c/backpacking-routes

Finally figured out how to read topo maps right after 10 trips

I used to just follow the trail markers and hope for the best on my backpacking trips. After getting lost for two hours near a stream in the Smokies last spring, I decided it was time to learn. I bought a cheap compass and a topo map of the area I hike most in western North Carolina. Now I spend 15 minutes before each trip plotting my route with contour lines and landmarks. The biggest change is I identify where the water sources actually are instead of guessing. It also helps me plan my daily mileage better because I can see the elevation gains early. Has anyone else found a trick that made route planning way easier for them?

Overheard a thru-hiker at a Georgia diner say he ditched his tent halfway on the Appalachian Trail

He said he switched to a $40 emergency bivvy after 300 miles and claimed it saved his back, has anyone else tried skipping shelter weight that drastic?

Switching from paper maps to Gaia GPS felt like cheating at first

Honestly, for years I'd plan every route by tracing with a pencil on a topo map, but after getting lost on a 14-mile day in the Smokies last October, I finally downloaded Gaia and it's night and day. Has anyone else struggled with trusting digital tools over paper, or is it just me?

Hiked the Appalachian Trail in 2022 and 2024... saw a scary difference in the shelters

Honestly, I did a thru-hike back in 2022 and then a shorter section hike last month around the Smokies. The amount of mouse droppings and torn up gear in the shelters was way worse just two years later. Folks are leaving food scraps everywhere and not using bear bags right. Has anyone else noticed shelters getting messier on popular routes lately?

I finally stopped overpacking my backpack after a brutal hike in the Smokies last fall

Carried a 45-pound pack up to Charlie's Bunion and swore I'd rethink every item after seeing a guy with a 25-pound setup fly past me, so now I cut my gear down by 40 percent and actually enjoy the trail - what's the one thing you ditched that made the biggest difference?

Hit 250 miles on the PCT this summer and it totally changed my view on resupply points

I planned out every food drop months ahead like a military operation. By mile 180 I had way too much ramen and not enough protein bars. It forced me to ditch like 3 pounds of extra noodles at a hiker box near a ranger station. Anyone else find themselves overpacking food and then scrambling to adjust on the fly?

A hiker in the Smokies told me my pack was 10 pounds too heavy. He was right.

Last spring I was hitting the Appalachian Trail near Clingmans Dome for a 3 day solo trip. Had my pack loaded with everything I thought I needed. A thru-hiker stopped me at a shelter and said plain as day, "Youre gonna hate yourself by mile 6 with that thing." I got defensive at first but he pointed out my cast iron skillet and a full size first aid kit. I cut 9 pounds just by leaving the skillet behind and switching to a ultralight kit and a smaller stove. Made the hike way more enjoyable. Has anyone else had a stranger call them out on their gear?

Spent 2 hours trying to find a water source near the Northville-Placid Trail last weekend

I kept wandering off the main trail based on an old map I had, but the stream I was looking for had completely dried up. Turns out the seasonal creeks around there shift a lot depending on the year's rainfall. I should have checked the DEC's latest trail report before heading out. Has anyone else run into map issues with smaller waterways in the Adirondacks?

Bought an old topo map for $8 off eBay that still had trails from the 80s

Spent an afternoon bushwhacking through overgrown logging roads near Mount Hood because that map showed a shortcut that doesn't exist anymore. Anyone else get burned by outdated route info from old maps?

Met a guy on the Pacific Crest Trail who taught me to pack my bag different

I was hiking near Mount Whitney about 3 years ago and ran into this older dude named Gene at a creek crossing. He saw me struggling with my pack and said 'son, you got your sleeping bag at the bottom, that's why you're tilting backwards.' He showed me how to put my heavy stuff in the middle and keep my tent on top. I tried it right there and walked for another 6 miles without that annoying lean. Has anyone else had a random stranger change their whole packing system on the fly?

I was wrong about using trekking poles on flat ground

For years I thought trekking poles were only useful on steep climbs or rocky descents. Last summer on the Appalachian Trail through Pennsylvania, I decided to try them on the flatter sections just to see what the fuss was about. After 4 straight days of using them on gradual terrain, I noticed my knees didn't ache at the end of each day like they usually do. The poles took maybe 15 pounds of pressure off my joints with each step, and that added up over 12 mile days. Has anyone else found a surprising use for gear they thought was only for specific conditions?

Blazed a trail 3 years back that I swore was the best route ever, until I actually paid attention to the map this spring

I was hiking the Timber Creek loop in the Sierra Nevada and kept hitting this confusing fork. Turns out I was missing a cutoff that shaves off 2 miles and avoids a steep climb. Has anyone else followed a wrong path for years because you just assumed it was right?

