Anyway, happy New Year!

This year (give or take a few months) we published dozens of trail profiles, news updates, essays, advice, and trail roundups, and these were yours (and sometimes our) favorites. These are the most popular posts of the past year, plus a few others we are especially proud of.

Thanks for hanging out with us, and we hope you’re spending your at-home (?) New Year’s Eve planning some badass backpacking trips for 2022.

1) Backpacking Instagram Sucks and It’s Time to Talk About It
Andrew Marshall

“Influencers and brand ambassadors tend to repeat dubious brand and product claims verbatim, lending a veneer of respectability to an industry already rife with overblown performance claims. Legally these accounts are required to disclose their relationships with brands and indicate when content is sponsored, but it doesn’t always happen and can be hard to notice when it does (and sometimes the relationships are unofficial, which is even ickier). As a final nail in the coffin, influencers often don’t have anything interesting to say.”

2) Emigrant Wilderness Loop
Katie Kommer

“This is a convenient California loop that can be hiked in just a few days and has free self-serve permits. I cannot recommend this trip enough for beginner backpackers. It’s the perfect amount of physical challenge mixed with stunning California beauty. After I camped next to one of these lakes back in 2015, I was completely hooked. I returned to do this loop again in 2020, and it felt just as special even after hundreds of backpacking miles under my belt.”

3) Thru-Hiking and my Unrealistic Body Image Expectations
Maggie Slepian

“A secret part of me saw the trail as a type of fitness boot camp: 23 days of really hard work to achieve the fitness and physique that would have taken six months of healthy eating and exercise in the real world. Therein lies the crux of post-thru-hike body image, at least for me. Most people will be at their most fit coming off a thru-hike. When else are you going to be dedicated the majority of your waking hours to hiking up and over mountains, carrying a fully loaded pack? The only instance when this makes sense is a long-distance backpacking trip or thru-hike, and at some point, those come to an end.”

4) Sawtooth Wilderness Loop
Jeff Garmire

Much like the Emigrant Wilderness Loop, the Sawtooth Wilderness Loop ranks high on the list every month, regardless of season. This is a 70-mile, remote trail in Idaho with easy camping and water access, but a decent amount of elevation gain. It can be hiked in 4-6 days.

5) The Story Behind Sambob Fleece’s Rocketing Success
Hugh Owen

“At a time when many feel isolated because of the pandemic, Sam has found comfort in meeting new people online. Customers ask him for a pullover with a hood, or thumbholes, or additional pockets, and tell him the colors and patterns they want. It’s a back and forth between Sam and customer as he sends them photos as the work progresses, they make suggestions, and the pullover comes together. Sam says he has a lot of orders from LGBTQ+ customers, and wants people to know that everyone is welcome, from those seeking a plus size to others looking for clothing to fit their personality.”

6) The Presidential Traverse
Hugh Owen

The New Hampshire Presidential Traverse is a 23-mile hike across the New Hampshire’s most amazing, open terrain. It can be completed in 2-4 days, and is popular with the peakbagging fans of the New England hiking community. This is primarily a summer trail, and is an epic bucket-list hike no matter where you live.

7) Top Swaps for Budget-Friendly Backpacking Apparel
Maggie Slepian

“While I test plenty of apparel and gear, I never have an obligation to promote them, which allows me to stay neutral in my recommendations. Sometimes I recommend the splurge, but oftentimes I’ve found you’re better off saving money by shopping for the budget option. With that in mind, I’ve compiled an honest list of some apparel I’ve been testing this season, along with comparable items that cost a whole lot less, allowing you to save money with the same performance.”

8) Four Beginner-Friendly Thru-Hikes
Andrew Marshall

“We talk about ‘beginner routes’ a lot at Backpacking Routes because one of our goals is to make the sport of backpacking more accessible to beginners. The definition changes depending on who you talk to, but I’ve rounded up four trails that I believe make ideal entry points into the world of backpacking. I thought about average elevation (low), length (short, comparatively), and wilderness factor (if things go wrong, how screwed are you?). These are four of the most beginner-friendly routes on the site.”

9) US-Made and Cottage-Industry Backpacking Gear
BPR Team

The hiking world is filled with stories of people who wanted to take their gear to the next level, and who drew on their outdoor experiences to design gear that’s lightweight yet durable. Most of them began by making gear at home. Some still do, while others have moved on to larger spaces. With that in mind we’ve compiled a list of cottage gear makers that we think deserve your attention, and who make their gear in the United States. This list is continually being updated thanks to Hugh.

10) The Arizona Trail
Jeff Garmire

“The Arizona Trail is special thanks to the time of year it can be hiked, and the length. With the majority of people hiking the AZT in the shoulder seasons (spring and fall), it is a break from the most popular trails in the United States. 800 miles is the perfect challenge to immerse yourself in the thru-hiking lifestyle, but is also a manageable distance to maintain a career and off-trail obligations.”

The post Top 10 BPR Posts From the Past Year-Ish appeared first on Backpacking Routes.

