Whenever I encounter mud puddles on a trail, I flash back to one of the best-loved books of my 1990s childhood, . After contending with tall grass and a river, the characters in the book find themselves facing their latest obstacle, 鈥渢hick, oozy mud.鈥� 鈥淲e can鈥檛 go over it, we can鈥檛 go under it,鈥� they muse. The solution they land on: go through it. (Spoiler: They find the bear in a cave and run away鈥攏ot at all hiker protocol.)

As it turns out, that鈥檚 good advice on soggy trails: Walking around it causes erosion, compacts soil, tramples vegetation, and unnecessarily widens the path.

Because mud is a possibility on any given trail, even on the clearest and driest of days, it鈥檚 best to embrace it and know ahead of time what to do when you find yourself in front of a seemingly impassable mud swamp. We asked folks at the (AMC) and the (GMC), which both oversee trails that can get quite muddy, to share their best advice for getting through mud season and dealing with mud in general.

1. Assess conditions before you go

As with any hike, check the weather and trail conditions ahead of time so you know what you鈥檙e getting yourself into. Peruse hiking apps and blogs for recent reviews from hikers who might mention mud. Local hiking organizations also do their best to post trail reports. Some recreation areas, like in Vermont, will even close trails during muddy conditions to reduce hazards and protect the trails.

Spring is the season you鈥檙e most likely to encounter mud, says Emily Davenport, a guided outdoors program manager at AMC. When possible, she hikes on dry days, avoids trekking through lowland and wetland areas, and opts for south-facing and rocky trails that tend to be drier during the wetter months. She鈥檒l also skip trails with too many stream crossings, which swell with melting snow in the springtime. 鈥淓ven smaller streams in the summertime might be more consequential in the spring,鈥� she says.

2. Stay on sturdy surfaces when available

To help hikers navigate the muck, proactive trail maintenance crews strategically place rocks, logs, and planks of wood鈥攚hich are called 鈥渂og bridges鈥� in the White Mountains, Davenport says. These landing pads can make it easier as well as cleaner to cross the muddy sections.

You鈥檒l find these mud diversions especially in the northeast, where many of the historic trails were built straight up the mountain without switchbacks. That means snowmelt runs straight down them, creating muddy messes.

3. Build in extra time to go slow

Carefully picking your way through mud crossings can slow you down. Davenport suggests factoring in that the hike might take a little bit longer when it鈥檚 slick than when it鈥檚 dry. 鈥淭ake your time and go a little bit more slowly,鈥� she says. There鈥檚 nothing worse than feeling the pressure to rush and falling on your bum into a mud puddle.

4. Pack and wear the right gear

Footwear is the first piece of gear to consider for a muddy hike. Some hikers designate a pair as their mud shoes. Others prefer light hikers that aren鈥檛 waterproof but can drain water when submerged. Both Davenport and Emily Mosher at the GMC said they prefer waterproof boots for the protection and stability. Pair them with gaiters to keep out even more debris, and pack an extra pair of socks just in case you end up accidentally submerging your feet.

鈥淎s long as my feet are dry and warm, I鈥檓 okay,鈥� Davenport says.

Traction devices and trekking poles can also be useful, Mosher adds. Mud often signals ice and snow higher up, so ice cleats or other traction can come in handy. And trekking poles can add stability and act as a measuring stick to see how deep the water and mud goes. 鈥淚鈥檝e used them to find rocks in the trail so I don鈥檛 sink down into a muddy section of trail,鈥� Mosher says.

5. Have a cleanup plan

Whether you hose off your boots right away or let the mud dry first is up to you. But coming up with a clean-up system will help you manage your muddy gear. If there鈥檚 not a spigot available, Mosher recommends shaking off as much mud as you can at the trailhead, then after it has dried.

For the drive home, keep muddy things contained in a tub or bag in the back of your car. 鈥淪omething I always recommend is having an extra pair of shoes and socks to leave in your car so you don鈥檛 have to drive home in muddy boots,鈥� Mosher says.

