A beginner’s guide to backcountry etiquette that will help you learn how to take care of nature as well as to be respectful of others who seek to enjoy it so that you’re not a backcountry asshole.
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Stiff joints and sore muscles can keep even the fittest hiker off the trail. To recover faster I turn to these devices to help keep my muscles limber and injury-free so I can spend more time hiking.
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Blisters are a common injury that affects both novice and experienced hikers in surprising numbers. These insidious and painful little bastards form—and become an issue—when hikers ignore the warning signs. So that’s what we’re looking at today: How to detect the warning signs of, and avoid creating blisters when hiking or backpacking.
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Have you heard hikers recite the phrase “Cotton Kills” with a sort of blind devotion reminiscent of a fully brainwashed member from a religious cult? Have you ever wondered what the heck they were talking about? In this post, we’ll look into the thinking behind that blanket statement, examine the why cotton is a fabric that is dangerous to use in the backcountry. We'll also look at what fabrics are most ideal to wear and why.
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Let’s face it, if you want to spend any serious amount of time in the backcountry, at some point you will have to poop in the woods. I remember hating when nature called on me—while I was in nature. I found it inconvenient and uncomfortable to squat. But mostly I suffered from an intense fear that after relieving myself I would look down only to realize I had pooped right into the crotch of my pants. I’m not kidding, for a long time this was a huge fear. I’d been backpacking for seven years and still hated pooping in the woods. However, after only a couple weeks on the Pacific Crest Trail, I very quickly became a pro-level backcountry defecator. Many of the techniques I figured out I wish I had learned about years earlier, so hopefully this article helps you.
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