Trail Archives - 国产吃瓜黑料 Online /tag/trail/ Live Bravely Fri, 28 Mar 2025 23:02:55 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.7.1 https://cdn.outsideonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/favicon-194x194-1.png Trail Archives - 国产吃瓜黑料 Online /tag/trail/ 32 32 Mud Season Is Coming. Are You Ready to Survive It? /outdoor-adventure/hiking-and-backpacking/hiking-in-mud/ Sat, 29 Mar 2025 08:00:29 +0000 /?p=2699729 Mud Season Is Coming. Are You Ready to Survive It?

First step: Accept that mud is inevitable on any trail

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Mud Season Is Coming. Are You Ready to Survive It?

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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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.

  1. 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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My Favorite Road-to-Trail and Gravel Running Shoes /outdoor-gear/run/road-to-trail-running-shoes/ Fri, 28 Feb 2025 22:15:11 +0000 /?p=2652089 My Favorite Road-to-Trail and Gravel Running Shoes

The cross-over running shoe category is growing, with multiple new models that excel on different types of roads and trails

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My Favorite Road-to-Trail and Gravel Running Shoes

In the past two years,听 a handful of brands have leaned into鈥攐r doubled down on鈥攖he category of shoe that can both run smoothly on pavement and keep you from falling on your face on a trail. Several brands, like Craft Sportswear and Salomon, have introduced what they鈥檙e calling their 鈥淕ravel鈥� category of shoes, aiming to piggyback on the explosion in popularity of gravel cycling.

I鈥檓 a fan of the increased attention to the category, as I have always run a mix of road and trail within one run and love a good shoe that can handle multiple types of surfaces. But I鈥檓 finding there鈥檚 a difference between true road-to-trail shoes and gravel shoes.

What Road-to-Trail Shoes Excel At

A true road-to-trail shoe is perfect for my favorite neighborhood loop, which looks something like this: Walk down a sidewalk past a few houses to a path that cuts through the middle of a community garden. There, I run across wood chips, weeds, and hard dirt. Hit the sidewalk and run concrete for about a mile, crossing two busy streets and chugging up a steep, quarter-mile-long hill. At mile 1.3, I hit the ribbon of dirt next to a sidewalk that takes me to rocky singletrack through tall grasses up, and then down, a very steep, loose, rocky hill with a killer view of the Boulder Flatirons. Negotiate a very narrow, windy strip of dirt next to a sidewalk. Cross a paved street. Run tight singletrack through grassland over rocks and ruts and that climbs gradually, then steeply to the highpoint of my run. Descend a dirt fire road riddled with rocks and ruts and with steep wooden steps at the bottom. Run pavement roughly a half-mile downhill, hop up onto the sidewalk, cross a busy street. Run on concrete sidewalks home.

For the kind of runs where the surface changes from road to trail and back a few times, I want a shoe that can handle all sorts of terrain. A straight-up road running shoe and its cushioning and flexibility would offer a smooth ride on the paved sections, but lack traction, protection, and security on the trail segments. A trail-specific shoe, on the other hand, would keep me sure-footed and secure on the rugged dirt sections, but would feel clunky on the road.

I basically want a well-cushioned shoe with traction that doesn鈥檛 clunk on roads but that makes me surefooted on dirt, and that keeps my foot secure and comfortable. And I want that shoe to be 鈥渞unnable鈥濃€攆lexible like a road shoe, not stiff like a hiking shoe.

The kind of dirt I run on this loop (and many other road-to-trail routes I run) is not mild crushed gravel; it鈥檚 more rugged than that. For that reason, I need a shoe that has lugs that grip and an upper that secures my foot in place. I don鈥檛 want my foot sloshing around on a technical trail, especially going up- or downhill.

What Gravel Shoes Excel At

Gravel shoes, in contrast, excel on just that: gravel. They have lightweight, comfortable uppers like road shoes, with some midfoot hold, just not as much as many trail shoes. Their outsoles mimic gravel bike tires, with small lugs in the center and larger ones on the perimeter of the shoes鈥攖o roll smoothly while gripping loose gravel. In shoes with this lug pattern, you don鈥檛 have to worry about spinning out on loose dirt or gravel like you would in road running shoes.