Shaving weight on random pieces of gear without thinking about the ramifications has consequences, like buying an ultralight backpack without having an ultralight setup. Though you’re saving weight on the light pack, you’ll be extremely uncomfortable.

Our Ultralight Gear List
Our Mid-Weight Gear List

Why Lighter Isn’t Always Better 

The ultralight backpacking craze encourages us to shave ounces wherever possible, often at the expense of durability, warmth, or comfort. Gear companies jump on board, developing the lightest products possible. Some of this gear works great, but it may not be for everyone. There are plenty of times where selecting gear a few ounces heavier may save weight and money in the long run. 

First, pay attention to how your gear is made. Ultralight fabrics can more delicate, expensive, or both. For example, many sleeping bags have a 20D fabric outer layer. My ultralight quilt has a 7D outer layer, and after two years, it ripped while cowboy camping in Joshua Tree. On the other hand, some ultralight fabrics like Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF) are extremely durable, but more expensive. Overall, consider the intended use of your gear and if shaving ounces is worth sacrificing durability and / or paying more.

How Utility, Versatility, and Cost all Impact Each Other 

• Utility: How much use you get out of a product; longevity 
• Versatility: The amount of scenarios / trips in which you could use the product
• Cost: The amount of money you paid for the product 

Utility and versatility are the two most important factors to consider when trying to keep costs low in the long scheme of things. When you invest in a more expensive product that will last forever and can be used in more scenarios, you save money over time. Conversely, selecting the lightest possible product that cannot be used for everything and does not last will eventually cost more money. 

To illustrate, an extremely lightweight and cost-effective sleeping bag rated to 40 degrees may work great in the summer. However, for any shoulder season trips you’ll need something warmer. Instead of investing in one quality 20-degree sleeping bag or quilt that could be used year round, you may be tempted to find another cost-effective warmer bag. This adds both cost AND weight to your pack, as a cheaper 20-degree bag won’t be as light as the one nice one you could have bought in the first place. 

Cost vs. Weight 

It’s tempting to look for products that have the lowest intersection of cost and weight. However, ultralight products made by cutting corners—or with cheap materials—won’t last as long, thus costing more in the long run. When looking for sleeping bags, look at the denier of the fabric. While a quilt using 7D fabric will be lighter, 20D material is more durable. Consider whether you will want to ever cowboy camp or use your quilt/bag around camp before choosing the lightest material. 

As you shave ounces, typically cost either rises or durability decreases. There are extremely tough ultralight fabrics like DCF, but these materials drive up price tags. To illustrate, Gossamer Gear’s The Two tent is $375 and 23.5 ounces, while the DCF version of the same tent is $589 and 20.8 ounces. In this case, you’re able to both shave weight and increase durability by investing in a more expensive tent.

How I Select Products 

For me, the two most important factors are versatility and utility. In the long run, this keeps costs down. I have one quilt that works for 95% of the trips I take, and I invested in an expensive and ultralight two-person tent that I bring even when I’m solo. Instead of finding the most perfect and lightest piece of gear for each trip I plan, I focus on buying the best products that will work for the majority of my backcountry adventures. 

While this method saves on cost in the long run, it can also help with overall weight. Instead of looking for the lightest option in every piece of equipment possible, I consider how it will all work together as a whole. For example, if I bring a heavier/thicker fleece midlayer I may be able to skip a base layer or go with a warmer-rated sleeping bag. This way, I end up saving weight by choosing one heavy layer instead of two lightweight layers. 

It’s also important to keep in mind that most bloggers/vloggers/influencers have been building their gear closets for years. If you’re just starting out, unless you’re willing to invest thousands of dollars off the bat you’ll have to work around what you’ve got for a while. I do have the privilege of having tested a lot of gear, so I have a ton of products to pick from. If you’re just starting out, there are a few different ways to go about gear shopping in terms of your own priorities. 

How to Buy Ultralight Gear 

• Cost as a priority: You’ll be carrying extra weight if cost is your #1 factor. Don’t be swayed by selecting the cheapest possible lightweight products. Scour reviews and research materials used in low-cost lightweight options to make sure you won’t have to replace your gear. While keeping costs low, it’s still possible to decrease your pack weight with some creativity. Get a stuff sack that doubles as a pillow case, or go stoveless. There are ways to hike light without investing a fortune. 
  
• Weight as a priority: For your big three products (tent, backpack, and sleeping bag), financial investment is the key to finding the lightest and most durable products. However, before finding ultralight products to replace everything in your pack do an inventory and see what you can go without, or double up on. Instead of purchasing an ultralight pillow, use a stuff sack with your down jacket in it. 
  
• Versatility/utility as a priority: If you want to be a 3-4 season backpacker and get the most use out of each piece of gear, you’ll fall into this category. If this is you, you’ll want to think about the range of temperatures you’ll be sleeping in throughout the year, or how many people you’ll ever want to backpack with at a time. While you may invest more upfront for quality products, having one setup year-round saves money. Similarly, your pack might be heavier for warm weather trips, but simply leaving stuff at home (like the extra jacket) can help cut down on this weight. 

