c/backpacking-routes

Spent $200 on a satellite messenger for the Wind River Range and it was the best call I ever made.

I took a nasty fall off-trail near Cirque of the Towers last August, and being able to send an SOS for a helicopter evac instead of trying to crawl out over 15 miles of rough terrain is the only reason I'm typing this now.

Vent: My old route planning binder is just a box of memories now

I used to spend hours with a paper map, a highlighter, and a binder full of printed trip reports from the early 2000s, but now I just pull up a couple of apps and a saved list on my phone, which is faster but feels a lot less like an adventure.

Bought a $60 GPS map subscription for a trip in Colorado and it was useless without cell service

Everyone told me to avoid the old logging road on the West Fork trail, but it saved my trip

Last fall on the West Fork trail in the Gila, the main path was washed out after a storm. All the advice online said the old logging road was overgrown and a waste of time. I had a paper map that showed it connected back up, so I gave it a shot. It was a bit bushy, but it was flat, clear of debris, and got me around the washout in about 45 minutes. Has anyone else found a 'bad' shortcut that actually worked out?

Just realized I've been ignoring the creek crossings on my maps

I was planning a 4 day loop in the North Cascades last fall and kept seeing these little blue lines on the map... I figured they were just small streams. Got to the first one after 8 miles and it was a raging, knee-deep torrent from snowmelt. Had to backtrack 2 miles to a spot I remembered seeing a fallen log. Now I always check the elevation and time of year for every single crossing before I go. Has anyone else gotten stuck by a surprise creek that looked harmless on paper?

Can we talk about the obsession with mileage targets on long trails?

I keep seeing folks planning their John Muir Trail trip around hitting a specific number of miles every single day, like 15 or 20. They map it out on paper and get super stressed if they fall short. From my three trips on the Colorado Trail, I learned that fixating on distance ignores the actual trail. Some 15-mile days with 4,000 feet of climbing are brutal, while a flat 20-mile day can feel easy. The weather, how your feet feel, and finding a good campsite matter way more than a number you wrote down months ago. I think this mindset leads to people missing cool side trails or pushing too hard and getting hurt. But some argue that without a strict plan, you'll run out of food or time. What's your method for planning daily distance on a multi-day route?

Headed into the Wind Rivers last month and had to pick between the Titcomb Basin loop or the Cirque of the Towers approach.

Went with Titcomb and got caught in a surprise hailstorm above 11,000 feet that turned the trail into a slick mess. Anyone have a good weather app they trust for the Rockies?

PSA: I just read that the official John Muir Trail permit success rate is under 25% for a northbound start in July.

Found that stat buried in a Sierra Club PDF and it makes me think the whole 'just apply and see' advice is setting too many people up for disappointment, so what's your real backup plan if you don't get the JMT?

Just got back from the Lost Coast Trail and the tide charts are no joke, almost got pinned against a cliff north of Shelter Cove.

Heads up about the old trail to Eagle Lake in the Sierras, the bridge is completely out now.

Finally got through the blowdown section on the PCT near Big Bear

We hit a huge area of downed trees about 8 miles north of Onyx Summit that the maps said was clear. It took our group almost 4 hours to cover just 2 miles, picking our way over, under, and around all the logs. Has anyone else dealt with that stretch recently and found a better way around?

Vent: My buddy called my route planning 'a spreadsheet, not an adventure'

Honestly, I used to plan every single mile and campsite for my trips, like a 5 day loop in the Wind River Range last August. Ngl, I had it all mapped down to the hour. Then my friend Mark said, 'You're just following a spreadsheet, man. You miss the cool stuff you don't know about.' Tbh, it stung, but he was right. I started just picking a general area and a final destination, leaving 2 or 3 days totally open for side trails or local tips. Has anyone else switched from super strict planning to a looser style? What was the first trip you tried it on?

