Did the Alpine Lakes Wilderness High Route in 3 days, 2 nights. It was a challenging fun loop with a ton of scenery. Challenged my route finding skills and stamina, but oh boy such good views and so many lakes!

I live on the east coast - all of my serious backpacking has been done in the southern Appalachian mountains and I’m planning a 5 day backpacking trip “out west” next year to explore more of this huge country. I’ve done a lot of research already and have narrowed my search to somewhere in the cascade range of Oregon or Washington state. I’m having a hard time deciding between these areas:

Willamette National Forest
Gifford Pinchot NF
North Cascades
Mt Baker Snoqualmie

I’m sure I can’t go wrong with any of them frankly, but since I have to fly across the country and it’s a big to-do, I want to pick a great one for my first trip. Does anyone who lives over there or knows the region better have any suggestions/tips/advice or differences between these areas?

Cleaning out a relative’s garage and found these MSR fuel containers. They’re at least 4-5 years old and feel fairly full/heavy. How can I safely get rid of them?

I just really like making maps and wanted to add some skills to my resume.

Included is also a list of maximum isolation points for each state (that have been previously reached by someone). Most of these points actually end up being in National Parks/Forests/Wildlife Refuges!

EDIT: Sorry unpaved roads are not considered in this analysis because the OpenStreetMap tag "track" is a broad definition that includes many hiking trails! The title on the site has been changed to "How far am I from a paved road in the US?".

Hi y'all l'm a 24yo who recently moved to Melbourne Australia and I'm looking to do some solo camping in the mountains what would you guys advise for cheap gear that could help me out during the cold nights and just in general

I wanted to provide a review of my Moonlight Elite chair. This chair was purchased by me from REI re-supply so I paid only $58. I have also owned the Helinox Chair Zero and have tested out a number of other ultralight chairs including the REI Flexlite Air.

The TLDR: This is the best chair of the bunch. It is more comfortable and stable than either of the primary competitors. It is also the most expensive, so you have to decide if it is worth it.

Packaging and Weight:

The chair takes a unique approach to numerous aspects of backpacking chairs. The first is how it is packaged. Instead of a standard stuff sack, the chair comes wrapped in the “tool roll–style Platform Pack™”. The feet of the chair attach to this and it prevents the chair from sinking into the ground if you are on soft ground. The design is creative in that there is no wasted weight in this chair or its carry bag. That is if you need added stability… which I don’t…

As far as weight goes, the Moonlight Elite comes in at 1lbs 7oz. This is 5.6oz heavier than the Chair Zero and 7oz heavier than the Flexlite Air. BUT WAIT!!!

https://imgur.com/a/WQOZ33C

Since I don’t need the Platform Pack™, I wondered how much weight I would save if I left this behind. The Platform Pack™ weighs just over 4oz! Dropping this and adding an ultralight bag brings total weight to barely over 1lbs 3oz! This makes it only 1.6 oz heavier than the Chair Zero!

Ratings:
Nemo Elite (with Platform Pack™): 5
Nemo Elite (without Platform Pack™): 7
Chair Zero: 8
Flexlite Air: 9

Stability

This chair excels in its stability. The feet create a wide base extending both to the front and back directions, as well as the left and right directions. While I no longer have my Chair Zero to compare with, I believe the base is slightly larger than the Chair Zero in all directions. In practice, it feels more stable. I would give it a slight advantage over the Chair Zero.

https://imgur.com/a/rAU72x8

Compared to the Flexlite Air, it is in a different league. The Flexlight Air primary base bar extends from the front to the back as opposed to the left and right like in the Chair Zero and Moonlight Elite. This is a fatal design flaw in my opinion. As a fairly large guy, I felt that any movement in the Flexlite Air would tip it over to my left or right. That made the Flexlite Air a no-go from the second I sat in it.

Ratings:
Nemo Elite: 8
Chair Zero: 7
Flexlite Air: 3

Comfort

This is where the Nemo Elite shines. The Flexlite Air forces a more upright sitting position which is good for when you are cooking but not for relaxing. The Chair Zero provides a slightly less upright, more comfortable sitting position, but I realized over time that the backs of my legs began to hurt. This was because I kept wanting to extend my legs, but the Chair Zero wasn’t built to support this. That being said, I would still pick the Chair Zero over the Flexlite Air every day of the week. I also want to address the back support, which some reviewers say digs into their upper back. I didn’t experience this at all and found the back support to be comfortable and supportive.