Don’t fall into the trap of thinking there’s one *right piece of gear* to buy. When it comes down to it, people have different priorities and should feel comfortable selecting gear that aligns with their needs. It takes years to fine-tune a lightweight backpacking kit. Instead of blindly following someone’s suggestions on the internet (including ours), use these ideas as a base and research whether these truly fit your needs. 

The post How to Choose the Right Backpacking Gear appeared first on Backpacking Routes.

We’ve put your ideas into an evolving blog where we hope you’ll continue to share your trail meals. And you can be sure that our editors will try your creations. We’re really sick of the same food we’ve been eating for thousands of miles.

Shoot us a message @backpackingroutes or drop us a line with your go-to meals or snacks to keep the backpacking food fresh.

What We’re Eating

Hugh: Have you ever reached a point on trail when you’ve said, enough already. I can’t eat PB&J sandwiches anymore. I’m tired of Knorr sides. That was me. I ate the same thing trip after trip. Now I mix it up, and I’ve left the stove at home for good. I scour the grocery store aisles weeks before a trip, looking for different meal ideas. Dried fruit is back on the menu. Clif Bars are my current breakfast. I’m thinking peanut butter and chocolate, or maybe honey, for my next trip. Maybe spiced-up cold-soaked ramen. I eat throughout the day—beef jerky, tuna packets, M&Ms, cheese, and snack bars on my latest trip—with no defined mealtime. I don’t have to be near water for cooking, or lug liters of water to a dry camp. I can be on trail early in the morning or arrive at camp late because I’m not tied down by cooking. My food is not defining my hike. My hike is defining my food.

@howen385

Andrew: I take the opposite approach from Hugh—I’m a committed hot meal lover, even for lunch, and especially on group trips or when I’m not trying to make a ton of miles every day. I even bring my stove on day hikes now. I love packaged meals from Pack-it Gourmet and Outdoor Herbivore when I have the cash to spend. When I don’t, a go-to is my signature “Hiker Pad Thai.” Two packs of original flavor ramen + two single-serving packs of coconut oil + two servings of powdered peanut butter + red paper flakes to taste. Fill it out with freeze-dried vegetables from Pack-it Gourmet and you’ve got a lunch/dinner with tons of fat and carbs and a killer calorie/ounce ratio. And the flavor is good enough that you can eat it multiple days in a row without getting tired of it.

When I’m trying to crush a 30+ mile day, I tend toward high-fat snacks and utilize Hugh’s strategy of munching all day. I soak a couple of tablespoons of chia seeds and add a powdered drink mix or an electrolyte tab, and sip on that all day to keep my fuel tank topped off.

@andrewmarshallimages

Maggie: I am the weakest link in any group when it comes to backpacking food. It’s not that I don’t want to eat well on the trail, it’s just that I have no motivation to cook, I don’t like carrying heavy foods, I’m picky, and I tend to lose my appetite at high elevations. While I love fancy freeze-dried backpacking meals, they’re too expensive for longer trips. This creates a special circle of hell where I’m burning a ton of calories but never know what to eat, and feeding myself is one of the hardest parts of backpacking for me.

I’ve learned to carry a variety of easy-to-digest snacks and a few calorie bombs, as I can’t predict what I’m going to feel like eating. I rarely eat actual meals, leaning more toward lots of snacking. I bring mini donuts, gummy candy like Gushers, and Goldfish or rice crackers for salty / crunch. I’ll also take a pack of bagels and bring cream cheese and salami if the weather is cool enough. Frozen burritos are a go-to, and I always try to pack out “town food” so I have pizza or Subway for my first meal back on trail. Overall, I try to have a wide variety of no-cook foods since my appetite is so tricky.

@maggie_slepian

Jeff: Choosing a menu goes right along with choosing an adventure for me. I love the overnight trips where I bring a paperback book, a stove, coffee, and a hearty meal like Peak Refuel or Good to-Go. But there are also the adventures that I pack as light as possible, leave the stove at home, and simply power through tortilla wraps, peanut butter, and crackers. The type of adventure I am looking for always dictates the food I bring.

One trick I have learned over the years is that fresh fruit and vegetables can be packed out and eaten over the first couple of days of a trip. Even on FKTs I have packed out avocados and enjoyed them in the first 48 hours. It is a great way to push off having to eat bars and gels for a bit longer.

@thefreeoutside

Our Readers’ Backpacking Food Ideas

“Red lentil penne, dried pesto mix, sundried tomatoes, kale chips (butter or olive oil).”

“If you’re in the foraging mood: ghee and king bolete mushrooms with a pinch of salt.” (Please be absolutely certain you can identify mushrooms that are safe to eat before foraging for them.)

@eddie.oleary

“Tuna pouches and tortillas!”

@triciacigna

“Corn nut chicken, Ranch Corn Nuts, chicken pouch, mayo and mustard packets.”

@thedeepbush

“Kettle chips and Swedish Fish.”

@topohikes

“Good To-Go.”

