I'm Carl "Professor" Stanfield, and I love backpacking. I studied Wilderness Leadership and Experiential Education at Brevard College in North Carolina, then spent about 3 years living and working at a camp in Leavenworth, Washington. After my time there ended, I decided to attempt a thru hike, and in April 2018, I set out on my adventure on the Appalachian Trail, finishing at the end of August 2018. I fell in love with the wondrous life of thru hiking and decided to make it a priority. I had another successful adventure on the PCT in 2019 and, after a few years of saving up working in Outdoor Retail, took on a Calendar Year Triple Crown in 2022. I’m now living the hiker trash dream as a part time writer and full time hiker.
Posts
My PCT Thru-Hike: By the Numbers
If there's ever been a thru-hike number or statistic you've been curious about, you've come to the right place. Every number and calculation from
Gear Review: Oboz Arete Low Hiking Shoes
Ever wondered what would happen if a rugged boot had a baby with a lightweight trail runner? If so, put your weird dreams to bed and take a look at
Gear Review: Mountainsmith Andesite Trekking Poles
Making gear lighter is the name of the game right now, and Mountainsmith joins the club in the trekking pole department with the new Andesite
Gear Review: Six Moon Designs Swift X Hiking Backpack
Six Moon Designs just dropped the Swift X Hiking Backpack. This is the 10-year anniversary edition of their original pack, and the modern updates
Gear Review: Rab Men’s Kaon Jacket
Rab has made a serious contender for the ideal backpacking jacket with the Kaon Jacket. This innovative jacket is made with efficiency in mind and
Gear Review: Gossamer Gear G4-20 Ultralight 42 Backpack
The Gossamer Gear G4-20 is a new take on one of the classic GG packs with some really cool and unique new features. Most notable are the asymmetrical
Enlightened Equipment Convert Quilt Review
Over the past few years, quilts have risen significantly in popularity for long-distance backpackers. If you aren’t familiar with them, the basic
Gear Review: TOAKS 900ml D130mm Pot
One of the most enjoyable parts of a long day on the trail can be a hearty hot meal in camp. The TOAKS 900ml D130mm Pot is a nicely sized vessel that
Prof on the PCT: Desert Part 2 and Prepping for the Sierra
I'm writing on day 52 (mile 745) from a motel in Lone Pine after a short night of hot sleep. We weren't planning on staying in town, but we got a
Prof on the PCT: The Cold Wet Desert
Hey everybody! It is the morning of day 25 out here on the trail, and I've finally found a little time to write something. I'll run through a quick