Sure, snowy trails are beautiful in the winter, but months of barren, black-and-white scenery have us dreaming of color. This time of year is synonymous with budding flowers, but peak blooms vary throughout the country. Where should you start 鈥� and most importantly, when? We dug through the archives to find our favorite wildflower hikes plus current information on when you should expect to see the bulbs at their most chromatic. 鈥� Emma Veidt, Associate Editor

Featured Hike: Porters Creek Trail, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, TN

Now is the best time to see wildflowers in the Smokies at their peak bloom. These flowers鈥攄elicate, white trillium and fringed phacelia鈥攁re much more gentle on the eyes than the showy posies out West. That doesn鈥檛 mean they aren鈥檛 impactful. When you reach tree cover on the Porters Creek Trail, look down. From the forest floor, they make a beautiful contrast against the hunter green old-growth forest.

Featured Hike: Dog Mountain, Columbia River Gorge, WA

With over 3,000 feet of vert in less than 3.5 miles, this hike up Dog Mountain is a steep one, but luckily you鈥檒l have to take it slow to see all the blooms. You鈥檒l climb to the top of a meadow and look down over panoramic views of bright wildflowers, the Columbia River Gorge, and off in the distance, Mt. Hood. When the balsamroot peaks (which tends to be early to mid May), the hills are blanketed in golden yellow. Bonus buds that time of year include lupine, Indian paintbrush, and chocolate lily.

Featured Hike: Alpine Pond Nature Trail, Cedar Breaks National Monument, UT

This 2-mile hike between colorful corridors of columbine, desert globemallow, mariposa lilies, and more gives you the most bang for your buck this wildflower season. Plus, Cedar Breaks National Monument has such a diverse biome that you don鈥檛 only get fields of wildflowers, you also get views of the badlands, ancient volcanic deposits, and mixed spruce, fir, and aspen forests. Catch the florals at their brightest between late June and early July 鈥� or join the festivities during this year鈥檚 20th annual Cedar Breaks Wildflower Festival, dates TBD.

Featured Hike: Scenic Overlook to Davis Trail, Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve, KS

The Sunflower State lives up to its name in Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. The preserve, an 11,000-acre oasis of never-plowed prairie, is home to poppy mallow, wild bergamot, narrow-leaf bluets, and wild sunflowers. The Scenic Overlook to Davis Trail is the best place to see it all. Plan your trip for early July through late August for peak bloom.

Featured Hike: Four Lakes Loop, Trinity Alps Wilderness, CA

If your spring and summer are already booked, you still have a chance to see high-altitude blooms come September. On the Four Lakes Loop, catch white Solomon鈥檚 seal, pink monkeyflower, and bright purple and blue fringed gentian. The loop itself is only 5.2 miles long (although tough, with 2,500 feet of gain), but you won鈥檛 want the show to stop there. You can turn the loop into an 18.4-mile-long lollipop backpacking trail by tacking on the Long Canyon Trail from the Long Canyon Trailhead.

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At the Whitney portal trailhead鈥攖he main starting point for both dayhikers and backpackers on the Mount Whitney Trail鈥攖here鈥檚 a scale to weigh your backpack. This September, before I started my trek, I slipped off my pack and hung it on the scale. For my 22-mile dayhike, I had packed 3 liters of water, breakfast, lunch, some snacks, hand warmers, gloves, a puffy, a solar-powered phone charger, my first-aid kit, a water filter, and a couple more extraneous pieces of gear. My total pack weight for a day on the trail tipped the scale at 19 pounds, which wouldn鈥檛 earn me the respect of any ultralighter.

So when that last weekend had to rescue a pair of Mount Whitney hikers鈥攚ho between them had 鈥�150 lbs of newly purchased gear plus 5 gallons of water鈥濃�攎y jaw hit the floor. Five gallons of water weighs just under 42 pounds; in total, that meant that each of these hikers was toting roughly 96 pounds鈥攐r five times my not-so-light pack weight. The strongest hikers would seriously struggle to carry this gear. How could these hikers manage?

Unsurprisingly, they didn鈥檛 make it very far. The pair started their trek at 6 P.M. Friday, November 1, with a plan to camp at Lone Pine Lake and tag the summit on Saturday. They hiked 2.7 miles until they became too exhausted and stopped around 3 a.m. By then, one hiker had two blisters and a bad headache, so they set up camp on the trail. One of the hikers also told Inyo SAR she had a mass in her brain that was sensitive to barometric pressure. Later, the pair woke up to snow showers that had filled their shoes.

Luckily, the pair recognized they had reached their limit and called for help via their iPhone鈥檚 SOS setting. By 10 A.M. Saturday, the search and rescue team was on the move, reaching them by 1:40 P.M. and escorting them down the mountain to reach the trailhead by 3:15 P.M.

It鈥檚 clear that this pair was new to the trails: They had to buy all the gear for this hike, and the sheer amount they brought would give the strongest hikers pause. Among their 150 pounds of gear, they didn鈥檛 bring a map, a bear canister, or a water filter. The last item would have been especially helpful: On the Mount Whitney Trail, there are lots of lakes and reliable sources, which means that carrying more than a couple of liters at a time is generally overkill.

Being the tallest mountain in the lower 48, Mount Whitney is a dream peak for all types of hikers. However, it鈥檚 a serious undertaking that requires lots of research and training. In their Instagram post about this rescue, Inyo SAR recommends that hikers without proper gear or experience hire a guide service. So we reached out to Ryan Huetter, an IFMGA/AMGA Certified Mountain Guide who works for Sierra Mountain Guides in Bishop, California, to get his perspective on this incident. He has guided anyone from 鈥渃omplete novices to seasoned experts鈥� on expeditions all around the Sierra and the world.

鈥淔or a lot of inexperienced people who may not even have previous backpacking experience, let alone experience at altitude, or in inclement weather, [the Mount Whitney Trail] may be incomprehensibly hard for them,鈥� he says. Sure, an inexperienced hiker might be able to blaze up and down the mountain without a problem in perfect weather, but 鈥渋n early season, late season, or winter conditions, it is not a place to learn those skills,鈥� he says.

In many cases, having a guide would help stop preventable disasters on the mountain, like bringing 150 pounds of gear and five gallons of water. Guides can perform gear checks to help remove unnecessary gear from your pack. Depending on the company and the specific expedition, guides can also sometimes provide gear if the hikers don鈥檛 already have it. When it comes to gear mishaps, Huetter, however, has seen it all.

鈥淚鈥檝e watched people duct tape a 30 pack of little water bottles to the outside of their packs,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檝e also seen the same but with a case of beer.鈥� In the Sierra, he recommends carrying two liters of water and packing a BeFree, a Sawyer Squeeze or some other easy filter.

Mount Whitney鈥檚 height and beauty attracts hikers of a wide range of experience from all around the world. Seeing hikers rules or acting erratically is not uncommon. Although hiring a guide or doing more research would have saved the hikers from last weekend鈥檚 incident a lot of trouble, they did a few things right. They stopped to rest when they were exhausted instead of pushing forward. Instead of splitting up, they stayed together. They called for help when conditions deteriorated, and when SAR came, they listened to instructions and descended.