6. Don鈥檛 let the dry weather fool you

Just because the ground is dry at the trailhead doesn鈥檛 mean it鈥檚 dry the whole way, especially in areas that experience snow melt. It might start out dusty, but quickly turn into mud and then snow. 鈥淚鈥檝e been on some hikes mid-May where down in the valley it鈥檚 beautiful and then higher up we鈥檙e postholing in waist-deep snow,鈥� Davenport says.

Mud season is a good reminder to not get too comfortable with the weather and to stay prepared for any conditions. And as always, 鈥淚f a trail gets to be too muddy or out of your experience range, it鈥檚 okay to turn around,鈥� Mosher adds.

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When I bought my first pair of Merino wool underwear鈥攁 鈥攆rom a Vermont gear shop in 2017, it was a game changer. I dubbed them my 鈥渁dventure undies,鈥� since they were the first pair I鈥檇 reach for when packing for every type of outing. On long hikes, multiweek canoe camping trips, and snowy mountain excursions, they beat out my other undergarments in every category: comfort, breathability, and a feeling of relative cleanliness I crave when crawling into my sleeping bag at night. Since then, I鈥檝e grown my fleet of wool pairs, and they are my favorites across the board.

Turns out, I鈥檓 not the only member of the. I found that most of my male hiking buddies don鈥檛 put too much thought into this small gear choice, and don鈥檛 mind wearing the same pair for days on end. But for women, the right choice of undergarment can make or break a backpacking trip. Moisture trapping, chafing, and excessive odor are veritable hike ruiners that can sometimes escalate to UTIs or yeast infections. Plus, packing a clean pair for every day of your hike isn鈥檛 always an option on long treks. Merino underwear can solve many of these problems.

Dr. Lillia Loriz, a professor of nursing at Brooks College of Health at the University of North Florida and accomplished long-distance hiker, agrees.

鈥淯nlike synthetic materials that trap sweat and odor, Merino wool naturally wicks moisture away and has antimicrobial properties that keep bacteria in check,鈥� she says.

And Loriz is no stranger to long stretches on trail: She鈥檚 hiked a 750-section of the Appalachian Trail, 1,300 miles on the Pacific Crest Trail, 600 miles on , the entire Colorado Trail, and others.

Loriz says that Merino wicks moisture better than cotton, and while some synthetics have antimicrobial capabilities, this is where Merino wool shines. While your synthetic undies might pick up stink after a day or two on the trail, Merino wool pairs tend to feel and smell fresh for longer.

In addition to choosing the right pair of underwear for hiking, there are steps hikers can take to feel clean and comfortable on trail and in camp. Loriz recommends always packing a second pair of underwear on a long backpacking trip.

鈥淪witch between pairs to allow for drying. Wash when water source allows,鈥� she says. 鈥淪ome [hikers] also wear them right-side-in then inside out. However, switching between pairs to assure clean and dry use is best.鈥�

If sweaty underwear does , Loriz recommends using a skin barrier like Body Glide, , or Udder Butter.

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Sure, backpacking is tiring. But if you鈥檙e feeling extra sore, sluggish, and crummy during or after a hike鈥斺�渂onking,鈥� you might say鈥攜ou might not be getting enough protein in your diet.

Fatigue is one of the telltale signs of protein deficiency, says Madi Niemi, a fitness coach in Portland, Oregon with a degree in integrative health. This essential macronutrient helps you build and repair muscle, supports your immune system, and boosts energy, which is especially important for active people. When you don鈥檛 get enough, your body can start breaking down muscle for energy, leading to weaker muscles, increased risk of sickness, and slower recovery.

鈥淲ithout protein, your body can鈥檛 perform at its best,鈥� Niemi says.

On the trail, it can be difficult to get enough protein because you鈥檙e limited to lightweight, non-perishable ingredients鈥攍ike granola bars鈥攖hat only contain so much of the nutrient. Quick, on-the-go meals tend to be heavy in carbohydrates and fats but lacking protein, Niemi says.

Protein intake, like calorie intake, is relative and depends on your body weight and energy output. As a rule of thumb, nutritionists recommend eating 0.8 to 1 grams of protein per kilogram of your body weight on a normal day. While backpacking, Aaron Owens Mayhew, the dietitian behind , suggests upping your intake to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for a relatively easy hike and 1.8 grams per kilogram for a harder hike.

