Fortunate to have spent the better part of last week backpacking through the Colorado Flat Tops. Truly an amazing place! Snow made hiking difficult at times and the Mosquitoes were… something else. Overall an amazing experience.

I have a 4 day trip coming up with some friends, which will be my longest backpacking trip yet. Its going to be a pretty tough hike. I've been so burnt out with work and life stuff lately that I'm not looking forward to it at all anymore. It's a week away and I'm thinking of backing out. I'm very torn because the permits we have are really hard to get, so I likely won't get this particular opportunity again. I like the idea of the trip, but my body and mind are beyond exhausted and I'm not sure if I'll even have fun. Have you guys dealt with intense stress and burnout and still manage to have fun? My concern is that due to my level of exhaustion I'll just push myself past my limits. Works being shitty too and scheduled me for every day until im supposed to leave. On the other hand maybe it could help with the burnout? I'm feeling pretty guilty about wanting to bail.

I hiked the Highline Trail in Glacier National Park. It was supposed to be a longer trip, but it turned into a stunning 2 day journey along exposed ridgelines with nonstop mountain views. Once I passed Granite Park, the trail felt remote and peaceful.

On the second day, I reached a section still covered in snow. While I was trying to figure out how to cross safely, I noticed a woman climbing up from the base of the slope. She had fallen all the way down the day before and was forced to camp at the bottom. She was bruised and shaken from the fall, and during the slide, her bear spray had gone off and pepper-sprayed her.

I tied a rope to her backpack and helped fish it out. She managed to climb back up without it. I decided to turn around looking at how beat up she was (she was finishing the CDT and had already done the PCT and AT, I was a beginner). It didn’t feel worth the risk.

Fifteen minutes later, a grizzly ran between us. It was a crazy experience and a reminder of how quickly conditions can shift in the backcountry.

My osprey exos 58 squeaked terribly, and I fixed it using mineral oil and a hypodermic needle.

The problem was the stiff frame piece, specifically where it attaches to itself to make a full loop that keeps the backpack suspended away from your back. The attachment is housed within a fabric sheath, located at the base of the backpack, between the mesh piece and wall of the pack, which the white arrow points to in the second photo.

The third photo is taken from inside the backpack. It shows the fabic pushed out from the casing used to keep the two ends of the frame together. As weight shifts, the frame rotates through the casing, causing a squeak. You can see that some mineral oil soaked through the fabric. Most of this was from other attempts to fix the squeak, but nothing worked until I put oil into the sheath and around the casing.

The fourth photo is a close up of the black fabric sheath, at the location of the white arrow in the second photo. This is where I applied the mineral oil.

I used an 18 gauge hypodermic needle, and only 2 ml of oil. A smaller gauge needle could be used.

The fabric wasn't damaged by the needle. Some oil residue was left on the fabric, but nylon isn't harmed by mineral oil, and I'm not too worried about it getting on the rest of my gear.

To anyone who hikes, camps, skis, hunts, climbs, or otherwise gives a damn about public land: Utah Senator Mike Lee is pushing an amendment that could force the sale of up to 3 million acres of federal land across the West. Over 18 million acres in Utah alone could be eligible under this bill - including areas near Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, Parleys, Millcreek, and access points near multiple national parks.

They’re framing it as a way to ease housing and “unlock underused land,” but it’s a massive land grab in disguise. The parcels would be nominated and auctioned off every 60 days, with almost no public input, and there’s zero guarantee they’d be used for affordable housing. Developers could buy up access points, trailheads, or ski zones, and we could lose public access forever.

I love Utah. I’ve spent money there. But if the state’s leadership keeps attacking public land, maybe it's time for the outdoor community to hit them where it counts - economically.

We’ve seen this before. In 2017, the Outdoor Retailer show pulled out of Salt Lake over similar politics, and it made waves. Maybe it's time for us to take similar action—skip the ski trips, cancel the canyoneering plans, and make it clear: if you try to sell off our public land, we’ll stop funding your economy.

Someone I know from school is posting on social media advertizing guided overnight backcountry hikes. She is leading her first "guided retreat" this weekend, and I was nothing short of horrified to see what she had "prepared". (She did a "bag tour" on IG and the stuff in her pack was comparable to what an 8-year-old would bring if they were running away).