The morals of this story? Don鈥檛 pack too much weight, and make sure essential gear makes it into your pack; make sure you鈥檙e physically prepared before tackling a challenging hike; check the weather forecast and be ready for bad conditions when hiking the mountains in late and early season. Most of all, remember that having SAR access is a life-saving privilege that relies on community donations and, sometimes, volunteer labor. Consider reaching out to your local SAR team, donating, or even joining.

The post These Hikers Brought 150 Pounds of Gear to Hike Mount Whitney. It Didn鈥檛 Go Well. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Whether or not a backpacker carries a camp chair tells you a lot about them. Do they view camp as a destination to get comfortable and enjoy? Or just a brief pause that鈥檚 necessary if they want to spend a weekend walking without collapsing from exhaustion? While camp chairs have gotten lighter and lighter over the past several decade, they鈥檙e still far from standard in most backpackers鈥� gear lists. Should they be on yours? We asked two of our editors to weigh in.

Ditch the Camp Chair

I want it on record that . I鈥檓 the kind of person who鈥檚 constitutionally unable to sit on a couch without eventually oozing into a lying-down position. I like fireplaces and cozy flannel shirts. I鈥檝e been known, on occasion, to wear Crocs. But when it comes to comfort, it鈥檚 possible to have too much of a good thing.

If you鈥檙e a middle-class person in the global north, you likely live in an environment that鈥檚 tailored to your physical ease. Your clothing is mostly soft and always clean; your furniture is upholstered, your temperatures are controlled. Like a fish in water, you鈥檝e likely become so used to the comforts surrounding you that you鈥檝e ceased to register them.

But sometimes, I think, a little discomfort can help us fully engage with the world. When you feel the sweat trickling down your neck or the hard rock underneath the seat of your pants, what you鈥檙e really experiencing is the feeling of being a human being out in nature, immersed in the sun and the bugs and the cold ground. Yes, when you leave the chair at home, you鈥檙e sacrificing a little bit of comfort鈥攂ut you鈥檙e gaining so much more.

Then, there鈥檚 the obvious problem with carrying a chair: the weight. Backpacking chairs have gotten a lot lighter over the years, with models like the tipping the scales at a single pound. But you know what weighs less than bringing a lightweight seat? Leaving it at home. A chair is a luxury item that you can replace with any log or relatively flat rock. If I鈥檓 going to carry that weight, I鈥檒l bring a book, a first-night meal, or exactly 1 pound of .

I don鈥檛 judge anyone who brings a chair鈥攐r any other personal luxury鈥攂ut to me, focusing on comfort in camp is missing the point. The joy of backpacking is in movement and, for once in our comfort-swaddled lives, immersing ourselves in the wide world around us. So rebel, I say. Leave the chair at home. Sit on the wet grass or the cold, hard rock. 鈥擜dam Roy, Editor in Chief

Pack the Camp Chair

Just like Adam, I have an admission up top: I don鈥檛 hate discomfort. I several years ago, and it changed the way I behave. This Nordic trait boils down to channeling your determination to rise above all adversity. Just when you think you鈥檝e reached your limit, you can always dig deeper. Basically the opposite of hygge, it鈥檚 how Finns are resilient enough to ice swim through the winter months, which is central to their culture.

Since I read that book, a lot of my life has trended toward hobbies and activities that test my patience: I actually enjoy running marathons. I write for a living. On the weekends, I climb rocks until my fingertips are raw. Plus, I regularly spend long hours carrying lots of weight on my back and setting up camp far from my comforts of home. I know what it鈥檚 like to test my strength, and doing so has let me experience parts of the backcountry that I鈥檇 never be able to if I took the easy route. However, there is a line between a hardy challenge and straight-up misery. How can you balance the two when you鈥檙e voluntarily putting yourself into uncomfortable scenarios? For me, having reliable comforts makes all the difference.

I bring a chair on most backpacking trips, and I actually use it. It doesn鈥檛 detract from my ability to connect with the outdoors at all. I鈥檓 still hearing the same birds, feeling the same wind, and getting bitten by the same bugs as I would if I was sitting on a rock. In fact, I feel like I can focus on connecting with nature a little more. (Sitting directly on wet grass or cold ground would also trigger my Raynaud鈥檚-prone extremities to numbness that would take me out of the experience of being outdoors.)

In a community that prides itself on grit, it can be controversial to admit that you go out of your way for luxury. However, determining your hiker status by how much you want to suffer isn鈥檛 something we should be doing. We all have had hikes that tested us, whether with , technical scrambles, or . After a brutal hike, being able to reliably and comfortably sit down can help recharge your suffer meter. And doing so on an uneven log or soggy grass patch definitely doesn鈥檛 do it for me.

It鈥檚 easy to get caught up in the argument about weight, but honestly, chairs don鈥檛 weigh that much. My legs have never buckled under the weight of my 1 pound, 11 ounce REI Co-op Flexlite Camp Chair. And a chair weighing a single pound, like the Helinox Chair Zero? Weight-wise, that鈥檚 chump change. A decade ago, we wouldn鈥檛 be splitting hairs for the sake of weight class status, and doing so now is pretty trite. Just grow up and bring the extra pound or two. 鈥� Emma Veidt, Assistant Editor

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Don’t get me wrong. I love dogs. And dogs have done impressive stuff recently鈥攍ike visiting all 63 national parks in a year and sniffing out truffles deep in the Oregon forest and climbing a 7,000-meter Himalayan peak. But the dozens I see outdoors doing their daily thing just aren鈥檛 that exceptional. So your dog likes to hike? Big deal.

Give me an adventure cat, though. Now that鈥檚 the real outdoor rarity. You’ve probably seen them on social media: they travel abroad on planes, camp, scurry up technical trails, don ski goggles and hit the slopes, and even hang out at the local crag and climb with humans. Way more awesome.

My childhood cat, Rocky, was the closest I ever got to an adventure cat; he鈥檇 loyally walk by my side as I sold Girl Scout cookies around the neighborhood. We鈥檇 make it about a half-mile from home, and still he鈥檇 be willing to continue. My current cat Frida doesn鈥檛 quite have Rocky鈥檚 gumption. She鈥檚 a rescue, so I don鈥檛 know her past, but she does have a long, bizarre list of fears that include patterned blankets and the underside of couch cushions. It鈥檚 always been my dream to bring Frida camping in the backcountry with me, but alas, she’s a scaredy cat.

Instead I get my fix online鈥攁long with some 159,000 Instagram followers鈥攙ia , an inspiring resource founded by cat lover Laura Moss, who provides information to humans looking for safe ways to get outdoors with their feline friends. Its repository of more than 2,500 photos and videos (happy cats in harnesses! courageous cats on canoes! warm cats wearing beanies! sleepy kitties taking a catnap in a hammock!) make me cry tears of joy.

The stereotype that all cats are demure and timid is dated. 国产吃瓜黑料 cats are getting outside and exploring with their owners on the regular, eagerly living their lives to the fullest in ways that sometimes put dogs to shame. My fellow editors and I searched for months to find the fiercest felines defying expectations.