Be careful not to overdo it though. 鈥淗ikers think they need way more protein than they really do,鈥� Owens Mayhew says. 鈥淛ust meeting your personal needs is enough.鈥�

Owens Mayhew adds that an average body can only fully utilize about 25 grams of protein at a time. Consume more than that, and it just ends up being extra calories. Accordingly, she tries to consume roughly 25 grams of protein for every meal, then 10 to 15 grams of protein per snack.

鈥淛ust check it against your body weight and add whatever you鈥檙e missing,鈥� she says.

Another common misconception is that you must eat meat to hit your protein goal, but you can easily consume protein through plant-based foods including legumes, lentils, nuts and seeds, certain grains, and soy-based products like edamame and tofu. You can also get it through dairy and eggs. In a pinch, mix milk powders or egg white powders into your meals for a flavorless boost.

As an ultralight backpacker, Owens Mayhew prefers what she calls 鈥渃ombination foods鈥� that are calorie dense and have protein as well as fat, fiber, and carbohydrates. Her favorite combination foods include nut butters, quinoa, chia seeds, textured vegetable protein (or TVP), chickpeas, and soy milk powder.

A combination food recipe she鈥檚 known for is the 鈥攑erfect if you don鈥檛 get hungry at altitude, aren鈥檛 a breakfast person, or need to eat lunch on the go鈥攆or a blast of 600 calories and 39 grams of protein, plus electrolytes, fiber, fat, carbohydrates.

As you focus on your protein intake, don鈥檛 forget about the other nutrients. Carbohydrates are equally important because they are your body鈥檚 source of energy, while protein is most useful for muscle repair. Pairing proteins with carbohydrates will satiate you for longer.

鈥淎 balanced diet is the best thing you can do for your body, ensuring you are getting the proper nutrients from each macronutrient,鈥� Niemi says. 鈥淧rotein is super important, but it鈥檚 all about balance.鈥�

Backpacking will leave you relatively sore. But eating better will prevent the painful bonk.

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I am not going to stand here in front of God and Backpacker鈥榮 readers and pretend I always, or even usually, eat healthy on my trips. I eat loose from my hipbelt pockets while I hike and wolf down instant ramen like I鈥檓 a broke college student and rent is due. I once stuffed an entire box of Honey Buns into a helicopter鈥檚 cargo box during an Editors鈥� Choice trip to Banff National Park (bad idea, those things do not travel well).

But as I鈥檝e gotten older and words like 鈥渉ypertension鈥� and 鈥渁rteriosclerosis鈥� have gradually entered my peers鈥� vocabularies, I鈥檝e gotten more and more interested in finding a compromise between convenience and health when it comes to meal planning for my hikes and backcountry tours. If you鈥檙e on the same path, then this roundup of our best hiking nutrition stories is for you. The following stories are a primer in how to eat on a hike, from the basics of nutrition to busting some of the most persistent dietary myths. Read on to learn more.

From processed ingredients to organic to specialty diets, it鈥檚 easy to get blinded by science when it comes to nutrition. The reality: Figuring out how to eat better on a backpacking trip doesn鈥檛 need to be complicated. We break down the basics of nutrition鈥攅at for recovery, keep an eye on your electrolytes, and, whatever you do, don鈥檛 skip breakfast鈥攊n this easy explainer for beginners.

Sometimes the effects of a poor diet take a while to hit. Sometimes, however, they kick in faster, leading to problems from skinny legs to trail diarrhea. If you鈥檙e planning on going on a long hike鈥攖hink two weeks or more鈥攜ou need to keep a much closer eye on what you鈥檙e consuming than you might on a weekend trip. We consulted two backpacking dietitians to understand how the food hikers eat helps or hinders them.

There are few sciences as rife with misinformation as nutrition. Spend an hour googling, and you鈥檒l find contradictory information, questionable supplements, and even downright dangerous diet plans on offer. Don鈥檛 get fooled: Learn to tell the BS from the valuable information with this round-up from Corey Buhay.

