The thru-hiker/trail angel relationship has been put under strain with the increasing popularity of thru-hiking. And it's not just because thru-hikers are hitting the trail with zero money (but that's not helping). For this article, we're going to define trail angels as being anyone who regularly
(Un)Popular Opinion: Trail Angels, Stop Asking Hikers for Money
After my tirade calling out thru-hikers who hike with zero money, I thought it appropriate to examine another money-adjacent aspect of the thru-hiking world, trail angels. If you're unfamiliar with the concept of trail angels, they're basically people who help hikers during their thru-hikes. A
(Un)Popular Opinion: Why Your Trail Family Sucks
Hiking the Pacific Crest Trail, I meet a hiker from Australia near the turnoff for Mount Whitney. This hiker appears to be experiencing something bordering on an existential crisis. The origin of her plight? Whether she should detour from the PCT and hike to the summit of Mount Whitney. First,
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
Why Water Caches Are Bad for Thru-hikers
Water caches are locations where water is stored or left out where there would otherwise be none. They have become increasingly common on long-distance trails such as the Pacific Crest Trail and the Continental Divide Trail, which may sound like a good thing - water caches mean hikers aren't forced
Suffering & Despair on the Continental Divide Trail (Class of 2019)
As part of the Continental Divide Trail 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 reputation for being more challenging than the Pacific Crest Trail and the
Trail Angels and Trail Magic
If you're planning on setting off on a thru-hike, you may encounter the terms trail angel and trail magic as you scour the internet for information to better prepare you for the journey ahead. So what are trail angels and trail magic? Trail angels are people who go out of their ways to make life a
Horror & Heartbreak On The Continental Divide Trail (2018 Edition)
The Continental Divide Trail is frequently thought of as the most difficult of thru-hiking's "Triple Crown". As part of this year's Continental Divide Trail Hiker Survey, I asked hikers about their lowest moments on trail and the moments on trail that made them legitimately fearful (whether this was
Continental Divide Trail In Photos: New Mexico Water Sources
The start of the Continental Divide Trail (CDT) does to hikers whatever you would consider the opposite of "ease them into the hike" (that's right, it fucks them in the back of a Volkswagen). The water sources hikers have to drink from (yes, you have to drink from them, the alternative is