Liebchen

Skill Set: Paddleboarding, hiking, skiing, road-tripping, camping, tree-hopping

This three-year-old rescue cat is living my dream: he hikes year-round. When his human companions, Erin Geldermans and Dan Schreck, go paddleboarding in lakes around the state, he鈥檚 totally on board鈥攍iterally鈥攕unbathing. also likes to ski. 鈥淗e sits on our shoulders with his goggles on, and lets the breeze go through his whiskers,鈥� says Geldermans. He camps. And he parkours on fallen trees. His first adventure was a hike around Aspen, Colorado, at 11 weeks old, one week after being adopted. Three days later, he was hiking two miles with Geldermans (who carried him for an additional four miles). Soon he became a great global-travel partner, accompanying Geldermans and Schreck into grocery stores, pet-friendly restaurants, and on airplanes and road trips. When I asked Geldermans what kinds of precautions she takes when out and about with her cat, she says, 鈥淲e always carry bear spray, remain aware of our surroundings, and keep Liebchen leashed.鈥�

Finn

Skill Set: Desert-dunes trekking, peak bagging, national-parks camping

Have you ever wondered what a cat would do in Colorado鈥檚 Great Sand Dunes National Park? It鈥檚 a legitimate thought. Take a cue from four-year-old Finn, who visited in May: first, treat it like a litter box, then curl up and take a nap on the warm sand. Obviously. However, his owner, Beth Haala, says he has typical unhinged orange-cat behavior while adventuring. 鈥淭here鈥檚 no rock he doesn鈥檛 want to climb, no plant he doesn鈥檛 want to smell,鈥� she says. 鈥淗e鈥檚 very nearly gotten stuck under a rock or in a tree on several occasions. He then stops and meows until I come over to rescue him. After that I put him on my shoulders, where he stays until he spots another thing to explore.鈥�

Finn has some impressive outdoor credentials: In 2022, he bagged his first fourteener, Pikes Peak, no less. He鈥檚 been to three national parks, following a successful first camping experience in Rocky Mountain National Park. (Although pets aren鈥檛 allowed on trails in many national parks, more and more they’re allowed in park campgrounds.) Haala says that when they first started adventuring together three years ago, Finn adjusted very quickly, and the two have since built a foundation of trust that helps on adventures. 鈥淚 can read his body language and know when he鈥檚 stressed and needs to be picked up,鈥� she says. 鈥淚鈥檝e also learned when he鈥檚 happy and wants to spend two hours exploring less than point-two miles from the car.鈥�

Chewy and Mochi

Skill Set: Backcountry camping, biking, exploring local parks, sneaking up singletrack

These two hairless cats have different tolerance levels for the outdoors, so owner Paige Russell has had to work with them and make compromises. Although one-year-old Chewy and two-year-old Mochi both love road trips, Chewy prefers to lounge and keep close to his human companions, and Mochi is excited to hit the trails, specifically narrow singletrack.

Chewy and Mochi also love camping. The trick is letting them check out the tent before it gets dark. Also, when camping with two cats, Russell says to pack one giant sleeping bag for them to crawl into, or bring someone with you who wants to snuggle with a cat in their sleeping bag.

Russell needed different amounts of time to acclimate Chewy and Mochi to all the travel adventures she鈥檇 planned, which ran the gamut from the Utah backcountry to the beach. Assessing their individual comfort levels was key. Mochi was timid at first, but within weeks was up for walking around with a harness, riding on a bicycle, and camping. Russell started getting Chewy used to a cat-carrier backpack () at about 16 weeks old, and excursions started small, with trips to the local park, where she let him choose whether he wanted to leave the pack and explore.

鈥淪ometimes cats like Chewy enjoy seeing the world from a cat pack or sleep sack,鈥� Russell says. 鈥淥ther times, maybe when we鈥檙e in the desert, he decides he wants to walk on his leash to explore. Either option is OK with me.鈥�

McKinley

Skill Set: Hiking, multiday camping, offering encouragement to children on the trail

Sometimes a cat just takes to outdoor activities with their people naturally. Charlotte Simons got McKinley at 12 weeks, and they soon became nearly inseparable: 鈥淚 started taking him on adventures, even if it was to a park around the corner, and he loved it. He showed interest in adventures, and we took it from there.鈥� At six months, he went on his first-ever multiday camping trip to Leavenworth, Washington, and purred the entire time.

As a registered emotional-support animal and complex-level trained therapy animal, McKinley has the expertise to handle stressful situations that can happen in the wilderness, such as out-of-control, off-leash dogs. 鈥淗e鈥檚 also exceptionally friendly to others on the trail and loves children, so he brings a lot of smiles to other hikers,鈥� Simons says.

Wednesday

Skill Set: Horseback riding, traveling, sportswear testing

This wrinkly sphynx loves a car ride, wherever the journey takes her. Wednesday is an experienced traveler for being eight years old; she鈥檚 been in planes, trains, cars, wagons, and paddleboats鈥攁nd has even ridden a horse (above). 鈥淪he never ceases to amaze me,鈥� says her human companion, Shanelle Matthews. 鈥淎nything I throw her way she tackles like she鈥檚 done it a million times.鈥�

One consideration for Matthews is how to keep hairless Wednesday sun-safe when there aren鈥檛 any vet-approved sunscreens on the market yet. 鈥淪he wears thin shirts and brimmed hats for protection during the summer,鈥� Matthews says. What about staying warm outdoors in the winter? She has an entire dresser drawer dedicated to all kinds of weather-appropriate clothes, notably those made by .

Pinecone and Mushroom

Skill Set: Hiking, kayaking

It鈥檚 well-known that pets improve their owner鈥檚 mental health. And it鈥檚 also well-known that nature does the same thing. During the pandemic, Becca Terry used both to reconnect with herself. 鈥淚 used to hike a lot in college, and then I quit,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd then COVID happened. I wanted to get back out there, and we got Pinecone around that time. I wanted to take her out, show her things, and just be with her, and it all boosted my mental health.鈥�

Pinecone became the perfect hiking partner. A year later, Mushroom joined the family, and picked up the adventure spirit quickly, despite visual challenges from only having one eye. Because cats are inquisitive and want to inspect everything, they hike at a generally slower pace than people, which can help their human companions slow down and feel more zen.

鈥淲hen we go somewhere with Mushroom, usually I make sure I have a decent amount of time to be out on the trail,鈥� Terry says. 鈥淥r sometimes I’ll pick a spot that鈥檚 shorter, like instant gratification鈥攍ike a drive up to a mountaintop鈥攂ut I let her move how she wants to move.鈥�

Also, Mushroom is here to defy whatever stereotypes you have about cats being afraid of water. She鈥檚 not only a brave hiker but a regular kayaker. 鈥淚 have her in my lap, and we don’t go on anything that’s got a lot of rapids,鈥� Terry says. 鈥淪o she usually falls asleep like she does in the car.鈥�

Kenny

Skill Set:聽Rock climbing, canyoneering, acting

We have a celebrity in our midst: twelve-year-old Kenny is both a documentary star and a commercial actor. He鈥檚 been featured in the Netflix series and called 鈥淭his 国产吃瓜黑料 Cat Leads the Way.鈥� Kenny鈥檚 wild life started a decade ago at age two, when his person, Zac Robinson, found a cat-friendly place to camp in Indian Creek, Utah, and brought him along. After noticing Kenny get tail-up excited, Robinson started 鈥渃atting鈥� and now frequently brings him to hike the canyons around Durango, Colorado. Robinson says the terrain is fairly flat and gradual, and because it’s a confined space, a wandering Kenny stays in view longer.