Let鈥檚 be real: Few to none of us are hiking with a pack full of fresh fruits and vegetables, or even a lot of dehydrated ones. Getting our meal bag down to a manageable size while still carrying enough calories to fuel days of hard hiking means making some compromises, from carrying processed food to prioritizing raw carbs over vitamins and minerals. How do your favorite hiking treats stack up? We asked a dietitian to evaluate everything from instant ramen to Pop-Tarts on the value to hungry hikers.

If you鈥檙e hoping to build up your hiking fitness, then protein is non-negotiable. It helps rebuild the day-to-day wear and tear you incur and locks in the muscular gains you earn over days and weeks on the trail. Protein bars and shakes are easy, but these are easier, cheaper, and tastier ways to get your daily dose.

The post Here鈥檚 What Dietitians Want Hikers to Know About Eating on the Trail appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

What does an experienced politician, bicycling advocate, and native Texan do to fill up their time when they retire? If you鈥檙e Charles Gandy, you try to create a Texas version of the Pacific Crest Trail. Gandy is spearheading efforts to develop the xTx trail, a 1,500-mile thru-hike that crosses Texas from Orange to El Paso. We chatted with Gandy to understand his vision for the trail, challenges with its development and what participants can expect.

The xTx will be a unique way for adventurers to see and experience the state. 鈥淭his ain鈥檛 Dallas. This ain鈥檛 Houston,鈥� Gandy says. 鈥淚鈥檓 inviting people to get to know Texas by dirt, and it鈥檚 a whole different deal than Texas on paper. I鈥檓 excited about sharing the friendly and dirty sides of Texas.鈥� The trail, which will be open to hikers, bicyclists, and equestrians, runs through three major Texas regions (East, West, and ) and winds through Devil鈥檚 River, , Santa Elena Canyon, and Hueco Tanks. Gandy is excited to showcase parts of the state that often fly under the radar.

鈥淓ast Texas is one of the most beautiful parts of the state, and you would never see it or learn about it unless you walked through it,鈥� he says.

Developing the xTx has come with its own unique challenges. About 90 percent of the Appalachian Trail and PCT are located on public land. In Texas, however, about 96 percent of the state鈥檚 land is privately owned, so almost the entire xTx will cross private land. For Gandy, that means speaking with (and securing deals) with about 100 individual landowners. He presents the xTx as a potential way for ranchers to earn money for the upkeep and maintenance of their land.

鈥淩anchers are making money in the fall on hunters, and then it鈥檚 dormant during the wintertime, and that鈥檚 hiking season,鈥� he says. 鈥淚鈥檓 showing them how they can extend their season. I, as a hiker, can stay in their guest house for money or camp outside for free. We want to show them the big idea and how they can participate.鈥� Gandy also has to convince landowners to install wells or watering holes on their land, since there is currently on the entire trail route.

When you hear Gandy鈥檚 life story, it鈥檚 as if every moment was designed to lead him to found xTx. After getting a degree in political science, Gandy worked in Texas politics and for the Texas Nature Conservancy; he later founded BikeTexas, an advocacy group devoted to expanding biking access. Gandy has spent years building relationships with local philanthropists, politicians, and nonprofits. Gandy is taking a life鈥檚 worth of political and advocacy skills and applying them to each conversation he has with a rancher. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a hundred different scenarios that we get to negotiate with a hundred different landowners,鈥� he says.

Since officially launching this summer, xTx has received a groundswell of support and donations from hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts. 鈥淎s a hiker, I鈥檓 surrounded by these 30 year olds, they鈥檙e taking on these big, hairy challenges. And they鈥檙e turning out, they鈥檙e the ones that are looking to be the trail angels of tomorrow,鈥� Gandy says. 鈥淭hey鈥檝e done their big thing, and now they want to help other people do it.鈥�

As far as timetables are concerned, Gandy has given himself five years to ink deals with all the parties necessary to make xTx happen, and he鈥檚 got a strategy in place. 鈥淚鈥檓 sincere about inviting hikers out next spring to what we鈥檙e calling 鈥楽weaty Taste of the xTx鈥� and hosting people to participate in hikes [of sections of trail].鈥� He鈥檒l talk with small business owners and point to trail towns on the PCT and AT experiencing economic development. The project has an approximate budget of $5 million dollars to develop trail infrastructure, set up watering holes and secure landowner agreements.

