Thru hiking backpacks are made for those who embark on multi-day hikes on long trails like the Appalachian Trail (AT) or the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT). For thru hikers, a reliable pack that is light, ...

Not all hikes of the Pacific Crest Trail (or any long-distance thru-hike) begin this way, but somewhere along the route, nearly every hiker turns into a “weight weenie.” The affectionate moniker goes ...

The greatest hurdle to completing the Pacific Crest Trail may no longer be the physical challenge of traveling its 2,650 miles. Not only is scoring a permit for the thru-hike nearly impossible these ...

"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Camping is one of the most accessible ways to spend a night under the stars, but whether you’re at a ...

There are a lot of reasons to go ultralight—and thru-hiking is only one of them. Want to cover more ground on a regular backpacking trip? Carrying an ultralight load can speed up your pace. New to ...

That said, most folks just aren’t able to commit the time it takes to tackle a thru-hike, as much as they might like to. Kids, jobs, mortgages: So many factors pull people back home after a shorter ...

Even among long trails, the John Muir Trail, colloquially called the JMT, is unique. It hovers around 8,000 feet for most of its 211 miles, crossing six major mountain passes in California’s Sierra ...