The John Muir Trail is a little challenging to go true Ultralight for. The heavy, required bear canister, and therefore, a heavier, framed pack to carry that canister, generally sees to that. However, I do believe my gear list is lightweight and still full-comfort. And…
John Muir Trail permits are pretty hard to come by. You probably know this, since you’re researching how to get JMT permits. I failed on my first lottery attempts in 2017. In 2020, somehow I won the lottery for a permit from Happy Isles (after…
Sometimes a last-minute planned trip doesn’t go the best, but we managed to pull this one off! A group of my co-workers happened to get President’s Day weekend off, so we headed up to Lake Tahoe for my second-ever snow camping trip. California’s snowpack wasn’t…
Every January, my co-worker and friend, Shaun, plans a fun birthday backpacking trip. Last year, we went snow camping. This year, we opted for something… warmer? But definitely not drier! Despite some day-of travel difficulties, wet weather, and an annoying hit-and-run that resulted in my…
I was first exposed to Havasu Falls, way before I self-identified as a “hiker”, when I saw some professional photography from there. At the time, I didn’t know where these waterfalls were located, or that “normal” people could go there. I was immediately entranced by…
Another backcountry trip, another opportunity for new gear! I switched a few things up from the Wonderland Trail to the High Sierra Trail. Not anything too big (except for my pack), but the small changes can make a big difference! LighterPack link to gear list…