By 2030, the first thru-hiker should get to experience the reality of Gandy鈥檚 dream in Texas. Gandy is confident that his slow-but-steady, deliberate approach will work, in part because patience and inspiration are in no short supply. For Gandy, the xTx project is the culmination of his life鈥檚 work.

鈥淭his is a legacy project for me,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 get to play the role that Benton MacKaye played for the Appalachian Trail or Clinton Clarke did for the Pacific Crest Trail.鈥�

For more information on the xTx, visit .听

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Relatively few young people have the grit and determination to finish a 2,200-mile, 900,000-vertical-foot hike like the Appalachian Trail. That only makes Linda 鈥淣ana鈥� Vanderloop鈥檚 trip more impressive. On October 28, Linda became the oldest woman ever to thru-hike the AT when she climbed to the summit of New York鈥檚 Bear Mountain at 74 years old with her daughter Hanna, beating a 10-year-old record set by . For Linda however, the record was an afterthought.

鈥滻 did not go into that even knowing about [Reisinger],鈥� Linda says. 鈥淔inishing the trail was something I wasn鈥檛 sure I was going to be doing.鈥�

The idea of an thru-hike came about after Linda Vanderloop completed the Ice Age Trail in her home state of Wisconsin in 2020. Linda鈥檚 daughter, Hanna, became envious of her mom鈥檚 experience and began her own adventure.

鈥淚 would call her and she would be on the trail and I would be super jealous,鈥� Hanna recalls. 鈥淪he had this big goal she was chipping away at. So,I started hiking the blue blaze trail network in Connecticut.鈥�

One of the sections of that network was part of the Appalachian Trail. As she began tackling those miles, Hanna realized she was hungry for more of that challenge, and made it her long-term goal to hike the AT. When she quit her job earlier this year to start working her way through the trail in 100-mile segments, her mother decided she wanted to come too.

From the start of the journey, the duo鈥檚 flip-flop approach was unconventional. They planned to begin on Bear Mountain in New York, but quickly had to pivot after discovering the peak was closed. Instead they began their hike between Bear Mountain and Harriman State Park in New York. From there, they hiked New Jersey and Pennsylvania before heading south to tackle Georgia, Tennessee, and most of North Carolina before heading north, sometimes hiking segments independently of one another.

鈥淲e only had two rules: [We passed] every in 365 days, and we almost always hiked northbound,鈥� says Hanna. 鈥淧iece by piece, the pair hiked large swaths of the trail, occasionally meeting up with other family members to share the experience and accept support along the way.听 Both Linda and Hanna found that their unconventional methods provided a more solitary experience outside of the bubble, which they liked.

As they neared the end of the trail, they discovered that Reisinger鈥檚 birthday (she also finished her hike at 74) was later in the year, and realized that Linda had a chance at beating her record. Besides being older than Reisinger by six weeks, she also completed her hike later in the season.

Obtaining the new title was a perk for Linda, but her experience was inspiration in other ways, too.

鈥淲e met so many people on the trail that were older,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd you felt so good that people still feel they can do this. You don鈥檛 have to be young. Anybody can walk. It was kind of neat to even see some trails that could even accept a wheelchair,鈥� she said.

Linda鈥檚 journey was mostly devoid of injury, although she hiked Kinsman with food poisoning and wound up with about 20 yellow jacket stings in North Carolina. Still, she admits, the trip was far from easy.

鈥淭here is a reason 1 in 4 people only finish,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t lives up to its reputation of being one of the toughest and longest hikes.鈥�

Since Reisinger set her record in 2014, many hikers have attempted to beat it. In 2023, Pamela Clark came close to claiming the title at age 76, but came up just shy of the ATC鈥檚 12-month requirement. currently holds the oldest overall Appalachian Trail record, which he obtained at the age of 83 in 2021.

