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Latest
Musings: Hiking in Grizzly Country
Musings about backpacking in grizzly bear habitat.
Unresting Event
See how backpacking and forest ranger work in the High Uinta Wilderness and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument influenced Ben Kilbourne’s record, Unresting Event.
Lessons from Moving Fast
Ben Kilbourne explores the experience of moving fast through a vast mountain landscape and what you can learn from the experience.
Backpacking is Pointless, and That’s the Point
Maybe not everything about ultralight backpacking has to be optimized.
The Backpacking Tithe Revisited
Further reflections on short trips vs. thru-hiking.
Longest Known Soaking at Goldbug Hot Springs
A well-timed winter backpacking trip allowed for priceless solitude at an oft-crowded Idaho hot springs.
Tent Fitting the Easy Way
If you are struggling to find a shelter that fits, you aren't alone. We provide some (mostly useful) advice in the context of a pop culture tour.
Exploration, An Act of Imagining
The horizon is our reminder that the way things are now is not the way things have to be. Exploring, even just backpacking into the hills at the edge of town, expands the known and opens us up to the possibility of more.
Going Home
The transitions from the simple discomfort of the trail to the chaotic comfort of life at home happen by degrees. What can I learn from the trail that will allow me to experience home life in a new way?
What is a Backpacking Trip Failure?
Some things actually suck. We can still learn from them.
How Biking to Trailheads Can Enrich Backpacking
Mark Wetherington explores how trading auto for bicycle for home-to-trailhead transportation impacts the hiking and backpacking experience.
Dealing with Mental Lows on Trail
Maggie Slepian uses past experiences on trail to push through rough days on Colorado's challenging Collegiate West.
It’s Time to Talk About Campfires
Why do so many of us still feel compelled to have fires?
Unpacked: The Backpacking Tithe Project
Is backpacking your hobby or your habit? Examining the subtle difference can provide profound insights into how to spend your time.
Learning Curve: Unpacking Backpacking
In a year of back-and-forth hiking plans and a busy career in backpacking media, Maggie works on understanding what backpacking means to her.
The Overlook: Observing Transition Season
Ben Kilbourne uses the writing of Aldo Leopold to examine his interaction with nature.
Learning Curve: I Finally Had to Plan a Backpacking Trip With No Help
I'm a big planner at home, but not so much with backpacking. On my last OCT solo section, I actually had to do all of the planning myself.
The Overlook: Good Gear Lets You Be Present
What's the perfect pack? One that stays off your mind.
The Backpacker’s Journey
Rex Sanders examines the arcs and stages that backpackers take as years and mileage start to add up.
Learning Curve: Risk Assessment
It takes a close call for Maggie Slepian to dial in her risk assessment skills.