@gingerbeard_keene

“Mini peanut butter squeeze tubes. RightRice with sardines in oil. Hot chocolate and Nido milk.”

@bluemountainbirdhunter

“Spanish Rice Knorr side with TVP and dehydrated veggies. Best dinner.”

@theoutdoorvegan

“At least one family size bag of Doritos.”

@markevanpowell

“Uncrustable Smucker’s sandwiches!”

@katelyn_ali

“Fav meal is mix of red lentil pasta and cheese ravioli, parm, olive oil, dehydrated pasta sauce.”

@laura.russell

The post What’s Your Go-To Trail Meal? Our Readers and Editors Share Their Food Strategies appeared first on Backpacking Routes.

Many individuals volunteering for trail work are getting older. As they “retire” from the work, fewer younger people are picking up the slack. In talking about adoption with a fellow hiker, I realized not many people know about the process. This means fewer people are likely to do it. I hope I can remove some of the confusion about adopting a trail or to volunteering on trails, whether National Scenic Trails or local trails in any state.

Where to Start with Adopting a Section of Trail

The many organizations responsible for our public lands and trails can be overwhelming, so here’s a general overview of who does what and where. 

Bureau of Land Management – Manages 1 in every 10 acres of land in the United States, including 6,000 miles of trails spread across 18 National Scenic Trails found in 15 states. Volunteer information can be found here on how to reach a local volunteer coordinator. The most well-known volunteer opportunity offered through the BLM is National Public Lands Day.      

National Park Service – Oversees over 85 million acres of land and 423 areas across the country, including national monuments, parks, military parks, etc. Volunteer opportunities can be found here. 

National Trails System – Overseen by the National Park Service. According to their website, “the National Trails System consists of 30 national scenic and historic trails, as well as more than a thousand recognized regional or local national recreational trails and several side or connecting trails.” Volunteer opportunities can be found here. 

United States Forest Service – Locally, this is the best place to find out about volunteer opportunities for your state. This organization manages over 77 million acres of land across the United States. In terms of volunteering in the national forests, this is the agency that oversees volunteer opportunities. Further information can be found here.

Volunteer.gov – Volunteer.gov serves as a one-stop-shop for government public land volunteer opportunities. If you’re confused by what agency oversees things in your state, go to volunteer.gov and search for volunteer opportunities in your area.

Volunteer Opportunities by National Scenic Trail

There are many local organizations maintaining and managing National Scenic Trails. Although this is not a comprehensive list of all of the historic and recreation trails in the United States, it encompasses the designated National Scenic Trails in the US.   

Appalachian Trail 
Arizona Trail
Continental Divide Trail
Florida Trail
Ice Age Trail
Natchez Trace Parkway
New England Trail
North Country Trail
Pacific Crest Trail
Pacific Northwest Trail

Volunteer Opportunities by State

On a local level, there are dozens of groups and organizations that manage and maintain trails across the US. For example, in New Hampshire there are 92 organizations that maintain trails, and each organization offers volunteer opportunities. On top of that, there are dozens of local state parks with chances to volunteer.

Trail Organizations by State – This website is a godsend for anyone who wants to know every organization responsible for maintaining trails or public lands.

State Parks – This website links to the state parks that are found in each state. Volunteering at a state park is another way to give back to the public lands, and some state parks have vast networks of trails that need to be maintained. 

Yes, You Should Consider Adopting a Trail!

As someone who spends the majority of my free time hiking on public lands, I feel it’s my responsibility to give back to the trails. The beautiful thing about adopting a trail is that you discover how much work goes into maintaining trail systems across the US. If you have ever had to spend a day cleaning out water bars, brushing out overgrown trails, or clearing blowdowns with hand saws, then you understand the sense of pride and ownership that comes with taking an active role in maintaining our trail systems.

Your perspective will shift and you can notice things like how corridors in wilderness areas are narrower, where recent trail work has been done, or when a trail is not being maintained. Hiking will no longer be just about walking from point A to point B. In picking up a tool and working the land, you will learn to appreciate how much labor and love goes into maintaining our trails.

I hope more hikers will get out there and volunteer on their local trails. Then, hopefully, more people will begin to understand what an incredible gift it is to have thousands of miles of trails to explore and feel a sense of pride and ownership in keeping our trails in good shape for future generations. 

The post Want to Volunteer for Trail Maintenance? Here’s How to Get Started appeared first on Backpacking Routes.

Who Developed the Ten Essentials?

The origins of the ten essentials date all the way back to the 1930s, to a list designed by mountaineers for the essential items climbers should be carrying. In 1974, the list was formalized and published in Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills, which is now in its ninth edition. This book is written by volunteers and seeks to answer two essential questions: “Can you prevent emergencies and respond positively should one occur” and “can you safely spend a night (or more) outside.” More information can be found on the Mountaineers’ website, which is found here. 

Why are the Ten Essentials Important?

