Tag:

hiking

A screenshot of a route being built on gaiagps.com.
Gaia GPSHow-To

How to Plan a Hike with Gaia GPS

by Abby Levene
written by Abby Levene

The best — and safest — hikes start before you reach the trailhead. Like cooking a delicious meal, going on a delightful hike requires some advanced preparation. Taking a little time to scout out the area and map out a route can save you far more time and stress once you actually head out the door.

Gaia GPS offers powerful planning tools to help you make that game plan. Find and create your hike at home. Download your maps onto your phone. Then navigate to the trailhead and follow your route with ease, even if you go out of cell service.

In this tutorial, Gaia GPS expert Ryan walks through how to plan a hike at home using gaiagps.com. You’ll learn how to:

  • Search and maneuver around the map to find the location you’re looking for.
  • Add waypoints to flag your starting location, finish, and key stops on the way.
  • Use Gaia GPS’s snap-to-trail planning tool to quickly and accurately map out the route.
  • Scout out the area using additional map layers.
  • View the map in 3D to get a better sense of the terrain.
  • Check out the elevation profile so you know what to expect on your hike.

Before you head out for your hike, check out more tips for planning your trip, including how to choose your destination, what to pack, and the hazards you might encounter along the way. For more tutorials on using the Gaia GPS app, visit the Help Center.

To access the entire Gaia GPS map collection, download your maps for offline use, and save your routes, get a Gaia GPS Premium Membership.

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A runner smiles while running down a trail through a burn path.
Gaia GPSHow-To

How to Start Trail Running

by Abby Levene
written by Abby Levene

Photo credit: Ashleigh Thompson

Trail running is like hiking’s high-octane cousin. The two activities accomplish a similar objective: travel along a beautiful singletrack trail, often in the wilderness, on two legs. But by moving lighter and faster, running allows you to cover more territory in less time. And thanks to its sustained aerobic component, running transforms even city parks into rewarding adventures. Whether you want to cover a multi-day backpacking route in one day, efficiently train for a thru-hike, or simply discover a rejuvenating exercise regime, trail running can enhance a hiker’s life.

Professional runner and coach Sandi Nypaver sees how hikers can benefit from adding trail running to their repertoire.

“There’s a lot of beauty in hiking and taking a little more time to see everything around you,” Nypaver says. “But it can also be satisfying and enjoyable to cover more ground and see more views or be able to get more miles of trail time in on days you’re short on time.”

Here’s what you need to know to make the leap.

Hiking vs. Trail Running: Similar but Different

Photo credit: Thomas Woodson

Before you lace up some trail running shoes and hit the trail, it’s useful to keep in mind that trail running differs from hiking. Hikers possess a strong aerobic base, durable joints, and wilderness skills essential to thrive as a trail runner. While hiking and running use the same cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, the two movements use those systems in different ways.

Walking and running require distinct gaits. Think back to when you started hiking. While you probably didn’t get sore walking around your neighborhood, your whole body might have ached after climbing a mountain. The switch to trail running feels similar. Hiking primarily engages your quads, while trail running uses your glutes, feet, quads, calves, and even biceps.

Running is faster than walking. Your muscles need to contract harder with each step. They also get less time to recover between steps, making you fatigue faster. Plus running is higher impact, placing more stress on muscles, bones, and joints. Running’s added strain on the body increases your chance of injury if you’re not careful, professional runner and coach Sage Canaday warns.

How to Start Trail Running

a runner passes by mountains with a touch of fall color.
Photo credit: Adam Edwards

Pick a Trail
Pick a route that’s on the shorter side when you’re starting out. Just like with hiking, you want be cognizant of the vertical gain—climbing will require more energy and time. Consider dedicating some days to flatter trails, and even gravel roads and bike paths, to work on your running efficiency. Good running form translates from the flats to the mountains. Intersperse flatter days with more climbing days to give your body time to recover. Your calves will be sore at first!
You can, of course, combine hills and flats into one run. In fact, Nypaver suggests picking a trail with rolling hills so you can let the terrain help ease you into the sport.

“You could hike the uphills and then run the downhills, focusing on good form and listening to your feet as they hit the ground to make sure you’re not landing too hard.”

Let the course dictate when to run and when to walk, and you will start to acclimate without even realizing it.

