Advice

Step by Step: The Thru-Hike CDT Edition

Step by Step: The Thru-Hike CDT Edition

My Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) thru-hiker name is Brainstorm. In 2023, I completed the PCT after graduating from school—something I had dreamed about since 2015. I remember the earlier years...

Mar 9, 2025 : Paige C
7 Delicious Knorr Side Dinner Ideas You Need To Try, According to an AT Thru-Hiker

7 Delicious Knorr Side Dinner Ideas You Need To Try, According to an AT Thru-Hiker

POV: You're planning a thru-hike, but you quickly realize you don't have the budget to drop $10 - $20 on a freeze-dried meal every night. The idea of subsisting on...

Mar 5, 2025 : Sheraya Smith
Don’t Let an Injury Derail Your Thru-Hike: These 18 Simple Exercises Can Make You a Better Hiker

Don’t Let an Injury Derail Your Thru-Hike: These 18 Simple Exercises Can Make You a Better Hiker

I've been asked countless times how I've trained in preparation for my thru-hikes. The answer is a little complicated — I've never created a routine with the intent of training...

Mar 3, 2025 : Katie Jackson
I Thru-Hiked the PCT in the Snowiest Year on Record: Here’s What You Need to Know About Navigating PCT Snow

I Thru-Hiked the PCT in the Snowiest Year on Record: Here’s What You Need to Know About Navigating PCT Snow

There's always a good amount of fear mongering when it comes to navigating early-season snow on the PCT, but a continuous thru-hike is possible even in the snowiest conditions if...

Feb 27, 2025 : Shelly Estabrooks
7 Safer Smartwater Bottle Alternatives That Are Actually Practical for Thru-Hikers

7 Safer Smartwater Bottle Alternatives That Are Actually Practical for Thru-Hikers

Over the past few years, we've all been forced to slowly confront the fact that our Smartwater bottles — while the perfect size, weight, and rigidity for thru-hiking— are actively...

Feb 24, 2025 : Katie Jackson
Could This New Mapping App from the Founders of Gaia GPS Become a Thru-Hiker Staple?

Could This New Mapping App from the Founders of Gaia GPS Become a Thru-Hiker Staple?

This is a sponsored post brought to you by Goat Maps. No matter how long you plan to be on trail — days, weeks, months — you know that a...

Feb 13, 2025 : Katie Jackson
Thru-Hiking While Blind: Completing the Appalachian Trail With A Visual Disability

Thru-Hiking While Blind: Completing the Appalachian Trail With A Visual Disability

I’m legally blind and completely color blind. I was born with a genetic visual disability that shaped my world as I grew up, from struggling to learn how to match...

Feb 10, 2025 : Andrew Neylon
The Ultimate Guide to Making Coffee on Trail

The Ultimate Guide to Making Coffee on Trail

Are you struggling to wake up on the trail? Do you miss your coffee from back home? Thru-hiking is a minimalist activity, but that doesn't mean you have to sacrifice...

Feb 5, 2025 : JT Simmons
PCT thru hikers have rich parents

PCT thru hikers have rich parents

*this post contains irony, consume content at your own risk and with a grain of salt   "How do you afford this?" "You must have rich parents" "I wish I...

Feb 3, 2025 : Speedy Pinecone
9 Ways Thru-Hiking Can Harm the Environment (And How To Lower Your Impact)

9 Ways Thru-Hiking Can Harm the Environment (And How To Lower Your Impact)

Thru-hiking is an incredible way to connect with nature, but it’s not without its negative impacts. From the gear we carry to the food we eat, every choice we make...

Jan 28, 2025 : Katie Jackson