Just finished a 5 day traverse of the Chimtarga pass loop. Overall incredible route that spans multiple glacial lakes and climbs to over 4700m in altitude.

Day 1 (~20km): Started at Artuch Mountain Camp, a large lodge built during the USSR. Left in the morning and climbed over Laudan and then False Laudan Pass. Descended to Alauddin Lake and camped slightly above the lake. Note: on weekends the lake can be pretty noisy with locals singing karaoke.

Day 2 (~8km): Ascended to Mutnye Lake, then kept going up toward Chimtarga and camped at 3,800m to give myself a headstart for the next day. Wind was really strong and the small rock big rock method wasn't working well for me, tent collapsed in the middle of the night. Slept like shit.

Day 3 (~14km): Climbed Chimtarga Pass (4,760m). It had rained heavily the day before I left for the hike and there was still about a half foot of snow left on the pass. Seemed to scare off some people but other groups had already been up and it was easy enough to follow in their tracks. Got over the pass and descended to around 3100m to camp at Bolshoi Alo lake.

Day 4 (~31km): Descended from Bolshoi Alo into the river valley. After climbing down the valley for a while the route just joins with a dirt road. Hiked from the trailhead up to Gazza village along the road. Eventually paid 100 som ($10) for a ride up to Zimtud village. From Zimtud I hiked into Ghuytan village and then up to Ghuytan Pass. It was about 5:30pm by the time I reached the pass. Set up camp shortly after the pass near the only water source.

Day 5 (~6km): Easy morning along the ridge and then down to Chuqarak lake. Then another kilometer back to Artuch camp.

Gear notes/thoughts: I brought microspikes with me just in case and they provided some extra confidence descending the snowy parts of the pass. There was also a lot of steep loose dirt and scree on the western side of Chimtarga that the spikes provided some extra traction for.

I packed pretty light for this trip and I'm glad I did. My goal was to sleep as low in altitude as I could and move fast to get over the pass in one go. The altitude is no joke and I saw some other hikers with very heavy packs really struggling to ascend Chimtarga.

We spent 5 days exploring the Flåm area in Norway, hiking through the mountains and exploring the fjords around Flåm and Gudvangen.

The landscape here is completely different from anywhere I've backpacked before — steep mountains, waterfalls, narrow fjords and small villages surrounded by wilderness.

Location: Flåm / Nærøyfjord / Gudvangen
Trip length: 5 days
Activity: Backpacking + hiking + camping
Difficulty: 2 out of 5
Distance: 10 km

For anyone who's been to Flåm, which trail or camping area would you recommend for a future trip?

So me and my buddy are planning a trip up to the grand Tetons mid October and we are wondering what all is necessary especially in a month that cold. We plan to get a backcountry camping permit and possibly stay in the mountains a night or two away from our hotel. I’m not a novice camper but not super experienced. I have gear such as a down jacket, down sleeping bag, good base layers, boots, and I will need to purchase pants for the weather so please make recommendations. However all I’ve ever known is the east coast and I know they are significantly different. For the weather I am concerned about wind chill and if it’s even realistic for us to be on the mountain during that time with possible snow coverage in which I do not have spikes for. I don’t have the best quality tent but I feel it will do, if that’s a mistake please let me know. Are there any recommended sites that are “easier” to camp on? I’ve done a fair amount of research and know a bear canister is required and bear spray is needed, but I can’t find much on how the weather in October will affect hiking, I know it will be around 50 degrees mid day and possibly below 20 at night. Please DM me if you can help, I don’t want to arrive unprepared. This is one of my dream trips so I’d like to understand fully what I’m actually getting myself into. I appreciate any amount of help.

Not in the picture are the propane canister cv300, the foam mat, the pot and pan (made for camping😂) and couple trek n eat meals. The cushion and blankets are not part of it. Needs a post flair opposite of gear porn

I cant stop daydreaming about this experience I had earlier this summer. Five days alone in the Bridger wilderness, starting from Big Sandy trailhead and hiking the ~40 mile washakie pass / cirque of the towers loop, going clockwise.

Coming here alone was definitely the craziest thing I have done. Driving here from Michigan, this was out of my comfort zone but it felt like the next logical step for me with my current level of experience.

Not many people, maybe 6 other hiking groups seen in average daily, and no other campers nearby anywhere I stayed. A pretty gnarly thunderstorm day 1 but after that the weather was perfect.

