Trail Guides, Gear Reviews, and Backpacking Tips
Distance: 42 miles (68 km) Time: 5 days Note: The time needed to do this hike can vary dramatically depending on the conditions, as well as the fitness and experience of the hiker. As a general reference, John Chapman, in Read More …
“A hungry stomach seldom scorns plain food.” ~ Horace (65 BC – 8 BC) Food tastes better in the outdoors. I guess it’s a combination of fresh air, beautiful surroundings and all that exercise you’re doing. It also represents the Read More …
Knowing where and how to ford a fast-flowing river is one of the most important backcountry skills that a hiker can acquire. Let’s break it down into four steps: Where to Cross? Preparation for Crossing Fording Techniques Worst-Case Scenario Read More …
To a certain degree, blisters are to hikers what carpal tunnel syndrome is to court reporters – an occupational hazard. The primary cause of these little bubbles of fun is friction. Long hours on your feet combined with ill-fitting footwear Read More …
“If you can’t ride two horses at once you shouldn’t be in the circus.” – James Maxton (1885-1946) Items that can fulfill more than one purpose are a great way of decreasing your base weight, as well as simplifying your packing list. Read More …
“Never walk alone” is a refrain most commonly heard from Park Rangers, Liverpool football (soccer) fans and Rodgers and Hammerstein aficionados the world over. In so much as it relates to hiking, it can be considered sound advice for beginners Read More …
A well loaded pack can mean the difference between being comfortable and uncomfortable out on the trail. It is one of the simpler backpacking skills to learn, yet it seems to be a process that many hikers overlook. There is Read More …
Since the early 2000s, frameless backpacks have been my rucksack model of choice for the majority of hiking trips that I have done. While by no means an ideal option for all hikers and all types of journeys (see below Read More …
With all the hullabaloo in the hiking community about Cheryl Strayed’s memoir, I couldn’t resist sneaking in at least one post with “Wild” in the title. 😉 Truth be told, this list is just a fun exercise to see how much Read More …
Another great year on the hiking front has come and gone. Enjoyable shorter trips with friends, mixed together with memorable solo journeys. A fusion of coastal, desert and alpine environments. Below are twenty photos from my five favourite trips of Read More …
The following meeting took place during my Continental Divide Trail hike of 2012: As I descended towards Morrison Lake, I was approached by a latino man on horseback. He greeted me with an enthusiastic, “Hola Amigo!” Much to his surprise, I responded in Spanish. Read More …
Distance: 48 miles (77km) Time: 3 days (September 4 – 6) Start: Lake Queracocha Finish: Pastoruri Glacier Day 14 Setting out from Lake Queracocha just before midday, I made my way cross country over the windswept, treeless landscape. Navigation Read More …
For folks thinking about hiking the Pacific Crest and/or Continental Divide Trail, Yogi’s Books represent an excellent all-around source of information. Jackie McDonnell (Yogi) and Matt Signore (Worldwide) have put together comprehensive planning guides that include gear suggestions, desert & snow Read More …
Last week I received an email from a young couple who are hoping to do the Arizona Trailnext year. Hailing from the UK, where dry water sources are about as common as ice cream trucks in the Gobi desert, they Read More …
At a Glance Distance: 46 miles (74 km) Time: 3 days Start: Pitec Finish: Chavin Stage 3 Notes Day 11 Upon arriving back at the Pitec trailhead, I met a park ranger by the name of Pedro. Pedro the Read More …
A fun exercise to see how much my equipment had changed between my two trips to the Peruvian Andes (1996 and 2014). In the 18 years between visits, my base weight dropped from 12.5 kg (27.4 lbs) to 4.79 kg Read More …
This is the gear list from my late Fall / early winter (Oct.17 to Dec.28) thru hike of the Appalachian Trail. The AT was the last of the 12 Long Walks, a continuous series of a dozen long distance hikes Read More …
With the popularity of the Triple Crown increasing, the amount of information on the internet regarding the three long distance trails is staggering. Some of it is good; some of it not so much. That being the case, how does one separate Read More …
This is the gear list from my 2012 thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. It represented the tenth hike of the 12 Long Walks series. I began at the Mexican border on May 6 and finished on July 29. In Read More …
The perfect rain jacket is waterproof, breathable, lightweight, durable and affordable. Unfortunately, it doesn’t exist. Bummer. Choosing a rain jacket basically comes down to two main criteria: Suitability for the conditions into which you are venturing. Something that is in Read More …