Today鈥檚 gravel shoes kick the snot out of pure road running shoes for running on groomed trails like the gravel path around the Boulder reservoir or the dirt backroads of the high plains. They also run much more smoothly on road than most trail running shoes. But road-to-gnarly trail runs require midfoot hold and better traction than many gravel shoes offer.

My point: There鈥檚 a difference between road-to-trail and gravel shoes, there鈥檚 a time and place for each, and I appreciate both. Here are my current favorites from the latest releases in both categories.

My Favorite Road-to-Trail Running Shoes

Nike Pegasus Trail 5

Nike Pegasus Trail
(Photo: Courtesy Nike)

9.5 oz (men鈥檚); 8.5oz (women鈥檚); 9.5mm offset

This shoe has become my favorite road-to-trail pick, mostly because the midfoot hold feels secure enough to give me confidence on rugged trails, not just flat, gravel roads. I credit the Flywire technology鈥攖hin, lightweight but strong thread鈥攃onnecting the laces to the strobel board (underneath the insole) for that secure feel. Nike鈥檚 ReactX midsole foam feels lively on roads without being too thick or bouncy on trails. The outsole rubber鈥擭ike鈥檚 All Terrain Compound (ATC)鈥攊sn鈥檛 as grippy as the Vibram Megagrip on Nike鈥檚 Ultrafly trail shoe, but the low-profile (3.5mm lugs) do a decent job on technical trails and run fairly smooth on roads. I also like how the rubber wraps around the front of the shoe to protect my toes if (when) kicking rocks and roots.

Best for: Those who want a comfortable, good-looking, truly versatile shoe that can handle rugged trails and run relatively smoothly on roads. This is a good travel shoe.

Craft Nordlite Ultra

Craft Nordlite Ultra
(Photo: Courtesy Craft)

9.3 ounces (men鈥檚), 8.1 ounces (women鈥檚); 6mm offset

This shoe, my top pick last year, still ranks among my favorites for road-to-trail runs. An ample amount of responsive cushioning (40mm under the heel and 34mm under the forefoot) helps this shoe to feel great on hard surfaces, both road and super-firm Colorado dirt. The heel and forefoot portions of the mid- and outsole are decoupled, allowing each segment to move slightly independently, which I find works great on rocky terrain and pavement alike. It鈥檚 flexible for smooth running on roads and gives me agility on the trails as it morphs around rocks, delivering a unique ride that I really enjoy. The outsole鈥檚 3.5mm lugs鈥攕ome smaller, some larger鈥攄o a great job grabbing both loose surfaces and rock while not being so deep that they feel cumbersome on roads. The one-piece mesh upper is comfortable, but I sometimes crave a bit more support/foothold on technical trail sections.

Best for: Those who like a flexible sole with substantial cushioning, a comfortable upper, and enough grip to tackle mildly technical trails.

On Cloudvista 2

On Cloudvista 2
(Photo: Courtesy On)

10.5 ounces (men鈥檚), 8.6 ounces (women’s); 6mm offset

This shoe surprised me, perhaps because of its inconspicuous looks鈥攖he monomesh upper is sleek and somewhat hides some key performance features within the shoe. The mesh on its own keeps out debris and worked great in fresh snow, shedding moisture, even though it鈥檚 not necessarily geared toward water-resistance. And underneath that mesh is a webbing system connecting the laces at the midfoot to underneath the insole (somewhat similar to the Nike Flywire system). The effect is a secure foothold that allowed me to tackle technical terrain without feeling like my feet were slipping within the shoe. On roads, the proprietary Helion foam (gas infused for lightness and rebound) and On鈥檚 Cloudtec pods feel responsive underfoot, while the 3mm traction lugs weren鈥檛 clunky. A two-pronged, semi-flexible speedboard inserted in the midsole adds to the underfoot stability and responsiveness鈥攁nd delivers the classic On ride. One knock: A thin tongue and thin laces made for some pressure on the top of the foot.

Best for: On devotees, those who want exceptional foothold, a stable ride, and responsiveness for road-to-rugged trails or gravel.

