c/backpacking-routes

Unpopular opinion: I thought the Enchantments lottery was overhyped until I finally got a permit.

Did the 18-mile thru-hike last September and the granite basins were legit, but the crowds made it feel like a theme park. Anyone have a favorite high-alpine route that actually feels remote?

Honestly, my approach to planning the West Coast Trail used to be a 50-page printed binder, now it's a single note on my phone.

Just finished my 100th mile on the Lost Coast Trail this year

I keep a little log book in my pack and added it up last night. That's 100 miles on just that one trail, spread over four separate trips. It surprised me because I never set out to hit a number, I just kept going back for the tide window challenges and the empty beaches. It matters because it showed me how much you can learn a single route if you walk it in different seasons. I saw it bone dry in August and socked in with fog in June. Anyone else have a trail they've walked so many times it feels like a second home?

DAE see people planning way too many miles for their first big trip?

I keep seeing new folks post about doing 15 mile days right out of the gate on the John Muir Trail... that's a fast way to get hurt or hate it. My buddy tried that last summer and was so beat up by day three he had to bail near Tuolumne Meadows. Most guides say to start with 8-10 miles a day for the first week to let your body adjust. Has anyone else had to talk a friend down from an overly ambitious plan?

I was sure the 'water taxi shortcut' on the Olympic Coast was a gimmick, but it saved us a full day

On a 5-day trip from Rialto Beach to Oil City, everyone online said to take the water taxi across the Ozette River instead of the long inland hike. I thought it was a tourist trap for $40 per person. We did it anyway because our feet were already blistered by day three. The boat ride was 15 minutes and the guy running it knew all the tide tables, which we'd messed up. It cut out a brutal 8-mile detour and let us camp at a way better spot. Has anyone else used a similar shortcut that actually paid off?

A buddy in Colorado told me my 12-mile daily targets were turning a trip into a forced march, so I cut them to 8 and actually started seeing the place.

Has anyone else had a friend call them out for treating a route like a checklist instead of an experience?

Serious question, did anyone else have their view of the Wind River High Route totally change after trying it?

I hiked the southern section from Big Sandy to Cirque of the Towers last month, and I always thought it was just a harder version of the CDT. But scrambling up Texas Pass in the fog, I realized it's a totally different kind of trip, more about picking your line across rock than following any real trail. Has anyone else done a route that felt like a different sport than normal backpacking?

My GPS track showed I walked exactly 42 loops around the same lake in Colorado's Lost Creek Wilderness.

I was just reviewing my old route data and the number hit me because I'd always thought of that trip as one big loop, not realizing how much I'd circled back on myself exploring side canyons, so has anyone else had a route surprise them like that when you looked at the stats later?

I just mapped out all my trips and realized I've hiked over 500 miles in Washington's Olympic National Park alone.

That number hit me because it means I've basically walked from Seattle to Portland and back again, just on those foggy coastal and rainforest trails.

Tried the John Muir Trail vs. the Wonderland Trail last summer

The JMT felt crowded, like a line at a theme park after the first 20 miles. The Wonderland around Rainier was just as tough but way more wild, saw maybe three other groups a day. So why does everyone still push the JMT so hard for a real wilderness trip?

I finally tried that 'secret' 30 mile loop near Bend everyone whispers about.

Overheard a ranger in Sisters say, 'That route is a postcard, not a trail.' He meant it looks nice but gets zero upkeep. I hiked it last weekend and found three downed trees blocking the path and a creek crossing that washed out. The views were great, but it felt more like route-finding than hiking. How do you all check if a trail is actually maintained before you go?

I keep seeing people mess up the timing for the Enchantments through hike in Washington

I mean, everyone says to go in late September for the larches, but that's way too late for a good snow-free trip now. I did it in early September last year and the snow was already starting on Aasgard Pass. I think the sweet spot is really the last two weeks of August now. Has anyone else noticed the season shifting earlier?

My tent pole snapped on a ridge in the Wind River Range last August

I was setting up camp above 10,000 feet when a section of my old aluminum pole just gave out. It was the main support for the rainfly, so I knew I was in trouble. I used some duct tape and a tent stake as a splint to get through the night, but the wind was brutal. Anyone have a good fix for a broken pole section, or is it just time for a new tent?

Overheard a ranger in Yosemite say 'the map is not the trail'

I was waiting for a permit at the Tuolumne Meadows station last month and this older ranger was talking to a group about the High Sierra Camp loop. He said something that stuck with me: 'The map is not the trail. The trail is the dirt under your boots, and it changes every season.' He meant that the official line on the paper or screen is just a guide, and you have to actually look at the ground, especially after snowmelt or rock slides. I did the loop a week later and sure enough, a section near Vogelsang was totally washed out and rerouted with cairns, nothing like my printed map. I would have wasted an hour looking for the old path if I hadn't remembered what he said. It made me realize I rely too much on the planned route and not enough on what's actually in front of me. Has anyone else had a trip where the real route was completely different from what you planned?

