Trail Guides, Gear Reviews, and Backpacking Tips
Backpacking skills and techniques
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 …
Updated and expanded since the last edition in 2019, “Books for Hikers and Backpackers” now includes more than 70 works separated into eight categories: 1. Educational; 2. Guidebooks; 3. Humour; 4. Inspirational; 5. Literature; 6. Memoirs; 7. Philosophy, and; 8. Read More …
Hiking downhill is often taken for granted. In the minds of some, it represents the equivalent of “backcountry gravy”; the reward that follows the exertion of a challenging ascent. Yet hiking downhill takes its toll. Twists, slips and tumbles are Read More …
“Nine out of ten people who visit the outdoors are uninformed about Leave No Trace and minimizing their impacts.” ~ Ben Lawhon, Education Director LNT Center for Outdoor Ethics Leave No Trace (LNT) principles are like the golden rules of Read More …
This year’s book list has been revised and significantly expanded, and to make things easier on the sorting front, I’ve divided the works into eight different categories: Educational, Guidebooks, Humour, Inspirational, Literature, Memoirs, Philosophy and Ultralight. All of the more Read More …
One of the things I’ve always loved about the wilderness is that everything is what it is. No masks, no motives, no hidden agendas. Mother Nature can be the hardest of taskmasters, but I’ve never found her to be disingenuous Read More …
All of the works listed below have a place in my library at home. They represent a mixture of educational and philosophical texts; with a sprinkling of humour, poetry and social commentary thrown into the literary mix. The books are 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 said, one thing upon which everyone can agree is that hiking is substantially easier and more enjoyable, Read More …
A combination of driving rain, high winds, and temperatures just above freezing, represents some of the most challenging weather that a hiker can face. In these conditions, hypothermia and frostbite (if the thermometer subsequently drops below 0°C / 32°F) are Read More …
“A giant thirst is a great joy when quenched in time.” – Edward Abbey, “Desert Solitaire” (1968). Not drinking enough water may well be the most common mistake made by hikers and backpackers. Whether you are walking in the heat or the Read More …
“Thru-hiking is 90 percent mental” is one of those statements that you regularly hear in the US long-distance hiking community. Indeed, it has been repeated so often in articles, online forums, and books that it seems to be accepted as Read More …
All of the works listed below have a place in my library at home. They represent a mixture of educational and philosophical texts; with a sprinkling of humour and social commentary thrown into the literary mix. The books are listed Read More …
Employing a GPS as your primary navigation tool is like using a calculator to do basic addition. Push a few buttons, tap, tap, tap on your smartphone and voilà! Little in the way of grey matter required. And therein lies the Read More …
Theoretically speaking, tents are easier to set up than tarps. Same deal every time; give or take an extra guyline or two. Tarps on the other hand require a little more thought and creativity. Options are many and your choice Read More …
When thru or section hiking a long-distance trail, backpackers regularly hitch into and out of towns for purposes of resupply and R&R. While there is obviously no surefire formula to hitchhiking success, there are certain tips and techniques that can Read More …
“On Thursday, June 16, five members of the Camp Sherman Hasty Team responded to Carl Lake in the Mt. Jefferson Wilderness area to locate a lost Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) hiker………Sterley (the hiker in question) told team members that her Read More …
Glissading is fun, exciting & potentially hazardous to your health. Six points for hikers to remember in regards to glissading: 1. Never glissade if you are in any doubt as to the safety of a slope (e.g. crevasses, avalanche potential, 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 …
“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 …