-
A MAJOR OBJECTIVE: REBECCA SPERRY AND THE WHITE MOUNTAINS: TAKE THREE
Words and Photos from Rebecca Sperry In 2019, when I started on this journey, I never imagined that I would still be working on it. I also never imagined that I would be diagnosed with cancer, but here we are, it’s 2022, and I am once again going to attempt to hike all of the trails in the White Mountains of New Hampshire…
-
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…
-
Fall Thru-Hikes
Hello! I’m headed to the Black Hills of South Dakota this summer for work, and then I hope to hit another trail once I’m through. My season runs through Oct. 1. Does anyone have experience hiking the AZT at this time? How about the PNT? Will it be too cold? Are there other trails around that distance (500-1,000 miles) that…
-
WHAT DEFINES A SUCCESSFUL ADVENTURE? LET’S TALK ABOUT UNFINISHED TRIPS
Words And Photos by Neil Irwin “Well, that was an adventure!” We say it all the time, whether we’re talking about an expedition or trying to get a license renewed at the Department of Motor Vehicles. But there is often a tendency to feel like unfinished or unsuccessful trips don’t count as much as those accomplished in…
-
Would anyone be willing to share some beta on the Blue Mountains Trail / Eagle Cap Wilderness?
Howdy folks, just wondering if any of you intrepid hikers have made it over to the mountains of NE Oregon before, and if so if you'd have any recommendations on where to start? I'll be working all summer near Walla Walla in SE Washington, and was hoping to explore this underreported on part of the PNW a bit more while I'm…
-
THIS WEEKEND IN ADVENTURE HISTORY: WHAT'S THE PLAN? - 5/20/22
Who's got happy feet? (Or paddles or pedals or skis) Feed the stoke machine, people!
-
THIS WEEKEND IN ADVENTURE HISTORY: WHAT'S THE PLAN? - 5/13/22
You creative explorer types always have something cooking - let's hear what you're up to!
-
SEEKING EVEN MORE SOLITUDE?
Given the rise in popularity of backpacking and hiking in recent years, there's an increasing sentiment from a portion of the community that feels that some trails are too crowded to truly "get away from it all." Are you considering more remote backcountry travel in your trip planning?
-
A PATH WELL TRAVELLED (WITH SECRETS). MOUNT MONADNOCK IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
Words and Images by Rebecca Sperry "Well-travelled" or "very popular," shouldn't be a cause to dismiss a visit to a place, as Rebecca Sperry (@sockedinhikes) shares here about Mount Monadnock in The White Mountains of New Hampshire. With a little (or a lot of) leg work, she discovered all sorts of hidden gems in the park.…
-
A Quick Note About Notifications
Howdy, Campers! A few of you have mentioned that you aren't seeing if another community member has responded to questions or commented on a post. You can modify or reset notifications from the Edit Profile page, or by clicking the "bell" icon in the upper right corner, and clicking the icon to the right of the word,…
-
SNOWSHOE CAMPING: NOT YOUR TYPICAL VALENTINE’S DAY TRADITION
Words by Rachel Jones, Photos by Mike Jones I am a born and raised San Diego girl. Growing up in a city that is sunny and 70 degrees year-round, I have no tolerance for cold weather. You say it's going to be 68 out today? I'll grab my puffy! However, last year my husband convinced me to go snowshoe backcountry camping for…
-
ACCESSORIES TO COMPLIMENT A TRIPLE CROWN: QUADZILLA’S GEAR LIST, PART ONE
Words from Jack “Quadzilla” Jones, Photos by Chris Shane Jack ”Quadzilla” Jones is setting out this year to achieve what only a small number of backpackers have; a calendar year Triple Crown. 8,000 miles of hiking following the routes of the iconic Big Three – the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the…
-
TIME TO CLEAN HOUSE!