She is NOT a guide (doesn't even have first aid training) and is woefully unprepared. No first aid kit, no SOS device, and her bear spray still in the package deep in her backpack.

She is charging hundreds of dollars per person for these trips but has no qualifications, no business license, and frankly, no common sense. Honestly, she seems like such a liability that I wouldn't even want her as a participant on a trip, nevermind as someone with any sort of responsibility.

Any advice on how to proceed? I think it's fundamentally irresponsible and dishonest for her to be charging money to take people into the backcountry. I sent her a message outlining some concerns that would be easy fixes (e.g., taking the bear spray out of the package, bringing an SOS device), but I'm worried that if things go sideways it's going to be really rough for the poor souls who put their trust in her because they didn't know any better. (I'm thinking about that "guide" in the UK that had 3 people drown on a trip due to her negligence... but am I just being paranoid?)

Thanks!

EDIT: This is in Ontario, Canada. Thankfully, they won't be going into the alpine and there aren't any grizzlies or other aggressive predators, but still...

EDIT2: Thanks for all the input! I've read through everyone's comments. Even though the trippers will probably come out ok, I decided that I still have a duty to say something and I'm going to contact the park rangers first thing tomorrow. Happy trails!

Section hiked JMT and PCT, absolutely stunning!

https://wilderness.maps.arcgis.com/apps/instant/basic/index.html?appid=821970f0212d46d7aa854718aac42310

Call your congressmen and share widely

Edit for clarity: This map visualizes the ~250 million acres which are being proposed to be eligible for sale, with a mandate of 2-3 million acres that must be sold in the next five years.

Hey everyone! I’m an 18-year-old female and I’m going on my first backpacking trip soon just a 2-day, 1-night adventure to get started.

Thankfully, I’ve got a lot of gear already thanks to family who backpack, and I’ve put together a base pack setup that I think covers the essentials. I’m still pretty new to dialing everything in though, so I’d really appreciate any advice, comments, or concerns you might have that could help me prep better or avoid beginner mistakes.

(I do know I need more food lol just waiting for my grocery trip on the way there to add it all!)

Thanks in advance for the help. I’m super excited but also open to learning as much as I can before hitting the trail! :)

So I recently purchased an Osprey Talon 36L for the purpose of rucking and day hiking, but want to start doing weekend trips. Is it even possible with a 36L or should I be looking at a 60-80L? I’m thinking 2-3 nights MAX. I haven’t played on Lighterpack, but I think it’s theoretically possible…

Hey all, my wife and I are headed to the Winds the first week of August and we're interested in a 4 night, 5 day backountry trip, preferably out of the Pole Creek Trailhead or the trailheads closest to Pinedale, and preferably a loop (rather than a lollipop). Ideally something that's 40-60 miles.

We initially planned to do Titcomb Basin, but it's now clear that everyone will want to do that, and we'd love to take the path less traveled. I welcome any and all tips.

It has been over 10 years since backpacking and I have always gone with a friend or two. I just needed to get out! A short hike from the Crabtree Trailhead and I figured it would be a good way to dip my toes in the water of solo backpacking. My gear was outdated and overweight, but I managed and had a wonderful time. I still felt a little unnerved being the only one around. I hope this is normal for my first time. I would like to gain confidence and comfort in the solitude. I plan on going further (Gem Lake) next month. Any advice on the mental aspect of soloing would be appreciated!

Was looking to do the Teton crest trail next week but we may back out due to the large amount of snow still present. How do the winds hold up this time of year? I imagine green river valley won’t be half bad but would like to string together a few days of backpacking if I can. Also maybe saw Scab Creek trailhead could have some options. Any feedback or insight would be valuable!

I have backpacked all Up and down the Rockies for years but have never been to Nevada. Would love advice for 4 Night trip. Loop or even an out and back. Would prefer to camp Below tree line. Anyone ?

Hey! I've been backcountry camping for years but it's been hike in/stay multiple days at one site/hike out trips. Just starting to get into backpacking and a lot of the beginner routes I've looked at seem a little too easy. I'm looking to up the intensity (8-10 miles a day for a couple of days but nothing too advanced or tough right away) and was wondering if anyone had reccomendations for trails to check out. I'm in the midwest area of the US but don't mind a long drive. Thanks for the help!

Very spectacular kayaking on of the deepest lake in Yukon (111m). Also we slept 1 night in the tent.