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Denali Light: The 2009 Attempt

A light and kind-of fast expedition on one of the world’s great mountains.

Denali Light: The 2007 Attempt

Lightening up on Alaska’s classic mountaineering route.

Wilderness Trekking II: Long Distance Backpacking

The stated goal wasn't to make everything else a little bland, but this trip was beyond the pale. And yes, everything else IS just a little bland afterwards.

Backpacking Light 2009 Reader Photo Contest Results

We are pleased to announce the winners of our 2009 Reader Photo Contest!

Le Parcour de Wild Race Report

With temperatures that ranged from -5 F to 40 F, the Bob Marshall Wilderness threw some formidable weather our way and reminded us: this stuff ain't for the faint of heart!

Wilderness Cred for the Packrafting Noobs

I was perfectly content to let others do all the lightweight lifting, but at the first chance of a packrafting class (learning to play without buying the gear!), I jumped... and pulled my husband, Rob, with me.

Sugar Coma: Days 4 & 5 (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)

After five glorious days of all the sweet new stuff retailers can offer, we're home and recovering from the high. Our last blog blizzard of some standouts.

Trail Designs Caldera Keg-H (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)

Heineken beer can based Caldera system capable of cooking for two people.

A Potpourri of Eye Candy: Day 1 (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)

A grueling first day at summer 2009 OR rewarded us with loads of lightweight goodies; here's a first installment, with more to come.

ORSM09: Open Air Demo (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)

Open Air Demo consists of booths and boats – and there is always something new, something interesting, and something unique.

Coming Soon – Backpacking Light Coverage of the Summer 2009 Outdoor Retailer Show (Outdoor Retailer Summer Market 2009)

What can you expect from our coverage of the Outdoor Retailer Summer Market next week?

Wilderness Trekking School Summer Initiation

The summer of 2008 got Backpacking Light's Wilderness Trekking School off to a great start. We ran three trips in three wildly different locations: Northern Rockies, Pacific Northwest, and Desert Southwest. Each allowed for a unique experience and permitted us to focus on the core curriculum of the Wilderness Trekking format.

Shangri-Lite at 62 – Haute Route at 20 Pounds or Less

On the Haute Route, a 21-pound pack is over-inflated. At sixty-two well-used years, I submitted myself to random weight checks to remain sub-twenty pounds and passed most of them. Making the formula feasible are the huts and hotels which always appear just when you've had enough.

Philmont Scout Ranch: How Light Can You Go?

After taking a Wilderness Trekking course from Andrew Skurka and Don Wilson, I wanted to try the Philmont Scout Ranch in a UL style. By stepping out of my existing comfort zone, I discovered a whole new one.

Ultralight Backpacking in Peru’s Cordillera Blanca

With dozens of peaks above 6,000 meters (nearly 20,000 feet), Peru’s Cordillera Blanca range is one of the highest, most rugged sections of the Andes, and the most heavily glaciated of any mountains in the planet’s equatorial zone. It is a well-known mountain climbing destination, and hundreds of kilometers of hikeable trails have made the range increasingly popular among trekkers.

Packrafting Utah’s Escalante River in Late March

At 1.6 cfs in the Escalante, would there be more packrafting or raft-packing for our intrepid explorers?

The Performance of Alcohol Fuels for Backpacking Stoves
Part Two: Water/Alcohol Blends

The performance of a particular alcohol stove fuel is generally related to the amount of heating energy in that fuel, which changes when you blend water into different alcohols. But how does it change, and which blend should you use?

Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Sleeping Pad Review

Backpacking Light has been able to spend time with a pre-production Therm-a-Rest NeoAir Pad in the laboratory, in our living rooms, and in the field. Does the product deliver?

The Performance of Alcohol Fuels for Backpacking Stoves
Part One: Three Straight Alcohols and Alcohol Blends

Light alcohol stoves are very popular, but there is a lot of confusion over what sort of alcohol should be used and whether blending different alcohols together has any effect. In this, Part One, we comprehensively examine the performance and safety of three common alcohol fuels and of a range of blends.

*** ALERT *** APPALACHIAN TRAIL HIKER FOUND!

*** ALERT *** APPALACHIAN TRAIL HIKER FOUND!

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