If you’re looking for a single southern Utah backpacking trip that will showcase the best of what the area has to offer, then Paria Canyon/Buckskin Gulch is the trip for you. Located in the Paria Canyon-Vermillion Cliffs Wilderness, this hike follows a wild river (and/or narrow slot canyon) for at least 38 miles. It cuts …
How To: Go Backpacking in Paria Canyon and Buckskin Gulch Read More »
Hiking and Backpacking In Bear Country: What You Need to Know Where we live and hike in Idaho, the presence of black bears and grizzly bears is a constant reality. While I absolutely love that these living embodiments of wilderness still inhabit our mountain ranges, they also come with some concerns. Bears have the potential …
The Ultimate Guide To Backpacking In Bear Country: Everything You Need To Know Read More »
The great thing about buying gifts for a backpacker is that backpacking items come in two types; a few big, expensive things, and tons and tons of small, inexpensive things. That means that the list of things you could give to a backpacker is just about endless. And seeing as backpackers (at least the ones …
The 20 Best Gift Ideas for Hikers and Backpackers under $30 Read More »
Since I became interested in backpacking, I’ve followed and read about the adventures of backpacking legend Andrew Skurka. He was named National Geographic’s Adventurer of the Year for his 6,875 Mile Great Western Loop, and he has pioneered some of the most adventurous backpacking routes in the U.S. Among the best of these is the …
When gearing up for a long distance thru-hike, there is a ton of planning involved. You need to get the right gear, plan for food, do some physical training, and understand how you’re going to map your route. All of those things are important, but none of them really prepare you for what it’s like …
The Art Of The Shakedown Hike: Why We Should All Do Them Read More »
The word “ultralight” is almost a bad word at this point. Head over to the subreddit r/ultralight_jerk and you’ll see what I mean; the term has been corrupted by folks who spend more time cutting handles off toothbrushes than actually backpacking (or at least that’s one way to look at it). But that doesn’t mean those …
How To Lighten Your Backpack: Ultralight Backpacking Tips For Average Hikers Read More »
So you know for sure you want to go backpacking. Maybe you were inspired by a friend, a movie, or a breathtaking Instagram post. But no matter what, you’ve decided to go, and that’s awesome. But where do you go? You might have already figured out what gear you need to bring, but choosing a …
How to Choose the Right Trail For Your First Backpacking Trip Read More »
On my first backpacking trip, I had no idea what I was doing. A friend and I had one real backpack between us (the other was an overstuffed daypack), a kitchen saucepan (paired with a tiny borrowed backpacking stove), some giant sleeping bags, and many redundant emergency items, among other (useless) things. I didn’t do …
Beginner’s Backpacking Gear List: What To Bring On Your First Backpacking Trip Read More »
Beginner Backpacking: The Basics Thinking of going backpacking? If so, you’re in the right place. Backpacking is rewarding like very few other things. You, under your own power and with your life on your back, can go explore some of the most amazing landscapes the world has to offer. No trip is exactly like another, …
Wilderness Backpacking For Beginners: The Basics Read More »
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 »
