I’ve been curious about backpacking in the Trinity Alps of Northern California for a long time but trips to the Sierra kept taking precedent. This year, with the huge layer of snow that blanketed the Sierra, I decided it was high time I checked out Trinity. While Trinity gets a lot of snow as well, …
Many people have trouble coming up with a relatively healthy meal plan that has adequate calories and protein for backpacking. This can be a real challenge for those with a high metabolism who have significant calorie needs. How to determine calorie needs is a complex topic. There are formulas but they are, at best, only …
On my recent snow backpacking trip to Lake of the Woods in Desolation Wilderness over Memorial Day, I found that it was impossible to be ultralight. I’m usually only in the “light” category anyway, with a base weight of 12-16 lbs depending on whether I have a bear canister and any luxury items. I have …
In this epic snow year of 2017, summer backpackers may find themselves pitching their tent in snow. If that happens, they will quickly discover that regular tent pegs will pop right out of the snow. I’m no snow expert (unless I’m on skis) but this year I’ve started to acquire some snow backpacking skills. First …
I had a lot of questions about food choices on the Tour of Mont Blanc for our self-guided hike. It was a relief to not have to plan our usual backpacking menu since I had just done five backpacking trips in one summer, but I didn’t know what our food choices on the Tour of Mont …
Pioneer Basin is a treasure trove of high alpine lakes tucked into the Sierra Nevada. Located near Mammoth Lakes, it can be accessed from the Mono Creek Trail or a more adventurous cross-country route over Hopkins Pass via the McGee Creek Trail. The reward for the effort involved in the steep ascent from the East …
When planning a tour of Mont Blanc hike, which circles around the Mont Blanc massif, the choices immediately get overwhelming. Once you’re on the trail it becomes even more obvious that, while there may be an official Tour of Mont Blanc (TMB) route, the variations are endless. About the TMB The Tour of Mont Blanc …
Day 4 of backpacking the Santa Cruz Trail in the Cordillera Blanca dawned with welcome sun to help us dry out. For more information on planning a backpacking trip on the Santa Cruz Trail, see other articles listed at the end. In the morning the group who had camped near us was up and out …
We were on our 3rd day of backpacking the Santa Cruz Trail in the Cordillera Blanca, a mountain range in Peru, and were ready to tackle the Punta Union, the highest point on the trail. My husband and I were hiking independently but had camped in a designated campsite near a guided group. For more …
We had completed our first day of backpacking the Santa Cruz Trail in the Cordillera Blanca, a mountain range in Peru, and were ready to tackle the second day. My husband and I were hiking independently but had camped in a designated campsite near a guided group. To see how we planned for our independent …