c/backpacking-routes

TIL a perfect week on the Appalachian Trail can turn into a nightmare in 10 minutes

Should I trust the guidebook or the local hiker? A divide in the White Mountains

I was hiking the Presidential Traverse in New Hampshire last fall and a guy at the trailhead told me to skip the Mount Eisenhower summit loop because the alpine zone was getting dangerous with wind gusts over 50 mph. He said to take the Valley Way instead. But my AMC guidebook said the loop was the only way to see the best views. I went with the book and ended up crawling over wet rock slabs for two hours in whiteout conditions. Got back fine but my friend twisted her ankle and we missed the sunset. Did I make the wrong call? Has anyone else had a local's advice beat the published route?

Took a gamble on a new trail near Mt. Hood and it totally paid off

I've been hiking the same three routes around Portland for like two years now. Last Saturday I decided to try this unmarked path I spotted on someone's old GPS track near the Lost Creek area. Turned out it connected to a hidden ridge with views of the whole valley, no other people for miles. The catch was the last mile had some pretty loose scree that made me nervous with my daypack. I learned that sometimes the best routes are the ones nobody talks about online yet. Has anyone else found a solid trail by just following random GPS files?

Tried the PCT water cache method on the AT and got giardia anyway

Followed every guide about filling up at shelters and filtering from streams, but still spent 3 days puking near Harper's Ferry. Filter clogged on day 2 and I got lazy - learned you can't skip boiling even with a good filter.

That 50 mile mark I hit last weekend changed my whole route planning

I've always planned trips based on how many miles I could cover in a day, aiming for 15-20. But last weekend I did a 50 mile stretch in 3 days and realized my daily pace was way off. Turns out I was burning out by day 2 because I wasn't factoring in elevation gain correctly. Now I'm looking at contour lines on maps way more than distance numbers. Has anyone else found that switching to climb-focused planning made a big difference?

Stop taking brand new sleeping bags on weeklong trips

I watched a guy on the Pacific Crest Trail near Crater Lake last August unbox a brand new down bag on day one. By day three it was soaked from condensation and he had to bail at the next town. I always sleep with my bag inside my pack for at least two nights at home first to let it loft and show any waterproofing issues. Why risk a ruined trip when you can test it on your own floor for zero cost? Has anyone else seen a new piece of gear fail in the first week out there?

My favorite sleeping pad sprang a leak on day 2 of a 7 day trip in Glacier

Honestly, I was on the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park last August and my Therm-a-Rest NeoAir just gave out. I woke up on the second night feeling rocks poking through, and by morning I was basically sleeping on dirt. I tried patching it with the repair kit I had, but the leak was along a seam and the glue just wouldn't hold. Ended up stuffing my clothes under the pad to get some cushion, but it was a rough few nights. Tbh I think the cold ground messed with my sleep more than I expected, and I was dragging the rest of the hike. Has anyone else dealt with a pad failure mid-trip and found a better fix than just suffering through it?

Just found out the Appalachian Trail only has like 20% of it actually on public land

I was reading this article from the ATC last week while planning my section hike for June. Turns out most of the trail runs through private property and the National Park Service just has easements or agreements with landowners. One bad lawsuit or angry property owner could theoretically shut down a whole section. Kinda blew my mind because I always thought it was all national park land. Has anyone else run into trail closures because of this?

Just realized the PCT is actually longer than the AT by about 500 miles...

I was looking at the Pacific Crest Trail Association stats last night and saw the PCT is 2,650 miles while the AT is only 2,190 miles. Always thought the AT was the long one since it's older and more famous back east. Has anyone else been surprised by a trail length stat like that?

Noticed the old fire towers along the AT are starting to disappear

I was hiking a section in Virginia last fall and realized three towers I remembered from ten years ago are just gone now. They used to be reliable spots to stop and get your bearings. I heard the Forest Service stopped maintaining them around 2012. Anyone know if there's a list of which ones are still standing?

I stopped trusting GPS after getting stuck on a cliff edge in the Smokies

Used to just punch in a trailhead name and go, never checked topo maps or anything. Last fall near Clingmans Dome, my phone guided me onto a washed out logging road that ended at a 40 foot drop. Now I always carry a paper map and compass, and I cross reference any route with at least two sources before I leave the parking lot. Anyone else had a GPS fail them on a trail that made you change how you plan trips?

Finally hiked the Timberline Trail last weekend after years of talking about it

I was always skeptical about the Timberline around Mount Hood. Thought it was just hype from Instagram people. My buddy convinced me to go, said the views were worth the blisters. 40 miles in 3 days and my feet are wrecked but every single view made it worth it. Has anyone else been shocked by how much better a famous route is in person?