The obsession with the John Muir Trail is making people miss out on better routes

I've been planning trips in the Sierra for over a decade, and I keep seeing the same thing. Everyone wants to do the full JMT, fighting for permits and dealing with huge crowds. But have you ever tried the High Sierra Trail? It's a 72-mile point-to-point from Crescent Meadow to Mt. Whitney, and it has just as much beauty with way less hassle. I did it last September and saw maybe ten other groups the whole week. The problem is, people think the JMT is the only classic Sierra route. They spend months trying to get a permit for Yosemite when they could walk up for the HST at Sequoia. Why does the most famous trail have to be the only one that counts? What's a less crowded route you think beats the more famous one nearby?

Tried the classic JMT vs the Sierra High Route for a 7 day trip

Did the John Muir Trail section from Tuolumne to Reds Meadow last July, then tried the Sierra High Route alternative this year. The off-trail navigation on the High Route was way more work but the views and solitude were next level, zero crowds. Anyone have a favorite map app for cross-country stuff in the Sierras?

Talking to my nephew about the old John Muir Trail maps

He was planning a trip and just pulled up a perfect 3D flythrough on his phone... said he never even considered paper. I still have my worn-out set from my 2012 hike, all marked up with notes about water sources that are probably dry now. Makes you wonder if we miss something when the route is just a glowing line instead of something you have to really figure out.

Shoutout to the guy who told me about the trail marker near Lake Serene

Honestly, I got completely turned around trying to find the turnoff for the Boulder Creek Loop in the North Cascades. The map said it was obvious, but I spent like two hours backtracking before a day hiker pointed out the small rock cairn hidden behind a fallen log. Has anyone else had a simple trail junction eat up that much time on what should have been a straightforward day?

Heard a park ranger talking about the Lost Coast Trail in California

I was grabbing a map at the King Range visitor center and overheard a ranger tell someone the full 25 mile stretch is only passable at low tide for about 4 hours a day. I always thought it was just a tough hike, but that timing makes it a whole different kind of trip planning. Anyone have a good system for tracking those tide windows on a multi-day trip?

Met a guy on the Timberline Trail who said the loop was 'too easy'

He was bragging about doing it in two days, but his pack was huge and he looked wrecked. We were at Cloud Cap and he was complaining about the river crossings being boring. Has anyone else run into people who just seem to hate the actual hiking part?

TIL the hard way that the 'easy' route up Mount Hood is not a joke

Honestly, I was on the South Side route last spring, thinking it was just a long walk. About 500 feet below the summit, the weather flipped in maybe 20 minutes. The wind got crazy and the snow turned to total ice. I had to turn around right there, which felt awful. Now I check the mountain forecast three times and bring real crampons, not just microspikes. Anyone else had a plan totally wrecked by a fast weather change up there?

I finally bought a satellite communicator for my solo trips and I'm torn on if it was worth it.

I dropped about $350 on a Garmin inReach Mini 2 before a five day loop in the Wind River Range last summer. On one hand, the peace of mind for my family was huge, and I used the weather forecasts every day. On the other, I never had an emergency, and the monthly fee feels like a tax on my worry. I'm debating if that cash would have been better spent on a lighter tent or just saved. For those who go out alone, do you carry one or do you think the risk is overblown?

Appreciation post: My old water filter finally quit on me in the Wind River Range

It was day three of a seven day loop and the pump handle snapped clean off. I had to use iodine tablets for the rest of the trip, which tasted awful. I've been using that same filter model for almost ten years and just assumed it was bulletproof. Now I'm looking for a more reliable system, maybe a gravity filter. Anyone have a solid recommendation that won't fail in the backcountry?

I packed a full camp stove for a 3 day hike because I didn't know what 'cold soaking' was

I was on the Lost Coast Trail last fall, and my pack felt crazy heavy. I saw another hiker just add cold water to a jar of rice and beans at lunch, and I asked if his stove was broken. He laughed and said, 'Nah man, I just don't cook.' It hit me then that I'd been carrying this whole metal kit for no reason. Has anyone else switched to cold soaking after a moment like that?

Looking back at my first John Muir Trail attempt versus last year's

I mean, my first try in 2015 was a mess. I brought a 55 pound pack with a heavy tent and way too much food. Last year, I went with a lighter setup, a tarp and bivy, and planned my resupplies better, cutting my base weight to under 22 pounds. The difference wasn't just comfort, it was finishing the whole 211 miles feeling strong instead of beat up. It's wild how much route planning and gear choice changed the experience. Has anyone else had a specific trail where a lighter approach made it possible?