Know Where to Go with Gaia GPS
Just like with hiking, use Gaia GPS to discover trails and routes. Map out a route of your choosing, and look at the elevation profile and trail surfaces to get a sense of how long the run may take. Several maps prove particularly useful:

Gaia Topo Map

Gaia Topo shows trails, paths, and hidden unmaintained roads that are perfect for running. This recently updated map makes it easy to find and plan out routes ahead of time. You can even tap on a trailhead or landmark to find suggested routes in the area.

Best yet, this vector-based map is tiny and fast to download for off-line use. The map takes up very little storage on your phone so you can download huge swaths of land, even your entire state, in minutes.

Nat Geo Trails Illustrated

This gorgeous set of maps provides incredibly detailed data on many trails and national parks across the US. Zoom in to see quick tips written on the map, like fording slippery streams, and how many miles until the next water source. National Geographic Trails Illustrated maps show mileage markers between sections of trail, trailheads, amenities, and parking areas.

Satellite with Labels

Topo maps prove invaluable, but sometimes you need a birds-eye view of the terrain to get a sense of what a place actually looks like. Use this satellite imagery layer to see if a trail winds through the trees or over an open plain, for example. Such information helps you decide if you should bring a visor for the sun, or a jacket for a windswept mountain top.

Gaia Streets

A beauty of trail running is that, contrary to its name, it can be done pretty much anywhere. Don’t be afraid to run on surfaces other than trails. Switching up your routine will only make you better at running. The Gaia Streets layer allows you to navigate urban areas with ease. Find city staircases to practice running hills, discover obscure paths through parks, and map out routes that optimize quiet sidewalks and minimize traffic light stops.

USFS Roads and Trails

This is Gaia GPS’s most frequently updated map layer, so it often contains roads and trails that are not available on any other map. This layer also highlights the surface and condition of the trail or road, so you won’t have to guess if you’ll be running on two-track, single track, pavement or dirt.

USGS Topo

The official map of the US Geological Survey, the USGS Topo quilts together all the USGS quadrangle maps for the contiguous United States. These maps are large-scaled to 1:24,000, bringing the character of the landscape into sharp focus if you’re skilled at reading topographic maps. Check out this article if you need to brush up on your topo map-reading skills.

You can use the web map on gaiagps.com to find routes and trails, and plan your run on the big screen. Log into your Gaia GPS account on your computer, and any routes you map out on the web will automatically synch to your Gaia GPS app. Just make sure you “show” the route on the map in the app.

Tip: download maps for the region you will be running through so that you can still access them if you lose cell service. At the start of your run, start recording your track so that you can easily retrace your steps if needed. Plus recording your track will allow to you visualize your run afterward and to repeat the route again.

Start Short and Easy

Sandi and Sage power hike up a mountain. They both are using trekking poles and are wearing hydration vests.
Sandi Nypaver and Sage Canaday in Colorado’s Sawatch mountains.

Start with short distances to stay healthy. While you may be in incredible shape from hiking, your body still needs ample time to adjust to running. Don’t be afraid to throw in walking or hiking breaks as needed. In fact, the best trail runners in the world still hike steep and technical climbs. Listen to your body when it tells you to walk.

Intersperse running days with rest, hiking, or other cross training days like cycling or swimming. In the beginning, aim for running two to three days a week, with at least one day off in between. This cadence will give your body enough time to recover between sessions, while also providing enough stimulus to allow your body to adapt and improve. After a couple of weeks, you can start working your way up to more runs each week.

Listen to Your Body, Not Your Watch
Try not to worry too much about your pace. Setting an arbitrary pace objective isn’t productive. And the pace you will run on smooth surfaces versus rocks and roots, flat terrain versus hills, will wildly vary. Again, practice listening to your body. As running grows more comfortable, try incorporating some fartlek-style runs. Fartlek, or “speed play” in Swedish, refers to adding unstructured intervals to your run. Pick a landmark down the path and run hard to it, then recover for a few minutes while running easy, and do it again. Mixing up the speed within your runs will help you grow faster and stronger.

