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c/backpacking-routes

2

reeseanderson•2d ago

The Teton Crest Trail is way overhyped for what you get

I finally hiked the Teton Crest Trail last August after hearing rave reviews for years, and honestly the crowds made it feel like a parade through the mountains. You can't go 15 minutes without running into another group, and half the campsites were completely packed by 3 PM. Am I the only one who thinks this route is more about the Instagram likes than the actual backpacking experience?

24

dixon.anthony•2d ago

Found out the Pacific Crest Trail has more elevation gain than Everest from sea level

I was reading through the PCT planner on the official site last night and saw a stat that blew my mind. The whole trail has over 300,000 feet of cumulative elevation gain. That's like climbing Mount Everest from sea level 10 times over. I've been planning a 2 week section hike near the Sierra Nevada but had no idea the total vertical was that insane. Has anyone else seen this number and felt their legs hurt just thinking about it?

22

briannguyen•2d ago

Just hit trail mile 1,000 for the first time ever on the PCT

I was so focused on making it to the next water cache that I didn't even realize I passed the milestone until I checked my GPS later that night. Has anyone else ever spaced on a big number like that and only caught it after the fact?

17

felix488•4d ago

My water filter gave out 6 miles into the Smokies last month

I was hiking the Gregory Bald Trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and stopped to refill at a stream around mile 6. My Sawyer Squeeze had been working fine for maybe 20 trips before that, but the bag split right at the seam when I tried to squeeze. Water went everywhere and I had no backup. I ended up boiling creek water in my titanium pot for the next two days, which took forever and tasted like campfire ash. The worst part was waiting 20 minutes for it to cool before I could drink. Anyone else have a filter fail on them mid-trip and have to switch to boiling water?

25

garcia.miles•5d ago

I chose the High Sierra Trail over the JMT last summer and it was the better call

Everyone I know was pushing me to do the John Muir Trail, but I went with the High Sierra Trail instead. The permits were way easier to get for one thing, I just grabbed one online no stress. Also I wanted to end at Mount Whitney without dealing with the whole logistics of the JMT resupply points. The HST is shorter, like 72 miles, but it still hits giant sequoias and the Kern River canyon which blew my mind. Only thing is the stretch from Bearpaw to the Kern is a grind up over Kaweah Gap, but the views from there made it worth it. I met maybe 10 people total on the trail in early July, while my buddy on the JMT texted me about crowds near Evolution Valley. Has anyone else picked a less popular route over the classic one and felt good about it?

2

veraramirez•5d ago

Tried the Sierras with a frameless pack - changed my whole approach

I spent years using a 65 liter pack with an internal frame. Last summer I decided to try a 35 liter frameless bag for a 4 day trip in the High Sierra. I thought I would hate it and miss the support. But after carrying only 18 pounds total, my knees felt great and I moved way faster than normal. Has anyone else switched to a lighter setup and found it actually made tough trails easier?

12

terry_hayes18•5d ago

Lost the trail at dusk on the Superior Hiking Trail - had to bushwhack back

I was coming down from Carlton Peak on that northern section, the one with the exposed rock faces. Figured I had an hour of daylight left, no big deal. Then I took a wrong turn onto a game trail that looked official enough. After 20 minutes of it getting steeper and narrower, I realized I was off the map. No cell service, temps dropping fast. I had to climb back up using my headlamp and follow my own footprints in the dirt to get back to the actual blazed path. Took me 45 extra minutes. Has anyone else had the marked trails blend in with animal paths up there? Those yellow blazes can be tricky to spot on bare rock.

3

zarak18•5d ago

The guy at the gear shop told me to ditch my heavy pack and I thought he was nuts

Three months ago I was heading out for a 5 day loop in the Smokies and my pack weighed close to 45 pounds. Some guy working at the REI in Knoxville said I should cut down to 25 pounds max and showed me how. I laughed it off because I thought I needed all that stuff like a full cook kit and extra clothes. On day two my hips were raw and I could barely lift the pack over a downed log. I ended up ditching half my gear in a bear canister near the campsite and hiked the last three days way lighter. He was totally right about the extra weight making the trail miserable and now I only bring a hammock, a pot, and some dehydrated meals. Has anyone else had a store employee give advice that actually saved your trip?