My Favorite Gravel Running Shoes

Craft Xplor

Craft Xplor Gravel Shoe
(Photo: Courtesy Craft)

10.5 ounces (men鈥檚), 8.8 ounces (women鈥檚); 6mm offset

Craft goes all-in to the gravel shoe category with the Xplor. The outsole pattern鈥攕maller lugs down the center and larger around the perimeter鈥攁re meant to mimic a gravel bike tire. It鈥檚 a design the brand developed with cycling brand Vittoria, and it grips loose dirt and gravel as intended, while staying out of the way when the surface is smooth and firm. Craft鈥檚 proprietary Px foam (40mm under the heel and 34mm under the forefoot) provides a lively, fun, joint-saving platform for both road and hard dirt/gravel surfaces. The midsole noticeably flares out from the upper, which, combined with the ample foam, creates a stable ride. When the terrain turned to anything off-camber, steep, or technical, I craved a more nimble feel from a more secure midfoot hold.

Best for: Those who run road-to-gravel, road-to-smooth, flat dirt, gravel only.

On Cloudsurfer Trail

On Cloudsurfer Trail
(Photo: Courtesy On)

9.7 ounces (men鈥檚), 8.3 ounces (women鈥檚); 7mm offset

This is a very comfortable, smooth-running shoe. The brand鈥檚 CloudTec Phase tech鈥攐pen pods in the midsole made out of Helion foam, a proprietary gas-infused Pebax blend鈥攁re soft and cushy. The shoe has a slight toe spring, which seems to help it roll smoothly on roads and mild off-road terrain. The outsole features low-profile lugs made out of the brand鈥檚 MissionGrip, which does a good job even on rock. But what keeps this shoe off my 鈥渇avorites鈥� list for my go-to local loop is the somewhat loose-feeling upper. It鈥檚 a comfortable upper, but it doesn鈥檛 hold my narrow foot securely enough to let me hop around rocks and ruts with confidence. Still, this is a smooth-rolling, versatile shoe if you keep it on the gravel.

Best for: Those looking for a super-smooth ride on roads, paths, and light trails.

Salomon DRX Defy Grvl

Salomon DRX Defy Grvl gravel running shoe
(Photo: Courtesy Salomon)

8.7 ounces (men鈥檚), 8.0 ounces (women鈥檚); 8mm offset

The DRX Defy Grvl is Salomon鈥檚 foray into the cross-over shoe category, and they鈥檙e going all-in with the name and design of this shoe. Like the Craft XPLOR, the outsole is modeled after a gravel bike tire, with small lugs in the center (although, only under the forefoot), and larger, chevron-shaped lugs around the perimeter. The pattern works well on gravel and loose dirt. With its Active Chassis鈥攖he brand鈥檚 siderails made of dense foam to offer guidance鈥攖his shoe feels more like a stable road shoe than others on this list. Negative space in the middle of the outsole/midsole also adds a dampening effect, adding to the road shoe-like feel. The upper has enough structure to keep feet from sloshing around on trails, but the shoe feels more at home on moderate rather than rugged terrain.

Best for: Those seeking mild stability in a road-to-gentle trail/gravel crossover shoe. Those who prioritize a lightweight shoe.

Hoka Challenger 7

Hoka Challenger ATR-7
(Photo: Courtesy Hoka)

8.9 ounces (men鈥檚), 7.7 ounces (women鈥檚); 5mm offset

I鈥檓 putting the Challenger 7 to the 鈥淕ravel鈥� section of this season鈥檚 roundup mostly because it doesn鈥檛 handle technical terrain as well as some of the others. I chalk that up to the thick midsole (31mm/26mm for men, 29mm/24mm for women), which makes the shoe more of a monster truck than a ninja. It rolls over terrain, but lacks midfoot stability and ground feel, which makes me a little trepidatious on the technical stuff despite 4mm lugs made of a fairly basic durabrasion rubber. The company says the outsole pattern鈥攕mall lugs in the center, larger around the perimeter of the shoe鈥攊s inspired by gravel bike tires, and the Challenger ATR 7 is super comfortable, and capable, on smooth gravel terrain.

Best for: Hoka devotees, those seeking max cush, heavier runners, those who run gravel roads and road-to-smooth-trail routes.