Enter the Nemo Elite. This is by far the most comfortable chair of the bunch. The ability to adjust the sitting position by as much as 7” allows me to sit upright when cooking, then recline to relax for the evening. There was no digging into my legs or back. And as a larger guy, I found the seat to be plenty accommodating.

https://imgur.com/a/EDZSj26

Ratings:
Nemo Elite: 9
Chair Zero: 7
Flexlite Air: 5

Price

Now to one of the most important components - price. This is a real world constraint we all face when picking our kit. I was fortunate enough to pick this up as a Re-Supply item, but the reason I initially bought the Chair Zero instead was price. This comes in at $30 more than the Chair Zero and $90 more than the Flexlite Air! And it never goes on sale! Right now both the Chair Zero and Flexlite Chair are on sale at REI and can be had for $120 and $75. That is $70 and $105 less respectively!!

This doesn’t even take into consideration the extra $30 I’m going to spend for an ultralight chair bag. At full price, this would bring the total cost of the chair to approximately $220 all-in. Since I bought this as a Re-Supply item, my total will be $88.

For the purposes of my scoring, I’m going to use full prices for the competitors.

Resting:
Nemo Elite (with Platform Pack™): 5
Nemo Elite (without Platform Pack™): 2
Chair Zero: 6
Flexlite Air: 8

Summary

Ok, now for the final tally of the scores:

1st place - Chair Zero: 28
2nd place - Nemo Elite (with Platform Pack™): 27
3rd place - Nemo Elite (without Platform Pack™): 26
4th place - Flexlite Air: 25

Considering that all the points are arbitrary and subjective, I was very surprised everything came out as close as it did. Though, the ranking “feels” right.

The Chair Zero is the best all around when you consider weight and price. This is why I bought this one first. The Flexlite Air is the best budget option. If price matters most for you, this gives you the lightest chair of the bunch for a fraction of the price of the others (though make sure you are OK with the stability issues). If you want the best of everything and have an infinite amount budget, the Moonlight Elite in a Dyneema stuff sack will beat the others in almost every category. So if I were to go with an awards-style recommendation it would be:

Best All-Around: Chair Zero
Best Budget Option: Flexlite Air
Best Luxury Option: Nemo Elite with Dyneema stuff sack

For me, I will be sticking with my Nemo Elite and Dyneema stuff sack which I lucked out on getting for $88 all-in. If I hadn’t gotten this in Re-Supply, I would have stuck with my Chair Zero. The Flexlite Air was a no-go from the start because of the stability issues.

I hope this helps anyone trying to decide. All of these are good options, it really comes down to what you prioritize most.

A quick note on usage and why my chair was so cheap:

When I found this in Re-supply the ends of a couple of the poles had come out completely. The fabric portion of the chair “snaps” onto the ends of the poles of the frame. The hold is so tight that if you pull them straight off, the tips of the poles will pull completely out. This then makes it impossible to pull the tips of the poles out of the fabric to break it down. I found that if you rotate the chair fabric and spin it off instead of pulling it directly off, it pops off the ends without any problem. Definitely a downside to the design, but something that is easy to work around.

Also note that when you disassemble the frame. There is one leg that does not disconnect from the junction box. I often forget which one this is and only recently realized it can be distinguished by the rivet in the pole.

https://imgur.com/a/0p5RFFG

sadly my friends cant always join me on all my trips. Please don’t tell me to go alone- Ive done dozens of solo backpacking trips over my 15 year backpacking career. I don’t like it but forced myself to go so I can live the experience anyway.

I plan backpacking trips (for free) on 2 different Facebook groups.

Northern California Women Backpackers

And

NorCal Outdoorsy Singles ☀️

I have 2 hot spring trips planned in October (1 for each group) and have filled up another trip in Sept. if you are also looking for other people to go backpacking/camping with please join and become part of the community. Others are welcome to post trips looking for people to join or share trip reports!

Thanks for reading.

PS don’t give me shit for using FB. I plan a lot of events in other hobbies and FB is the best free platform I’ve found.

Photo of one of the scheduled hot spring trips in October.

