I learned the hard way on a long ridge hike in southern Utah. Mile six, and my legs felt like wet concrete. My head was pounding. My heart was beating faster than the climb deserved. I stopped, sat on a rock, and drank half a liter in one go — but I was already behind. … Read more
I remember the exact moment I knew this was different. It was day three on a long trail. My feet hurt in ways I hadn’t felt before. My pack — way too heavy — was digging into my shoulders. I stopped on a ridge, looked back at how little ground I’d covered on the map, … Read more
I still remember the first time I stood at a trailhead with no idea what I was doing. My shoes were wrong, my bag was too heavy, and I wasn’t even sure if what I was about to do counted as “real” hiking. I just knew I wanted to get outside and walk somewhere that … Read more
My friend Sarah and I were about three miles into a descent on a wet granite trail in the Cascades when her pants started losing. Not falling down — failing. The fabric had soaked through at the thighs, her inner seam had zero give, and every step over a slick root looked like a small … Read more
It was a Tuesday in January. I was two miles into a snowshoe trail in the Catskills, and I was already soaked. Not from rain. From sweat. I’d worn a thick fleece over a cotton long-sleeve and figured that was enough. By mile two, the cotton was plastered to my skin and I was getting … Read more
For summer hiking, wear a lightweight moisture-wicking shirt, a UPF-rated sun hoodie or hat, breathable hiking shorts or pants, and merino wool hiking socks. Avoid cotton. Every layer should manage sweat and block UV rays. A few summers ago, I drove two hours to a trailhead in Shenandoah National Park and stepped out in a … Read more
I was four miles into a cold October morning on the Appalachian Trail when I realized I’d made a serious mistake. I’d pulled on a cotton long sleeve, loaded my pack, and headed out before dawn. By the time the sun hit the ridge, I was soaked through with sweat. Then the temperature dropped. I … Read more
I was two days into a solo traverse of the Hoh River Trail in Olympic National Park when the sky opened up. Not drizzle. Full Pacific Northwest rain — the kind that hits horizontal and doesn’t stop for hours. I had on a jacket I’d grabbed on sale the previous season. Rated 10,000mm. Looked fine … Read more
I was three days into the Southern Terminus stretch of the Arizona Trail, somewhere between the border monument and Patagonia, when I noticed something. My feet were moving easy. My pack sat flat against my back. I wasn’t grinding — I was just hiking. That wasn’t always how it went. A few years earlier on … Read more
I was about fourteen miles into a night hike on the Presidential Traverse in New Hampshire when my headlamp started fading. Not dead — just dim enough that I couldn’t read the trail markers on the rocky ridge. I slowed down, stopped twice to second-guess the route, and added an extra thirty minutes to a … Read more