c/backpacking-routes

Saw a guy at the trailhead with a 70 liter pack for an overnight in the Smokies

He was struggling to get it on and mentioned he brought a full camp chair and a big lantern. It made me wonder if we overpack because we see other people doing it. How do you decide what's actually needed for a short trip?

Serious question, is the Colorado Trail really better than the John Muir Trail?

I did the JMT in 2021 and the CT last summer, and the difference is huge. The JMT felt like a 220-mile conga line of people, with permit stress and crowded campsites every night. The Colorado Trail, at 486 miles, gave me more solitude after the first 100 miles than the entire JMT. The resupply towns are easier to reach, and the high desert sections near Durango are a nice change from constant granite. Has anyone else felt the JMT is just overhyped now?

PSA: That $120 GPS unit was a total lifesaver on the Lost Coast Trail

I almost didn't get it, thinking my phone would be fine... but the fog rolled in thick north of Shelter Cove and my phone lost signal. The dedicated GPS kept a lock the whole time and showed the exact tide cut-off points. Without it, I would have been stuck waiting for hours or tried a risky crossing. It felt like a lot for one piece of gear, but it turned a potential mess into a smooth trip. Anyone have other routes where a specific tool made all the difference?

A single day on the Wonderland Trail turned into a real test

Last August, my buddy Mark and I hit the Spray Park section heading to Mowich Lake. We planned a 12-mile day, but a washed-out bridge near Cataract Creek added 4 extra miles of rough detour in pouring rain. That detour felt endless, but the next morning we woke up to clear skies and a perfect view of Rainier from Ipsut Creek. Has anyone else had a day on a long trail that went from awful to amazing so fast?

PSA: The trailhead for the Lost Coast in California moved a few months ago

I got there in May and the old parking lot is closed for good. You now have to park at the new Mattole Beach lot, which adds about a mile of road walking to the start. Has anyone else done the route since the change and found a better way to handle it?

PSA: My first solo overnight in the Wind River Range went from scary to awesome in 24 hours

I did the Cirque of the Towers loop last week and was totally overwhelmed the first afternoon. The altitude hit me hard and I was moving slow. I set up camp early, ate some food, and just rested. Woke up the next day feeling way better, packed up, and finished the last 8 miles strong. The difference a good night's sleep and some calories made was huge. Anyone have tips for adjusting to high elevation faster on a short trip?

Tried a different route in the Smokies last fall and it changed my whole trip

I've always done the same 20 mile loop from Newfound Gap, but last October I tried a new route starting from Big Creek. The old loop was crowded and mostly ridge walking, but the new one had way more water features and solitude. We saw maybe five other people in three days, and the campsites by the creeks were perfect. What's a trail you switched up that ended up being a lot better?

PSA: My map reading fail on the Lost Coast Trail took 3 hours to fix

I mean, I got turned around looking for a creek crossing and ended up bushwhacking through a whole patch of poison oak, idk maybe it's just me but has anyone else had a simple navigation thing blow up like that?

Shoutout to the ranger in the Sierra who pointed out my map mistake

I was planning a 4-day loop out of Bishop and kept seeing people online mark the same creek crossing as 'easy', but the ranger showed me on his paper map that the main trail actually swings a full mile north of it. He said that shortcut washes out every spring and people get stuck, which explains the rescue calls he gets around June. Has anyone else found a big difference between the online GPS tracks and the actual maintained trail on the ground?

My trail buddy in Colorado called the John Muir Trail 'a crowded highway' and it stuck with me

We were planning a 5-day loop near Telluride and he said he'd never do the JMT again because you see more people than wildlife after 10am. It made me drop it from my list and look for quieter routes. What's a famous trail you think is overrated now?

Heads up about the water crossing on the east fork of the San Gabriel River

The main logjam bridge is completely gone after the spring melt, and the current is way stronger than it looks. Anyone found a safe detour or know if the ranger station has an update?

I always thought the Sawtooths were overrated until I saw the view from Alpine Lake last month.

Took me three hours to find the right river crossing on the Eagle Cap loop

I was following the GPS track from a trip report, but the usual logjam was gone after spring floods. Ended up bushwhacking almost a mile upstream before I found a safe spot to wade. How do you guys handle it when a route's key landmark is just gone?