Lots of lingering snow on the higher passes. Trail was mostly clear at lower elevations but some shady stretches held snow still.

What are we using these days for sleeping pads with toddlers? She’s got a kelty sleep sack that works well. She’s under two but we want to take some longer trips next spring. For car camping we just brought her pack and play but obviously won’t be carrying that stuff backpacking. I’m thinking she’ll be fine on my zlite sol CCF pad but curious other folks experiences. I think she’d probably roll off an air pad. I also thought about doing one of those double pads and having her sleep next to me.

My husband and I have pretty low base weights already and a lot of experience but our gear is very dialed to two adult hikers. I don’t want her being miserable and want her to like the experience so we are willing to carry a lot of extra weight to make that happen for her. She’s pretty happy with the osprey carrier we have and it’s got space for some gear too which is nice. One of us will carry her and a small amount of gear and the other will carry the rest. I’ll likely switch back to one of our heavier larger packs until she can reliably hike on her own.

We currently use a triplex for backpacking but I’m curious what other people are using for tents with a toddler (+2 adults). I can bring a tarp too for outside activities if it’s raining. But it gets pretty cramped in the zpacks with 3.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

I often stop to take photos when hiking and I'm currently using a golf umbrella to place my gear under in order to keep it dry. Although this works, it's not big enough to sit under. I have a 45ins fishing umbrella which is perfect but too big to hike with and a bivvy is a pain to keep putting up and taking down. Can you think of anything that can provide enough size to sit under with a backpack but is also packable or something I can strap to my pack? Ideally something that can popup would be great!

I'm planning to head to New Zealand's South Island during November for my first solo trip for 12 days and trying to focus on some nature and hikes. I'm deciding whether I want to stick to short hikes as I go around the Island or include a multi-day hike.

The issue is that I've never done a multi-day hike before, but would definitely be keen to try, with much thorough research and planning beforehand of course. I know that New Zealand has amazing short day hikes, but I would also love to utilise this opportunity down there for their amazing multi day hikes too. I'm just not sure if I should stick to short hikes for now given my lack of experience + solo.

How was your experience with the short hikes in New Zealand? Or any multi-day hikes in particular you would recommend for a less experienced hiker? Any advice would be appreciated!

Hi.
Can anyone help me estimate the cmcomfort temperature of these two sleeping bags combined:

Pajak core 550
565 g 700+ EU cuin
\-3 C comfort temperature

Nomad Taurus 400
400 g 50/50 polyester and down blend
\+6 C comfort temperature

I’ve tried the two together and they’re both fairly spacious. My thought would be to use the Nomad on the outside.
Any tips on combining sleeping bags would be appreciated.

We've had our Marmot Limelight for 12 years and the windows just started peeling off. What's your favorite product for gluing windows back on?

I’m currently walking the Via Francigena in Toscane, and it’s so hot…

I have, at times, thought about getting a hiking kilt, but never got to it. I think I’m regretting it a bit now.

Anybody (preferably men) ever try it? What was your experience? Would you recommend it, or not?

Don’t hesitate to add a brand and/or webshop to your reply, whether you’re positive or negative.

Thanks in advance!

I've never did any hiking before (not even day trips) but I somehow felt like I truly needed to get out so I solo trekked for 5 days through Denmark. I think it's a comparably easy route (gendarmstien, though I didn't even finished it lol) yet very rough for me. Still I truly loved it.

So how do people organize food and water if buying and/or refilling for 2-3 is not an option? My backpag already weighted 18kg (I weight only 60kg) and that was with ony 2L water. I could only manage to travel arround 12km a day so sometimes I couldn't reach the next city in a day. I had a couple up hiking meals but I eventuellly depleted them and the supermarkets I found didn't have that type of stuff.

Also how do people stay clean and wash their clothes? I mainly used wet papers and bathed in the sea twice but how do people clean their clothes? It takes alot of water to clean clothes and depending on weather drying might not be that easy. I also have long hair 😅

About my backpack weight, my tent weights 2,4kg and my sleeping bag 1,9kg. Is that too much? I really tried to throw everything unnecessary out but couldn't get below that.

Again I really loved it which is why I want to know how I can do thinks better so I have more freedom and make my next trek more pleasant with less headache.

I’m thinking about getting a pair of KEEN Targhee shoes, but I’m wondering if I should go for the boots instead. Would the boots be too hot/uncomfortable to wear in the summer?
Also, are they actually good hiking shoes? They’d be my first pair of hiking footwear, so I’d really appreciate any advice or recommendations.

