Trail Guides, Gear Reviews, and Backpacking Tips
Note: Katabatic’s Holiday Sale is running until December 2. All quilts are 15% off, while Jackets and Bivys are 20% off. I picked up the Katabatic Alsek 22°F quilt in 2018. Over the last six and a half years, I’ve Read More …
UPDATED (November 25, 2024) As many folks will be aware, the Black Friday Sales season is now in full swing. This is a great opportunity to save on any wishlist backpacking gear you may have been thinking about during 2024. Read More …
For hikers of a superstitious bent, the prospect of trekking through the Balkan’s Accursed mountains may evoke more than a little trepidation. And up until fairly recently, this nervousness would have been wholly justified due to the fact that the Read More …
During the website’s recent hiatus, I hiked, traveled, dabbled in extreme ironing, and wrote two books. The first of those titles was Wanderlust Nordics: Exploring Trails in Scandinavia.* Released late last year, it’s a 300-page coffee table book that showcases Read More …
I’ve never considered myself to be a gearhead. I use gear to hike, not the other way around. That said, if you spend enough time backpacking over enough years, chances are you’ll accumulate the type of equipment necessary to help Read More …
When many people first head out into the wilderness, they feel like a stranger in a strange land. Out of their comfort zone. Odd sounds, weird smells, too hot, too cold, too wet, too much. The first time may prove Read More …
My fourth book with gestalten publications has just been released. In a nutshell, Wanderlust Himalaya: Hiking on Top of the World, is a 300-page coffee table book that showcases 26 of the finest hikes from the world’s highest mountain range (along Read More …
The Cordillera Blanca Traverse is a backcountry hiking route through one of South America’s highest and most beautiful mountain ranges. Measuring approximately 400 km (249 mi) in length, elevations during the hike ranged between 3,133 m (10,279 ft) and 5,201 Read More …
Updated and expanded since the last edition in 2019, “Books for Hikers and Backpackers” now includes more than 70 works separated into eight categories: 1. Educational; 2. Guidebooks; 3. Humour; 4. Inspirational; 5. Literature; 6. Memoirs; 7. Philosophy, and; 8. Read More …
It’s been almost a year since I last posted on The Hiking Life. Even by my sporadic publishing standards that’s a long time between drinks. Indeed, it’s gotten to the point where I’m regularly receiving messages from readers asking if Read More …
The end of 2019 saw the release of Wanderlust USA, my third book with gestalten publications. In a nutshell, it’s a 320-page coffee table book that features 30 terrific hikes from around the United States. Among the eclectic collection are Read More …
This year’s book list has been revised and significantly expanded, and to make things easier on the sorting front, I’ve divided the works into eight different categories: Educational, Guidebooks, Humour, Inspirational, Literature, Memoirs, Philosophy and Ultralight. All of the more Read More …
Earlier this year I wrote an article titled 14 Signs You are Carrying too Much Stuff in your Backpack. This time around I thought I’d address the other end of the load-carrying spectrum, and list some of the red flags Read More …
I hiked Italy’s Alta Via 1 and 2 back-to-back over 10 days in mid-September, 2019. The conditions I encountered were typical for that time of year, with temps ranging from low 20’s C to just below just below freezing. Overall Read More …
Last year I wrote and co-edited a book by the name of Wanderlust – Hiking on Legendary Trails. In a nutshell, it’s a 256-page coffee table book that features 32 terrific hikes from around the world. Some of the treks Read More …