When asked if she鈥檚 plans to tackle other long trails in the future, Linda responded, 鈥淚鈥檒l never say never.鈥�

鈥淚f the opportunity arises I鈥檒l probably be out there,鈥� she says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 kind of hard not to keep the legs going once you start.鈥�

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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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Spend enough time eating hiking food, and you might start gagging at the very thought of a peanut-butter tortilla roll-up. But whether or not you鈥檝e hit that devastating milestone, rest assured: You don鈥檛 need to restrict yourself to beans and PB on the trail. With a little creativity, you can make a variety of flavorful camp meals with just a few cheap ingredients.

These four hiker-approved hot meals cost $3 or less per person. We鈥檝e broken down the costs per single serving, but at these rates, it鈥檚 easy to double (or even quadruple) the recipes without blowing your budget.

Spicy Mac Mash

This elevated take on the ramen bomb is cheesy, easy, and vegetarian-friendly. Cost: About $1.75 per serving.

滨苍驳谤别诲颈别苍迟蝉:听

• Annie鈥檚 White Cheddar Shells Mac and Cheese ($0.75 per serving)
• 1 box of instant mashed potatoes ($0.75 per serving)
• 1 tsp. olive oil ($0.15 per serving)
• Hot sauce, to taste ($0.10 per serving)

In camp: Boil water and cook pasta. Drain water, but leave a little behind to mix in instant mashed potatoes and the cheese powder for a thick, creamy, filling sauce. Fluff together with a fork. Top with olive oil and hot sauce.

Sausage Wraps

Wolf these down for a dose of protein and melted goodness. The ingredients below come in larger servings, meaning you can feed the whole camp. Cost: About $2 per serving.

Ingredients

• Your choice of pre-cooked sausage ($1.25 per serving)
• Tortilla or wrap ($0.30 per serving)
• Shredded cheese ($0.30 per serving)
• Pinch of pepper and salt
• Eggs (use powdered or dehydrated eggs, or ) ($0.25 per serving)
• Hot sauce, to taste ($0.10 per serving)

In camp: Heat sausage over a fire or stove. Once warm, place it in a tortilla or wrap and top with shredded cheese to get a melty effect. Add seasoning and scrambled eggs.

Backcountry Nachos

Treat yourself to something crisp and hearty out there with this crave-worthy recipe. Cost: About $2.75 per serving.

Ingredients:

• Tortilla chips ($0.40 per serving)
• Small can of nacho cheese, or shredded cheese ($0.50 per serving)
• Black beans, transferred to zip top-bag ($0.42 per serving)
• Tomato ($0.50 per serving)
• Avocado ($1 per serving)
• Jalapeno ($0.10 per serving)
• Cilantro, wrapped in damp paper towel in a zip-top bag ($1 per bunch)
• Salsa (optional)

In camp: Chop the jalapeno, cilantro, avocado, and tomato. Warm up your beans and cheese or stove. Layer your bowl or plate with a handful of chips鈥攁s many as you can fit. Pile on the toppings. Go back for seconds.

Packed Couscous Bowls

Salty, savory, and scrumptious after a long day, these couscous bowls are both easy to make in camp and worthy of your dining table at home. Cost: About $3 per serving.

滨苍驳谤别诲颈别苍迟蝉:听

• Dried couscous ($0.65 per serving)
• Bagged sun dried tomatoes ($0.40 per serving)
• Olives, transferred to zip-top bag ( $0.23 per serving)
• Broccoli (store in a zip-top bag and eat on day one or two, or buy freeze-dried) ($0.50 per serving)
• Chicken or tuna packets ($0.75 per serving)

In camp: Boil water and cook your couscous over a campfire or stove. While it鈥檚 still steamy, mix in tomatoes, olives, broccoli, and your choice of protein.

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To some people, food is fuel. To others, it鈥檚 a passion. But the best food is both: Great-tasting, but also a building block that will give you what you need to take your fitness to the next level. That鈥檚 why we鈥檙e sharing these protein-rich recipes with everyone. If you want more great backpacking recipes鈥攑lus skills, stories, gear reviews and more鈥攕ign up for聽.