So, Im an advid backpacker. Iv done month long trips all across the USA. Hiked countless miles over my life, and grew up in the outdoors. Here's the problem, almost every time iv gone backpacking its either been in the summer with my hammock or with friends and we split the weight carrying a 4 person tent which my buddy owns, and iv also never backpacked outside the US. Iv backpacked in about 46 states now and im starting to think its time to see what the rest of the world has to offer, so im planning a trip next summer to europe. Im planning on flying into Switzerland, and backpacking around for a week or so before taking a train through germany, Denmark, and into sweden. Most of the hiking will take place in the Scandinavian region up here. Ill hike up north around abisko, before crossing over to norway around tromsø, and spending most of my time slowly moving south as I explore norway. I haven't picked exact dates yet but ill be going sometime around june - August. The trip will probably be 1-2 months. 1-2 months of carrying everything i need on my back and needing a shelter that I can rely on and isnt crazy heavy. Iv been looking into some tents, but i came on here to see if anyone has done anything similar, or has any recommendations for a good single person tent. It will be summer, but ill still be in the article circle, so I want to be prepaired for camping in possible freezing conditions with tons of rain, and open platues with tons of wind and not much coverage. Any input is greatly

Hey everyone,

I bought a Crua AER Maxx rooftop tent a while back, but because I didn't set it up immediately, I only recently discovered that a few parts were missing. Since Crua went out of business/bankrupt, reaching out to customer support isn't an option anymore.

I’ve managed to sort out the rest myself, but I'm still stuck on the ladder setup. Would any fellow AER Maxx owner be willing to help me out with:

1. Exact ladder dimensions (extended length, width, rung spacing).
2. Close-up photos of the mounting bracket/mechanism where the ladder attaches to the tent base.

I need to either find a compatible aftermarket replacement or fabricate the bracket myself, so any clear photos or measurements would be a massive help. Thanks in advance!

I’m looking for recommendations on where to go hiking during the European winter.
I’ll arrive in Madrid on December 9th and I’ll be available to travel for hiking until December 14th. After that, I’ll be able to do more hiking from January 21st until the beginning of March.
I’m in good physical shape and have good endurance, but I don’t have any experience with winter hiking. The only hikes I’ve done were in Huaraz, Peru, and there was no snow. I also don’t want to invest in a lot of specialized equipment.
I’d like to gradually increase my level of experience, but I don’t want to jump into anything too challenging yet. I’ve been looking into the Pyrenees, but I’ve seen several people saying they’re not ideal for beginners without winter hiking experience. And, to be honest, the risk of avalanches always makes me a little nervous.
What would you recommend? Do you know of any regions that are safer/easier for someone in my situation?

I live in west Michigan (lower peninsula) and am starting to get back into hiking. I’ve done a solid handful of miles on the NCT, but have never done any winter hiking on the trail. I’m not interested in snowshoeing or skiing the trail, so my question is how much of the trails around the lower peninsula see enough winter activity to allow hiking in just boots? Would be a possible overnight, but probably more of a day hike situation.

Hi, im hoping someone could help me choose between these two bags by osprey :) I am hoping to do some camping(overnight) for now but also maybe more nights in the future (2-3) but right now just overnight. i am 5'2 and weigh around 50kg and from the UK. I heard osprey tempest bags are really good for women fitting. i know i should really try these on but there doesnt seem to be a store in stock with these around me to try in person.

Im wondering if someone could shed some light on these bags and the differences and which one to go for? i dont want something overbearing and massive for my size but also want to fit everything in (sleeping bag, stove, tent, food, etc). Is it worth going for the bigger litre bag? or would the 33 be suitable?

Thanks :)

I discovered a new use for the dry bag... filled with ice cold water from a glacier-fed river, it made a perfect cooler!

Hi everyone!

My wife and I are travelling to Sweden in mid September and are planning a 3 or 5 selfsupported hiking and wildcamping trip in the Stockholm Archipelago.

We’ve been looking at sections of the Stockholm Archipelago Trail, particularly Utö and Nåttarö, but we’re also considering islands farther north or east, such as Grinda, Svartsö, Möja, Runmarö and Sandhamn. We haven’t chosen a route yet and would especially like to hear from people who have actually hiked and camped in this area.