Kenny doesn鈥檛 just stay on the ground. He鈥檚 scaled a couple rock faces, too. His first climb was , a five-pitch 5.6 trad route in Utah鈥檚 San Rafael Swell, with Robinson, his friend Craig Armstrong, and Armstrong鈥檚 cat, Millie. 鈥淐raig and I basically soloed the entire route, and we had the cats tethered into us,鈥� Robinson says. 鈥淭hey were able to climb nearly all of it on their own. Kenny rose on my shoulders for a few of the short steep sections.鈥�

To keep up with Robinson and Kenny, check out 聽diary of their experiences together and another place for fellow 鈥渃atters鈥� to seek out as a reference for gear tips, safety suggestions, and adventuring advice.

is Backpacker Magazine鈥�s assistant editor. She鈥檚 had cats her entire life, even fostering two in her 720-square-foot college apartment. Currently, she has two rescues, Ruth and Frida, who hate each other, but she loves them both very much.听

The post Man鈥檚 Best Friend Can鈥檛 Compare to These 9 国产吃瓜黑料 Cats appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

In Backpacker鈥檚 travel column, assistant editor Emma Veidt answers your hiking questions with the help of a rotating cast of experts.

I鈥檝e gone on plenty of overnighters, and even a couple of two- to three-night backpacking trips. Now, I want to go on my first week-long hike. How should I prepare and where should I go? 鈥擧ungry For More

Dear Hungry,

A backpacking trip that long gives you the chance to reach deeper, more remote areas in the backcountry without committing to a months-long thru-hike. It鈥檚 also an approachable trip length for anyone who has to balance PTO and life responsibilities with adventure. If you have your sights set on longer trails or thru-hikes too, a week-long trip is the best way to do a gear shakedown.

How Do I Plan for a Week-Long Backpacking Trip?

By now, you鈥檝e already tackled some overnighters and a couple longer trips, so you understand how to prepare for a night or two in the backcountry. But planning a longer trip just requires a little more.

Want to train to carry a load of seven days of nutrition and gear? Follow this workout plan. Backpack way too heavy? . Don鈥檛 know where to start when it comes to packing? .

Now that you鈥檙e ready to go, you can pick a spot to hike. Depending on terrain, your personal goals or fitness level, and how many miles you want to cover in a day, look for routes between 50 and 150 miles. Here are our favorite week(ish)-long backpacking trails around the country.

Wonderland Trail, Washington

Distance: 93 miles

Type: Loop

Best time to hike: Late summer, early fall

Permit: Wilderness permit required for overnight camping in Mount Rainier National Park; to complete a full Wonderland Trail itinerary.

This trail covers the circumference of Mt. Rainier, taking hikers through everything from lowland forests to high alpine and subalpine areas. Water features are prominent from this hike: You鈥檒l cross rivers and have up-close views of glaciers, alpine lakes, cascading waterfalls, and, depending on the time of year, likely hike through some rain. One of the most treasured sections of the trail is between Mystic Lake and Sunrise: In these 9 miles, you鈥檒l visit Winthrop Glacier, wander through marmot-filled meadows, and see the persistent effects from the famous November 2006 flash floods. Nearly every river and stream in the area flooded during these storms, which washed out trails, destroyed nearly every low-lying trail bridge in the park, and buried the popular old-growth tree island The Grove of the Patriarchs under 4 feet of silt.

Hikers looking to complete the full Wonderland Trail are only permitted to camp in the designated camping zones鈥攂ut there are over 20 along the 93-mile loop, so you shouldn鈥檛 have a problem finding a place to tent up for the night.

100-Mile Wilderness, Maine

Distance: 100 miles (surprised?)

Type: Point-to-point

Best time to hike: Summer

Permit: Not required, but registration is necessary to camp in Baxter State Park

One hundred miles might seem like a lot of ground to cover in a week, but for backpackers looking for a challenge, this is a classic objective. The 100-Mile Wilderness is one of the wildest, most remote sections of the Appalachian Trail, and for many thru-hikers the final (or initial, if you鈥檙e a SOBOer) challenge of the entire route. This trek is a test not only of your mental fortitude, but your planning abilities: Once you start, there aren鈥檛 many bailout or resupply points, just a couple of hostels for emergency rations or quarters, so, it鈥檚 common to carry a week鈥檚 worth of food.

On some steeps, you鈥檒l rise above the treeline and catch stop-and-stay-awhile glimpses of 5,268-foot Mt. Katahdin, still ponds, and craggy ridges.

North Circle Loop, Montana

Distance: 52 miles

Type: Loop

Best time to hike: Late summer

Permit: Backcountry camping permits required; reserve at or ranger station for walk-in permits.

This trail is a sampler platter of everything iconic in Glacier National Park. You鈥檒l pass through the 75-foot Ptarmigan Tunnel, complete 11 miles on the famous Highline Trail, traverse through the aptly named Many Glacier area, and scale Stoney Indian and Swiftcurrent mountain passes. Need more to see? The North Circle Loop has you covered: You can spot wildlife such bighorn rams, grizzlies, mountain goats, moose, gray wolves, wolverines, and Canadian lynx in their element.

If you鈥檙e considering camping in the Granite Park Campground one evening, it鈥檚 worth it to cheat on your tent for one night at the Granite Park Chalet. Accessible only by trail and surrounded by miles and miles of wilderness, this historic landmark is a cozy respite especially on rainy days. Reservations for 2024 open in January.

Maah Daah Hey Trail, North Dakota

Distance: 144 miles

Type: Point-to-point

Best time to hike: Late spring or early fall

Permit: Free backcountry camping permit required in Theodore Roosevelt National Park

The phrase 鈥淢aah Daah Hey鈥� comes from the Mandan Tribe and loosely translates to 鈥済randfather鈥� or 鈥渁n area that will be around for a long time.鈥� While hiking this trail, you鈥檒l want to stick around for a long time, too. This single-track long trail is one of the quietest, most serene places you can hike in the country. It guides you through meadows, rolling hills (and sometimes steep switchbacks), and badlands formations. One thing to know before hitting the trail: The most reliable water sources come from the forest service campgrounds every 20 miles or so, where you can get drinking water from hand-pump spigots. Between some of these campgrounds, though, there are storage boxes where you can cache water. Want more info? Check out the , a nonprofit that maintains this trail and also the broader recreational trail system in southwest North Dakota in collaboration with the USDA Forest Service.

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Under the proposed SB 786, rescued hikers would have to reimburse at least half the fees resulting from their rescue. With helicopter operating costs rising to $2,500 per hour and rescue missions averaging two hours, hikers will have to cough up quite a bit if they get themselves into trouble. This isn鈥檛 the first time the state has tried to introduce legislation like this: For decades, lawmakers have tried to pass bills about rescue fee reimbursement, such as that imposed fees up to $1,000 in addition to search and rescue cost reimbursements. (Should this bill pass, it will be a while before it kicks in: As written, the proposed law would go into effect in 2050.)