The ultimate reason for carrying the ten essentials is to keep you safe in the backcountry. Whether you’re on a short day hike, or a multiday backpacking trip, it’s important that you go into the woods prepared for the unexpected. Despite the fact that it may seem silly to carry so much stuff on a short hike, the short hikes are sometimes the ones when we get into the most trouble. There have been a number of times when calls for rescue happen on some of the smallest and most accessible peaks in New Hampshire, because these mountains are where a lot of new hikers are learning about hiking. The statistics speak for themselves, and all you have to do is google rescues on Mt. Major, New Hampshire, to see how many times individuals have had to be rescued off this small peak. Carrying the ten essentials doesn’t necessarily mean the number of rescues will be lower, but carrying these items could mean the difference between life or death, especially in harsh winter conditions.

Beyond keeping yourself safe, carrying the ten essentials could mean helping someone else in the event that you come across a lost or injured hiker. Maybe you’re not the one who is in need of help, but being prepared with the right gear means you will be ready in the event that someone else is hurt or lost. In 2019, a 70-year-old became disoriented on a popular loop in the Whites in New Hampshire. Rescuers spent four days searching for him, but it ended up being a group of day hikers who came across him sitting on a log in the Pemigewasset Wilderness, ending a days-long search. This is the perfect example of how important it is to be prepared in the backcountry, as these individuals were the reason this man was found and very likely saved his life.

What are the Ten Essentials?

As noted, the ten essentials were developed by mountaineers back in the 1930s, and volunteers continue to update and reflect on the list as new editions of Mountaineering: Freedom of the Hills come out. The list was designed to be easy to remember and each item was picked to serve a very explicit purpose. The ten essentials, pulled from the Mountaineers site, are as follows:

1. Navigation: map, altimeter, compass, GPS device, satellite communicator, or satellite phone, extra batteries or battery pack.
2. Headlamp: plus extra batteries
3. Sun protection: sunglasses, sunscreen, umbrella, sun-protective clothes
4. First aid: including foot care and insect repellent (if required)
5. Knife: plus repair kit
6. Fire: matches, lighter and tinder, or stove as appropriate
7. Shelter: carried at all times (can be a lightweight emergency bivy)
8. Extra food: beyond minimum expectation
9. Extra water: beyond minimum expectation, or the means to purify
10. Extra clothes: sufficient to survive an emergency overnight. A lightweight puffy works well.

Perhaps the most controversial item on this list is navigation, seen typically as a map and compass. It’s not enough to carry a map and compass; you must know how to use these items. Taking a wilderness navigation course and then practicing these skills on a regular basis so that they come natural is something that we as a community of hikers may be beginning to lack, as apps like FarOut and Gaia make navigation much easier. Technology fails, phones die or fall into water, and we encourage every person who chooses to go on a day hike or more importantly an extended backpacking trip, to take a wilderness navigation course. 

Despite the fact that this list appears long and some may feel that it is overkill on a 1-mile hike to carry all this gear, think of it as training. The concept of going ultralight, especially on short hikes when one may not even carry a pack, leads to a less-prepared backpacker, both in terms of having proper gear and in physical strength. As much as limiting excess weight is important, especially for saving your joints and making backpacking more enjoyable, there is such a thing as carrying too little, and skimping on the essentials is not a wise decision. For that matter, there are states where you could be fined or charged in the event that you need rescuing and are found to be unprepared. 

We encourage all our readers to learn about Leave No Trace and to carry the ten essentials. It’s our responsibility to set good examples for new backpackers, to take care of our precious natural resources, and to be able to take care of ourselves in the event that an accident happens in the wilderness.

The post The Ten Essentials: What are They and Why are they Important? appeared first on Backpacking Routes.

These are just a few of the phrases that you will hear thrown around by individuals who have more than one or two hikes under their belt (or one would hope), but what does it actually mean to Leave No Trace or be a Wilderness Steward? How important is it to practice the Leave No Trace principles and for that matter what are they? Well, we’re here to answer those questions and point you to some awesome resources that can help you become a better outdoor recreator. 

The History of Leave No Trace

Wilderness ethics and the concept of “leaving no trace” is not new; in fact, one could argue that it is centuries old. The practice of leaving little to no sign that a person was in a wilderness location is something that Native American and Indigenous peoples have practiced for centuries. However, it wasn’t until the 1960s and 1970s that the United States Forest Service (USFS), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and National Park Service (NPS) began to educate and develop programs to encourage the public to practice low impact hiking and camping. 

Over the next three decades, various pamphlets and programs were developed under different names, such as Wilderness Manners, Wilderness Ethics, Minimum Impact Camping, and No-Trace Camping. In 1987, the Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, and United States Forest Service finally got together and created and distributed a pamphlet titled, “Leave No Trace Land Ethics.” Fast forward to the 1990s, when the National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) was brought in to develop training programs and in 1994 the National Outdoor Recreation Summit that encompassed various outdoor agencies got together and formed the official Leave No Trace Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Further reading on the history of the LNT organization can be found here.   

What Do These Programs and Organizations Do?