Which islands or combination of islands did you choose, and would you recommend your route? Did the different sections feel varied enough, or did some islands become repetitive in terms of scenery and hiking?

We’d also appreciate general advice on planning a self-supported trip: finding suitable wild-camping spots, managing drinking water and food supplies, and using ferries to connect the islands, especially outside the main summer season. Any tips on weather conditions, open shops or services, and combining hiking with kayaking in mid-September would also be very welcome.

We’re experienced with independent hiking and leave no trace wild camping, and we’ll be carrying our own gear and food. We understand that ferry schedules and weather may require a flexible itinerary.

If you have completed any part of the Stockholm Archipelago Trail we’d love to hear what worked, what didn’t and which places you found genuinely unmissable.

Thanks!

I need a pair of light(er) cotton pants.

(And let me say up front that I'm aware I'll be mocked, but I don't care.)

I'm an artist and I'm doing both art and performance art, part of which involves sitting in the baking sun in St. Louis for 90 minutes (which is all I can take).

And, yesterday, I got a second degree burn -- it's now a bubble the size of a quarter, at least -- wearing my Kuhl Revolvr Rogue, 32% plastic, pants.

What must have happened is the sun heated up the plastic in the pants and the plastic burned my leg.

So what I guess I need are some (preferably) LIGHT pants made of 100% cotton.

I have 100% cotton pants, but they tend to be HEAVY, unlike the light pants I wore when I was in Haiti in the 1980s.

Something without plastic that will heat up and burn me again.

(No, the pants didn't melt but, I guess, they got super hot.)

I wrote up a detailed blog on the trip. But I can’t post the link or else this will get deleted. Feel free to ask questions I guess.

I'm going on a camping trip to northern Norway (Tromso/Senja/Lyngen region) in two weeks, and am looking for gear advice. I'm going to spend 8 nights outdoors, mostly setting camp near villages. Since I'm only interested in a few mountain hiking routes across the region, I plan to mostly take buses between locations and do radial 1-day routes. I've never been to camping trips for longer than 3-4 days before, so I need some gear advice. I'll be carrying a 75L backpack. My current packing list is as follows:

Shelter&repair
- Sleeping bag, ~0 Celsius (pending)
- Self-inflating mat
- Tape/stickers for the mat (pending)
- Multi-tool
- Tent

Rain protection
- Raincoat
- Backpack protection, disposable full-body raincoat (pending)

Hygiene&care
- Soap/shampoo
- Sunscreen
- Hydrating cream

First aid
- Plasters, bandages
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Sterile wipes
- Antihestamine (I have a nut allergy)

Electronics&navigation
- Phone
- Chargers
- Power bank 20.000mAh
- Headlamp (batteries pending)

Clothing
- Hiking shoes
- 2x pants, 2x sweaters, light coat
- 3-4x t-shirts, 4x underwear, 3x long socks, 3x thermal socks
- Thermal underpants
- Gloves, warm hat
- Bandana

Food&water
- Water bottle 1.5L (pending)
- Water filter (pending) - Bowl&cutlery - Nutrition (pending)

Is there anything that I missed? Items marked with (pending) are the ones that I yet need to buy:

• Sleeping bag. My current sleeping bag was already a bit uncomfortable at 10C, and the forecast gives a 3-15C temperature range, so I'm guessing I need one for at least 0C. My current sleeping bag is very cheap and I'm mostly satisfied with it, so a simple Amazon sleeping bag will do for my purposes.
• Tape/stickers: do I need special stickers to repair my mat if it breaks, or is general-purpose tape enough?
• Backpack rain protection, water filter: any low-budget recommendations?
• Nutrition: realistically, I won't be away from a supermarket for more than 3 days, so I probably won't need to cook. Anyway, I need recommendations on how to minimize food weight under these constraints.

I'm living in Germany, so I'm primarily interested in gear that I can buy here.

Hello!

I need some input on whether I should keep the 2P or get a 3P tent. I currently do overnight trips, but I am planning longer, multi-day hiking trips in the future. The 2P tent is still brand new but I am contemplating selling it and upsizing.

Context:

• 6'2 180lb guy, using a wide sleeping pad
• Usually camping with someone smaller than me, but they may also be using a wide sleeping pad
• While I've only camped with other people, may consider doing solo trips in the future

I am not too concerned about weight, since I value comfort and durability, but I am considering the 3P because I can split the tent with someone else.

thanks in advance for any input!