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Chihuahuas Are the Best Trail Dogs鈥擧ere鈥檚 Why /outdoor-adventure/hiking-and-backpacking/why-chihuahuas-are-the-best-trail-dogs/ Wed, 29 Mar 2023 14:23:18 +0000 /?p=2624773 Chihuahuas Are the Best Trail Dogs鈥擧ere鈥檚 Why

Editor Adam Roy explains why his ultralight four-legged friend is the ideal backpacking companion

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Chihuahuas Are the Best Trail Dogs鈥擧ere鈥檚 Why

From the deck of , you can see the entire Halsey unit of . Below the 50-foot-high fire spotter鈥檚 perch, the forest unfolds in a rolling tableau of ponderosa pine and cedar, split here and there with meadows and tongues of grazed-down grassland and studded with cattle tanks and windmills. I thought it was majestic, but my dog just wanted to get down.

By my feet, Hobbes poked his nose through the bars of the safety fencing and looked toward the ground, his tail between his legs. He looked up at me, licked his nose, and gave his tail a couple of hesitant wags before tucking it down again. All right, he seemed to be saying. This was fun, but don鈥檛 you think we should go back to the ground now? Looking back, I don鈥檛 blame him: Fifty feet is awfully high when you鈥檙e a 5-pound Chihuahua.

Hobbes isn鈥檛 your standard adventure dog. On our local trails in Colorado鈥檚 Front Range, he stands out among the heelers and lab mixes. While they power up the trail, pacing or dragging their owners behind them, Hobbes skitters just to keep up, his nails click-clacking on the rock, or hitches a ride in my pack. But over the years, I鈥檝e become convinced that he and his tiny brethren are the best outdoor dogs out there.

When we first met him in the in Colorado, Hobbes tricked us into thinking that he was a placid dog. He was calm and cool: When we took him on a stroll around the building, he walked at our pace and kept the leash slack. He accepted treats leisurely, and quietly sniffed the noses of any dogs we passed. He had us tricked: Within half an hour of arriving at our house, he was bouncing off the furniture, running laps around our living room and chasing his own tail until he fell over. Our 45-pound 鈥檚 chew toys were the size of Hobbes鈥檚 body, but he stole them anyway, dragging them into the cavernous darkness under the sofa and gnawing on them like a miniature hobgoblin. In true little-dog fashion, he made himself at home by posting up by the window and barking at every pedestrian who walked by.

chihuahua lying on beach
Hobbes catches some rays by Colorado’s Carter Lake.

When I took him on the trail for the first time to a local bouldering area, he brought that same energy with him, chasing butterflies and play-bowing to the other climbers鈥� dogs. If he had little-dog energy, he had little-dog nerves too, but sometimes I found his perspective helpful: As I began to , he took in our surroundings from my pack, then slowly pulled his head inside like a turtle retreating into its shell. Maybe Hobbes was onto something: I stopped and thought again about what I was doing, looking at the rapids downstream and feeling the pull of the snowmelt-laden current around my knees. I backtracked to the bank and found a different place to climb.

Sure, he had a more limited range than the huskies we shared the trail with. But it didn鈥檛 really matter: At 5 pounds, Hobbes was easily light enough to carry when he got tired or I wanted to move fast. (Paradoxically, I was more confident taking him high into the alpine than a bigger dog: If he got injured, I figured, he could always hitch a ride.) Plus, he was good motivation to shake down my pack. On longer trips, I started figuring him and the ounce or two of food he consumed into my base weight, opting for lighter quilts and trimmer tents to make room for the canine I knew I鈥檇 be schlepping.

As for company? You couldn鈥檛 ask for better than Hobbes. While friends鈥� pooches would follow their noses off the trail (and occasionally into the missing pet ads), Hobbes, a hiker with the soul of a lapdog, preferred to stick with the humans. (A good thing, too: A Chihuahua has a lot more natural predators than a Labrador retriever does. At 5 pounds, a determined-enough hawk could theoretically carry him off, and he鈥檚 picked and lost multiple fights with our neighborhood cats.)听 At night, he鈥檇 burrow his way into my sleeping bag and post up in the bend of my knee, a little snoozing, snoring, living .听