As hikers and backpackers,聽. We love them, we need them, we dream about them while slogging through the worst of it. But聽? This important macronutrient is essential in muscle recovery and metabolism regulation, and it鈥檚 important to make sure you鈥檙e getting enough.

Why Hikers Need High-Protein Foods

About 10 to 20 percent of your daily calorie intake should come from protein so your body doesn鈥檛 break down muscle tissue. This nutrient also strengthens your immune system; it helps build the white blood cells that fight off pathogens found in trail dirt.

It鈥檚 crucial that you聽聽throughout the day. Protein famously comes from animal products, but if you鈥檙e plant-based, you can still give your body the nutrients it needs however you want. Here are some of the best plant-based, protein-rich foods for the trail:

• Mixed nuts and seeds
• Nut butters
• Plant-based protein powder (mix with water, stir into oatmeal, etc.)
• Rice and beans (to make it easier, get beans that don鈥檛 require much soaking, such as lentils)
• Hummus or pesto

If you have no beef with animal products, here are some ways to bulk up on protein in the backcountry:

• Chicken, tuna, sardines or salmon in foil pouches
• Beef or turkey jerky
• Dehydrated eggs
• Hard salami
• , such as Parmesan or Gouda
• Whey protein powder

High-Protein Recipes for Hikers

Carrot Cake Quinoa and Chia Pudding

Calories: 650 | Protein: 23 g | Weight 6 oz.

Fill up with this sweet, nutty medley for聽听辞谤听.听Serves 2

• 录 cup quinoa, rinsed and dried
• 1 large carrot
• 1 pinch salt
• 录 cup hemp hearts
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 鈪� cup chia seeds
• 1 cup milk from powder
• 陆 tsp. cinnamon
• 鈪� tsp. nutmeg
• 录 cup walnuts, chopped
• 录 cup raisins or dates, chopped

At Home: Place quinoa and salt in one zip-top bag and remaining dry ingredients in another.

In Camp: Add quinoa mixture to / cup water in a pot. Boil, then cover and reduce heat to low and cook until water is absorbed (12 to 15 minutes). Grate carrot and add to bag with remaining ingredients. Add 1 cup cold water and knead until combined. Stir in cooked quinoa and let sit 15 minutes. If needed, spoon in more water until the mixture reaches pudding consistency, then serve.

Mediterranean Tuna Pasta

Calories: 680 | Protein 30 g | Weight: 8 oz.

Change up your menu with this flavorful entree. Serves 3

• 陆 lb. Penne pasta
• 3 oz. Parmesan cheese
• 12 green olives, with 1 Tbsp. brine from jar
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 tsp. garlic granules
• 陆 tsp. crushed red chilies
• 1 陆 tsp. parsley, dried
• 9 sun-dried tomatoes, with 1 Tbsp. oil from jar
• 1 6-oz. foil tuna pouch
• 1 lemon
• 录 cup pine nuts, toasted
• Salt and pepper, to taste

At Home: Put pasta in a zip-top bag. Store chilies, garlic,
and parsley in one baggie and pine nuts in another. Wrap cheese in plastic wrap. Pack sun-dried tomatoes, tomato oil, and olive oil in one leakproof container. Pack olives (with brine) in another.

In Camp:聽Cook pasta and set aside with 1/3 of the pasta water. Chop olives (discard brine) and tomatoes. Grate or shave cheese. Heat oil in a pan, then add spices and tomatoes and saut茅 for 1 minute. Add tuna and half the cheese, then pasta and reserved water. Cook, stirring often, for 3 minutes. Mix in olives, juice of 1 lemon, and remaining cheese. Season with salt and pepper, top with pine nuts, and serve.

Lentil Soup

Warm up with this hearty recipe. Serves 4

• 1 small onion
• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1 cup red lentils, uncooked
• 4 tsp. chicken bouillon powder
• 1 Tbsp. tomato powder
• 1 tsp. garlic granules
• 1 录 tsp. curry powder
• 录 tsp. cumin seeds
• 陆 tsp. garam masala
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 7-oz. foil pouch chicken

At Home: Pack dry ingredients in a zip-top bag (pack onion separately). Store oil in a leakproof container.