Now known as the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, the organization serves many purposes, and plays many roles helping preserve outdoor recreation and wilderness areas. Although are best known for their “Seven Principles” (more below), scrolling through their website shows Leave No Trace works in almost a dozen additional facets of the outdoor recreation and preservation industries. From educating children about the importance of minimizing our impact on the environment to how to take precautions and be safe in the outdoors, there is a lot more to this organization than a series of statements. 

What are the Leave No Trace Principles?

When you think of Leave No Trace, the first thing that comes to mind are the Leave No Trace Principles. While being in nature can make you feel like the trappings and rules of society don’t apply, if the outdoor community doesn’t self-govern and educate each other about the importance of outdoor ethics, we run the risk of trails and wilderness areas destroyed by overuse. Along with outlining and educating outdoor recreators about leaving no trace, the principles provide important information about trip planning, camping and traveling outdoors, and being considerate of others. The beauty of these principles is that they are fluid and re-evaluated on a regular basis by the Leave No Trace organization. The organization also provides resources under each of the principles that can help outdoor recreators best practice each individual principle. 

Here are the seven Leave No Trace Principles:

Plan Ahead and Prepare
Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces
Dispose of Waste Properly
Leave What You Find
Minimize Campfire Impacts
Respect Wildlife
Be Considerate of Other Visitors

We encourage everyone who engages in outdoor recreation to not only read each of the definitions of the seven principles, but to take 10 minutes and browse the information on each of the pages. It’s not enough to just know that the seven principles exist, or to have a general idea of what they are. It is our responsibility to understand the seven principles and follow them while recreating outdoors.   

Being Familiar with the Seven Principles Isn’t Enough

The more experience we have with outdoor recreation and the more time we spend outside, the greater our responsibility to not only practice the seven principles, but to educate others about them. If you see someone traipsing over alpine vegetation instead of using the trail, talk to them about the fragile plants in the alpine zone.

If you see trash, pick it up. Give the right of way to hikers going uphill and talk about the importance of sharing the trails and minimizing trail erosion with other hikers. Most importantly, do these things in a kind and caring fashion. It’s been said that you can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar, so do your best to educate others about their impact on the environment, but take into consideration that we were all “rookies” at one point, and many people just don’t know that what they’re doing is wrong. 

Resources and Further Readings

Leave No Trace Website
COVID-19 and Leave No Trace
Leave No Trace Training/Courses

The post What is Leave No Trace, and Why is it Important? appeared first on Backpacking Routes.

When I began solo hiking in 2015, I had to learn how to overcome a new set of antecedents in the backcountry. Spending time outdoors can be extremely beneficial for alleviating stressors, anxiety, and depression, but there have been many times when being in the wilderness has triggered my panic disorder. Although every person has a unique set of strategies that works for them, there are tools that many people can benefit from to help manage anxiety and stressors while hiking. 

What Causes Anxiety?

Generalized anxiety, panic disorder, and social anxiety are all clinically defined and require a diagnosis from a licensed professional. But just because you don’t have a diagnosis doesn’t mean you aren’t experiencing anxiety or having panic attacks. Before you can manage or learn to identify your anxiety and what triggers it, you first have to understand what anxiety and panic attacks are, how they are different, and what causes them. Anxiety can be caused by any number of things. Most people will experience anxiety many times over the course of their lives. A panic disorder is much more severe and debilitating than general or social anxiety. A person may be diagnosed with generalized anxiety and never experience a panic attack; however, if someone is diagnosed with a panic disorder, they will likely also carry a diagnosis of generalized, social anxiety, or both. 

Recognizing the symptoms of a panic attack may alleviate some of the stress associated with it. Having spent over a decade experiencing panic attacks daily, I learned how to identify my own symptoms. But I never knew what caused panic attacks until I got older and researched what a panic attack actually is. I had spent over a decade having these terrible and debilitating bouts of panic with a whole slew of physical and psychological symptoms, but I didn’t know why they were happening. Eventually I found out that panic attacks are quite simply the body’s fight or flight response being triggered.

This was cathartic to finally know. The physiological and psychological symptoms all made sense once I understood the reason. I was having this intense feeling of being in a life-threatening situation because something had triggered the fight-or-flight center of my brain. 

Understanding what and why we have panic attacks has helped me manage the onslaught of symptoms associated with the actual attack; however, as most people who live with panic attacks know, there is really no way of talking yourself out of having one.

Explaining the difference between a panic attack and anxiety is also extremely difficult. I have attempted to walk someone through my own experiences, however, the only real way to understand the difference between anxiety and a panic attack is to have a panic attack. Despite understanding the cause of my disorder and being medicated to alleviate some of the more severe symptoms, I still experience panic attacks and have had to learn how to manage them not only in my day-to-day life, but when hiking. 

How I Manage Anxiety and Panic Attacks While Hiking

Before we get into it, know this: I am not a licensed psychologist and these are things that work for me; they may not work for everyone. I cannot stress enough the importance of seeking professional help if you are experiencing symptoms of anxiety, panic attacks, or concerned about your own mental well-being. 