Pro tip: Saw a huge change in trail conditions after the 2021 reroute on the Appalachian Trail in Georgia

I hiked the AT approach trail in 2019 and then again last spring, and the new section near Springer Mountain is way less eroded now. The old path was basically a mud slide after rain, but the reroute added switchbacks and better drainage that held up even through a wet season. Anyone else notice how much a well-planned reroute can save a trail from getting all torn up?

Blew $60 on a boot dryer that barely works on the trail

Blew $60 on a boot dryer that barely works on the trail. Picked up a cheap boot dryer at a gas station in Moab last month before a 4 day hike in Canyonlands. Figured it would dry my soaked boots overnight but after 8 hours they were still damp. Next morning my feet were blistered by mile 3 because of the moisture. Has anyone found a reliable way to dry boots fast when you're camping without a fire?

Debate: Does the Pacific Crest Trail get worse crowds every year or is it just me? I hiked the Sierra section in 2019 and again last summer and the number of people on the trail was nuts.

Got caught in a bad storm on the Appalachian Trail near Roanoke

I was hiking a 10 mile section of the Appalachian Trail outside Roanoke last month and a sudden thunderstorm rolled in with no warning. I didn't have a proper rain cover for my pack and all my gear got soaked through, including my sleeping bag. Does anyone have a good tip for drying out gear fast when you're stuck in a remote shelter?

Dropped $60 on that rain jacket everyone raves about and it soaked through in ten minutes

I bought that fancy $60 rain jacket from the outdoor store last week based on all the hype online, first day on the Appalachian Trail near Harpers Ferry it started leaking through the shoulders after a light drizzle. Now I'm standing in a shelter trying to dry out my base layer and wondering if I should have just stuck with a cheap poncho. Anybody else get burned by a supposedly waterproof jacket that turned out to be a lie?

Tried a shortcut through the Weminuche Creek drainage last fall

I figured I could save 4 miles by following a game trail down to the creek instead of staying on the main trail. Got cliffed out above a 15 foot drop with my pack on and had to backtrack 2 hours in loose scree. Has anyone else had a shortcut backfire like that?

A ranger in Yosemite told me I was carrying too much weight and it changed my whole setup

Last summer on the John Muir Trail I stopped at a ranger station to check conditions and the guy looked at my pack and just laughed. He said I was hauling at least 15 pounds of stuff I'd never touch like extra clothes and a heavy cook kit. I listened to him on the spot and maild home half my gear from Tuolumne Meadows. Dropped from 45 pounds to 30 and my knees thanked me the next 150 miles. Anyone else get a brutal but helpful reality check from a ranger or fellow hiker on a long trip?

That rainy stretch on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia nearly broke me

I was hiking the AT through Shenandoah in early June and hit three straight days of rain. The trail turned into a muddy mess and I slipped on a wet rock near Hawksbill Mountain, twisted my ankle pretty bad. I had to stop and wrap it with an ace bandage from my first aid kit, then take ibuprofen for the swelling. Took me two extra days to finish that section because I had to slow way down. Looking back, I should have just camped at the shelter and waited it out instead of pushing through. Has anyone else had to change their whole route because of weather or injuries?

Had to pick between the John Muir Trail and the Wonderland Trail last summer

I had two weeks off and couldn't decide. JMT is longer but more famous, Wonderland is shorter but you loop around Rainier the whole time. I went with Wonderland in late July and honestly the glacier views were unreal even with the extra elevation gain. Has anyone here done both and which did you like better for solo hiking?

Wasted $180 on a GPS route guide that was totally wrong

Bought that Topo-Route digital guide for the Wind River Range last spring, thought it would save me time planning. Turns out the waypoints were off by almost 2 miles in some sections, and the camp spot recommendations were unusable. Ended up redoing everything on CalTopo from scratch anyway. Anyone else get burned by a commercial route guide that was straight up garbage?

Just realized I was overthinking route planning on the PCT

Spent three weeks mapping out every water source and campsite for a 200 mile stretch near Crater Lake, but I kept second guessing my daily mileage. Then I tried leaving the detailed schedule at home and just used a printed elevation profile with basic markers for resupply points. Turns out being flexible about where I stopped made the whole trip feel less stressful, has anyone else ditched their day by day plans and seen better results?

The trail near Mount Rainier transformed in just two weeks last summer

I hit the Skyline Trail in early July and it was just rocks and snow patches. Hiked it again on the 22nd and suddenly there were wildflowers everywhere. Like someone flipped a switch on the whole mountain. Lupine and paintbrush covered spots that were bare white two weeks earlier. I guess the snowmelt timing is everything up there. Has anyone else caught a trail change that fast or was this just a weird season?

Got caught in a lightning storm on the Teton Crest Trail last August