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DRESS LIKE AN ONION: PEELING BACK THE LAYERS FOR EFFECTIVE AND COMFORTABLE HIGH DESERT BACKPACKING
Words and Photos from Scott Nechemias @snechemias Oregon Canyon Mountains The vast majority of my shoulder and winter season hiking takes place in the Oregon High Desert and Great Basin. This unique climate can throw so many different kinds of weather at you that my partner and I have invented a couple of terms to better…
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THE PERFECT PACK EXISTS! – CHECK OUT THE NEW GEAR MATCH QUIZ
One possible name the HMG team came up with for this was Pack Tinder, but for obvious reasons, we needed to let that one go. Really, though, if you’re looking for something that will always have your back, carry you in and out of good times and bad, be just what you need but never be in your way–you’re looking for…
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I AM THE PASSENGER: HOW TO GET TO WHERE YOU’RE GOING TO HIKE WITHOUT A CAR
Words and Photos from Scott Nechemias Every hike starts and ends somewhere and getting there and back after your hike is often one of the more interesting parts of trip planning. Wilderness access often coincides with a lack of populated metro areas and transportation options. Gas and rental cars are expensive and may not…
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Favorite backpacking breakfast
What is your go-to breakfast item while backpacking? I need some new/yummy ideas! I seem to just do bars, so definitely looking for easy items. I do love pancakes, oatmeal, etc.! Thanks :) Sasha
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Best Electrolyte Mix
Hey hey! Just curious what everyone’s favorite electrolyte mix is? I’m looking for quick and easy powder mixes to add to my water, especially for longer hikes. I love water just as it is, but also like adding flavor to it to give myself more of a variety while hiking. I have used Liquid IV a ton, but haven’t really…
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NEED TO HAVE, WANT TO HAVE: THE ESSENTIALS AND YOUR ESSENTIALS
Words and Photos from Rebecca Sperry It’s no secret that I love hiking and spending time outdoors. Since 2015, this love has grown exponentially, but in contrast, the gear I carry in my pack has shrunk (in a good way). I went from hitting the trails carrying the most generic first aid kit my local outfitter had to offer…
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Sock Recommendations
Okay guys- What are your sock recommendations? I have used Smartwool for years. They are great, but just looking for other brands. I also have a pair of Darn Tough that I like! Thanks! Sasha
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Ultamid 2 - How Best to Use?
I've slept in more tents than I can recount in many different conditions. Each have had their pros and cons, but none have honestly checked each possible box. That is until I found the Ultamid. The theory behind the Ultamid, in my eyes, is ultimate practicality. The ideal combination of minimalism, durability, and weight…
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HIKING WITH DOGS
What are your absolute best tips or tricks for hiking or adventuring with your doggos?
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Camping/Backpacking with kids
Happy Friday!! Anyone here have kids and have advice on camping/backpacking with them? I’m a (somewhat) new mom- my daughter turned 1 in June and my husband and I would love to start camping with her. I’d love any and all advice (do you use a sleeping bag for them? If so, what kind?). What age were your kids when you first…
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What is your favorite vegetarian or vegan backpacking meal?
Vegetarian here (but vegan a lot of the time), and looking to start making more of my own backpacking meals. What is your go to veg or vegan meal for on the trail? I'd love some new options that other athletes on here enjoy! Also, I'm interested in the Repack for backpacking but not sure how much I would use it. If you…
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What do you keep your water in?
For the past 5+ years I’ve been carrying my water in either a Hydro Flask or water bladder. Hydro Flasks are definitely heavy, so adds more weight of course. Just curious how you pack/carry your water? I just got one of the water carriers from Hyperlite, so I plan to change things up and maybe just carry a water bottle…
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How to keep mosquitos away
Here is my best advice on how to keep mosquitos away when on the trail and at camp. I am the type of person who gets tons of mosquito bites on trips and my skin reacts really badly to them. So, after a lot of trying different products, I finally created a system that works well for me and I wanted to share it to help out…
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Backpacking Pillow
Hey hey! what are your guys recommendations on a pillow for backpacking? I know, I know….it’s added weight lol BUT it’s a luxury item I feel like I need. I sleep horrible in a tent, and feel that having a pillow would help tremendously! Thanks!! Sasha
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Do Your Sleeping Bags Get Heavier Over Time?
My first nice sleeping bag was a Western Mountaineering Highlite that I didn't take the best care of and it gained a significant amount of weight in what I assume is dirt over the years and had some trouble staying lofted. It was 15 oz when I bought it, and 20 oz when I replaced it. I currently have an EE quilt that I've…
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How do You Ensure a New Adventure Buddy is Prepared for Your Adventure?
Hey Everyone, I just settled into a new area in a foreign country. The amount of opportunity to go out and get rad in the mountains here is endless. I am excited start exploring more locally. I recently took a short bike trip with someone and they really did not have a good time. Full blown type 3 fun for them, while I was…
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THRU HIKING GOES WITH EVERYTHING: LESSONS CARRIED ONWARD WITH JEFF GARMIRE
Words and Photos from Jeff "Legend" Garmire Four to six months or more of improvising, adapting, and shifting plans daily has a lasting impact on a person. Jeff "Legend" Garmire is no stranger to this phenomenon, as evidenced here in some of his favorite examples of creative problem-solving over the years. For all of you…
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Try a freeze-dryer!