Trail Running Gear

General rule of thumb — you need less gear than you think. Here are the essentials:

  • Phone: Download your maps for offline use beforehand so you can navigate as needed. Plus, having a phone on you provides an insurance blanket for emergencies when you have cell service.
  • Trail Shoes: Find a pair of trail shoes that work for you. Everyone’s feet are different, so relying on reviews can only get you so far. “Try on different pairs to see what feel you like and works with your running form,” Canaday recommends. Go to your local running store and test out some options to see what you like. Also consider the terrain you will be running over. The wet, rocky, root-laden trails of the White Mountains require a shoe with more grip and protection than the buttery mountain bike trails of the Marin Headlands. If you anticipate running over a lot of rocks, look for a shoe with a solid rock plate to protect your feet.
  • Waist Belt: Optional, but super useful to hold your cell phone and keys. Items like the Naked Band or Ultimate Direction Utility Belt can hold a surprising amount of things without bouncing or falling off.
  • Anti-Chafe Product: Sweating plus friction leads to painful showers. Prevent chafing with something like Squirrel’s Nut Butter or another anti-chafe product.
  • Traction: If you plan on running through a snowy or icy winter, traction will help save you from slipping. Nano spikes usually suffice for roads. Micro spikes open up a window of possibility for running over snowy, icy trails. Kahtoola and Black Diamond make durable and effective options for both.

Once you graduate to longer runs, especially in the mountains, a few more items prove useful:

  • Hydration Pack: A lightweight, running-specific pack lets you carry fluids, snacks, and additional layers you may need for longer or especially hot outings. Try on a few options, if possible, to see what fits best on you.
  • Soft Flasks: For fluids. These will typically come with a hydration pack.
  • Water Filter: If you know you will pass by running water, consider carrying less water and filling up along the way. To do this, you should invest in a water filter.The Katadyn BeFree is an efficient and effective option.
  • Hiking Poles: If you already love your hiking poles, don’t worry — they still prove useful for big mountain runs.

Apparel
While you can run in whatever you like, you may want to consider investing in a few comfortable, functional pieces of running apparel:

  • Lightweight and wicking shirt: Will keep you cool in the heat and warm in the cold.
  • Shorts: Or tights that allow full range of motion without bogging you down with extra fabric.
  • Socks: While it might seem superfluous, well fitting, wicking socks can make the difference between finishing a run with intact feet or blistered feet.
  • Windbreaker and Gloves: a light windbreaker that folds into itself for easy storage and a light pair of gloves re useful for mountain summits. Canaday points out that while you will stay warmer running than hiking, you may also sweat more. So if the weather changes as it often does in the mountains, having a layer to keep you warm is still important.

Fueling and Hydration
Just like with hiking, you need to properly hydrate and fuel to keep going. “You need a lot more calories and hydration drink mixes than you think!” Canaday says. On longer runs or hot days, consider adding some electrolytes to your water, or bring salt pills. Since you lose both water and electrolytes when you sweat, you need to replace both to keep your body and mind functioning. Eating on the run can prove tricky at first. But the more you practice, the more comfortable it will feel. Experiment with foods to see what your stomach and mind can tolerate. Drink mixes, gels, chews, gummies, and candy bars are a sugary albeit relatively safe place to start. Tail Wind, Skratch Labs, SiS, and Maurten make some of the most tasty and digestible endurance fuels on the market. Peanut butter pretzels provide a savory and relatively digestible sustained source of sustenance. Aim to DTYPC (drink ‘til you pee clear) and consume 200 to 300 calories an hour.

Find a Community

Whether virtual or in-person, finding a group of runners can be an effective way to learn, have fun, and find motivation. Join running groups on Facebook or other social networks to get new route ideas from people in your area and to find running buddies. You can also find local running groups by checking in with your local running store. Nypaver suggests that womxn look into their local Trail Sisters chapter.

Play to Your Hiking Strengths

As a hiker, you’re already strong at walking up hill. Lean into that! Use your trail intuition, and listen to physical and psychological queues to determine when you should slow down, and when you can push a bit harder if you like. Have fun practicing hoping over rocks and roots on the descents. It may feel foreign and slow-going at first, but you improve immensely with practice. And most importantly, remember why you’re out there: to have fun.

“Whenever you’re learning something new, leave the self-judgment at home,” Nypaver says. “Find your inner kid-like joy to help you along.”

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A screenshot of a Gaia GPS desktop map shows color-coded by use trails on the updated USFS map layer.
Gaia GPSNew FeaturesNew Maps

Find Trails for Hiking, Biking, and Offroading with the USFS Roads and Trails Layer

by Mary Cochenour
written by Mary Cochenour

Pursue Your Favorite Activities with Color-Coded Trails in the USFS Roads and Trail Layer

The USFS Roads and Trails layer displays color-coded trails for different activities so you can see if your favorite outdoor activities, like hiking, biking, motorcycling, and horseback riding, are allowed on your next trail destination. Each color on the map signifies which activity is allowed on the trail. Click on the trail and a pop-up displays even more information, including the name of the trail, all of the allowed uses for that trail, and trail specifications and characteristics.

