Trail Guides, Gear Reviews, and Backpacking Tips
The Trollheimen Mountains of central Norway are one of the country’s most diverse mountain ranges. Located in the transition zone between marine and alpine environments, Trollheimen features ancient woodlands, lush river valleys, crystal-clear mountain lakes, and jagged rocky peaks. Complementing Read More …
While primarily known for its rich ancient history and idyllic beaches, Crete is also home to one of the Mediterranean’s most rugged and beautiful mountain ranges. Towering above the Aegean Sea, the White Mountains (“Lefka Ori” in the local tongue) Read More …
My most recent visit to Bolivia’s Altiplano was in 2017. The raison d’etre of that journey was a 600 km/373 mile traverse of the region, which featured multi-colored lakes, the world’s largest salt flat, and a memorable finish on top Read More …
The fifth iteration of the “Hiking Books Guide” has been updated and expanded to include more than 90 works divided into eight categories: 1. Educational; 2. Guidebooks; 3. Humour; 4. Inspirational; 5. Literature; 6. Memoirs; 7. Philosophy, and; 8. Ultralight. Read More …
Note: Katabatic’s Holiday Sale is running until December 2. All quilts are 15% off, while Jackets and Bivys are 20% off. I picked up the Katabatic Alsek 22°F quilt in 2018. Over the last six and a half years, I’ve Read More …
UPDATED (November 25, 2024) As many folks will be aware, the Black Friday Sales season is now in full swing. This is a great opportunity to save on any wishlist backpacking gear you may have been thinking about during 2024. Read More …
Ilulissat is Greenland’s tourism capital. Located on the island’s west coast, 250 km (155 mi) north of the Arctic Circle, its UNESCO World Heritage Listed Icefjord attracts visitors from around the globe. For those seeking more in the way of Read More …
(Editor’s Note: Rather than the usual excerpt, it seems like the entire content of the following post was sent to subscribers’ inboxes. From what I can tell, a glitch happened with the subscription plugin during a recent update. The issue Read More …
For hikers of a superstitious bent, the prospect of trekking through the Balkan’s Accursed mountains may evoke more than a little trepidation. And up until fairly recently, this nervousness would have been wholly justified due to the fact that the Read More …
Gear cupboard spring cleaning. A combination of culling, gifting, tidying, reminiscing, donating, restoring, “yeah-no, yeah-no……I’ll decide on that one later,” and more reminiscing. During a recent shakeup, among the dusty MSR Whisperlite Stoves, indestructible Thermarest CCF mats, bombproof Macpac Pursuit Read More …
During the website’s recent hiatus, I hiked, traveled, dabbled in extreme ironing, and wrote two books. The first of those titles was Wanderlust Nordics: Exploring Trails in Scandinavia.* Released late last year, it’s a 300-page coffee table book that showcases Read More …
Bookended by two of the Faroe Islands’ most enchanting villages, the trail between Saskun and Tjørnuvík is one of the archipelago’s classic walks. Located on Streymoy Island, the route traverses a scenic pass and showcases an unforgettable collection of cascades, Read More …
I hiked Greenland’s Arctic Circle Tail (ACT) in early September 2022. The total distance was 200 km (124.4 mi), including the 35 km (21.7 mi) “Icecap” extension between Point 660 and Kangerlussuaq. Overall, temperatures were fairly typical for that time Read More …
Approximately 80 percent of Greenland is covered by a vast ice sheet. The remaining 20 percent of this ironically named island is a coastal corridor that is mostly ice-free during the summer months. It is here, among the sparsely populated Read More …
At the northernmost tip of the Faroe Islands lies a towering sea cliff by the name of Enniberg. Looming 754 m (2,474 ft) over the North Atlantic Ocean, it is said to be the world’s highest sea-facing promontory and, thanks to Read More …
There is no universal blueprint as to how you should backpack. We all have our own motivations, needs, and levels of experience. That being said, one thing upon which everyone can agree is that hiking is substantially easier and more Read More …
I’ve never considered myself to be a gearhead. I use gear to hike, not the other way around. That said, if you spend enough time backpacking over enough years, chances are you’ll accumulate the type of equipment necessary to help Read More …
The Swift X is a highly customizable lightweight backpack from Six Moon Designs. Made with either Liteskin or X-Pac material, it has a maximum volume of 56 L and tips the scales anywhere between 27 oz (0.8 kg) and 40 Read More …
In 2017 I did a Reddit AMA at /r/Ultralight. Over the course of five or six hours, I was asked a bunch of hiking-related questions, one of which was, “Can you give me your best piece of advice for backpacking Read More …
When many people first head out into the wilderness, they feel like a stranger in a strange land. Out of their comfort zone. Odd sounds, weird smells, too hot, too cold, too wet, too much. The first time may prove Read More …