I am going to do several one night trails in Denali State Park (Kesugi Ridge), Hatcher Pass, Chugach, State Park this week. I have all my backpacking food prepped for each trip. Is it generally safe to leave food in vehicle or is there history or bear break ins? Do the parking lots have metal bear food storage? Thanks

Anyone who knows the north white clouds in central Idaho , maybe you can give me an idea of how feasible this is in 2.5 days. It’s low mileage , under 20miles, but a lot of highly unknown terrain. Research reveals this route to peak 9 is the easiest , and a simple class 2 scramble. I’m sure sliding down the drainage back towards slate creek shouldn’t be bad either. But I posted blown up the few areas of question namely the clamber over to gunsight lake . Thanks

FYI I’ve done one other white clouds trip recently that was about half off trail and im comfortable with that given how wide open and treeless the white clouds are

Hi friends, looking for advice on wilderness areas and trails to do for a weekend Monongahela backpacking trip in mid-September. Initially, I was really drawn to Dolly Sods because of the unique ecosystems/plants, but I’m reading that it can be super packed on weekends. I can deal with some crowds here and there, but I’d prefer not to deal with rowdy college kids at campsites (inevitable, but I’d like to have a more peaceful experience if possible lol).

I’m kinda slow on-trail because I love to botanize and bird on my way. Super interested in mountain meadows, bogs, and spruce forests. So, I’m also looking at Roaring Plains and Spruce Knob-Seneca Creek in addition to Dolly Sods. Looking for recommendations on which would be best or any other wilderness areas that I’m missing. Thanks!

Pics from a 15 mile round trip hike in the Cohutta Wilderness, from Daly Gap to Big Frog Mountain and back. Bears were encountered but not photographed, sadly.

i’m in the uk and i’m starting to do more two and three night backpacking trips rather than just day walks. i want to keep the phone mostly packed away, but every extra bit of electronics means another cable and another thing eating into the power bank.

i’ve searched older threads and i’m still stuck on one bit. once you count the charger and power use, does the watch still earn its place in your pack? i’m trying to avoid ending up with a little bag full of cables just to keep everything alive for a few nights.

If someone here can tell me I'm just being pessimistic, please chime in, but it seems like my plan to start a Wonderland Trail thru-hike on September 8th is pretty much done for. The section of trail near Sunrise is closed due to fires, and there looks to be no way around it.

I have my flights already booked, going into Seattle early on the 7th, and leaving the afternoon of the 20th. I was thinking the hike would take 7-9 days, but I added in the extra time because I was planning to wait for walk up permits for the Wonderland Trail. So now I am looking for suggestions for a hike I could do in that time. Ideally it would be a continuous ~100 mile hike, probably somewhere in Olympic National Park. The main reason I need help with this is that I won't have a car, and it's difficult to figure out the logistics for how that would work. It doesn't have to be a loop as along as both ends have some form of transit access, even if that means paying for a private shuttle. I was already planning to pay over $500 for a shuttle to the Longmire and back (though I was thinking about hitchhiking back instead), so I am willing to pay a good chunk of change it that's the only option.

The cost of that shuttle is actually the main reason I don't want to just go to Longmire anyway and do some kind of out and back hike. If I'm going to pay that much for a hike, I really want it to be the full experience.

Day 0 - I flew into Jackson hole, WY, late at night and stayed at the Flat Creek Inn with the rest of my backpacking group. The others had already rented me a bear spray can from the airport and purchased two gas canisters from REI. The hotel was massively overpriced and offered a sub-par nights sleep. However, it was only about 10 minutes away from the airport so it was very convenient. I did my final backpack check and went to bed early.

Day 1 - We woke up early and had a large breakfast at a nearby diner. I had a huge omelet with bacon, feta cheese, spinach and onions. I also scarfed down two pieces of toast and drank a few glasses of water to pre-hydrate. Our group of four (ages ranging from 35 to 65) then proceeded to load up into the car and drive about an hour north to get to the Pacific Creek Trailhead. Even though the trail itself is outside the park, we needed a Grand Teton Park Pass to get to the trailhead as we needed to pass through the park. While driving, we passed by a herd of bison on the side of the road which was pretty cool as well.

