For Beginners

This is a scenario we all dread: you’re on a group hike and one of the hikers in your group disappears. How can you prevent something like this from happening? What can you do to find them? Prevention Keep your group together …

A lot of hikers look down at peakbagging as a motivation to get out and hike. I certainly viewed it with suspicion until I learned more about it. I got my first glimpse into the joys of peakbagging when I was hiking …

I’m co-leading a Backpacking Fundamentals trip in two months with Andrew Skurka, and one of our students contacted me over the weekend for help with his homework. He’s been assigned the Footing section of the Environmental Conditions Assessment we have students collaborate on …

One of my facebook readers left a comment yesterday, questioning why anyone would bury the ash generated by a wood stove (see my Solo Wood Stove Review) when it would naturally dissipate on its own. Burying my ashes is one of the …

Do you snore on backpacking or camping trips? Does it disturb the people you’re with or others who share the same campsite with you? If so, you need to take responsibility for your ‘condition’ and reduce its impact on others. Here are …

If you hike in England or Scotland, it’s pretty common to see hikers wearing a map case around their neck. But map cases are relatively rare in the United States. They can be quite useful however if you have a lot of …

Buying a rain jacket for hiking and backpacking can be a very confusing process. If you look at the jackets that are available, it can be difficult to figure which ones are best suited for hiking and which are really made for …

In 2004 I met a couple thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail and asked if they’d taken any practice hikes. The husband said; “We didn’t want to take any practice hikes before our attempt because we were afraid that we might not like hiking.” …

Have you ever observed the footwork of a very experienced hiker? They tend to walk very efficiently, at a constant pace, often without looking at their feet. It’s something I do unconsciously now, but it took a couple of year of serious …

When I go backpacking, I carry a small stuff sack with my tent stakes and extra cordage. I typically carry betwen 6 and 11 tent stakes with me, extra paracord and Kelty triptease. This is one of the more general purpose elements …

Have you ever used a quilt instead of a sleeping bag on a backpacking trip? I confess, I haven’t. But I took my first tentative  step in that direction on my last backpacking trip. Instead of a quilt, I used the 50 …

If you want to become an ultralight backpacker, you need to be willing to experiment on yourself. There’s only so much you can learn by reading articles, asking questions on forums, or watching youtube videos. Sooner or later, you’re going to have …

I love day hiking, backpacking, peak bagging, long distance trekking: you name it. Being outdoors and propelling myself on my own two legs gives me tremendous joy…even when it rains. I also derive tremendous satisfaction from learning and using new hiking, backpacking …

Mostly Asolo Boots I switched to Trail Runners this year for all of my 3 season hiking. It was transformative and while I'm cautiously on the fence about using them for winter backpacking and mountaineering, I'm willing to do some experimenting there. …