24

margaret_lane•5d ago

The debate over packing light vs packing smart hit me hard on the Long Trail last month

I spent 3 hours trying to find a campsite near a stream on day 4 of the Long Trail because my water filter clogged up from silty water. On one hand, packing light means carrying less gear and moving faster, but on the other hand, I could have thrown in a backup filter or a prefilter for muddy conditions. That extra 4 ounces would have saved me a whole afternoon of frustration and backtracking. Meanwhile, my buddy who carries a 45 pound pack breezed through with his gravity system and never slowed down. But then he complained about his shoulders hurting by mile 10. So which is it - do you sacrifice comfort for speed, or do you carry the extras and take the weight penalty? I'm leaning toward a middle ground now but I want to hear what others have settled on. Has anyone found a solid split between ultralight and practical for long trips?

11

betty_shah•6d ago

Shoutout to the guy who told me my pack was riding too low on the PCT

I was near Donner Pass last summer, struggling up a climb with my hips hurting. This older hiker just came up and said your hip belt should sit on your iliac crest, not below it. He showed me how to adjust the load lifters and suddenly the weight felt 10 pounds lighter. Has anyone else had a random stranger fix their gear mid hike?

19

henderson.hugo•7d ago

That creek crossing ate up 4 hours of my day on the Pacific Crest

I was hiking near Crater Lake and hit a creek that looked easy to cross. Turns out the snowmelt had it running fast and deep, and I spent almost 4 hours scouting up and down for a safe spot. Finally found a fallen log about half a mile upstream, but it was sketchy with my pack on. Has anyone else lost half a day to something that looked simple on the map?

6

diana_bell74•8d ago

That guy on the Salkantay trail who gave me his last granola bar

I was hiking the Salkantay Trek near Cusco in Peru back in 2018, and around 14,000 feet my legs just gave out. This random dude from Germany named Lars stopped, handed me his last granola bar, and said 'eat this, walk with me.' We ended up chatting for the next 3 hours about his solo trips through Patagonia and he gave me three route tips that saved my whole South America trip. Has anyone else had a random stranger on a trail totally change their hike?

24

troy_butler7•12d ago

I used to plan every mile of a trip down to the campsite. Then I spent 4 days on the Long Trail in Vermont last October.

I always had every night mapped out before I left home. But that trip I got caught behind a slow group going up Killington and lost half a day. I just started walking without a plan the next morning and ended up at a shelter with a perfect view I would have missed otherwise. It was just 4 days but it changed how I see route planning now. Has anyone else found that loose plans actually make for better days on the trail?

6

kellyj23•12d ago

Took me 6 trips to realize my pack was riding 3 inches too low

My lower back was killing me after every hike, then a guy at a shelter in the Smokies just pointed at my hip belt and said 'that's supposed to sit on your hips, not your waist.' Has anyone else had that 'oh' moment with something you thought you had dialed in?

10

rowanp15•15d ago

The day the rain hit during week three on the JMT

Honestly, I thought I had it dialed in after two weeks of perfect weather on the John Muir Trail near Tuolumne Meadows. Then last July, a storm rolled in around 2 PM and didn't stop for 36 hours straight. Everything I owned got soaked including my sleeping bag inside two dry bags cause I packed wrong. How do you guys handle unexpected multi day downpours without just hiding in a tent?

18

gavin_mason31•16d ago

Bumped into an old guy on the Pacific Crest Trail who showed me a faster way to filter water

Last month I was hiking a stretch near Crater Lake and ran out of water way before the next creek. An older hiker saw me struggling with my pump filter and just handed me a Sawyer squeeze bag. He said screw the pump, just fill the bag and hang it from a tree branch overnight. Gravity does the work and you don't have to stand there cranking for 20 minutes. Anyone else switch to a gravity setup and never look back?

1

blair_butler47•16d ago

Hit 500 miles on the AT last weekend and I’m still sore

I finally hit 500 miles on the Appalachian Trail near Roanoke, VA, and it took me about 8 weeks of weekend trips. Didn’t expect my knees to feel this wrecked after just half a year of hiking. Anyone else deal with joint pain slowing them down around that mileage?