Whether you are wondering where to ride your mountain bike or looking to avoid areas that allow bikes and motor vehicles, this layer makes it easy to find the right trail for your next adventure.

The USFS Roads and Trails Layer

The USFS Roads and Trails layer shows maintained routes, 4×4 trails, backroads, and little-known paths across U.S. national forests and grasslands. This map contains many routes unavailable in any other map in Gaia GPS, including water routes, winter-only routes, and canoe trails. Road labels indicate the level of maintenance and accessibility by passenger vehicles.

The new color-coded trails in this updated layer display the permitted uses on the trails. Trails colored with a dashed black line indicate trails open to hiking. Green indicates a trail open to horseback riding, red open to mountain biking, and purple open to motorcycles and ATV use. A blue dotted line signifies a water route and light blue shows a winter-use trail. Gray double-dashed lines display 4×4 routes and dirt roads.

Two mobile phone screen shots of the updated USFS layer in Gaia GPS show the allowed uses for trails in Helena National Forest, as well as the surface material and tread width needed for vehicles.

Tap the trail and a pop-up displays the trail name, the trail number, all the allowed uses for that specific trail, the grade of the trail, and the trail’s surface material and tread width.

The USFS Roads and Trails layer is designed to lay on top of your favorite base map. Pair it with Gaia Topo, USGS Topo, or Open Cycle Maps HD, just to name a few, to find the best trails for your next adventure.

How to Add the USFS Roads and Trails Layer

Access the USFS Roads and Trails layer with a Premium Membership. Add the layer by clicking the layers icon, select Add Map Layer, tap Feature/Weather Overlays, scroll down and add the USFS Roads and Trails layer. Layer it on top of Gaia Topo or use it with your favorite base map. For tips on adding the USFS Roads and Trails and any other layer on Gaia GPS, visit this help center article.

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A group of backpackers walk single file along a trail with mountains ahead.
Gaia GPSHow-ToOut and Back Podcast

Out and Back: How to Train for Hiking Season

by Abby Levene
written by Abby Levene

How to listen: iTunes | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox

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The days are getting longer and warmer — hiking season is well on its way! But for many of us, nearby trails are still covered in ice and snow. And for many more, we’re cooped up in the city or live in geographical regions as flat as a pancake. How can we gear up for summer adventures?

Personal trainer Billy Gawron of Backcountry Fitness is here with answers. This week on Out and Back, Shanty and Abby chat with Billy about training for hiking, backpacking, and thru-hiking season. Billy equates getting in shape to building a house. You have to start with the foundation.

“If you try to build a house on top of a really crappy foundation, the house is not gonna last very long,” Billy says. “So you want to make sure that you solidify not only your core stability, but your stability around all your joints.”

Whether you’ve spent a little too much time on the couch this winter, are confined to the city, or don’t have access to a gym right now, don’t worry! Billy is here to walk you through how you can build a strong body and mind right at home. Billy has backpacked all over the world and specializes in training his clients to get ready for all types of backcountry adventures. He delivers his keen insight into training for big mountain days while confined to small spaces and flat, concrete cities.

Billy shares the number one thing we should all start working on right now and gives us the key to balancing strength work with endurance training. He breaks down some pervasive myths about training, including if you actually need to train at all.

Billy answers the most pressing hiker questions, like how to train your feet and ankles to withstand long days with a heavy pack, how to prevent pesky and debilitating knee pain, and how to prepare for altitude while at sea level.

If you’re dreaming up some big plans for the summer, you won’t want to miss this episode. In the meantime, check out Backcountry Fitness on the web, where you can find free training plans and can hire Billy as a coach, and follow Backcountry on Instagram for daily training tips.

Two hikers smile while standing in front of a lake with mountains in the distance.

Episode Highlights:

4:25: Meet Billy Gawron, personal trainer and founder of Backcountry Fitness.

5:50: Billy shares the story of the client who inspired him to specialize in getting people ready for backcountry adventures.

8:30: Billy and his fiancée have hiked and backpacked all around the world together.