GETTING YOUR GEAR IN ORDER FOR THE NEXT TRIP OR OFF-SEASON STORAGE Words and Photos by Tina Haver Currin It's that time of year, folks! Well, clean gear is always in season. Here, Thru Hiker and superfriend Tina Haver Currin goes through her process for keeping her equipment fresher than a Georgia Pine. Got a few tips…
-
A SPRING GETAWAY ARKANSAS STYLE: JEFF GARMIRE EXPLORES THE OZARK HIGHLANDS TRAIL
Words and Photos by Jeff Garmire Arkansas might not be the first place to come to mind for some premium and challenging thru hiking, but the Ozark Highlands Trail has been coming up more frequently in conversation lately as a great and rewarding route, and an alternative to some of the more highly travelled destinations.…
-
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…
-
SIXTY-SEVEN POINTS TO POINT TO: THE GEAR LIST FOR THE NEW ENGLAND DIRETTISSIMA
Words and Photos by Will Peterson As you saw in a previous post, Will Peterson is setting out to thru hike all 67 4,000' peaks in New England on May 1st. So, what do you bring when you’re heading out for a month to cover approximately 730 miles with about 180,000 feet of elevation gain maintaining about 24 miles per day?…
-
NATIONAL TRAILS DAY IS EVERYDAY! REBECCA SPERRY GETS YOU READY TO DIG IN
Words and Photos from Rebecca Sperry As an avid hiker, I have always felt that it is important that we, as a community, give back to the trails that provide so much to us. However, the amount of manpower it takes to maintain our trails is mind-boggling, and sadly, a lot of the people that are volunteering are becoming too…
-
SIXTY-SEVEN POINTS TO POINT TO: WILL PETERSON'S NEW ENGLAND DIRETTISSIMA STARTS MAY 1ST!
Our friend Will Peterson likes to do hard things in harder ways when possible. His upcoming New England Direttissima attempt will illustrate this trait of his beautifully. What's a New England Direttissima? Read on, friends. We love Will's big, bold plans, and we're always stoked when he shares them. Jump into the comments…
-
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…
-
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…
-
LIFE, LIBERTY, AND THE PURSUIT OF LONG-DISTANCE HIKING PERMITS
(My Unnecessarily Philosophical Exploration of America's Approach to Stewardship) Words and Images by Taylor ”Haiku” Bell "The mountains are calling, and I must go online to enter the JMT permit lottery." -John Muir If there's anything that we love in America more than our freedom, it's making a nice, well-timed joke about…
-
THE TASTE OF 2,100+ MILES IN FOUR BITES? MAX KIEL COOKED UP A RECIPE
AT Thru Hiker Max Kiel recently shared a POST on the Hyperlite Mountain Gear blog about what he considers to be four exceptional slices of the trail, with the promise of delivering some delicious experiences. Check it out if you haven't, and, if you've completed the whole route, jump in with some of your favorite sections,…
-
TRY ONE ON FOR SIZE: JEFF GARMIRE’S ODE TO THE SHORTER TRAILS
Words and Photos by Jeff Garmire Thirty thousand miles and always counting, give or take a few yards or inches, all done on foot. Jeff Garmire (@thefreeoutside) is still heading out whenever he can to "make up for 2020." Some of these miles were racked up diesel engine-style, nice and steady, all day long. Some were…
-
HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF THE TRAILHEAD
If you’re new to this sort of community interaction–sharing, learning, and stoking out your fellow adventurers–here’s a list of tips to help you get the most out of the experience. • Use the reactions. These let you share how you feel about other’s comments. The most liked content shows up on the Best Of page. • Mention…
-
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…
-
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…
-
OUR FILM, "NORTH WOODS - FROM AWAY"
Spring 2021, Hyperlite Mountain Gear Marketing Room – "Remember that survey we sent out a while back? We got the answers sorted. Turns out that one of the most common responses to 'second favorite activities' is canoeing." "No foolin'? Guess it's not too surprising–it's a sweet way to travel through the backcountry and get…
-
TRAIL MAINTENANCE OPPORTUNITIES AND EVENTS – SOUTHWEST
-
PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING
WELCOME TO THE TRAILHEAD This is where it starts. A journey into a beautiful place where you'll meet kindred adventurers, share and gain knowledge, broaden your outdoor skill sets, and validate your life decisions. You're here because you love and live for this stuff, and being outside makes you happy. Remember that –…