hen scientists first discovered a higher-than-expected concentration of microplastic in New York’s Lake Tear of the Clouds, often described as the highest source of the Hudson River, they initially attributed the findings to airborne deposition. But follow-up research this year points to a different source for the contamination: hiking shoes and clothing. 
The concentration of microplastic particles, which are harmful particles ranging from 1 micrometer to 5 millimeters in size, poses significant threats to the environment by contaminating ecosystems and disrupting food chains.  ...

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This morning I woke up to the feeling of the tent walls closing in on me. I opened my eyes and realized that they were starting to sag inward. Because the tent walls were covered in so much sleet and snow! I shook them off and the tent expanded magically. It was currently raining or sleeting still, and had clearly accumulated to some degree. I was so glad to be in Sprinter’s tent though, and to not have to worry about packing mine up, ...

The post Deep Snow & Steep Fall Out in Oregon appeared first on The Trek.

ver the last 10 years, thru-hikers have adopted quilts en masse. In 2024, more than 57% of thru-hikers on the Appalachian Trail used a quilt on their journey (check out the 2024 Thru-Hiker Survey for more information).
With rising popularity comes increasingly niche options that can easily *ahem* baffle the new backpacker. As a serial quilt purchaser and experienced hiker, I present my personal top three quilts and what I love and dislike about each one.  ...

The post Ultralight Quilt Comparison: Enlightened Equipment Revelation vs. Katabatic Alsek vs. UGQ Bandit appeared first on The Trek.

Oct 7-14, 2025
Kennedy Meadows South to Tehachapi 
Grumpy at Grumpy’s 
Perhaps I have overly high expectations of my “town days“ as a southbounder. It’s true that going northbound, there are a lot more services available and you don’t think twice about the fact that if you wanted, you could get a warm bed after stepping off the trail.
I had called ahead the week prior to see if Grumpy Bear would still be open. They promised free camping, ...

The post The Desert – Bring It On! (Please Don’t Kill Me) appeared first on The Trek.

id you complete the Continental Trail in 2025? You simply MUST allow us to congratulate you. Finishing a thru-hike means one chapter of your life is ending and a new one is beginning. But before you move on, we invite you to pause a moment to celebrate the monumental thing you just achieved.
We are determined to leave no thru-hiker un-congratulated, and we need your help to do it. Submit your finish photos to be featured in the 2025 edition of our annual CDT Finisher series. ...

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And now we’re on to the snowy, snowy Sierra Nevada.

Chilly Morning at the Kern River
 
 

Approaching the Summit of Mount Whitney
 
 

Sunrise from Whitney Summit
 
 

Sunrise at Tyndall Creek
 
 

Descending Forester Pass
 
 

Boot Track over Mather Pass
 
 

Selden Pass and Marie Lakes
 
 

Approaching Silver Pass
 
 

Ansel Adams Wilderness
 
 

Banner Peak
 
 

Yosemite Valley
 
 

Yosemite Falls at Sunrise
 
 

Roaring Tuolumne River
 
 

Meadow in the Yosemite Backcountry
 
 

Morning at Wilma Lake
 
 

One Last Look at the High Sierra
 
 

Ridgeline Traverse
 
 

Colorful Sunset above Sonora Pass
 
 

Sunrise over Kennedy Lake
Which are your faves? ...

The post Photo Recap: The Sierra appeared first on The Trek.

Up late. Gotta love it. The scheduled time for a food drop at Jo-Mary road is technically 11, so I didn’t have anywhere to be in the morning. So I was barely wrapped up with shop around 9. Once I got back to the shelter, I was upset to see one of the NOBO hikers near me splatter his name on the shelter in sharpie. Sure, it’s putting a trace on something already with a trace, ...

The post Now I Turn Around and Find I am Lost in the Woods appeared first on The Trek.

This morning it felt so good to sleep in for a little while. I wasn’t feeling rushed at all. Technically, I’m not even supposed to be here right now! My hope was to leave around 8-8:30 AM. So it felt like there was a lot of time. I slept in and then eventually got up and ate some of my leftovers. I still have a bunch of drinks left over from last night too.
Eventually, I actually got packed up and ready to go. ...

The post Avoiding a Storm in the Colorado Mountains appeared first on The Trek.

My Thru-Hiking Gear
After years of backpacking with what I could get my hands on, I discovered the world of ultra light about 8 years ago.  My pack has gone from a base weight of 25+ pounds to a much lighter 16’sh pounds.  There is always room for improvement but I’m pretty content with what I’m carrying in my pack.
Here’s a list of my gear and some related thoughts on equipment decisions.

Big 3+
Gossamer Gear Mariposa back pack – I love all of the pockets and the way it sits on my shoulders.   ...

The post My Appalachian Trail Thru Hike Gear appeared first on The Trek.

