bag and just said "Your knees will thank you later if you drop 10 pounds." I took his advice, stripped down to the basics, and now I finish routes in half the time without feeling wrecked. Has anyone else had that moment where you realized you were overpacking by a ton?

Had to pick between the JMT and the Wonderland Trail for August

Was deciding between the John Muir Trail and the Wonderland Trail for a 10-day solo trip. Went with the JMT because of the longer distance and higher altitude. Anyone else make a similar call and regret it or feel good about it?

The Colorado Trail kicked my butt way harder than I expected

I hiked the Collegiate West loop last August, thinking I was pretty fit from doing day hikes all summer. But that 4,000 foot climb up to Cottonwood Pass in one day just humbled me completely. I was averaging barely 1 mile per hour by the afternoon, and my legs felt like lead. Turns out all those 5 mile day hikes didn't prepare me for carrying 35 pounds over 12,000 foot passes. Has anyone else found that altitude + a heavy pack is a completely different beast than regular hiking?

Tried the Pacific Crest Trail and the Appalachian Trail in the same year

The PCT kicked my butt way harder than the AT ever did. Anyone else find the desert stretches way more mentally draining than the green tunnel?

PSA: Don't trust the shortcut trail on Bald Mountain

Took what the map called a 'quick connector' between switchbacks near the summit last weekend. Ended up losing 3 hours bushwhacking through deadfall and poison oak. Anyone else find fake shortcuts that waste your whole day?

TIL that half the people on the PCT don't even carry a map anymore

I was at REI last week and overheard two guys planning a section hike on the John Muir Trail. One said he just uses his phone for navigation and doesn't bother with paper maps because they're heavy. I get that saving weight is important, but what happens when your battery dies on day 4 or you get into a dead zone? I've done 5 multi day trips in the Sierra and always carry a paper map as backup. Lost my phone in a creek near Tahoe last summer and would have been totally screwed without the map. Has anyone else run into issues relying only on digital navigation out there?

Tried the popular Lost Coast trail last month and my filter gave out on day two

Everyone raves about the Lost Coast being this amazing remote coastal hike, but my experience was a total mess. I was three miles past the Mattole Beach trailhead when my water filter just stopped working, wouldn't push water through at all. I ended up boiling creek water for the next two days using a metal cup, which took forever and tasted like ash. Has anyone else had a Katadyn BeFree fail on them in the middle of nowhere?

Finished the Maplewood Loop in Vermont last week and noticed something odd

I was hiking the Maplewood Loop up near Stowe, about 8 miles total. What caught my eye was how many trail markers were missing or faded, especially at the key turnoffs. I counted at least 3 spots where I had to pull out my phone to check the map. Has anyone else run into this on that trail recently?

Hiked the AT in trail runners last year, went back to boots this spring

I did 200 miles on the Appalachian Trail in 2023 using Altra Lone Peaks and my feet were wrecked after every single day - rocks, roots, ankle rolls. Switched back to my old Merrell Moabs this March for a section hike near the Smokies and suddenly I'm not limping into camp every night. Anyone else find that the whole barefoot hiking thing just doesn't work for rocky terrain?

Guy at a hostel in Peru told me my pack was 'too clean'

I was hiking the Santa Cruz trek and this crusty Australian dude points at my brand new Osprey and goes 'you look like you're going to the mall, mate.' So I threw it into a mud puddle for like 10 seconds. Now I always scuff up new gear before a trip. Anyone else do weird stuff like that just to fit in on the trail?

Wasted $80 on that fancy ultralight cook system. Should have just kept my old camp stove.

Saw a stat about the JMT that made me rethink everything

I was reading this survey from the PCTA last week, and it said 70% of people who hike the John Muir Trail go southbound. I always figured most folks went north from Whitney, but apparently the permit system and the altitude adjustment push people the other way. I hiked it northbound 3 years ago and nearly got wrecked by the elevation gain right out the gate. Has anyone else switched directions after seeing data like that, or am I the only one who stubbornly sticks with the popular route?

Switched from the AT to the PCT for my thru-hike after talking to three different hikers who all said the same thing

I originally planned the AT but changed to the PCT when every single person I met said the desert scenery and longer stretches of solitude were way more my speed, and after 800 miles I have to agree, has anyone else switched their dream trail mid-plan?

Hit 500 miles on the Continental Divide Trail this summer and it snuck up on me

I was hiking through some pretty open meadow in Colorado near the San Juans and I looked at my GPS out of habit. I saw 500.1 miles and I just stopped right there on the trail and sat down on a log. I remember starting out thinking I'd be lucky to make it 100 miles before my knees gave out or I just got sick of ramen every night. It hit me different than I expected because I wasn't even trying to hit a number I just wanted to see what was over the next ridge. Has anyone else had a milestone pop up out of nowhere like that and stop you in your tracks?

Heads up about the water crossing on the Rae Lakes Loop in Kings Canyon

I did the Rae Lakes Loop in Kings Canyon last month and nearly got swept off my feet at the crossing near Dollar Lake. The creek was running way higher than I expected for late July, probably from the snowmelt still coming down. There is no bridge there, just rocks you have to hop across, and one of them was completely underwater by the time I got there. I had to backtrack a quarter mile to find a wider spot to cross, and even then the water was up to my thighs. A guy I met on the trail said he saw a hiker slip and lose their whole pack there two days before. Has anyone else run into this on the south side of the loop this season?

Lost 3 hours on the Appalachian Trail near Harper's Ferry because I trusted AllTrails over my map

Everyone raves about AllTrails for navigation but it nearly got me stranded last fall. I was hiking the AT section north of Harper's Ferry and the app showed a blue blaze shortcut that was supposed to save 2 miles. Turns out that trail hasn't been maintained since 2018 and it just dead-ended into a steep ravine filled with poison ivy. I had to bushwhack back to the main trail and lost a solid 3 hours of daylight. My paper map from the ATC had the old route marked as abandoned but I figured the app would be more up to date. Lesson learned - now I check the comments section before trusting any GPS trail on that app. Anyone else had a similar experience trusting digital maps over paper ones?

Got caught in a freak storm on the Pacific Crest Trail near Crater Lake last July

Lost my trail marker ribbon in the downpour and ended up hiking 3 extra miles past the cutoff before I realized, anyone else ever miss a turn because of bad weather?

Lost my tent stakes in a creek in the Smokies and it made me rethink ultralight gear

I was on a 5 day trip through the Smokies last October and on day 3 I crossed a fast moving creek near Clingmans Dome. My whole stake bag slipped out of my pack pocket and sank in about 10 seconds. I ended up using rocks and sticks to hold down my tent that night and it was a real mess. Now I'm stuck deciding between carrying heavy aluminum stakes that won't float away or sticking with the lightweight ones that I can afford to lose. Losing the stakes also made me question if I'm too focused on shaving ounces when a storm could wreck my setup. Those cheap titanium stakes cost me $30 to replace and I still worry they'll vanish again. Has anyone else had a gear failure in a remote spot that made you change your whole packing philosophy?