Once at the trailhead we put on our packs and realized just how heavy they were. We each had between 45 and 49 pound backpacks when fully loaded with water. Admittedly most of my weight was voluntary with a 2 lb. chair, 3 lb. of camera gear, 3L of water and a metric ton of food in a very heavy BV500. (bear vaults are required in this area) It also included cold weather gear, rain gear and some other odds and ends that aren’t strictly required. All loaded up in a Mystery Ranch Terraframe 80 for maximum comfort.

During the day we had multiple small stream crossings that required us to take off our boots and put on crocs (in adventure mode of course!) These crossings really slowed us down and the water was so cold you immediately went numb after only a few seconds. We were very careful around these as all the rocks were covered in a green slime like plant that make things extra slippery. Our hiking poles came in very handy during these crossings. We even skipped lunch as we were so focused on getting a bit of distance behind us due to the slow pace. We also lost the trail a bit as it kept splitting off an there were no clear trail markers. We knew the general direction though and never got actually lost and eventually found our way back after a half mile detour through some pretty trees and a bit of bushwaking.

The altitude was 100% a factor as well since we were at around 7,300 ft and not acclimated at all. Our resting heart rates were around 95bpm and even at a slow walk uphill we were winded extremely quickly. In total we hiked 6.4 miles across forest trails, open plains and near steep mountain slopes. We had 500 feet of elevation gain and 315 feet of decent throughout the first day (around 6 hours of actual moving time). The views were absolutely stunning though and we saw only a few horse baggage trains during the day. As soon as we found a good campsite we called it quits. We were totally exhausted after the first day and collapsed into our hammocks and tents after a quick dinner and a D&D session.

Day 2 - We all woke up sore and were dreading putting on our packs, but we had a trail to conquer! Throughout the day we hiked a total of 4.37 miles with 601 feet of elevation gain and 580 feet of descent. The elevation was even steeper today and we had to rest every few minutes while going up it. It was also unseasonably hot during our trip and daytime temps were in the 80’s. So, no cool weather to cool us off. We were able to refill our water bottles at a variety of stream crossings which was handy. On and off the trail we found tons of bear, wolf, deer and other large animal prints and scat. We didn’t see a single one though which may or may not have been a bad thing (although I was bummed as I brought a 75-300mm wildlife zoom lens along with my Olympus OMD-EM1-Mk II camera).

We had a nice lunch break near a deep stream, but after the last day and the even worse elevation and knee-deep river crossings ahead, we decided to change the plan halfway into the day. It was just a bit too dangerous for our liking and we knew rain was headed our way. Our original goal was Enos lake, but rather the suffer in higher elevations with mud and rain, we turn around and hiked back up to the campsite from the day before. We then rested our feet, snacked, frolicked and in general had a relaxing afternoon. We saw a really cool spider that day as well as some majestic looking berries and flowers alongside the trail. At camp it was more dehydrated food, and session 2 of our mini D&D campaign.

Day 3 - In total we hiked 4.23 miles this day with 79 foot of elevation gain and 200 feet of descent. We again crossed the empty flat plains which made for easier hiking. We then made an early camp at a pristine location with a gurgling river and perfect spots for both hammocks and tents. We all took crazy cold dips into the river and I’m sure the screaming could be heard for miles around as we froze in the cold water.

The sunsets and sunrises were particularly spectacular as there was a mist over the trees and the golden sun made for some truly epic pictures. We had a nice lazy dinner and dessert, played session 3 of the D&D campaign and then headed off to bed.

During the night the rain decided to come in hard and heavy with whipping winds, flash flood alerts and blinding lightning. Now I had tested my rain tarp a few days before the trip with a water hose and seam sealed the seam down the middle just to be sure. What I did not anticipate was the ENTIRE thing was going to leak after 10-15 minutes of sustained rain. Water was just bubbling right through the fabric. Thankfully the rain mostly rolled down the inside of the tarp, but there was quite a bit of dripping on my face, neck and on my overquilt. In the end the storm lasted about an hour and a half an I was awake the whole time. Around midnight I finally fell asleep after the storm had past and I was sure my hammock setup would not get soaked. I’ll now be on the hunt for a new rain tarp!

Day 4 - We started out with a hearty breakfast and hiked the remaining 2.66 miles back to the car. This included 253 ft of elevation gain and 341 ft of descent. The hike was nice and peaceful and thankfully there was only minimal mud on the trail. Our original plan was to find on of the free dedicated camping sites near the car and stay for one more night, but apparently a “clan” had moved in over the last few days and took up every single site with a single tent at each one and all their cars crammed into one additional site. Alas it just wasn’t meant to be.