In Camp:聽Chop onion. Warm oil in a pot over medium heat. Saut茅 onion until it begins to brown. Add 4 cups water and dry ingredients, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add chicken and heat for another 5 minutes, then serve.

This story was originally published in .

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It was quiet at the trailhead, parking spots mostly empty as the sun had set hours ago. Stars out, wind gusting. Now and then, a pair of headlights would sweep across the lot from a lonely car winding its way down New Hampshire鈥檚 scenic Kancamagus Highway. The temperatures would drop almost to freezing later that night鈥攕ummer was giving way to fall in the White Mountains.听

Around 9:30 P.M., a pair of headlamps broke from the trees and onto the pavement. and his hiking partner, Will Peterson, in running vests and shorts, ambled over to a waiting SUV, where local hiker Jo Biscoe gavae them pizza and Coke. Carcia had just completed a 40-mile day, one of the final legs of his season-long attempt to hike every documented trail in the Appalachian Mountain Club鈥檚 in one summer.听

鈥淭he single-season White Mountain Guide is something that I define as the act of hiking all 650-plus primary trails in the White Mountains guide in a single summer season,鈥� said Carcia. And on September 19, two days after I met him on the Kancamagus Highway, Carcia completed the project. It was his third try.听

Over the course of 90 or so days, Carcia logged 1,958.3 miles with a total of 570,369 vertical feet of gain, mostly solo, almost entirely in White Mountain National Forest. He averaged almost 22 miles per day and finished with a , a challenge that encompasses hiking all 48 of New Hampshire鈥檚 4,000-footers in one push.听

鈥淚f you go into the northern , and you look at the networks that you鈥檙e responsible for, there are dozens and dozens and dozens and dozens of trails on a single side of a mountain,鈥� Carcia said. 鈥淚t looks like a plate of spaghetti was thrown against it.鈥�

To make it happen, he spent the summer living mostly out of his converted Toyota Yaris and spending hours driving between trailheads, arranging shuttles, and wrangling logistics with Biscoe鈥檚 help. Carcia took only two rest days all summer鈥攐ne planned, and one forced by a broken phone and auto repairs. As far as he knows, Carcia is the only person to have conceived of or attempted this feat, and now, after his third try (he narrowly missed the single-season designation in 2020 and 2021), he鈥檚 the only hiker to have completed it.听

The project has required more discipline than almost anything Carcia, a former thru-hiker, has endured. He dedicated the summer months entirely to making miles, ignoring temptations to stop in town for ice cream on a hot day or meet up with friends for dinner, often opting to hike just a little bit further instead.听

Carcia said that part of the appeal of the project is the blurring of lines between ultralight backpacking and mountain running, along with the tradition of peakbagging that runs deep in the northeast.听

After three grueling summers, Carcia is relieved to be done.听

鈥淚 remember sitting on the dirt road there that leads up to the trailhead [that marked the completion of the project], and just having a very quiet moment and feeling like the weight of three years had just started to slowly come off of my shoulders,鈥� he said.鈥�

Once he finished hiking, Carcia spent hours over the course of three days checking data to make sure he鈥檇 really done it: poring over recordings and maps of the 650 interconnected trails and spurs and giving himself a few days鈥� buffer before the equinox to go back and hike anything he鈥檇 missed.听

鈥淵ou become very sort of intimately aware and connected to the network and its complexities,鈥� he said.听

Carcia himself is no stranger to chasing obscure endurance projects in the Whites. In 2019 he completed a of New Hampshire鈥檚 48 4,000-footers, hiking each one every month of the year.听

After all this, there are few people who know the as intimately as Carcia.听

鈥淕oing into this project, I already knew that I was going to love it and loathe it the entire time,鈥� he said. 鈥淎t this point, in a really beautiful way, there aren鈥檛 a lot of surprises. It鈥檚 really tough hiking, and it鈥檚 a long road through the valley and up over the peaks and back to where you started. But you know, I love it nonetheless.鈥澛�

The post This Hiker Trekked all 650 Documented Trails in the White Mountains in One Summer appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.