Don’t Overplan Think of a thru-hike as a bunch of little 3-4 day backpacking trips strung together. For the most part, there’s no need to plan beyond your next resupply. You have no idea how each day is going to go, and the farther out you try to plan, the less accurate your predictions will … Read More “Do’s and Don’ts for Prospective Thru-Hikers” »
If you are fantasizing about a thru-hike, you probably can’t wait to leave your job behind and hit the trail. But first, you’ve got to save up enough money to actually quit that job. There are a million articles out there with tips for saving money, and you should read them for inspiration and ideas. … Read More “How to Save Money for Thru-Hiking” »
Our Second Bikepacking Trip
The Rae Lakes Loop is a spectacular little loop in the High Sierra, including segments of the PCT and JMT and several scenic high mountain passes, not to mention some memorable high altitude lakes.
Biking through Valles Caldera in New Mexico
1. You’ll be really hungry for awhile Even though you’ve stopped burning more than double your “normal” amount of calories every day, your body takes some time to catch up to that reality. Most hikers find themselves gaining back all the weight they lost on the trail and oftentimes add a little extra. I’ve dealt … Read More “7 Things No One Tells You about Returning to Real Life after a Thru-Hike” »
Wanting to explore more routes to the river in the Grand Canyon after our trip down the Hermit Trail in 2020, Paul and I returned in October 2021 along with our friends Randy and Bill to hike down the Tanner Trail. This is an ancient route traced back to the Anasazi, now named for the … Read More “Grand Canyon: Rim to River on the Tanner Trail” »
Does the Platypus Quickdraw perform as well as the Sawyer Squeeze over the long term?
1. You’ll hurt all the time. It’s true. There are aches and pains every day. I think that when we first started hiking, I thought after a couple weeks I’d magically wake up with my trail legs and every day would be easy. Wrong! Every day is hard. Even as your body becomes stronger, you … Read More “10 Things No One Tells You about Thru-Hiking” »
Don’t run out of money on your thru-hike! Even if you are on a very tight budget, you can still complete a thru-hike on a shoestring. Below are some strategies I have used for spending less money while on the trail. This post does not include strategies for saving money before the trail, such as … Read More “20 Tips for Spending Less Money on a Thru-Hike” »