Hello and welcome to the results of the 2018 Pacific Crest Trail Thru-hiker Survey! I've officially closed the books on the sixth year of this project and would like to extend a huge THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to participate. You're amazing people. Also, thank you to everyone who was
The Best Backpacking Gear Deals of Cyber Week 2018
Following the great American tradition of eating turkey until your sick and fighting with your drunk uncle, it's time for another great American tradition: spending money on things that you may or may not really need (or end up using until next summer). To help you sort out what to trade your
Interview With Jotaro Yoshida of LOCUS GEAR
Prior to beginning my traverse of the Japanese Alps this year, I had the chance to visit Jotaro Yoshida, founder of LOCUS GEAR at their headquarters in Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture, just outside of Tokyo. LOCUS GEAR is a small gear manufacturer, based in Japan, that specializes in lightweight
The 2018 Thru-hiker Gift Guide
As thru-hiking season draws to a close in the northern hemisphere, we approach the time of the year where all of us are encouraged to spend lots of money on things we may or may not need for future adventures that we may or may not have (but hopefully the former). As someone who does not have a
Nepal’s Three Passes Trek: Renjo La
Renjo La is the westernmost pass of Nepal's Three Passes Trek in Sagarmatha National Park and is generally considered to be the easiest of the three passes (if you don't know what the Three Passes trek is, you can get a full account of it here). The pass connects the Gokyo Lakes area to the
Why I’ll Never Buy Anything From Mountain Laurel Designs
Mountain Laurel Designs (MLD) is a company owned by Ron Bell in Virginia (in the United States). They make lightweight backpacking gear (backpacks, shelters, and accessories). They (and more specifically, Ron) have the worst customer service I have ever encountered (and I used to be a client of both
Continental Divide Trail Week 8: Three Is Company
DAY 50: Frozen Shoes I wake up today to a first on the Continental Divide Trail (and a first in my life), frozen shoes. The combination of last night's freezing temperatures and my having hiked through muddy, water-filled trails yesterday afternoon lead to a peculiar predicament this morning.
Nepal’s Three Passes Trek: Cho La
Cho La is the second pass of Nepal's Three Passes Trek (regardless of which direction you are heading) and is probably the most frequently crossed by trekkers in the Everest Region. It connects the two most popular valleys for trekking in the region: that containing Everest Base Camp and that
Nepal’s Three Passes Trek: Kongma La
Kongma La is the easternmost pass of Nepal's Three Passes Trek and is generally considered to be the most difficult of the three (but don't let the word difficult scare you). The Three Passes is commonly hiked in a counter-clockwise direction (although it can be hiked clockwise as well) which