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One incident I recall clearly was on my long section hike of the PCT (Mexican border though the high Sierra). I had a lousy diet full of carbs and sugar. At the end of a very long day, I had the...

One incident I recall clearly was on my long section hike of the PCT (Mexican border though the high Sierra). I had a lousy diet full of carbs and sugar. At the end of a very long day, I had the...

It is tempting to think that you can get away with eating junk when exercising so much every day, but the “calories in/calories out” concept is flawed especially for middle aged and older people (I’m...

I have two sleeping bags - a zPacks 10F rated full zipper bag and an Enlightened Equipment Revelation 30F quilt.

The zPacks is about 8 ounces heavier but I find that worth well worth it unless I...

Lots of people still use them. Although not thought of as such, the zPacks backpacks such as the ArcBlast are indeed external frame packs.

On the PCT heading into the Mojave, I was in a torrential storm in which my pack cover’s cord broke leaving me to rely on the Cuban fiber liner which, unbeknownst to me, had developed pinholes. When...

Same for me for all active pursuits. I run because it makes my day better. I hike because it’s the best form of travel I know. I don’t fear death but I do fear debility, and I hope being active...

I recently read "The Case Against Sugar" by Gary Taubes although his viewpoint is not without controversy since he's a proponent of high fat animal based diets (keto). As I read that book, I couldn't...

From all accounts I have read, the loss of Hetch Hetchy weighed on him heavily late in life. He died shortly after the battle was lost and never had to see the valley flooded. From time to time,...

I have made a concerted effort to eat better over the past couple of years - specifically to reduce my intake of added sugars and carbohydrates. While I am not on a Keto diet, I moved in that...

Muir was a product of his times and should be judged according to his times.

He sure didn’t practice LNT!

But he’s surely responsible for the preservation of vast stretches of wilderness. His...

Although I've never gone stoveless, I'll second the refried beans recommendations. I've always used Santa Fe brand refried beans which are available on amazon. I've never seen dehydrated refried...

This week I re-read John Muir's Wilderness Essays, a book I've had for many years and often re-read. If you can't get on a trail, this might be the next best thing. Muir had a way with words. Here's...

I recommend Serial Nomad's 2013 PCT thru hike journal and related posts. https://serialnomad.com/hiking-blogs/2013-pacific-crest-trail/

I am normally a side sleeper but try to sleep on my back when on the trail. I used a Prolite for several years and liked it but went to the NeoAir to save weight and it is fine as well. I tried to...

The product description for the arc air says that bear canisters can fit in the top half of the pack. That’s not great for weight distribution. With the canister and food being the heaviest items in...

I’d be interested in knowing if any motel owner anywhere would say, “yeah, sure, you can use your stove inside your room” when asked.

There's nothing wrong with cooking in towns, but why not just find a park picnic table and cook there? Or a bench? Or just go into the parking lot. I don't see a need to cook inside a motel room.

$200+

Everyone takes it and small businesses prefer it.

InReach is a tool like any other and it has saved lives. I carry mine for the peace of mind of family members but unusually only on remote hikes like in the Sierra Nevada. I have a “freedom”...

One of the reasons I purchased an InReach several years ago is because it allowed not only check ins but also two way communication and verification that messages were successfully sent, both of...

I had a similar experience southbound on the JMT in 2013. At the PCT/JMT junction near Crabtree meadow, I wanted to keep hiking the PCT to Mexico rather than summit Whitney and then end my hike. So...

I haven't thought about it that way but you're right that maybe the mindset is different from the beginning knowing that it will be a longer hike. The PCT section was supposed to be a thru hike so...

All these definitions are arbitrary but if the question is when I start to feel like I'm in full "thru hiker mode", the answer for me is about two weeks. There's a big difference between a one week...

I often get headaches and other moderate issues at altitude when I camp above 9000 feet on my first night. This is sometimes unavoidable in the high Sierra but when I thru hiked the Colorado trail I...