Sasquatch’s words filled the shelter one night: “I’m going to send my bag home when we get to Shenandoah.” It wasn’t uncommon for thru-hikers to look for weight-slicing solutions while on trail. I sent home some non-essential gear like cotton…
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I was bright-eyed and under informed. Somehow, “planning” on the internet didn’t quite ready me for some of the struggles I faced. As it turns out, long days putting one foot in front of the other is a great opportunity for reflection.
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Going on a long backpacking trip or your first thru-hike requires tips and knowledge for the trail ahead. Experienced thru hikers, Our Trailing Thought, gives us their list of seven things they wish they knew for their first thru hike.
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Get the tips you need for long hikes as avid thru hikers share their self-care secrets for keeping your sanity on the trail.
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With thru hiker season upon us for the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, everyone is wondering about cutting pack weight. Most seasoned thru-hikers have their packing lists dialed and first-time long-distance hikers learn as they…
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What are you subjecting yourself to when you decide to go on a thru-hike? The positives are fleeting and the negatives are slow to disappear. Despite some people’s rosy, glorious, and admirable view of thru-hiking, it is not all rainbows…
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Pros and cons of common gear dichotomies like tents vs. tarps, air mattress vs. closed cell foam, cooking stoves vs. cold soaking, and suspension framed packs vs. going frameless.
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Sarah “Hermes” Wolfson, 25, had been struggling with chronic depression for half of her life by the time she decided to hike the 2,200-mile Appalachian Trail (AT) in 2020. She’d heard about thru-hiking years before, and she always felt an…
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Whether you’re headed out for a day hike or a multi-day backpacking trip, bringing a personalized first-aid kit should be as much of a priority as water, sunscreen, a hat, and footwear. A blister might bum out your hike, but…
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