Hawaii isn鈥檛 the only state to introduce or propose legislation like this. Idaho, Maine, New Hampshire, Oregon, South Dakota, and Vermont have all passed legislation that 鈥渁llows the state to offset the costs associated with the search or rescue by seeking reimbursement from the rescued party.鈥� Among those states, only New Hampshire regularly charges hikers for rescue.

Both the Honolulu police and fire departments oppose this bill. Major Shellie Paiva of the HPD saying 鈥渢here is no existing mechanism to seek reimbursement for these situations. In addition, it may deter or delay prompt notification of first responder agencies by persons who may need to be rescued. Such a delay in a request for assistance could make the situation worse and further endanger the lives of those persons as well as first responders.鈥�

As debate continues, so do the rescues. On Monday, March 6, the had to rescue an injured hiker from Stairway to Heaven, one of Oahu鈥檚 greatest attractions for ambitious hikers. The trail happens to be illegal to hike: It鈥檚 been closed since the 1980s, so it鈥檚 not maintained and hazardous, but hikers still pass the 鈥淣o Trespassing鈥� signs and ascend the 3,922 steps for a view of the canyon below. This week鈥檚 rescued hiker could ascend up the thousands of stairs, but he couldn鈥檛 descend them, even with the help of two fellow hikers.

Stairway to Heaven, also known as the Haiku Stairs, was a U.S. Navy radio relay station in World War II; today, public access is prohibited, but it鈥檚 still one of the most common rescue locations in the state. Police have cited and even arrested hundreds of hikers for trespassing on this trail, and although rare, sometimes they have waited at the top of the mountain to punish incoming summiting trespassers.

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I鈥檝e always assumed that my chilled-out friend鈥檚 life was full of winning lottery tickets, four-leaf clovers, and good karma, not the . Turns out, I was wrong. Not only does he have a normal life, but he works pretty hard for his easy-breezy disposition. How? He regularly goes forest bathing.

It鈥檚 not what it sounds like. Forest bathing, derived from a Japanese practice called shinrin-yoku, is a form of relaxation and peacefulness in nature. It鈥檚 not about getting to the top of the mountain or white-knuckling it to be the first to reach the campsite. It鈥檚 about moving slowly, engaging your senses, and expressing gratitude for the natural world around you. Being present with your natural surroundings is the top priority for forest bathers.

How To Forest Bathe

There is no right or wrong way to forest bathe, but there are techniques to simplify it. Sometimes, it can be challenging to fully open yourself to what the forest offers.

鈥淭here is a tendency toward asphyxiation of our perceptual senses when we live immersed within indoor, digital, and otherwise nature-deprived environments,鈥� says. 鈥淪imply realizing that our busy minds wall off the present moment and the richness of life can motivate us to pause, slow down, reflect and experience a sense of awe.鈥�

But, when we鈥檙e in the forest, how do we ignore the constant buzz of incoming notifications and stresses waiting for us back home? When you鈥檙e ready to begin, take Kozak鈥檚 personal sensory inventory.

First, note the temperature on your skin, the humidity, the seasonal light, the angle of the sun, and changing colors. What are you hearing? Is there a scent in the air? Are you feeling a breeze, or is the air still? Pause. Breathe. Look up to the sky, and notice the outlines of the trees and plants. If you take a personal sensory inventory, you鈥檒l see more colors, textures, and details, and distracting thoughts will disappear.

It鈥檚 normal for your mind to drift when you鈥檙e new to forest bathing. The more you practice opening your senses to the forest, the quieter your mind will sound. When you鈥檙e one with nature, opening that BeReal notification or responding to that text won鈥檛 seem so important.

If your mind is the wandering type, it鈥檚 helpful to prepare before hitting the trailhead. To focus your mind, write down your purpose for entering the forest that day. Establish an intention or purpose for that day鈥檚 forest bath. Maybe you want to connect with the natural world on a deeper level, or maybe you want to tune out the loud thoughts in your mind. Any reason is a good one.

Prefer a guided forest bath? The online with expert guides all around the country.

Benefits of Forest Bathing

Considering the millions and millions of years of human existence, we have spent an infinitesimal amount of time in our modern, technology-based environment. But, even though the indoors might seem like our home base now, that鈥檚 not necessarily where we truly belong, according to biologist and naturalist E.O. Wilson. In the 1980s, Wilson popularized the idea that we are all inherently biophiles, meaning we feel a deep-rooted connection to living beings and nature.

鈥淗umanity is exalted not because we are so far above other living creatures, but because knowing them well elevates the very concept of life,鈥� he wrote in his book Biophilia.

Connecting with the natural world doesn鈥檛 just have spiritual benefits; it has physiological benefits too. Scientists have found that forest bathing can reduce your heart rate and blood pressure levels, (aka the 鈥渞est and digest鈥� system), and strengthen your immune system, so it can be used as restorative and preventative treatment. The holiday season can trigger high levels of stress and anxiety for many, so forest bathing is a way to enter 2023 on a more relaxing note.

鈥淲e are very much a part of the natural world,鈥� Megumi Kato of the says. 鈥淭he relief you get [out in nature] is the same relief you get from coming home.鈥�

How Hikers Can Forest Bathe

As hikers and backpackers, we鈥檙e a pretty goal-oriented bunch: We鈥檝e got milage targets to hit, setting suns to chase, and peaks to bag. There鈥檚 no time to waste. Ironically, however, sometimes we can be too focused on our goal to truly appreciate the trail itself.

Forest bathing can actually elevate your experience on the trail. On your snack, water, or sunscreen breaks, integrate moments of silence and gratitude into your hike. Block off some time on your next hike to explore your senses and take a dip in your first forest bath.

Live far from the forest? Just because it鈥檚 in the name doesn鈥檛 mean you need to be surrounded by trees. You can still get the benefits of it in whatever natural setting you choose. You could also go to a nature sanctuary or botanical garden. These areas are specifically designed to give visitors a verdant escape from their everyday lives. When you鈥檙e there, find a good sitting spot, take a personal sensory inventory, and feel the benefits of the nature around you.

鈥淔orest bathing is something I’ve done all of my life without naming the practice as such,鈥� Kozak says. 鈥淭he same is true of many people who love the beauty of nature. Nature is transforming and transformative. Engaging with this profound and infinitely dimensional quality and power is the essence of life well-lived.鈥�

NatureDose is an app that measures your therapeutic time in nature. Set your weekly goal, then go outside and feel good. .

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In high school, my friends and I decided to go on a spur-of-the-moment trip to Yosemite and hike up the famous cables to . We packed up the car and got ready to start the 7-hour drive from our hometown to the park鈥檚 opening gates when I heard one of my friends whisper from the backseat: 鈥淲ait, do we need a permit or something?鈥� The park had just recently started requiring permits for the cables, and we were too caught up in the excitement of bagging a coveted peak to remember the one thing we needed to summit.

Now, I have a tradition with , the entity responsible for dispensing permits, camping reservations, and entry fees to federal land. Every couple months, I apply for permits to visit my favorite trails and backcountry sites and hopefully gain access to some new ones, too.