A guy on the Lost Coast Trail told me he'd been hiking it for 30 years and still gets turned around at Punta Gorda.

He pointed at a specific notch in the cliffs and said 'aim for that, not the cairn, it washes out every winter', which saved me a good hour of backtracking last spring.

That one perfect morning on the Rae Lakes Loop

We woke up at 5 AM to a clear sky over Glen Pass in Kings Canyon. The air was so still the lake looked like a mirror, and we had the whole trail to ourselves for two hours. It was the only day of our 7 day trip without any wind or bugs. Anyone else have a stretch of trail that just felt magically calm like that?

Can we talk about that one time on the Eagle Cap loop in Oregon

I got caught in a surprise hailstorm above 8,000 feet with just a rain shell and it took me 3 hours of shivering to get back to tree line, so what's your absolute must-have piece of gear you won't leave the trailhead without now?

My buddy told me to skip the switchbacks on the PCT near Mount Hood

He said the straight line up the ridge would save an hour, so I tried it last fall. The slope was way steeper than it looked and I ended up sliding on loose rock, tearing a hole in my pack. It took me longer to get down safely than if I'd just stayed on the trail. Has anyone else learned the hard way to trust the built trail?

Update: My trail log just crossed 1,000 miles and it made me wonder if tracking distance is even the point.

I hit the mark on the Superior Hiking Trail last week, but now I'm debating whether focusing on the number cheapens the experience or gives a goal worth aiming for.

Rant: Overheard two guys arguing about the best way to plan a 7-day trek

Honestly, I was at the trailhead for the Lost Coast last week and two guys were really going at it. One said you should plan every single campsite and water source before you even leave your house, using apps and guidebooks. The other guy said that's a sure way to miss the fun, and you should just pick a general direction and figure it out as you go. Tbh, it made me think about my own trip to the Enchantments last year where I had a rigid plan, but the best part was a side trail I found by accident. Ngl, I'm leaning toward being more flexible now, but I get why people want the security. What's your take on planning versus winging it for a week-long trip?

Rant: The trail marker system on the Northville-Placid Trail is a total mess right now

What should have been a 30-minute map check turned into a 4-hour bushwhack after we followed a series of faded blue blazes that just dead-ended in a swamp near Long Lake.

Overheard a ranger in Yosemite say they see a lot of people mess up the same loop by going clockwise.

Tried a 'shortcut' on the Timberline Trail and it nearly got me stuck overnight

Honestly, I was trying to cut off about 2 miles near Cloud Cap by following a faint game trail marked on an old map. Ngl, it turned into a steep, loose scramble and I lost the path completely in a boulder field. Has anyone else had a bad experience with that specific section and know the actual safe way through?

I finally bought a $150 satellite messenger for a solo trip in the Sawtooths

I got it for safety, but the peace of mind was so huge I barely looked at the views. Some friends say it's a crutch that ruins the real solo experience. Do you think these devices make backpacking safer or just less adventurous?

Wasted a full day on a washed-out trail near the North Cascades

I tried the Copper Ridge loop last month based on an old guidebook and found the main connector trail completely gone from a landslide. Had to backtrack over 8 miles, costing me a whole day and a planned campsite. The ranger station said it's been out since last fall but some online maps still show it as clear. Has anyone else run into this on other routes in the park recently?

PSA: The trail to Lake Serene is a whole different animal now

Hiked it last May and it was a simple, clear path... went back this past weekend and the last mile is basically a rock scramble. They must have had a huge slide over the winter. My buddy actually said, 'Did we take a wrong turn into a climbing gym?' Has anyone else seen a route change that much in under a year?

Unpopular opinion: I think the obsession with ultralight gear is overrated for most trips.

I used to cut every possible ounce, even trimming my toothbrush handle, for a 3-day loop in the Smokies. Now I bring a small camp chair, and that 2-pound luxury makes evenings so much better that I hike happier. Anyone else find a little extra weight is worth the comfort?