c/backpacking-routes

Heads up about the new reroute on the Pacific Crest Trail near Mount Hood

I just got back from a section hike and saw at least four groups heading up the old Timberline Trail connector that washed out last spring. The forest service put up signs, but they're small and easy to miss if you're not looking. I had to pull out my map and check my GPS to confirm the new path, which adds about two miles but is way safer. Has anyone else run into confusing reroutes lately and how do you double-check them?

How SPOTTING BIRDS made my last hike more enjoyable

Taking breaks to watch animals keeps my MIND calm.

My PCT detour led me to a forgotten cabin

During a hike on the Pacific Crest Trail last week, I left the main path to check out a rocky ridge. I ended up bushwhacking for a couple miles and found an abandoned cabin with some old gear inside. It made me think that sticking to the trail means missing out on real adventure. Do you folks ever go off-route on purpose?

Had to switch up my usual loops because of a bum knee, and it turned out great

So my left knee has been giving me grief on any trip longer than five miles lately (just a dull ache, nothing sharp). I was pretty down about it, thinking my days of doing the big 15-mile ridge loops were over for the season. Instead of just not going out, I spent some time looking at the map for shorter, more scenic routes under five miles with good payoffs. Found this little 3-mile lollipop trail to a waterfall I'd always skipped because it seemed too easy. Did it last weekend with a lighter pack, took my time, and honestly, it was amazing. I actually noticed way more stuff, like the different mosses on the rocks and the way the light hit the pool below the falls. It felt more like a relaxed walk than a forced march, and my knee didn't make a peep. I guess sometimes your body forces you to slow down and see the trails in a whole new way.

Why do some backpacking loops feel longer on the way back?

I just finished a three-day loop in the Sierras and the return leg seemed to drag on forever. It got me thinking about how our minds see distance when we're tired. Do you find that loops mess with your sense of time too?

Backpacking with my sister and the cliffside detour

We were following a set route in the Rockies, my sister convinced she knew a better path from a childhood memory (she was much younger then). She guided us off the main trail onto her 'secret shortcut'. It ended at a sheer drop with no safe way forward, just a rocky ledge. We had to set up camp right there, eating cold snacks for dinner. Honestly, the view of the sunset made the whole mix-up worth it, I guess.

Watch for groups that block narrow trails

I had to backtrack a mile because a big group wouldn't move. It's best to speak up early or find another way.

Heads up: The bridge on the Eagle Rock loop is gone, creek ford is deeper than it looks.

My go-to method for finding quiet campsites off the main trail

I look for small clearings just beyond ridge lines on my map. They're often empty and have great views.

My backcountry battery fail turned me into a map purist

I was all about using my phone for routes until it died miles from camp, so now I carry a compass and paper, but I'm torn on which is truly better for most hikers.

Compass vs phone maps on the High Sierra Trail

Did the High Sierra Trail last fall. My phone map app glitched out. My old compass kept me on track. Some hikers think apps are all you need. I say a compass never fails. Which side are you on for route finding?

I always stuck to marked trails until a foggy morning in the Cascades.

Getting briefly off-route unveiled a hidden meadow that changed my whole approach.