Hikers, by and large, think they know what a good trail dog looks like: Strong, fast, enthusiastic for any adventure at any time. But I鈥檓 here to remind you of a fundamental lesson of modern backpacking: Sometimes the smallest things you carry make the biggest difference. Thanks to my portable surveillance system, I’m confident no mountain lion will ever sneak up on me. But more importantly, I’ve got a partner who always keeps an eye on me, who understands, like the best partners do, that sometimes the best things in the woods are the friends you brought with you. I try to honor that on my end too: bringing my spunky, diminutive companion with me is a reminder to tread a little more carefully, a responsibility where I find my own responsibility to myself. And if that isn’t worth adding an extra 5 pounds into my pack, I’m not sure what is.听

This story originally appeared on

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Please Take Your Dog-Poop Bag with You. Thanks. /outdoor-adventure/exploration-survival/please-take-your-dog-poop-bag-with-you-thanks/ Fri, 10 Feb 2023 18:27:09 +0000 /?p=2620273 Please Take Your Dog-Poop Bag with You. Thanks.

We all know that leaving dog feces on the trail is bad form. One editor argues that leaving turd bags behind is worse.

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Please Take Your Dog-Poop Bag with You. Thanks.

This article was first published by .

I see them every single day: Neatly-knotted plastic bags of all colors, sometimes 鈥渄iscreetly鈥� tucked by a trailside boulder, atop a marker post, or, in the most egregious cases, right in the middle of the trail. On my local trails and in the backcountry, abandoned dog-poop bags can seem more common than un-scooped poop. This needs to end.

, perhaps you鈥檝e been tempted to ditch their doodoo, telling yourself you鈥檒l circle back for it later. Sure, I鈥檝e been tantalized鈥攍ike when my dog has a particularly stinky elimination at the least convenient part of a hike (on our neighborhood jaunts, she likes to time it for after we鈥檝e passed the dumpster but before we鈥檝e actually gotten to the trail, maximizing the time I鈥檒l have to carry it). But even when it means toting a putrid package for miles on end, I pack out the dog poop. Because not only is it likely I鈥檒l forget to pick up my trash on the hike out, but also because other hikers shouldn鈥檛 be subject to staring at my garbage, even if it鈥檚 only there for an hour.

In my opinion, leaving a bagged turd on the side of the trail is even worse than not picking it up in the first place. Plastic bags are more visually intrusive than naked droppings, which tend to blend in with the ground. (Mind you, I鈥檓 not condoning this sort of neglect either. And forget the 鈥渙ther animals poop outside!鈥� nonsense鈥攄eer and coyotes are native, your pup isn鈥檛.) As a community, hikers have largely gotten over . You wouldn鈥檛 drop your crushed beer can or candy wrapper on the ground. Why are doggy bags any different?

You wouldn’t leave a snack wrapper on the trail鈥攁nd a poop bag is no different. (Photo: Olga Rolenko / Moment via Getty Images)

鈥淚鈥檒l just pick it up later,鈥� you may say. 鈥淲hat鈥檚 the harm in that?鈥� Temporarily littering is still littering, and your actions signal to others that it鈥檚 OK to do so. The cumulative effect of multiple poop bags degrade the hiking experience for your fellow trail users. And let鈥檚 say you do forget to circle back for that bundle. It鈥檒l take much longer to decompose than unbagged excrement (). Perhaps you justify the act by telling yourself that at least someone won鈥檛 step in bagged waste, but a spoiled view is just as unpleasant as a dirtied boot sole.

Backpackers pride themselves on going days without a shower, sleeping in the dirt, drinking river water, and doing our . So why do we have such a problem carrying some dog poop? In a sealed plastic bag? If properly picked up, carrying your dog鈥檚 poop for a few miles poses no health risk鈥攁nd if you stow it properly, should cause little to no noticeable odor. From licking salsa off a shelter floor to comparing blisters, I鈥檝e seen hikers unflinchingly do much grosser things.

I get it: it can be plain inconvenient to carry out a bag of poop, especially on hikes where you need to keep your hands free. I鈥檝e had to get creative, lashing poop bags to my bike handlebars or carabinering them to the outside of my pack. Hikers are inventive. If you can jerry-rig a broken tent pole or treat a sprained ankle, surely you can find a way to transport a bag of poo with you until it can be disposed of.

