Chances are that if you're considering hiking the Wind River High Route (WRHR) in Wyoming's Wind River Range, you already have a pretty good idea of what your backpacking setup looks like. However, the Winds and the challenges of the high route also call for some must-have gear for the Wind River
NOW OPEN: 2023 Continental Divide Trail Hiker Survey
The 2023 Continental Divide Trail Hiker Survey is now open for responses - fill it out here! If you hiked the Continental Divide Trail this year (2023), as a thru-hiker or section hiker, this survey is for you. It doesn't matter whether you completed the entire CDT (i.e. if you got off early or
NOW OPEN: 2023 Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey
The 2023 Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey is now open for responses - fill it out here! If you hiked the Pacific Crest Trail this year (2023), as a thru-hiker or section hiker, this survey is for you. It doesn't matter whether you completed the entire PCT (i.e. if you got off early or section
Wind River High Route: Skurka and Dixon Routes Compared
The Wind River High Route is a mostly off-trail hike through Wyoming's Wind River Range. However, hikers have two options for hiking the WRHR, one proposed by Andrew Skurka and another proposed by Alan Dixon. Why they have both decided to call their proposed routes the Wind River High Route, I do
Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT Review
The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite NXT from Cascade Designs is a three-season 13 oz / 369 g inflatable sleeping pad with a 4.5 R-value (the measure of resistance to heat flow through a given thickness of material). It's the next evolution in what's essentially become the default ultralight,
Hayduke Trail Grand Canyon Itinerary
Every Hayduke thru-hiker will need a Hayduke Trail Grand Canyon itinerary. The trail spends nearly 150 mi / 240 km in Grand Canyon National Park and all Hayduke hikers will need a Grand Canyon backcountry permit. It's one of the few permits hikers will be required to get if they intend to hike the
The Best Pacific Crest Trail Moments in 2022
Hikers filling out the Pacific Crest Trail Hiker Survey are asked about their lowest moments on the PCT and their scariest moments on the PCT, so I thought it fair to also ask about hikers' best moments on the PCT as well. Most of the moments hikers recounted were short and sweet. They range from
Hayduke Trail Permits: A Detailed Guide
A single Hayduke Trail permit does not exist because the Hayduke isn't an officially established trail. Instead, it's a popular backpacking route that traverses multiple areas maintained by multiple agencies. Some employees and/or agencies are more aware of the trail than others. Many of these