First and foremost, determining which coping mechanisms alleviate your anxiety is as important as your own personal gear list. For example, being around people when I’m experiencing a panic attack only heightens my symptoms. Conversely, my mother becomes more anxious when she is experiencing a panic attack alone, and seeks out other people to alleviate her symptoms. This is why it is important to work with a professional, read about anxiety and panic attacks, and educate yourself about what does and doesn’t work before going into the backcountry. Think of it as the opposite of a shakedown hike, when instead of going into the woods to test your strategies, you test them before you go hiking in a controlled environment. 

Knowing your triggers in day-to-day life can also apply to your triggers while hiking. Often the cause of my anxiety (which can turn into a panic attack) is getting too much into my own head. I will overthink things, hyper-focus on physical sensations I may be experiencing, and begin to work myself into a panic attack by thinking that I am sick or in danger. My phobia of throwing up is a huge trigger while hiking. That fear develops into a fear of the panic attack itself, which can lead to avoiding places from previous panic attacks, and develop into agoraphobia. I have begun to feel sick while hiking and been triggered into having a panic attack in the middle of the woods. 

I can remember vividly, back in 2015, sitting on the side of the Mount Osceola Trail, talking myself down from a panic attack because I was convinced that I had overexerted myself and was getting heat stroke. On another hike, after over 1,500 solo miles, I had a severe panic attack on the Osseo Trail in the middle of winter. Regardless of how many thousands of miles you have in the backcountry, if you have a panic disorder or anxiety there will always be a possibility of having a panic attack while hiking. Learning to manage and identify the symptoms and to talk yourself down during an attack is key to decreasing the number of instances you experience panic attacks or anxiety while hiking. 

Becoming comfortable in the woods, whether in a group or solo, will decrease the amount of triggers. When I first started hiking, I was terrified of what was “out there” in the woods. I would get nervous hiking in low visibility, fog, or cloudy weather, and would avoid looking anywhere but right in front of me on the trail. If I couldn’t see it, then it couldn’t “get me.” The more miles of hiking I did in these conditions, the more comfortable I became. Now I love to look around when I’m hiking. Experience can be a wonderful way to eliminate a trigger, but going through the process of gaining that experience isn’t always easy. 

Sometimes you have to push through the voice in your head telling you to turn around, or that you’re in danger. Sometimes you don’t have a choice but to push through the sense of impending doom because you’re in the middle of the woods and can’t call it quits. These are the hardest situations that I’ve encountered, and are the times when I reach into my own toolbox and use strategies that help me calm down and get back to my car safely. They are also the experiences that I use to remind myself that I can do hard things and still be OK when I encounter another panic-inducing situation. Over the years, I have collected a substantial number of these experiences when I had no choice but to keep going forward, despite the fear. Reaching for those memories, reminding myself when I’m terrified on trail that I have done this before and was fine, is one of the tools that I use to push through a panic attack. 

My favorite way to manage anxiety on trail and off trail is what I like to think of as mirroring. As a teenager, nighttime—specifically bedtime—was a trigger for me. My anxiety would heighten and I would end up on the couch trying to talk myself down. One thing that helped me become less anxious was watching TV. It was a distraction from the racing thoughts, and it also helped to watch people being calm and “normal.” I would use those actions as examples of how I should be acting and feeling. I would tell myself, “They are OK and doing normal things, you’re OK too.” This is still one of my most effective strategies in bringing down my anxiety. 

On trail, I use a very similar technique. But instead of watching TV, I listen to podcasts, specifically ones about hiking. I intentionally listen to fellow hikers talk about terrifying and dangerous experiences in the backcountry, and then tell myself, “They made it out OK, and what you’re doing isn’t that dangerous, so you will be OK too.” This method works at bringing down my anxiety and distracting me enough to calm down in over 95% of the situations I use it in. In the other 5% of situations, I usually end up crying, having a mini meltdown, and then finally pull it together and get myself out of the situation. This leads me to my final point about managing anxiety in the backcountry.

It’s OK to Have Anxiety

One of the hardest things about anxiety and panic attacks is the feeling that you can’t allow yourself to have one. You may feel stress because you either feel weak or ashamed that you have this disorder and want to hide it, or you are always worried that giving in to the panic or anxiety will lead to more intense panic and anxiety. There have been three instances when I didn’t or couldn’t fight down the panic and had a full-blown attack in the woods. This is what anyone with these diagnoses wants to avoid, which is why we use techniques to talk ourselves down from most of the bad attacks. 

Not everyone will agree with this, but I believe it’s OK to have a panic attack, to not use all your energy to fight it, or be unable to fight it off. More importantly, I’m here to tell you that it will be OK and you will live, despite feeling like you will die.

Those three experiences when I couldn’t fight it off were the most terrifying things that have happened to me in the wilderness, but they were the experiences that taught me the most about my own ability to persevere. Sometimes going through the fire allows you to develop new tools, and shows you that the thing that scares you the most can be nothing at all.         