Nothing beats a nice pancake breakfast to start the day. Though, I didn’t sleep the best. It’s still hot as hell in Maine, and I think it’s relatively common for most people to not sleep well whenever it’s not a little cooler out. Still, I’m really going to miss having a bed at the Roadhouse. It seemed like everyone had a bit of the “pre-trail regret” that’s common among good hostels. Overdunn and I packed into the truck after taking our polaroids and we were off back to the trailhead! ...

The post Here I Go Again appeared first on The Trek.

This morning when I woke up, I was definitely feeling a whole lot better than last night. My headache was gone and my hives were already significantly better. Fortunately, I’ve been carrying a topical cream since Florida which helps a lot on various hives and skin reactions. I’m so glad I held onto it because I’ve probably used it on four different occasions this year at least.
I wasn’t planning on having a super early start to the day, ...

The post Running into Hiker Friends in the Middle of Nowhere appeared first on The Trek.

This morning I got up just before 7 AM and started packing up. Once everything was put away and situated, I laid in bed and did a little more writing and video work. Then right around 8 AM Noelle got up and drove me back to the trail. I had such an amazing time staying with her last night! She was so nice and I felt so happy and comfortable in her home.
When I did get dropped back at the trailhead, ...

The post A Forest Fire Started Just Ahead of Me appeared first on The Trek.

I used to love climbs. I never felt stronger, more beautiful or determined than when I was struggling up a mountain with a fierce determination that I belonged up there, on rocky ridge lines as the sun was setting. Something in my heart would come alive, I would feel a peace and contentment which I’ve never found elsewhere. A crescent moon in cotton candy coloured skies. The jagged peaks of rocks against horizons of pink and blue and the first promise of the stars that were coming out. ...

The post Elevation Anxiety appeared first on The Trek.

We stopped after 22 miles yesterday, which worked well for me. Upstream really wanted to do more, but we were running out of daylight. Snap, Upstream, and Ligtning McQueen were all gone from camp by the time I got up at 5:30 AM. They are on a bit of a time crunch, so I’m beginning to wonder if I will not see them again at all. I have some foot pain, so I’m hiking slow, and they’re trying to get to Bridge of the Gods by August 10. ...

The post Day 90 – Foot Pain appeared first on The Trek.

Yesterday was a 21 mile day. Late start, long breaks, smoke, and hot weather all drove the mileage down a little bit from previous days. But, I am super happy with 21 miles, and even more happy with the fact that I feel rested this morning. Again, I love hiking with a group of friendly and fun people, but I need to hike this hike, and finish this hike on my own terms. And those terms do not include me being too tired to hike anymore by 1 PM. ...

The post Day 85 – Embrace The Suck appeared first on The Trek.

Finally my entrance into Oregon from Seiad, the start of “trail legs” and using some of MP’s resupply.

The post Oregon! Yippee! appeared first on The Trek.

Leaving Tehachapi after a zero, the thrill of reaching the Sierra and being done with the desert in one week’s time had me buzzing. I was READY. The wind coming out of Tehachapi had other plans for me though… 
The Big Wind
As one can imagine, based on the hundreds of windmills in the surrounding area of Tehachapi, it gets windy there. I didn’t think much of it until about 3 miles into the hike out of Tehachapi when the wind was gusting so hard Deborah and I could barely make our way around the turn of a switchback. ...

The post Goodbye Desert, Hello Sierra! appeared first on The Trek.

Ok so maybe hotel sleep wasn’t the fix either. Even in a room by myself for the first time since Carlisle, I didn’t sleep that well. Maybe it’s the ice cream right before bed? I think the sweets are worth it though. I need the fats and calories from the ice cream to not look just like a skeleton.

Today was another lazy morning. With the Upper Goose Cabin a little too close to do in two full hiking days, ...

The post Tough Luck, My Boy appeared first on The Trek.

What is Wrong?
As we finished New Jersey, the heat intensified. My shoes were worn out from Rocksylvania, so my feet, ankles, knees and hips were killing me. I got to camp feeling horrible. Everything hurt. I was nauseous and had a headache. I was so tired that I laid on the floor of the tent and went to sleep. 
I woke up incredibly thirsty. I had not been drinking enough water and realized I hadn’t urinated all day. ...

The post This Hurts! appeared first on The Trek.

Jeffery arrived on Day 75. We had a nice afternoon together and drove to Kennedy Meadows North the next day. We planned on staying two nights, expecting Bob to arrive the second day. However, he surprised us by hiking THIRTY miles in one day and arriving our first night! We picked him up at the trailhead around 8:15pm. He’d been hiking most of the day with another hiker, keeping great pace and just felt good, so they kept going.   ...

The post Days 77-79 appeared first on The Trek.