The dreaded fecal ornament. (Photo: Chris McLoughlin / Moment via Getty Images)

If you follow the first principle of Leave No Trace (), you won鈥檛 need to enlist that creativity. Poop is inevitable, and every dog owner should have a plan to dispose of it before bringing their pooch along for a hike. No excuses.

If carrying those extra few ounces by hand or shoving it in next to your first aid kit is too much for you, I鈥檒l offer some solutions: Designate a fanny pack or a pocket of your pack as the poop compartment. Bagged poop shouldn鈥檛 leak, but if you still get the ickies, line that pocket with a trash bag or a dedicated, lightweight dry bag. If you really want to go hard on odor blocking, carry an empty coffee bag or some

Even better? Get your pooch a backpack. If you don鈥檛 want to carry out your dog鈥檚 excrement, make them do it! Your pup won鈥檛 mind the smells, and can also carry their own water and treats.

If you still feel tempted to ditch that plastic bag trailside? It鈥檚 time to find a dogsitter, and hit the trail by yourself instead.

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The Food 国产吃瓜黑料 Editors Always Bring on the Trail /food/the-food-outside-editors-always-bring-on-the-trail/ Thu, 26 Jan 2023 17:25:56 +0000 /?p=2618853 The Food 国产吃瓜黑料 Editors Always Bring on the Trail

From powdered eggs to fresh apples to entire sausages, here鈥檚 the chow that keeps us going

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The Food 国产吃瓜黑料 Editors Always Bring on the Trail

Everyone has a different strategy for staying fueled on the trail. Some of us听, some of us stake out the time to prepare gourmet meals for our friends, and others just figure out whatever has the most calories per ounce and pack that. There are only two ironclad rules of backcountry eating: Whatever you bring has to have enough calories to keep you moving, and it has to taste good. We polled Backpacker and 国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 editors about the snacks, ingredients, drinks, and meals that always make their way into their food bags. This is what they said.

Powdered eggs

Powdered Eggs

Researchers may be going back and forth on whether eggs are good for you, but they鈥檙e a staple part of this ovo-lacto vegetarian鈥檚 diet. At home, I like a good fried egg served on toast, hash browns, or even herbed chickpeas. I鈥檓 not willing to carry those plastic egg cases they sell at REI, though, so when I鈥檓 backpacking, powdered egg crystals are my go-to.

If that phrase makes you gag, you鈥檙e not alone鈥擨, too, once turned my nose up at powdered eggs. (The fact that one of the most commonly available brands is named听, which may be the grossest play on words I鈥檝e ever seen printed on a food package, doesn鈥檛 help.) But if you鈥檙e willing to reserve your judgment and give them a try, you may be pleasantly surprised. No, they鈥檙e not as good as the cage-free dozen you get from the grocery store, but they do a damn good impression of them, scrambling up flavorful, if not听quite听as fluffy or creamy. I鈥檝e used them to make French toast in a Montana fire tower and paired them with another one of my pack staples, instant ramen, for one of my favorite easy dinners. (Prefer your eggs over-easy? Sorry, can鈥檛 help you there.)鈥擜dam Roy, Backpacker听executive editor

lemonade mix
(Photo: Courtesy)

Lemonade Mix

On the trail, staying hydrated is a chore. First you have to find water (easier in some places than others), then purify it, plus the task of actually drinking enough to replenish what you sweat out. I鈥檓 more of a sipper than a chugger myself, so on hot days, drinking enough听and听replenishing electrolytes can feel like a losing battle. Plus, at high altitudes or on high exertion hikes, I don鈥檛 always have an appetite for the snacks my body needs. Sports drink mixes can solve these problems, but they鈥檙e not always the most affordable (or delicious). Enter a staple in my food bag: the humble lemonade mix.