7/02/22: Used to buy pricey meals at local co op. Then I read label. Was spending mucho dinero on sodium and other useless crap. Why? Two years ago, I bought a freeze dryer and all the dehydrating accoutrements. I spend the winter dehydrating. Yeah, It's a lotta work, but what are you gonna do? Nap or watch soap-operas?…
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What’s your favorite vegan lunch for backpacking?
Hello! I’m new to the vegan game + would love some lunch ideas for the trail. Ideal for long distance backpacking/thru-hiking!
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Bike Packing with a Backpack
Hey! I traditionally come from a bike touring background. I recently have moved to New Zealand and have left my old school touring bike back home in the states. Now what I have left is a small budget, gravel bike, and a large quantity of backpacking related gear. I have a rack, and plan on doing some of the simple hacks…
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Risk & Fear in the Alpine
Walking along a spine of rock, with no rope, slowly developing the sinking sensation that my own sneeze may send me tumbling. I breathe, I keep several points of contact, and in reality multiple climbers could reasonably fit where I'm standing. Still, a pit of fear builds in my mind and body, forcing me to stop where I…
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Leave No Trace
With the advocacy of 'Leave no Trace', it seems as though those with the right attitude do exactly this. Yet there still seems to be problems on the trails in the UK as I'm sure it is elsewhere whereby rubbish is still littered and entire camp setups seen as disposable. I know our National Parks try to help, but it seems…
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How to become a professional ice walker
While hiking the Sierra in the early season this year I encountered a lot of snow covered passes. I had my micro spikes and my ice axe and knew how and when to use them both. I successfully and safely navigated all of the snow that came my way, I couldn't help but notice that even after 400 miles I still got a deep pit in…
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Risk and Fear In the Alpine
Hundreds of feet above the glacier, no rope, and the world feels like it's melting away. The fear is settling in, and I can't get myself to go any further. The reality is that I'm standing on a fairly wide rock spine, wide enough to comfortably accommodate myself along with multiple other climbers, and yet I feel like the…
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What's the best way to deal with Mosquitoes?
Every year around the end of spring and start of summer, the mosquito swarms begun to pop up and wreck havoc on outdoor recreationists. Especially in the Pacific Northwest, it's become a tradition to count up mosquito bites at the end of a trip and see who ended up with the most. The record in my group was ~70 mosquito…
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Documenting All Of These Fantastic Trips
Hello, HMG world. One thing I've grown increasingly curious about as digital information about relatively inaccessible places has blossomed like a spring flower (or mold in a petri dish, you decide) -- how is everyone managing to document these experiences while also staying present in the moment? I recently learned that…
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Any Tips for Running in a Hyperlite?
I use my Hyperlite for trips where I'm planning on hiking, but I still like to do some running on easier portions. My pack is terribly uncomfortable when I try to run in it though. It slides up off my hips and bounces with every step, no matter what I seem to do with the straps. Any tips? PS - A really important note - I'm…
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My Backpacking Sleep System
I've tried out a lot of sleeping bags and pads over the years and have my favorites now depending on conditions. For every trip, I always use a down bag, but this year I am excited to try out a down quilt for the first time. Any quilt lovers out there? Do you have tips for a first time quilt user? Here are my favorite…
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Sleeping Kits
What is everyone's go-to summer-fall alpine sleeping system? I'm about to update my bag and pad, and interested to hear what you've found that works well, packs well with pods/sacks in packs, etc. Thanks for any beta!
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THEORIES OF RELATIVITY: JEFF GARMIRE LOOKS AT HOW DIFFERENT PURSUITS PLAY OFF ONE ANOTHER
Words and Photos from Jeff Garmire In this post, our pal Jeff Garmire (@thefreeoutside) discusses the interplay between some of his favorite activities, and how each one has lifted the other ones up. What pursuits have you found support and bolster other ones you actively do or have done? Jump in the discussion! In the…
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Planning a Shoulder Season Canoe Trip
Planning a canoe trip in November/ December or March/ April/ May, here in the north east, is no easy task. The days of relaxing evening dinners and swimming from the canoe out in the lake have long passed. The daylight hours are painfully short now and the weather could literally produce anything, from a warm sunshine to…
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THE SITUATION IS THE BOSS, MAN: HUMBLY HYPOTHERMIC ON THE COLORADO TRAIL
In this post, Thru Hiker Josh Sheets shares a story about a run in with a nasty storm that led to a hypothermic situation that could have been so much worse had it not been for a serendipitous encounter with another hiker. It taught him a lot which he in turn is kind enough to share here. Have you ever had to deal with…
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SHAKING DOWN YOUR LIFE BEFORE HITTING THE TRAIL
Thru Hiker Josh Sheets goes through the "not-quite-as-fun-as-the-gear-list-but-oh-so-important-list" long trail adventurers need to tackle before heading out for months on end. For those of you that have taken on long-distance trips, what were some of your experiences before you laced up your trail runners? Jump into the…
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FIVE STEPS TO CREATING ADVENTURE WITH BRETT DAVIS
Words and Photos by Brett Davis What's your strategy for planning trips? Our bud Brett Davis has a stunning multisport adventure resume that has included backpacking, fatbiking, skiing, packrafting, and even llamas. Yes, llamas. To pull these endeavors off, he employs a time-tested methodology that sets him up for repeated…
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LAYERING TIPS FOR COLD WEATHER HIKING
Layering your clothing in a way that will allow you to regulate your body temperature in multiple conditions could be the difference between life and death in the White Mountains. When deciding what to wear on a hike in cold weather months, it is important to consider that you may encounter low temperatures, wind, and…
