When I first started hiking and backpacking I didn’t have a good mentor, so I made TONS of mistakes. Horrible, painful, dangerous mistakes. I’m a firm believer that making mistakes is the best way to learn, but there were some times where it would have been better if someone had just told me what to …
The 11 Biggest Mistakes New Backpackers Make and How To Avoid Them Read More »
My Ultimate John Muir Trail Gear List Dialing in your gear is one of the most important parts of any long distance trip, and the John Muir Trail is no exception. With its 211 miles of steep, high elevation terrain, you’ll feel every ounce on your back and scratch in your clothes. Setting up the …
How The New Wilderness Travel Rules Affect JMT Hikers in 2020 **As of March 2020, this post is outdated. INF ‘reclarified’ that there will still be an exception for JMT and PCT hikers to exit to resupply. All is well again!** As of December 2019, Inyo National Forest has some new rules. Or, rather, a …
What The New Inyo National Forest Rules Mean for John Muir Trail Hikers In 2020 Read More »
Tips For Snagging a Permit for The John Muir Trail It’s that time of year folks: it’s time to get your hiking permits for this summer. And with the John Muir Trail being one of the (if not the) premier long distance trails in the United States, permits are understandably tough to get. The process …
A Practical Guide to Backpacking Nutrition Let’s talk about everybody’s favorite and least favorite part of a backpacking trip; food. Favorite, because at the end of a long day of hiking (and especially after multiple long days of hiking) you enjoy food like at no other time in your life. Least favorite, because for a …
Basics of Backpacking Nutrition: A Practical Guide Read More »
My Favorite Backcountry Hydration System There’s no doubt about it, your water treatment system is one of the most important pieces of your gear set-up. Good treatment means good hydration which means good backpacking experiences. I can say from first-hand experience that when your system sucks you inevitably lean towards dehydration, and that can ruin …
How to Treat Water In The Backcountry: My Favorite System Read More »
How to Resupply on the John Muir Trail After getting your gear, planning your route, and doing some training, the least fun part of any long distance trip is planning your resupply. PCT and AT hikers have the luxury of flexibility, but because of strict permit rules and the lack of nearby towns and stores …