10:20: Shanty tells the most ridiculous story that has been told on this podcast to date.

12:00: Billy resolves some of the biggest myths in hiking, backpacking, and thru-hiking.

20:00: How you can start preparing for hiking/backpacking season from right at home, right now. (Hint: we’re starting with the core.)

22:20: Do you sit all day? If so, you are a basket of injuries waiting to happen. Billy is here to help.

29:00: Shanty is eager to hit the gym with the heavy weights. Billy weighs in….

31:05: How many days do you have to train? How do you balance strength and cardio?

32:35: What kind of cardio is best to get ready for hiking season, especially if you’re confined to the city or somewhere flat? How hard should you work?

36:19: Billy explains why doing a bunch of HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) is not necessarily going to help you for your summer adventures.

37:35: What’s the minimum amount of time you need to devote to a workout?

40:50: When it comes to strength training, more reps at lower weight is going to help you out more than single max reps.

42:40: Billy explains why he loves SPT (Sustained Push Training). It combines cardio endurance and strength work all into one.

46:30: Knee pain? The problem most likely is not your knee.

49:20: Billy, who used to work at a running speciality store, advises on the best shoes for training, running, and hiking.

52:00: Learn how to become comfortable being uncomfortable now, so you’re mentally ready for your adventures later.

56:30: Can you prep for your altitude adventures from sea level?

1:01:45: Want more tips from Billy? Check out his app.

1:03:00: Billy is training for his honey moon — hiking Kilimanjaro with his fiancée!

Last episode: Adrian Ballinger

Adrien smiles while on top of a snowy mountain. He's got his arms raised and is holding an ice axe in one hand.

Alpinist Adrian Ballinger has made a career of climbing the Himalaya’s 8,000-meter giants. Since 2008, he’s summited Mount Everest eight times, including once without supplemental oxygen. But perhaps the biggest hurdle Ballinger has surmounted has been overcoming family and societal pressure to live a life outside of what’s true to himself.

In the last episode of the Out and Back, Ballinger takes hosts Shanty and Mary all the way back to his unusual foray into the outdoors growing up in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Though he fell in love with climbing, nobody ever thought he’d make a job of it. In fact, an undercurrent of pressure to study medicine swept him away to college. He earned his bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University and was accepted to Georgetown’s medical school. But Ballinger deferred enrollment to indulge in one glorious gap year to “get the mountains out of his system.” One year turned into two years, and, well, let’s just say his parents weren’t impressed. Decades later, and well into his 40s, Ballinger is still scrambling up mountains on his “break” between undergraduate and graduate school.

In this fun and lighthearted chat, Ballinger speaks openly about the challenges and realities of guiding clients up the world’s highest mountains. Ballinger takes us to that fateful encounter on the side of Mount Everest, where he met the love of his life, professional climber Emily Harrington.

Tune in to learn more about how you can explore the mountains with Ballinger’s company Alpenglow Expeditions. Follow Ballinger on his Instagram page and watch the couple’s YouTube channel DangerstikTV for some real-life Adrian/Emily entertainment. Watch Breathtaking, a documentary about Ballinger’s climb on K2 without supplemental oxygen.

Next episode: Vasu Sojitra

A skier with a leg difference sends it down a mountain. He is using outrigers and one ski.

Growing up in India and Connecticut, Vasu Sojitra’s ascendence to becoming a professional skier may seem unlikely. Not to mention that he was born to Indian immigrants who did not understand the sport. And that he has a lower leg difference, and taught himself to ski with one leg and no prosthetic.

But Vasu doesn’t lean into excuses. In fact, he embraces who he is.

“That’s the thing about disability culture — we are one of the most resilient communities on this planet, which is awesome to be a part of,” Vasu says on Out and Back. “People think we’re fragile. People think you have to tiptoe around our disability.No. We are kicking ass.”

On the next episode of Out and Back, Vasu tells his story from having his leg amputated at nine months old to climbing peaks like the Grand Teton and backcountry skiing Montana’s Beartooth and Bridger mountain ranges. He’s even landed a 720 on skis, which is a first for an adaptive skier.

Vasu shares how he uses his engineering degree to problem solve equipment strategies for skinning up the mountain with one ski. And he explains how he brings an intersectional framework to the outdoors to lift those up around him and to help make these sports more inclusive to everyone.

You can follow Vasu’s adventures and advocacy on Instagram. Check out his newest venture, Inclusive Outdoors Project. And you can learn more about Vasu on his website.