3

felix488•17d ago

TIL the hardest part of the Appalachian Trail isnt the elevation its the mental game

I was always skeptical about people saying the mental part is worse than the physical. Like come on Ive done long hikes before. But after 3 weeks on the AT near the Smokies I hit this stretch where it rained for 5 days straight and I just sat in my tent questioning everything. No views no progress just wet socks. That was the real struggle. Has anyone else hit that wall where your body is fine but your brain just checks out?

3

emma_young•18d ago

Tried a lightweight tarp shelter on the Pacific Crest Trail, ended up hating it after 3 days

Everyone raves about going ultralight with just a tarp and groundsheet, but I gave it a shot near Mount Hood last August and it was a disaster. After two nights of waking up soaked from condensation and fighting with stakes in rocky soil, I bailed and hitched into Portland to buy a proper tent. I get the weight savings, like maybe 2 pounds versus my old tent, but the hassle of finding good campsites and dealing with bugs just wasn't worth it for me. Maybe I was doing it wrong with my setup, but I learned that not every popular route hack works for everyone. Has anyone else tried a tarp and actually stuck with it for a full trip?

28

river_wright•19d ago

I was dead set against using a water filter on trail, but that giardia scare in Yosemite changed my mind

I always thought boiling water was good enough and filters were just extra weight. Then a ranger at Tuolumne Meadows told me about a group that got sick from a stream that looked crystal clear. After that I picked up a Sawyer Squeeze for 35 bucks and honestly I sleep way better now. Has anyone else had a close call that made them switch their water setup?

10

riley595•20d ago

Tried the Sierra High Route after doing the JMT last year. Way better for solitude.

I did the John Muir Trail last August and it was packed, like 50+ people at some campsites. This summer I gave the Sierra High Route a shot, starting from the same spot near Bishop. It was just me and maybe 10 other hikers over 10 days. No crowds, just raw cross-country travel with a map and compass. Has anyone else found a route that splits the difference between a classic trail and total bushwhacking?

14

wendy_clark•20d ago

Thought those ultralight backpacking chairs were a gimmick until I carried a heavy camp chair 8 miles into the Sierras

Last summer I lugged my old steel framed camp chair up to Rae Lakes in Kings Canyon. 8 miles in, 4,000 feet of gain. My back was killing me. A guy at the campsite had one of those little 1 pound folding chairs. I laughed at first. Then he let me sit in it. Honestly it was comfortable enough for a 5 minute rest. I ordered one the next week and now I take it everywhere. Has anyone else been converted on something you thought was dumb?

23

eric_morgan59•24d ago

Noticed something odd on the Pacific Crest Trail near Crater Lake last week

I was hiking a section of the PCT just south of Crater Lake about ten days ago, and I could not believe how many people were out there without proper water filters. I counted at least six groups in one afternoon just dipping bottles straight into streams. I get that filters are heavy and slow, but with the giardia risk in that area it feels like playing roulette. Has anyone else seen this on popular sections lately, or was it just a weird weekend crowd?

16

amy302•25d ago

A thru-hiker in his 70s told me I was carrying too much weight on the PCT

He said my 45 pound pack was basically a rental payment for pain and after I ditched half my gear at the Warner Springs swap box, I actually started enjoying the views instead of just staring at my feet, has anyone else had a random stranger completely change how you pack?

12

simonreed•25d ago

I finally hiked the Wonderland Trail last month and nobody warned me about the creek crossings

I did the full 93 miles around Mount Rainier in August and figured the biggest issue would be snow or bears. Turns out the real nightmare was the loose log bridges across creeks that were running super fast from the melt. Halfway through day 3 I hit a spot near Indian Bar where the log was wet and tilted and I had to crawl across on my hands and knees with my pack scraping the water. There's no official warnings about this stuff on the park website, just that they exist. I talked to three other hikers who bailed early after one bad crossing near Summerland. Bring trekking poles with carbide tips if you're going, and seriously consider water shoes so you can just walk through the shallow ones instead of risking a fall. Has anyone else had a close call on those crossings?