Everyone’s Toolbox is Different

The best advice I could give someone who has a diagnosed anxiety or panic disorder, or experiences anxiety in the backcountry, is it’s OK to have anxiety and panic attacks in the backcountry. It’s not OK to let the fear stop you from hiking. Try to fight through the desire to “flee.” If you allow your anxiety and panic to dictate where you go and what you do, your world will inevitably become smaller and smaller until you can’t go anywhere or do anything. This is what happened to me in 2006 when I decided I didn’t need to be medicated anymore. I began to experience panic attacks, gave into the fear, and was unable to leave my house. 

The next best advice I could give to someone with anxiety or panic is not to be embarrassed, ashamed, or too proud to seek professional help or get on medication. Unfortunately, mental health disorders are still stigmatized in our society, but you wouldn’t fault a person with type 1 diabetes for needing insulin, so why would you fault someone with a panic disorder for needing anti-anxiety medication? We have a chemical imbalance, we didn’t choose to have it, and there is nothing to be ashamed of. 

Learn what your triggers are and what tools help you manage them. I have lived with a panic disorder for almost 30 years, and every day I am amazed at what I can do. That ability didn’t come easy and I am still learning how to experience panic attacks, sit with them, allow them to progress, and not flee.

Distractions like music or TV, breathing techniques, and self-talk are all things that I use on a regular basis to manage my anxiety both in my day-to-day life and on hikes. Taking the time to learn about anxiety and panic attacks, getting help from professionals, and then actively using the tools and techniques to see what works for you is the only way to manage anxiety in life and in the backcountry. Talking openly about mental health disorders is the only way to remove the stigma associated with them and support the individuals, like me, who will spend their lives managing one. 

The post Managing Anxiety in the Backcountry appeared first on Backpacking Routes.

Hiking has become wildly popular since the onset of COVID-19 and the ensuing restrictions on our lives. We’ve heard over and over that outdoor activities are less risky than indoor activities. With gyms closed or operating in limited capacity, people are venturing outside more and more, and exploring their local trails.  Maybe you’ve been frustrated that your local trails have become overrun, or covered in trash.  Maybe you’d like to hike a long-distance trail, but permits are questionable, or (more likely) the logistics aren’t appropriate given the ongoing pandemic.

You can still hike safely during COVID. Here are some tips for making that happen.

1) Avoid popular trails. Buy a map (you know, like a paper one) of the local area you are interested in exploring.  Look up hikes in the area, and try to find hikes on the map that are not listed on websites regarding hiking in the area.  If you’ve heard lots of chatter about a trail, loop, or other hike, chances are it’s at least somewhat popular. Drive separately to the trailhead if you’re meeting friends there, and mask up and step aside if you pass other hikers.

2) Hike during unpopular times. Instead of prime time on the weekends, hit the local trails during the week, on crummy days, or in the dark. Even the most popular trails will be devoid of people if you choose the right times. Avoid holidays, gloriously sunny weekend days, and areas that are easily accessible right after working hours. If the parking lot seems full, avoid it. Hiking in less-than-ideal weather isn’t the worst thing either. Bring rain gear or an umbrella, layer properly, and you’ll be surprised at how pleasant it can be. The right headlamp or light source will make dusk or night hiking even better.

3) Considering an extended hike? Look for loops. Are you looking to do a long-distance trail, but the logistics seem daunting or inappropriate? Consider hiking a loop instead of an extended point-to-point trail, so that you don’t have to worry about shuttling from one end to the other. This means doing more research, but if you’re able to stay self-supported and create a loop, extended trails close to home aren’t out of the question.

4) Remember you’ll have fewer resources. Many regulations have changed due to COVID, such as campsite or state park closures. Some amenities might not be available either. Most information can be found online for the region you’re looking to hike in, and be prepared to wear a mask or have limited resources. Always research local guidelines and regulations. This also means you need to consider resources if you get sick or need help. Many hospitals are filled to capacity, and limits are already stretched. Stay within your own limits!

5) Look for trails where you can be self-sufficient. Research trails where you can walk to resupply points instead of hitchhiking, and if you can, cache food or stay unsupported the whole time.

6) Keep it local! Traveling to states for a long-distance hike isn’t the best idea right now. Find trail systems in your region, and limit contact in towns you pass through. Keep in mind that some permits have been suspended, and permitting processes might have changed. 

Always follow Leave No Trace guidelines, and help others to follow them. Not only do following those guidelines help preserve the natural areas you love to explore, you will also help other visitors to enjoy their experience as well. 

Enjoy hiking during the pandemic. It is one of the safer things we can still do that is fun and healthy, as long as you follow all local, regional, and CDC guidelines.

Christine Martens is a long-distance hiker who has hiked over 10,000 miles, including some of the famous long-distance trails such as the PCT and AT.  She lives in Asheville, North Carolina, and enjoys hiking and running in her local mountains (which happen to be the tallest on the East Coast).  She does not own a TV, so for entertainment she enjoys letting foster kittens destroy her house.  You can find Christine on her personal blog, or Instagram and Facebook.

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