Trail Guides, Gear Reviews, and Backpacking Tips
Ticks are about as popular as Auntie Mabel’s fruitcake at Christmas time. These sneaky bloodsuckers can carry viruses, bacteria, and parasites, and alongside mosquitos are at the top of the vector class when it comes to disease transmission. Unfortunately, they Read More …
Bears are the animals that everyone wants to see and doesn’t want to see. It is really just a question of timing and distance. Spot a grizzly bear on the other side of a raging river; fantastic. Walk around a Read More …
Hypothermia is subnormal body temperature that occurs when the body loses heat faster than it can produce it. It is most often caused by exposure to cold weather. Other factors that may contribute to the onset of hypothermia include over-exertion, Read More …
These days the internet is full of backpacking blogs and websites. When coupled with a multitude of online hiking forums, advice is never more than a click or two away. However, not all advice is created equal, and the fact Read More …
A combination of driving rain, high winds, and temperatures just above freezing, represents some of the most challenging weather that a hiker can face. In these conditions, hypothermia and frostbite (if the thermometer subsequently drops below 0°C / 32°F) are Read More …
“A giant thirst is a great joy when quenched in time.” – Edward Abbey, “Desert Solitaire” (1968). Not drinking enough water may well be the most common mistake made by hikers and backpackers. Whether you are walking in the heat or the Read More …
Alongside mosquitos, ticks are at the top of the vector class when it comes to disease transmission. These little bloodsuckers can carry and transmit viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Indeed, when it comes to spending time out in the wilderness hikers Read More …
This is a revised, revamped and expanded version of an article I wrote in 2010. It includes a spreadsheet of food items I eat on trail, tips for maintaining weight, town stop strategies, and a basic overview of my eating Read More …
For lightweight and ultralightweight backpackers, the combined weight of food and water will regularly exceed that of all the gear they are carrying. For example, five days food equates to approximately 10 lbs (4.5 kg). Half a gallon of water Read More …
Last week I shared a photo on social media of three friends of mine on the Sierra High Route. What I didn’t mention is that two of the ladies pictured, namely Christy “Rockin” Rosander and Nancy “Why Not” Huber, are Read More …
Snakes aren’t interested in biting hikers. Whether you’re walking down the trail, sleeping under the stars or taking a sneaky number two behind a not-quite-big-enough bush, snakes want to avoid a potential encounter just as much as you do. That Read More …
I’ve met overnight hikers carrying First-Aid kits that would put your average paramedic to shame. At the other end of the spectrum, I’ve also encountered walkers on longer treks armed with nothing but duct tape and a “I’ll be ok, nothing Read More …
High mountain ranges such as the Rockies, Andes and Himalaya offer some of the most spectacular hiking opportunities on the planet. However, walking at high altitude brings with it certain inherent risks, the most common of which is altitude sickness, Read More …
Monsoon season is just around the corner in the southwestern United States. That means plenty of thunderstorms. However, when it comes to hiking in lightning-prone areas, most problems can be avoided by planning ahead, staying alert to changing weather conditions, Read More …
“A hungry stomach seldom scorns plain food.” ~ Horace (65 BC – 8 BC) Food tastes better in the outdoors. I guess it’s a combination of fresh air, beautiful surroundings and all that exercise you’re doing. It also represents the Read More …
To a certain degree, blisters are to hikers what carpal tunnel syndrome is to court reporters – an occupational hazard. The primary cause of these little bubbles of fun is friction. Long hours on your feet combined with ill-fitting footwear Read More …
“Never walk alone” is a refrain most commonly heard from Park Rangers, Liverpool football (soccer) fans and Rodgers and Hammerstein aficionados the world over. In so much as it relates to hiking, it can be considered sound advice for beginners Read More …
In more than two decades of hiking and backpacking, I had never had a serious case of chafe. Indeed, I occasionally made fun of hiking buddies who moaned and groaned about tender thighs or raw behinds. With a wry grin, Read More …