Advice

How Much Water Should You Carry on the Appalachian Trail?

How Much Water Should You Carry on the Appalachian Trail?

At 2.2 pounds per liter, water is one of the heaviest things you’ll carry on a thru-hike. It’s also the most important thing you’ll carry. Figuring out how much water...

Mar 7, 2024 : Diane Duffard
The Pyrenean Haute Route: 460 Miles of Premier Trekking in France and Spain

The Pyrenean Haute Route: 460 Miles of Premier Trekking in France and Spain

The Pyrenean Haute Route (HRP*), is a 465-mile trek from Hendaye on the Atlantic to Banyuls-sur-Mer on the Mediterranean. It's probably the best thru-hike I've ever done. On the HRP,...

Mar 5, 2024 : Kelly Floro
My Half Ounce Windscreen

My Half Ounce Windscreen

AT Cook Set I start my AT thru-hike attempt in about three weeks and am mostly ready. This means, though, I have 21 days to obsess and tweak. My latest...

Feb 27, 2024 : Jeff McCorkle
Lessons Learned: Going into my 2nd Thru-Hike

Lessons Learned: Going into my 2nd Thru-Hike

New Year, New Trail After a year away from thru-hiking, it's time to get back onto the trail. Since immersing myself in thru-hiking culture in 2017, it's been a significant...

Feb 26, 2024 : Thomas Allie
After 9,500 Miles on Trail, Here’s My Top Hitchhiking Advice for Women

After 9,500 Miles on Trail, Here’s My Top Hitchhiking Advice for Women

Before my first ever thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail in 2017, I had never once gone backpacking. I hardly knew enough about hiking to be out on the trail....

Feb 22, 2024 : Peg Leg
The GR5 Grand Traverse of the Alps: A 400+ Mile Thru-Hike of the French Alps

The GR5 Grand Traverse of the Alps: A 400+ Mile Thru-Hike of the French Alps

The Grande Traversée des Alpes, or Grand Traverse of the Alps, is a 400+ mile alpine section of the GR5. Traveling along ancient trade routes from Lake Geneva to the Mediterranean...

Feb 21, 2024 : Alison Young
13 Useful Smartphone Apps for Your Next Thru-Hike

13 Useful Smartphone Apps for Your Next Thru-Hike

Before a thru-hike, I cleanse my phone of apps I know I won’t use, freeing up storage space for maps, reading and audio materials, and photos. To save a few...

Feb 16, 2024 : Danielle Krolewicz
My 4 Biggest Regrets From My John Muir Trail Thru-Hike

My 4 Biggest Regrets From My John Muir Trail Thru-Hike

One week into my thru-hike of the John Muir Trail, I found myself crying in my tent, terrified and in pain, searching my map for a route off the trail...

Feb 15, 2024 : Katie Jackson
Rockin’ in the Bedrocks: Long Distance Hiking in Sandals

Rockin’ in the Bedrocks: Long Distance Hiking in Sandals

Importance of Footwear Selecting the right footwear for the trail is undoubtedly one of the most crucial decisions a hiker can make. The wrong shoes can significantly hinder your hike,...

Feb 13, 2024 : Thomas Allie
36 East Coast Trails That Aren’t the Appalachian Trail

36 East Coast Trails That Aren’t the Appalachian Trail

When it comes to hiking on the east coast, the Appalachian Trail usually gets all the attention. After all, it's one of the Triple Crown trails, and thousands of people...

Feb 9, 2024 : Diane Duffard