It鈥檚 a solver of many problems. Dehydrated, but need to force the liquids? Lemonade goes down easy. In need of a quick hit of energy, but no time or appetite for snacking? A few sugary gulps will power you up that last climb. Questionable filtered water not tasting so fresh? Boy, do I have a product for you. It鈥檚 cheap, delicious, and just what the doctor ordered after a day under the blazing sun. A handful of single-serve packets take up no space in my pack, so I always have a few floating around between trips. Lemonade has saved me from many a bonk, so I won鈥檛 be leaving the house without it any time soon.听鈥擹oe Gates, Backpacker senior skills editor

Chorizo
(Photo: Jultud / Moment via Getty)

Cured Chorizo

Most backcountry meals need three things at least things to be delicious and substantial: fat, seasoning, and protein. Salami of any sort offers all of those things鈥攑lus, it鈥檒l last forever in your pack. My own personal secret weapon is cured chorizo rioja (not the raw variety, of course), which I regularly chop into bite-sized pieces and fry in a pan until some of the fat renders out and the chorizo is crispy. I then use that intoxicating chorizo oil, which is perfumed with smoked paprika, garlic, and oregano, to cook the rest of the dish鈥攃ouscous to dehydrated risotto. There are many wonderful artisan salumi brands out there, but听, a Portland, Oregon-based brand with excellent meat-sourcing and impeccable consistency. As a major bonus, it doubles as a delicious trail snack in place of your typical jerky or summer sausage.听鈥擝enjamin Tepler, gear editor

chai
(Photo: Courtesy)

Chai

I hate coffee. I鈥檝e tried to like it. I鈥檝e drowned it in milk, sugar, and pumps of flavoring until I shouldn鈥檛 have been able to taste it, but even after all of that, the drink still had a faint dirt taste to me. Honestly, I鈥檇 rather be tired than drink coffee each day. My taste buds have the same hesitation for most teas, too. More than anything in the backcountry, though, I want something to warm and wake me up each morning. I thought I was a lost cause, but finally, after lots and lots of attempts,I found my perfect match: Tazo Vanilla Caramel Chai.

If you鈥檙e iffy on coffee or tea, this is the perfect option for you. The added vanilla and caramel make it warm and inviting, which I prefer to the abrasive and bitter taste that can come with your typical cuppa. Better yet: These added flavors are so tasty that I don鈥檛听need听a sweetener or creamer for the tea. I can鈥檛 go on a backpacking trip without a tea bag or two anymore鈥攊t鈥檚 my favorite thing to sip while watching the sun rise over the horizon. It鈥檚 got a little caffeine to kick-start your day, between a third and a half-cup of coffee鈥檚 worth, so you鈥檒l be awake, but not jittery. These听听take up no space in my pack and weigh just 2.5 grams each, so they鈥檙e a hassle-free hygge treat before hitting the trails each morning. If you have the space for it, you can sprinkle in some powdered milk to make a backcountry chai latte. But, really, the tea is enough on its own.鈥擡mma Veidt,Backpacker assistant skills editor

apples
(Photo: Steve Terrill / Corbis via Getty)

Apples听

I always tire of dried, dehydrated, and otherwise processed food when I鈥檓 backpacking, but it鈥檚 hard to pack fresh options. Avocados leave you with messy trash (although I also regularly bring them along), bananas and oranges involve peels, but apples鈥攚ith a little gumption鈥攃an be eaten whole. Crisp, refreshing, and hardy enough to handle being jostled around in a pack for a few days, they鈥檙e the perfect companion to some sweaty cheese (another staple) for a midday snack. Depending on my trip length, I try to ration out one a day. Any more than three apples is a little too much to tote, but if you go with a buddy and are open to sharing, you could be eating fresh fruit for nearly a week.听鈥�Abigail Barronian, senior editor

ginger chews
(Photo: AoiHone / iStock via Getty)

Ginger Chews

There鈥檚 something for me about lodging a听听in the back corner of my mouth during long walks in the woods that really adds quality to my cadence, adds a kick in the ass to open up the senses and canter afield in good taste. Ginger chews (which, bonus, can often be found in bulk aisles) are long-lasting treats that straddle sweet and spicy. They鈥檙e also a non-negotiable must-have in my backpack to hedge against unforeseen stomach discomfort while in the backcountry, and I make sure to pack enough for everyone. Plus, they鈥檙e dense, near-weightless, and intense as hell, which means you can鈥檛 really binge too hard on them.听鈥揘icholas Triolo, Trail Runner senior editor

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