If you have trail aspirations of grandeur this year, you鈥檙e likely going to need a permit or two. And for many of these permits, you need to plan months in advance. For an epic spring, summer, and fall, look into securing a permit now.听

The Wave, Arizona and Utah

This permit grants you day-use access to the Instagrammable geologic sandstone formation in Coyote Buttes North on the Utah-Arizona border.听

How to Apply

Four months before the start of your dream trip, visit and apply for a $9 permit. If you need a permit for May, for example, apply in January. A maximum of 64 people are granted permits each day. If you鈥檝e won the lottery and will receive a permit, you鈥檒l get notice the first day of the month after you applied. So, if you applied in January, you鈥檒l receive an acceptance notice February 1 for your permit in the month of May.

You may only submit one application per lottery. You can apply for multiple months in a year, but not multiple permits in a month.

I Didn鈥檛 Get a Permit. Now What?

There are lots of scenic trails in the area that you can just show up and hike. Check out Mars-like rock formations in , no paperwork or permit required.听

Kalalau Trail, Hawaii

The trail runs approximately 11 miles alongKauai鈥檚 north shore from Ke驶e Beach to the Kalalau Valley. It鈥檚 been named one of the most beautiful鈥攜et most dangerous鈥� hikes in the country. The trail is steep and narrow, with adrenaline-spiking dropoffs and natural hazards, such as falling rocks and strong water currents. But, being able to see Hawaii鈥檚 blue oceans, dense forests, tall mountain peaks, and rushing waterfalls鈥攁ll within one hike鈥攎ake it all worth it. Throughout these 11 miles, you鈥檒l traverse five valleys before ending at Kalalau Beach.听

How to Apply

Permits are available 90 days out from your trip date and sell out quickly, especially during peak times of the year. The permit鈥檚 governing entity only allows 60 hikers on the trail at one time, so you might have to throw a few elbows when reserving your spot.

As early as 90 before you want to hit the trails, reserve your permit on the . Select your date and reserve your spots. Important note: The permit also serves as your entry reservation into H膩鈥檈na State Park.听

I Didn鈥檛 Get a Permit. Now What?

You don鈥檛 need one for the first two miles of the trail. Without a permit, you can still go on a lovely out-and-back 4-mile hike that will show you some of the best views of Kauai. For hikers wanting to stay within the 2-mile boundary, .听

Brooks Camp, Alaska

If you鈥檙e familiar with Backpacker, you probably know how much we love . We go nuts for those chonky bois. Those famous bruins live in Katmai National Park, specifically along the Brooks River. People from all around the world travel to the park just to see these brown bears. It doesn鈥檛 hurt that Katmai is also an active volcanic landscape with over 9,000 years of human history. In order to truly enjoy the park and be within close proximity to all its splendor, get a permit for the Brooks Camp campground. It鈥檚 one of the top-rated campgrounds in North America for a reason.

The 2023 season runs from June 1 to September 17. In the shoulder seasons (May 1-31 and September 18-October 31), there are minimal camp and campground services available.听

How to Apply

The permit lottery for the 2023 season opens January 5. The campground holds 60 people per day, and the maximum group size per permit is six people. Visit for more information.听

I Didn鈥檛 Get a Permit. Now What?

You can still camp in the national park. You don鈥檛 need a permit to backcountry camp鈥攋ust be sure you鈥檙e outside of the Brooks Camp Developed Area, which is the surrounding 1.5 miles of Brooks Falls. You are not allowed to backcountry camp within this developed area year-round or within the Hallo Bay meadows between April 1 and October 31.听

Half Dome Cables, Yosemite

If you鈥檝e seen a picture of Yosemite, you鈥檝e likely seen a picture of Half Dome. Each year, thousands of people reach this famous summit, which was at one point considered impossible to scale because of the sheer slope of the granite. The park puts up the cables each spring and takes them down each fall

How to Apply聽

You don鈥檛 need the permit to be on the trail itself. You only need a permit for the final cable ascent. The preseason lottery application occurs throughout March of this year, and you鈥檒l find out if you won a spot on the cables on April 11. If you want to hike on the date you鈥檝e selected, you have until May 8 to accept the preseason lottery. Apply .

I Didn鈥檛 Get a Permit. Now What?

Only 225 hikers are allowed beyond the base of the subdome every day. So, permits are hard to acquire. There are daily lotteries available between May 24 and October 8 of this year (dates might adjust based on conditions on the bookending dates). Apply for a permit two days before your desired hike.听

If you aren鈥檛 able to get any permit whatsoever, the 14 to 16 mile round-trip hike to the base of the cables is still worth it. Even without a permit, you鈥檒l be able to pass Vernal and Nevada falls and soak in panoramic views of Yosemite Valley from above.

Appalachian Trail

You don鈥檛 need a long-distance hiking permit to complete the east coast鈥檚 famous long trail. But, the trail passes through several state and national parks, forests, and protected lands that require fees or permits for overnight camping.

How to Apply

For the Great Smoky Mountains, you need a permit to enter the park, which northbounders can get at the Fontana Dam visitor center or the 鈥淔ontana Hilton鈥� shelter, and southbounders can get it at the Bluff Mountain Outfitters in Hot Springs or the Big Creek Ranger Station. Anyone caught without a permit will be charged a $125 fee. AT thru-hikers can apply for a $20 .听

For Shenandoah National Park, thru-hikers and overnight backcountry travelers can get a required no-charge permit at visitor center stations and self-registration kiosks. For more information on which areas require a permit along the AT, .听

I Didn鈥檛 Get a Permit. Now What?

You shouldn鈥檛 have any issues getting permits in the areas requiring them. There generally aren鈥檛 any quotas for thru-hikers (but there are for the general public).听

Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming

The Teton Crest Trail, a 40-mile-long path that takes you through ridgelines and around high alpine scenery, is one of the highlights of the range. This scenic route has been a for years. To limit the amount of human impact on the trails, the park requires a permit to camp in the backcountry. This permit gives you access to sleep along the hundreds of miles of trails throughout this park, not just the Teton Crest Trail.

How to Apply

Advance backcountry permit reservations open 8 a.m. MT on January 10 for overnight stays between May 1 and October 31 of this year. You can between January 10 and May 15. Between May 16 and December 31, backcountry permits are available in person on a first-come, first-served basis.听

I Didn鈥檛 Get a Permit. Now What?聽

You don鈥檛 need a permit to be in the park in general. There are still plenty of dayhikes you can do without a permit. is one of our favorites.听

Mount Whitney, California

It鈥檚 not surprising that the trail to the highest point in the Lower 48 is a popular one. Last year, 26,750 hopeful hikers submitted applications to summit Whitney. That adds up to a lot more than the 100 dayhikers and 60 backpackers allowed on the trail every day from May to October.