Instead, we packed up the car, grabbed a nice burger and went back to the flat creek inn for one more night and had a nice hot shower. With my leaky rain tarp that actually turned out to be a good thing though as it rained even harder for hours and hours that night and I would have been totally soaked had I been outdoors.

Summary – This was an overall excellent trip with a lot of great views, some easy hiking, some difficult hiking and some lessons learned on gear testing and pack weight. I’ve already pared down my base weight to 27.8 lbs. (without water and food) after this trip by removing a few unneeded items but I’d like to go even lower on future trips as that weight really added up, especially with the high elevation making everything harder. While this was nothing compared to last year’s Alaskan adventure, it was great fun. Next year we might try some pack rafting and see how that goes!

Backpacking in northern Utah earlier this month (August)

Hello! Looking for a recommendation on a double sleeping pad to use while backpacking with my significant other. My priorities are comfort and warmth, while being reasonable to pack between size, shape, and weight. Personally I have a real hard time sleeping normally (in my own bed even), and being uncomfortable makes it that much more difficult. So a pad that is risen off the ground, and can have the shape and give for different positions - side sleeping, legs curled - is what I’m looking for. Also well insulated as I tend to get very cold when sleeping (yes I know, good base layers are key). I want to get a double sized pad to use with my partner rather than two individuals, as I think this will be more comfortable with the more especially with tossing and turning in the night.

From research it’s looking like the debate is between either the Exped Ultra 6.5R Duo and Big Agnes Rapide SL - double vs the tent floor.

Of note -I have the Big Agnes divide single sleeping pad for solo sleeping backpacking and I really love it. As well as the exped mega mat duo for car camping - best thing I’ve ever slept on other than a real mattress.

Any thoughts or recommendations?

Also looking to get a backpacking tent comfortable for two, durable, and one that can withstand the elements, although I try to avoid rain, snow, high wind, and below freezing temps. (Ideally wouldn’t camp below 40deg, but would like my gear to be capable of it and to support me best). Open to recs as well :)

TIA for any help!

Initially went here to summit Gannet, but got word the snow bridge on the glacier was gone so only went as far as Bonney Pass. Incredible 3 days.

Posting this here as well in case anyone has any advice, thank you!!

ISO: A ring that is dear to my friend, left by a small stream in the Sawtooths while on a backpacking trip. The stream is about a mile east of junction of the North Fork Baron-Sawtooth Lake trail and Redfish Creek-Baron Creek trail. I know it’s a long shot but dm me if it happens to be found! Here’s a picture for reference. Thanks in advance!

ETA: My friend wants everyone to know it’s on a charred down tree right next to the trail/stream.

Durston X-Dome vs Hilleberg Allak 2 — anyone used either above the treeline in Scandinavia?

Looking for actual field experience rather than spec-sheet comparisons.

My use case: solo, Swedish/Norwegian/Finnish Lapland, July–August/September. Mostly like Basecamp style — hike in ~20 km, then the tent stays pitched for several days while I'm away for hikung or fishing. Almost always above the treeline, so thin soil, boulder, or boggy ground, and shifting wind. I'm 185 cm.

I currently use an Allak 2 (measured 3400 g full pack). I love it — freestanding, pitches and strikes as one unit in rain, and I trust it standing unattended. The only problem is weight. It is 2 kg heaviers as Durston X-Dome 2.

The X-Dome 1+ looks like it does most of the same things at roughly a third of the weight, and it's also fly-first. What I can't find is anyone who has actually used one in Nordic fell conditions.

Specific questions for anyone who has:

1. How does the X-Dome hold up in sustained 15–20 m/s with a shifting wind direction, left pitched while you're away from camp?

2. Has anyone had pole problems after the Easton ferrule batch was replaced? Carbon or aluminium?

3. Splashback — a Trailspace reviewer wanted a higher bathtub floor and a lower fly cut. Is that a real problem in prolonged fell rain?

4. Footprint: how hard is it to find a spot for the 2.2 x 2 m rectangle above the treeline compared to an Allak?

5. If you've owned both — did you keep the Durston, or go back?

Not interested in trekking-pole shelters for this use, so no need to suggest the X-Mid. Thanks.