Trail Log Blog
5 Most Recognizable Smells of an Appalachian Trail Thru-Hike
Clean laundry, chicken ramen, hiker funk, overflowing privies and a wet Appalachian forest. Some Appalachian Trail memories aren’t sights at all.
You Don’t Need New Gear. You Need More Miles.
We obsess over shaving ounces from our backpacks, but rarely calculate how many hours we have to work to pay for those ounces. Gear Acquisition Syndrome has a cost that doesn’t show up on LighterPack, and at some point, buying more backpacking gear can leave us with less time to actually go backpacking.
When Everyone on Trail Uses It, Is That Marketing?
Before a piece of gear can prove itself to us, something has to convince us to try it. For thru-hikers, that evidence often comes from other hikers. Using Altra’s rise in long-distance hiking and one pair of shoes from my own 2016 AT thru-hike, we look at how gear becomes prevalent, why prevalence becomes persuasive, and the strange point where marketing starts becoming culture.
Why We Made it: Red Eft Print
Why Are Red Efts Everywhere After It Rains?
After it rains on the Appalachian Trail, red efts seem to appear everywhere. Where do they come from, and why are these tiny orange newts suddenly all over the trail?
The Fastest Way Down the Trail Isn't Always Faster
Moving efficiently down a trail has a lot less to do with speed than we think. After enough miles, the rocks and roots don’t disappear. You just get better at seeing them early, choosing a line, and moving through them with less effort.
5 Ways to Manage Post-Trail Depression
Finishing a thru-hike can abruptly remove the movement, purpose, community and routine that defined everyday life for months. Here are five practical ways to manage the post-trail transition and stay connected to the parts of trail life that mattered most.
Stop Overpacking: Why a TownShirt Is the Only Base Layer You Actually Need
The First 100 Miles of the Appalachian Trail: A Survival Guide
What Kind of Shirt Should You Wear Backpacking?
Sun hoodies and hiking t-shirts both belong on trail. Here’s how to decide what to wear backpacking based on comfort, coverage, and the kind of day you want outside.