How to Apply

It doesn鈥檛 matter if you鈥檙e dayhiking or backpacking this trail鈥攁ll hikers between May 1 and November 1 have to apply in the lottery for a permit within that time frame. Applications for the lottery are open between February 1 and March 1, and results are posted March 15. From then, you have until April 21 to confirm your winning lottery and to pay the $15/person reservation fee. Apply for a . When applying, you rank your top 10 favored trip dates, which gives you the best chance at snagging a spot on this bucket-list hike. Consider your fitness and expertise level when selecting dates: If you don鈥檛 have much experience hiking in snow or ice, don鈥檛 try this trail before late June or after mid-October.听

I Didn鈥檛 Get a Permit. Now What?

If you didn鈥檛 win the lottery the first go-around, dates from unclaimed lotteries at 7 a.m. PT April 22. Unfortunately, there are no walk-up permits for this trail. If you want to try some high-altitude hikes in 2023, there are lots of 14ers within driving distance of Whitney that don鈥檛 require a permit. Try White Mountain Peak, and if you鈥檙e dayhiking, you don鈥檛 need a permit for Split Mountain, Mt. Langley, Mt. Sill, Middle and North Palisade, or Mt. Williamson.

Enchantments, Washington

You need a permit for both day and overnight use in the Enchantment area because of the area鈥檚 fragile environment.听 In the past decade, the number of applications each year skyrocketed from 2,330 in 2012 (when applicants had unlimited entries) to 36,827 in 2022 (when applicants could only enter once).听

How to Apply

The lottery for this permit area opens at 7 a.m. PT February 15 and closes at 11:59 p.m. March 1. Follow the for a permit. The random lottery drawing takes place on March 8, but you鈥檒l be able to view the results on or after March 17.

I Didn鈥檛 Get a Permit. Now What?

You鈥檇 typically be able to apply for the walk-up lottery at the Leavenworth Ranger Station; it has been suspended for the 2023 season until further notice. Now you can apply for a walk-up spot in the recreation.gov reservation system each Sunday. These permits are also competitive, so plan accordingly.听

Virgin River Narrows, Zion National Park

This is one of the most popular hikes in Zion. At times, the canyon hike is only 20 to 30 feet wide and 2,000 feet deep. Dip your toes (literally) in the Virgin River hike that draws people from all around the world.听

How to Apply

If you鈥檙e wanting to hike the entire 16-mile trail in one go, you only need one wilderness permit for your group. , book your reservation, and pay the initial $5 fee. If you鈥檙e wanting to break up the hike into two days, you need one wilderness permit for your campsite. , book your campsite reservation, and pay the initial $5 fee. Both types of permits will let you start at Chamberlain鈥檚 Ranch Trailhead and exit at the Temple of Sinawava.

Most of the time, there are two months available at a time for permit-snagging. At 10 a.m. MT on the fifth of every month, the current and following month becomes available. So, on January 5, permits for both January and February are available. Most people get a permit to hike the Narrows in the summer and early fall because that is when the water is warm and the water level is low. are possible and life-threatening at this time of the year.

I Didn鈥檛 Get a Permit. Now What?

Don鈥檛 lose hope鈥攖here are still short-notice permits you can get. When the calendar permits are fully booked, the park offers a last-minute drawing for day trips. These drawings take place at 1 p.m. MT two days before your trip date. Apply any time between 7 and 2 days of the start date. Any spots not taken in these last-minute drawings will be available as walk-in permits. During normal hours of operation, visit the Zion Canyon Visitor Center Wilderness Desk or the Kolob Canyons Visitor Center to see if there are any walk-in permits available. This is a good backup, but never a guarantee, so be sure to have some permit-free hikes planned just in case.

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One of the biggest barriers to backpacking more? The cost of gear. People might think that you鈥檒l only have to shell out for your big three pieces of gear (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad), but it鈥檚 actually all the little trinkets that add up. The convenient pieces of gear, like and clothesline pins, make backpacking more fun. Some manufacturers will hike聽 the price of these items just because they know backpackers and hikers will pay a premium for convenience or low base weight bragging rights.

But some backpackers want to . Luckily, you have some junk at home that works just as well as the specialized hiking gear you can find at the store. It鈥檚 as durable and only a fraction of the price. Here鈥檚 where you can start:

Plastic Tag Closures From Bread Bags

These nifty little closures (that also come with onion and potato bags from your local supermarket) are nearly weightless and take up barely any space in your pack. Use them to hold wet clothes on lines to dry or to .

Wellness Shot Bottles

Those expensive little 鈥渨ellness elixir鈥� bottles of ginger, wheatgrass, and lemon cayenne juice aren鈥檛 such a bad deal when they can be reused as miniature spice and seasoning containers. Not one for wellness shots? There are other weightless containers you can use. Kinder Surprise Eggs come in small, sealable containers that will do the trick.

Bubble Mailer

If your luxury item is an iPad, you鈥檒l have to protect it from any inevitable spills or dings with a case. Cases can be costly and bulky, however. A free, ultralight alternative? A bubble mailer from the post office. This padded envelope is waterproof, protects against impact, and weighs only a few grams compared to other cases on the market. These also work great as coozies as you rehydrate and reheat freeze-dried meals. No more burnt fingertips as you wait for your rice to cook.

Nut Butter Jar/Gelato Jar

If you鈥檙e , there are lots of containers on the market that promise ultralight weight and durability. But you have to spend $5 or $6 for one measly container. You know what鈥檚 a sweeter deal? Spending the same amount and getting peanut butter or gelato out of it. Use these empty jars as you鈥檇 use any other kind to cold soak meals on the trail.

Contact Lens Case

Sick of single-use, travel-style toiletries? Contact lens cases can hold lotion, sunscreen, toothpaste, lip balm, vaseline, eye cream, and pretty much anything else you can squeeze or dab out of a tube.These cases are cheap, light, and don鈥檛 take up much space in your pack.

Dryer Lint

This is a trick you may have learned in Scouts already: Lint, especially from cotton clothing, works great as a fire starter. (Synthetic fibers don鈥檛 burn as easily.) It鈥檚 easy to store and weighs just grams compared to typical fire starters available at outdoor stores.

A teaspoon of Vaseline on a gumball-size piece of lint will burn for about 7 minutes. Here鈥檚 how to make a fire starter:

1. Cut a paper bag into 3-inch by 3-inch square pieces.
2. Place a bit of dryer lint in the middle of each square.
3. Glob a teaspoon of Vaseline on the lint.
4. Fold the paper over the lint to make a trail-ready fire starter packet.
5. Massage the packet to set the Vaseline into the lint.

Don鈥檛 have that much lint? Cotton balls work just as well.

Brine Bags or Oven Bags

Don鈥檛 fork over money for a silnylon or . Instead, use the leftover brine or oven bag you have from the holidays. If these bags can hold a 20-pound turkey, they can hold your gear鈥攁nd keep it dry鈥攖oo. These bags weigh less than designated plastic pack liners, and cost way less, too. Bonus: Smaller brine bags can work as waterproof socks.

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For years, backpackers have been bringing their trusty multitools into the backcountry. It鈥檚 a way to be prepared for various scenarios while being as space- and weight-efficient as possible. Single-use pieces of gear are inconvenient when you have to carry the weight of them all on your back.

