What sets the PCT apart from most long-distance trails is just how much continuous stunning natural beauty there is on the entire trail. Long thru-hikes often suffer from long road walks, or stretches of trail that are just kind of “blah,” essentially being necessary to connect a route. But not on the Pacific Crest Trail. It’s not just the High Sierras that are gorgeous. Even if you don’t have the entire hike on your agenda, you still can go out and tackle some of the best bits of it merely as day hikes, or else short weekend overnights. Here are some of the best walks along the trail to ..read more

I love backpacking. I also love running. It can be difficult (though not impossible) to run with a fully weighted backpack. This summer, I found myself in a quandary as I had signed up for a 120-mile ultramarathon in August that required dedicated training, yet I yearned for nights in the backcountry with all I needed for a long weekend strapped to my back. So, with the support and company of my partner, Drew, we embarked on several combination backpack/running adventures in our nearby San Juan mountains. I highly recommend this training style for anyone who has a love for both backpackin ..read more

Ultralight backpacking gear walks a fine line between weight and durability.  That being said, ultralight gear can also be durable with the right care.  Regular zipper maintenance is crucial to the long-term durability of UL Zippers on both tents and backpacks. More ..read more

The Peaks of the Balkans remain relatively unknown beyond Europe. This beautiful trail is a 192km journey through the untamed Accursed Mountains of Albania, Montenegro, and Kosovo, it traverses one of Europe's last untouched wilderness areas and the trail meanders through remote villages, across alpine meadows, glacier-fed lakes, and ancient forests, offering not only awe-inspiring natural beauty but also a profound cultural immersion. More ..read more

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While Mount Everest may be the highest of the 8000-meter summits and Annapurna and K2 are considered the most dangerous, Kangchenjunga (also spelled as Kanchenjunga) remains one of the most remote and captivating of all of the Himalayan peaks and a trek to its north and south base camps should be on every trekker and wilderness lover’s bucket list.   My wife and I and several of our PCT “tramily” from a few years ago, plus some other avid trekking friends, set out this spring to do a circuit around the mountain. The trek isn’t exactly a circuit, as Kanchenjunga straddles India’s Sikk ..read more

Over the past several years, as I’ve begun tackling longer backpacking trips or longer trails in shorter time periods, I have been asked lots of questions about how I do it. My first answer is typically, “I just take another step.” That’s really the simplest way to sum it up. Tired? Take another step. Hungry? Shove some trail mix in your mouth and take another step. Lonely? Ain’t nobody else right here so you might as well take another step.  The longer version of the answer starts with a question back, “Is this something you would like to do?” There is no reason to backpack faster and l ..read more

  I am not quite sure how and when I found out about The Tor Divide but I entered sometime in 2023.  I had missed riding in the Peak District the year before on my version of LEJOG/GBDuro so I grabbed the chance of a place in this first edition. Through winter and spring, my riding was a mixture of local mountain bike blasts or when the weather wasn’t too poor some longer outings on gravel to build up fitness.  By March 2024 Valerio, the creator of the Tor Divide had started to share more and more information about the format of the event.  There were two routes to choose ..read more

In the wild and woolly world of trekking and hiking, I've earned myself quite the ignoble title of "Blister Queen." When fellow trekkers hear my trail name, I either get a good laugh or sympathetic nods of understanding.  I've gone through every shoe, sock, and slippery substance imaginable – from petroleum jelly to dishwashing soap – all in a desperate attempt to outsmart those pesky blisters. I even went full-on sheep mode, collecting wool on fences in New Zealand to stuff into my shoes. But no matter how hard I try, it's like my feet have a blister magnet built-in, determined to keep m ..read more

  Thinking Ultralight: A Beginners Guide on UL Packing   Ultralight backpacking is an approach to hiking and camping that emphasizes carrying the lightest and simplest gear safely possible. This philosophy extends beyond merely reducing pack weight—it's about enhancing the freedom and joy of your hiking experience. Achieving an ultralight pack means meticulously scrutinizing each item, prioritizing essentials, and ensuring that every piece of gear justifies its presence by serving multiple purposes. Here’s an in-depth guide to embracing ultralight backpacking, tailored for both novic ..read more