The Platypus QuickDraw Microfilter is a 2.2 oz / 62 g hollow-fiber membrane water filter that removes bacteria and protozoa from water sources. It's designed with simplicity and ultralight backpacking in mind - certainly something you'll find hikers using on trails such as the Pacific Crest Trail
Continental Divide Trail In Photos: Colorado
Colorado, the second state of the Continental Divide Trail (for northbound hikers), presents a set of new challenges for hikers leaving New Mexico. Hikers face elevation, snow, thunderstorms, cold, moose, recreational cannabis, and increased prices once they cross the border into Colorado from New
Continental Divide Trail Advice for 2021 (from the Class of 2020)
Continental Divide Trail Week 15: The Final State(s)
Week 15 on the Continental Divide Trail brings us into the final two states of the CDT, Idaho and Montana. The trail only makes a small appearance in Idaho and spends a lot of time tracing the Idaho-Montana border. We leave Yellowstone, take the Mack's Inn Alternate, and arrive in Lima, Montana
Continental Divide Trail Horror Stories (Class of 2020)
As part of the Continental Divide Trail Hiker Survey, I ask hikers what their lowest moments on the trail were and when, if ever, they encountered a situation where they felt legitimately afraid or in danger. The CDT has a well-deserved reputation for not being the most beginner-friendly or
The CDT Resupply Guide: Class of 2020 Survey
As alluded to above, I often advise hikers not to worry too much about resupply before beginning a thru-hike. Barring any dietary restrictions or a tight resupply schedule (i.e. you're on a CDT speed run), there's little reason to stress about where you're going to buy food in Wyoming in a couple of
The Continental Divide Trail Gear Guide: Class of 2020 Survey
In the third part of this year's Continental Divide Trail Thru-hiker Survey, we take a deep dive into Continental Divide Trail hikers' gear. CDT gear lists vary wildly between hikers and (spoiler alert) it's impossible to find a perfect CDT gear list. That said, we can try. I've organized this
The Continental Divide Trail Hiker Survey (2020)
In the second installment of the 2020 Continental Divide Trail Hiker Survey, we'll take a look at the hikers who were actually on the trail this year. Normally, this information is covered in the initial survey publication, but because of many hikers choosing to cancel their hikes due to COVID-19, I
The 2020 Continental Divide Trail Survey – Part I: NOGO
The 2020 Continental Divide Trail thru-hiking season was not immune to the pandemic and the CDT Hiker Survey is here to reflect this change. This year, just as I did with the PCT Survey, I am first documenting all of the data collected from respondents - both those who hiked the CDT and those who