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Down is best for rest stops and being around camp at night. Usually it is too warm for hiking. Exceptions might be the Rockies in winter when it is below zero, or for winter mountaineering. I used to wear a light down ski jacket in Colorado in the winter because there was a lot of wind and cold temperatures above 10,000 feet.

Resupply on the TRT is not that hard. There are plenty of places near the trail around the Lake. The one issue is water. This year has been very dry so far, so you may have issues with carrying water enough for 2-3 days.

Through hikers get lighter the longer they are out there. You are much better off around 20 pounds or less. Most people only carry a week's supply of food and fuel and come off the trail to resupply. I have no interest in through hiking, but I run into them all the time on the PCT near my house. I have talked with a lot of them. They are several months in by the time I talk with them.

If by base weight you are referring to everything except food, water, and fuel then yes I would say 32 pounds is a bit much. Just because you can carry that weight, doesn't mean you should. I have had for many years a base weight of about 18 pounds, and just recently reduced it to about 14 pounds. The 18 pounds is pretty easily acheivable--it will take a bit more of an investment to get lower than that. The difference at the lower weight just allows one to have a MUCH more enjoyable trip. There are many sites that have lots of ideas about ways to reduce weight--hyperlite and guthook are s

Hello, I will be hiking a 1 month section of the AT next year and was wondering if 32lb base weight is too much. I am a good size guy, 6'4 235lbs. It does not feel too heavy and have been trying it on many different trails with mostly positive results. Is this too much? I am not trying to be ultralight or even lightweight but would like to try and make 2.5miles a hour. Thanks for any input. Brooks

Hello! Just had a question maybe some of you can help me out with regarding the TRT. Im new to backpacking and have been going out on my local trails doing quick one or two nighters. I made the decision to thru hike the TRT in July of this year, 2021. Im having trouble finding a detailed trail map of camp spots and resupply pickups so i can plan out my trip efficiently. Can anyone point me in the right direction? I see these guys on YouTube that have the whole trail outlined and marked locations for areas you need to resupply. Do i have to create my own through google earth or something?

Or, more importantly, when you are hiking into and through dense brush....

pasta is a traditional first night out kind of food for me. I cook up pasta, sauce, and sausages at home. then freeze it. then hiking in the first day, it unthaws slowly and keeps from spoiling, and you just heat it up for supper.

just rolling up a potato in aluminum foil, and tossing it into a campfire embers, goes a really long way to satisfying your stomach! just keep rotating it so it does not burn on one side

and even though bears can smell you a mile away, and hear and see you excellently too....it is actually pretty easy to surprise and startle one. If they are busy rooting around in the dirt for grubs....they are NOT listening or looking around for humans. So when all of a sudden they are startled to learn you are there, their reaction can be pretty unpredictable. Luckily, the couple that i have startled that way just run away, but i am talking the more cuddly east cost black bears! The best idea is to make some noise when you are hiking, coming into a clearing, etc.

How strange. Mount Zirkel is where I ended up going. It was great, with some moderate to difficult hiking and beautiful views, especially Gold Creek Lake. Gilpin Lake was awesome, too. Definitely worth the drive from Greeley to Steamboat Springs. I'll likely go back because I liked it so much. Thanks to everyone who weighed in. I appreciate the guidance!

Most people have not worked in country with bears with high densities. Coastal forests can have up to one per square mile. It is best to learn to avoid them. Make noise when you travel. Avoid dense thickets of veg like alders. Avoid traveling near dark. Stay out of the tall grass. Expect to see them around salmon streams. Avoid eye contact. Back away. Give them escape routes. Learn how they think.

Tough access is sometimes a feature, not a bug. Great report!

And learn to manage your food. If you manage your food, bears are far less interested... This is the biggest factor, I think. A lot of people don't realize how keen a bear's sense of smell really is, or how food oriented they are, especially in spring and fall.

Good suggestion of the E-Lite. I have had one for probably around 10 years that I always take on dayhikes and on backpacking trips as a back-up. It's a great "peace of mind" item and I've never really had to use it, but it has come in handy when hiking partners have forgotten their headlamps (or they've failed). I might just start taking the E-lite on summer trips where I don't really need a lot of light since the days are so long.

I guess the idea is to free up your pot to boil water for a hot drink or something like that. I see your wisdom in rehydrating in the pot - less to carry. I'm just wondering if it gives you a bit more flexibility, ie maybe have a hot cup of soup while you're waiting on your main. Or getting your wash up water heated or similar. I will trail test this and report back. Unsure of the weight addition with the extra container.

I just use what nature provides like rocks or wood. I really don't want to carry the weight of a hammer.

Depends on what you are doing. Car camping any heavy material tent will work. Backpacking I always look at weight. But along with weight comes price. I have a Marmot Limelight 2P for car camping. It's about 5lbs. For backpacking I use an MSR Hubba Hubba 2P, which is more like a 1.5P. All gear is under 3lbs. I can do a fly setup at a little over a pound. But it's also $400. I have not heard of Geertop. Personally I stick with well known brands.

If you were warm enough that you started sweating significantly, you had on too much insulation. Better to start out a bit cold/cool as your body will start to generate a bit more heat as you hike. It isn't so much the down jacket itself but that you were wearing too much insulation for the conditions/temperature.

Avoiding the crowds is the biggest challenge. Yosemite is a wonderful place to visit but timing is everything.

All of the places mentioned above are pretty popular. I have always like the Mt Zirkel Wilderness and the Never Summer Range.

Getting old sucks except for all of the other alternatives. Hiking every day behind the house is helping a lot.

I also never thought too much about headlamps, used several over the years, and 2 years ago, went to the same petzl actik core that you did, since it's rechargeable. It has the same approximate weight as most of the previous headlamps I had used (2.5 to 3oz). I have been happy with this headlamp, althought I did note that it would dim after a few days use in the backcountry, and definitely a plus that you could substitute 3AAA batteries if needed--carry backup AAA batteries just in case! However, I would mention another Petzl headlamp for anyone considering a longer backcountry jaunt, wher

I recently hiked in a down jacket and soaked it from sweating. Can you hike in them or are they just good around camp?

Awesome photos and what an amazing story! I heard your interview on The Trail Show about this route and it was cool to read it here as well. That's a pretty incredible loop and some spectacular country.