I鈥檓 by no means an ultralighter, but I try to keep my pack a manageable size for my frame. While I was unpacking from my last excursion, however, I realized just how many single-purpose toiletries I normally carry: toothpaste, dish soap, face wipes, the list goes on. Enter .听

Castile soap is a type of soap made with all-natural oils, and Dr. Bronner鈥檚 has been selling it for a while鈥攕ince 1948 to be exact. The crunchy-granola brand has become a mainstay on backpackers鈥� gear lists and versatility: It鈥檚 biodegradable and, according to the company, can be used for 18 purposes, several of which are applicable in the backcountry. It seemed like the perfect solution to my toiletry conundrum. I decided to ditch my usual kit and try out every hiking-friendly use that Dr. Bronner鈥檚 advertises.

A note to start: If you are going to adopt the sudsy multitool yourself, be sure to . This soap is two to three times more concentrated than other liquid soaps on the market, and a little bit goes a long way. You don鈥檛 want to use more water than you have just to rinse off the soap because you overpoured it. Also, be sure to follow all Leave No Trace guidelines when you鈥檙e using this soap. Don鈥檛 dump it within 200 feet from camp or any water source, pack out any crumbs from your dishes, and broadcast spray dirty water over the ground.听

Face wash: I typically bring some face wipes with me when I go backpacking, but I have to carry them with me and pack them out. With Dr. Bronner鈥檚, I figured I could freshen up without the additional waste. I added two or three drops of soap onto my wet hands and lathered it on my face. It became sudsy very quickly and felt nice on my sunscreen- and sweat-caked face. The peppermint scent so close to my nose was more jolting than refreshing: It definitely could be used in lieu of smelling salts. Dr. Bronner鈥檚 worked much better than my typical face wipes. I felt like the dirt was actually off my face, and the peppermint (although too pungent) opened up my pores.听

Body wash: This one was easy. I added a couple of drops of soap onto a wet washcloth and ran it up and down my dirt-coated limbs for a makeshift shower. I don鈥檛 mind getting , but I always bring wipes just in case the dirt on my hands and body reaches a breaking point. Sometimes, though, I notice that the wipes don鈥檛 so much clean my skin as just push the dirt around. The Dr. Bronner鈥檚, on the other hand, worked great. My skin didn鈥檛 feel tight or sticky after using it, and it washed off easily when I poured clean water from a bottle onto my skin. The soap took up much less space in my backpack than a packet of wipes, and it did a more thorough job of removing dirt.听

Hair: Although I don鈥檛 typically feel the need to wash my hair on short trips, I could see needing to on a multi-week hike. The soap company recommends a couple drops for close-cropped hair, so I worked about half a tablespoon into my wet, just-past-the-shoulders, thick hair. The soap is so concentrated that it felt like it was still in my hair after a couple rinses using water . I didn鈥檛 have the water pressure of a shower head to help work out the shampoo, and makeshift pressure from the bottle didn鈥檛 do much. If not washed out correctly, Dr. Bronner鈥檚 will leave a residue like any shampoo. This doesn鈥檛 seem worth it to me鈥擨 don鈥檛 typically backpack in areas surrounded by water sources, so I鈥檇 rather just live with greasy hair. On the other hand, if the weather is warm and water is abundant, Dr. B鈥檚 would work great to refresh my tresses.

Congestive Remedy: For me, a stuffy nose is basically a backpacking guarantee, especially in winter. Dr. Bronner鈥檚 claims to have the concoction to remedy that: The website says to add a tablespoon of soap to a bowl of hot water (no exact amount specified) and hold your head over the boiling pot. I two cups of water and added half the amount of soap. Turns out, that was more than enough: When I held my congested head over the peppermint water, the smell slapped me in the face. It was so powerful that it was actually hard to breathe in the aroma. The smell lingered in my throat like Vicks Vaporub, but didn鈥檛 do much for my sinuses. If anything helped, it was probably the steam itself. I backpack in the desert mostly, so it mostly seemed like a waste of water. I鈥檒l give it this, though: My JetBoil is all clean.听

Dishes: Here is where the soap became a superstar. The dilution cheat sheet says to mix 1 part of soap in 10 parts of water for dish duty. I don鈥檛 backpack with a bucket or sink, so I just added a drop or two of soap into my bowl, poured in a splash of water, scrubbed out any remaining rice and bean crumbs, and rinsed. The soap worked well; my peanut butter oatmeal the next morning didn鈥檛 taste like the chili spices I ate in my burrito bowl the night before. The soap rinsed off easily, but even if it didn鈥檛, the ingredients are safer to swallow (in trace amounts) compared to the chemical-based soaps I鈥檝e used before.

Laundry: Dr. Bronner鈥檚 instructions are to add 1 tablespoon of soap in a gallon of cold water, and let the clothes swish and soak in it before rinsing with clean water. That sounds great for a full load of laundry, but in the backcountry, I only ever need to wash an outfit or two at a time. I brought a gallon ziplock bag and added a couple drops of soap, about a quart of water, my hiking shorts, shirt, sports bra, and socks. I swished everything around in the bag and let it soak for 10 minutes. I rinsed with more clean water and let the garments hang to dry. My clothes smelled much better and no longer had sweaty salt stains on them.听

Toothpaste: I approached one of Dr. Bronner鈥檚 most notorious uses with a fair bit of trepidation: The company鈥檚 own website warns that its soap tastes like, well, soap. Heed my warning: use only one drop. Much more, and you鈥檒l start foaming from the mouth. The peppermint taste was fine, but almost unnoticeable once I realized my mouth was so soapy. Even though it rinsed out as well as toothpaste does, I felt like I needed a chaser after. Maybe it鈥檚 one of those things that you grow accustomed to over time, but I think that the fact I went searching for a immediately after brushing my teeth is pretty counterintuitive. No amount of weight savings was worth that experience鈥擨鈥檒l stick with Crest on my future backpacking trips.听

Floor cleaner: No, I didn鈥檛 mop the forest floor. But you know where else dirt goes? Pretty much every surface that you take outside, like my tent floor. At the end of my trip, I added a couple drops of soap onto a wet cloth and swiped it along my tent floor before packing it away. This worked pretty well鈥攋ust make sure you use a non-abrasive sponge or washcloth to avoid scuffing the nylon. I also used the sudsy cloth to clean dirt patches off my backpack. Regular light cleanings lengthen your backpack鈥檚 lifespan, especially when coupled with deeper cleanings at the end of each season. The soap has the cleaning power to remove dirt and scum from your tent and backpack without tarnishing their finish.

Reading Material: Okay, this isn鈥檛 technically one of the uses that the company advertises, but even the 2-ounce bottle has enough text for a night鈥檚 reading material. The original bottle has the founder鈥檚 entire 3,000-word manifesto on humanity printed on it and an abridged version on the travel size. Thanks to the long-winded founder, you can also leave your book at home.

Final Notes

I went into this experiment to see if carrying a 2-ounce bottle of soap was better than carrying several individual cleaning products like wipes, toothpaste, and dish soap. For the most part, it was: I was able to press the soap into at least 7 solid different uses. (I鈥檒l give the congestion remedy half a point, but I鈥檓 never using this stuff to brush my teeth ever again.) One side note: I鈥檇 choose unscented soap from now on. I really appreciated the extra space in my backpack, but by the end of the trip, I had was trailing a

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