Took me 3 trips to realize I was packing my bear canister wrong the whole time

Hiked the same 8-mile loop 3 different years, finally saw what I was missing

This trail near the Gila River, I did it every June for 3 years. First year I just trucked through, focused on making time. Second year I finally looked at the map and noticed I was skipping a cutoff to a spring. Third year I actually took that cutoff and found a pool deep enough to dunk under. What changed? I stopped treating the route like a workout and started reading the terrain. Took me 3 tries to drop that tunnel vision. Anyone else ever miss something obvious on a trail you thought you knew?

Was hiking the Appalachian Trail in Vermont for about 4 days before I realized my pack weight was killing me

I had this 65 liter pack stuffed full with like 45 pounds of gear. My shoulders ached and my hips were bruised. Then I passed this older guy on the trail who was carrying maybe 25 pounds and he asked why my pack was so huge. He pointed out I had a full tent, a camp chair, and 4 changes of clothes. That's when it clicked that I was bringing way too much stuff and it was making every mile miserable. Anyone else have that moment where you looked at your pack and realized you were doing it all wrong?

Just found out the Pacific Crest Trail has a 98% failure rate

I was reading some stats last night on the PCTA site and couldn't believe it. Only about 2% of people who start the trail actually finish it in one go. That includes both northbound and southbound hikers. Most people quit in the first 200 miles because of injury or just underestimating the mental grind. Has anyone else looked up completion rates for their dream trail and been surprised?

I finally finished the JMT section I bailed on two years ago

Back in 2022 I had to turn around at Evolution Creek because the water was way too high for me to cross safely. This September I went back and did that entire stretch from Piute Pass down to MTR in 5 days. The crossing was still knee deep but I took it slow with trekking poles and it went fine. What I learned is that coming back to a route with more experience makes a huge difference. Anyone else ever revisit a trail section they couldn't finish the first time?

My backpack strap buckle snapped 12 miles in on the Appalachian Trail near Damascus

I was on day three of a solo trip, just past the Virginia-Tennessee border. The right shoulder strap buckle on my Osprey pack just gave out with a loud crack. No warning. I had to use a carabiner and some paracord from my emergency kit to rig it back together. Got me through the rest of the trip but my shoulder was killing me. Anyone else had a major piece of gear fail mid-hike and have to MacGyver a fix?

That $180 sleeping pad that left me on cold ground in the Sierras

I dropped $180 on an inflatable pad for my JMT trip last August. First night near Tuolumne Meadows, I woke up at 2am flat on the dirt, freezing my butt off. Patched it twice with the included kit but it kept leaking at the seam. Meanwhile my buddy's $40 foam pad from Target worked the whole 10 days. Anyone else have a high end piece of gear totally fail on them mid route?

Why does nobody talk about trail markers fading in the sun?

I was hiking the Wind River High Route last month and missed a turn that cost me 3 extra miles because a cairn had completely blended into the rocks. It hit me that I've been blindly trusting markers without checking the map for years. Has anyone else had a close call from relying too much on those markers?

My bootlace broke on day 3 of the John Muir Trail and it saved the trip

I was hiking through a section near Evolution Creek when my left boot lace snapped clean in half. I had to stop and improvise with some paracord from my repair kit, which took like 20 minutes. That delay meant I hit the creek crossing right at golden hour instead of midday like I planned. The light was unreal, the water was glowing, and I had the whole place to myself because everyone else had already passed through. Has anyone else had a gear failure that actually made a trip better?

Found a shortcut on the Appalachian Trail near Blood Mountain

Took the Freeman Trail cutoff instead of sticking with the AT between Neels Gap and the summit, saved me about 45 minutes and dodged most of the crowd on a Saturday. Anybody else use the less marked side routes to skip the busy sections?

Heads up about the blue blazes on the Foothills Trail near Table Rock

I was hiking the Foothills Trail last week and followed what I thought were official blue blazes near the Table Rock cutoff. Turns out some hiker marked a false trail with spray paint about 2 miles past the ranger station. I ended up bushwhacking for an hour before I found the real path. Has anyone else run into misleading markings on this section?

That moment on the Long Trail when I realized I'd been hanging my food bag wrong for years

I was about 30 miles south of Journey's End in Vermont, exhausted, and watched a raccoon casually shimmy down a sapling to grab my bag. Turns out I'd been hanging it way too low, like 8 feet off the ground, thinking that was fine. A thru-hiker at the next shelter showed me the proper 12-foot-and-away-from-the-trunk method. Has anyone else had a similar "oh no" discovery about a basic skill way later than they'd like to admit?

Took a wrong turn on the Appalachian Trail near Roan Mountain last weekend

I ended up on this unmarked side trail that added like 3 miles to my day, but it had this amazing view of the rhododendron blooming. Has anyone else stumbled onto a hidden gem like that off a main route?