My $50 'shortcut' map app got me totally lost in the White Mountains

I bought a fancy hiking app that promised offline trail maps, but it crashed and deleted my route halfway through a three-day loop. I ended up wasting a whole afternoon backtracking and had to cut the trip short. Has anyone found a truly reliable offline map app that doesn't cost a fortune?

I hit 100 nights on the trail last year and it changed my view on gear

Everyone talks about ultralight gear, but after sleeping in a tent for 100 nights across the Sierra and the Rockies, I'm convinced durability matters more. My 3-pound tent had a pole snap in a windstorm near Twin Lakes, while my older, heavier 5-pound shelter from years ago never failed. I'd rather carry a few extra ounces than wake up in a puddle. What's the most reliable piece of gear you've ever carried?

My buddy told me to skip the official PCT entry at Harts Pass and I'm glad I listened

A friend who hiked the Pacific Crest Trail a few years back told me to avoid the official northern terminus entry at Harts Pass in Washington. He said the permit system was a mess and the crowds in late June were awful. Instead, he suggested starting at Rainy Pass and doing a 30 mile out-and-back to the border monument, then heading south. I was worried about missing the official start, but I tried his way last summer. It was perfect. I got my border photo with only two other people there, and the hike back to Rainy Pass was quiet and beautiful. The official entry point had a line of about fifteen hitters when I passed it later. Has anyone else found a better alternate start for a big trail like this?

That one day on the Wonderland Trail where everything went wrong... and then right

We got turned around in a whiteout near Panhandle Gap, soaked and cold, only to stumble into a perfect, empty campsite at Golden Lakes. Has a single bad weather call ever led you to a better spot than you planned?

Rant: I finally got my pack weight under 25 pounds for a 3-day trip after six months of swapping gear.

Switching from a bulky 5-pound tent to a 2-pound trekking pole shelter and a heavy cotton sleeping bag to a 30-degree down quilt made all the difference for my knees on the High Sierra Trail last month... what's the one piece of gear you swapped that dropped the most weight for you?

Hit 500 miles on my boots and they're still going strong

I bought these Salomon Quest 4Ds for a John Muir Trail thru-hike attempt last year, and after finishing that plus a bunch of weekend trips, my tracking app just hit the 500-mile mark. I'm genuinely shocked because I was sure I'd need new boots after the JMT. Has anyone else gotten way more mileage out of a pair than they expected, and what's your secret to making them last?

The day I got lost in the White Mountains and it was the best thing ever

I was trying to follow the Appalachian Trail near Franconia Ridge and took a wrong turn, ending up on some unmarked game trails for about three hours. Instead of a crowded path, I found this quiet little pond with a perfect view of the cliffs, and I had the whole place to myself. Has anyone else had a wrong turn lead to a better spot than the main route?

That time a washed-out bridge turned a 3-day loop into a 5-day epic

We were on the second day of the Skyline Trail in Jasper, and the main bridge over the Maligne River was completely gone from spring runoff. The only detour added 22 miles and forced us to ration our food for two extra days. What's the biggest route change you've ever had to make on the fly?

My uncle told me to skip the switchbacks on a trail in the Sierras to save time

He said it was a local shortcut, but it just led to a steep, loose scree slope that was super sketchy. I ended up wasting more time and energy backtracking than if I'd just stayed on the main trail. Anyone else been given 'shortcut' advice that backfired?

Pro tip: Check the actual water crossings on the Eagle Rock Loop in Arkansas before you go

I just got back from a 3 day trip there and the park service website said 'minor stream crossings'. I found out from a ranger at the visitor center that the Little Missouri River section had risen over 2 feet from rain the week before. We had to reroute 4 miles because the current was too strong to cross safely. Anyone else run into bad info on official trail sites lately?

Got caught in a freak snowstorm on the Timberline Trail loop in late June.

We had to hunker down near Cloud Cap for two days with only summer gear, which really made me miss the old paper maps and guidebooks that warned about stuff like this. Anyone else have a trip where the weather just flipped on you like that?

The trail to Lake Serene in Washington got a whole new feel after the reroute

I hiked it back in 2021 when the final mile was just a steep, eroded scramble over slick roots (it was kind of a mess, honestly). Went back this past weekend and the Forest Service finished a full reroute, adding switchbacks and proper gravel fill over a two-year project. The climb is way more gradual now, and you don't feel like you're fighting the mountain the whole way. Anyone else notice how much a good trail crew can change your whole experience on a familiar route?