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Backcountry SkiingGaia GPSHow-To

Winter Hiking Safety Guide: How to Stay Warm and Plan Ahead

by Corey Buhay
written by Corey Buhay

Winter hiking offers the ability to test out new skills, push your physical limits, and experience a landscape transformed by either snow or an open tree canopy. Plus, in many places you will have the trails all to yourself, making winter one of the best times to seek solitude in nature.

However, the same things that make winter hiking special also introduce unique considerations for preparedness and safety: colder temperatures, empty trails, and shorter days reduce your margins for error. Snow can also impair visibility and obscure navigational handrails.

In this article, you’ll learn how to pack for winter excursions, what hazards to expect, how to stay fueled and hydrated in the cold, and how to navigate in snowy conditions. This guide also includes tips for diagnosing and treating cold-related illness and injury in case of an emergency.

Included in this guide:

  1. Hazards of hiking in winter terrain
  2. Fuel and hydration for hiking in cold weather
  3. Navigation in winter conditions
  4. Essential winter hiking gear
  5. Winter first aid

Hazards of Hiking in Winter Terrain

Anu stands in a snowfield with jagged peaks in the background. He's holding hiking poles and carrying a big backpack.

Winter can radically alter a landscape, giving it both otherworldly beauty and unique dangers. Here are a few to be aware of before you set out.

Ice

In the winter, melt-freeze cycles can turn trails into slick ribbons of ice. Similar conditions can result when snow on popular routes becomes compressed over time. Slips on icy trails usually only result in bumps and bruises, but a bad fall can cause more serious back, ankle, or wrist injuries. Pack traction (see “Essential Winter Hiking Gear,” below) and metal-tipped trekking poles for extra stability in icy conditions.

Tree Wells

Skiers, snowboarders, and snowshoers can all fall victim to tree wells, which are pits of deep, unconsolidated snow that form around tree trunks. The danger occurs when skiers or riders skim too close to the edge of the pit, which is often obscured by evergreen boughs, and fall in head-first. Experts estimate that 90 percent of tree well victims are unable to escape the soft, deep snow on their own—one reason why solo tree-well victims often succumb to suffocation. Avoid traveling alone in snowy, forested terrain, especially just after a snowstorm. Stay in sight of your partner and be ready to call for help and excavate them if a fall should occur.

Avalanches

An avalanche is a mass of snow moving down a slope. In the US, avalanches kill 25-30 people and injure many more each winter. Most victims of avalanches are backcountry skiers and snowboarders, snowmobilers, and ice climbers, but oblivious hikers occasionally get caught in slides, as well. Avalanches can occur above and below treeline. About 95% of avalanches start on slopes that are 30 – 45 degrees in steepness, but the snow can travel all the way into flat terrain that appears safe to the untrained eye. Before you head out, consult trip reports, topo maps, and local experts to make sure your hike won’t take you into avalanche terrain. You can view your local avalanche report, another invaluable resource, at www.avalanche.org. If you’re a skier, check out this comprehensive guide to planning a backcountry ski tour and avoiding avalanche terrain.

Steep Snow

The adventure and challenge of kicking steps into steep, snow-covered slopes makes snow climbing appealing for many. However, it’s often more technical than it looks, since slipping on a steep slope can send you sliding for hundreds of feet. Make sure you know how to assess snow conditions, use crampons, and self-arrest a fall with an ice axe.

Many snow climbs also cross avalanche terrain, so if you’re bagging winter summits—make sure you’re familiar with avalanche safety first.

Glaciers

Glaciers guard many of the U.S.‘s most iconic summits. While there are many permanent snowfields throughout the West (some of which are misnamed as glaciers), for the most part, true glaciers only exist in the far north and in the Pacific Northwest. These active glaciers move and form cracks over time, and these fissures (called crevasses) can be hidden under snow, making unexpected, fatal falls a possibility. Don’t venture across glaciated terrain unless you’re experienced with snow travel and glacier navigation. This includes brushing up on your crevasse-rescue skills.

Fuel and Hydration for Hiking in Cold Weather

coffee cup, backpack, snowshoe and bench on snow

Harsh conditions can a toll on your body, and cold weather can affect your natural hunger and thirst signals. Having a strategy for fueling and hydrating is vital to a successful winter hike.

Eating to Stay Warm

Fighting your way through snow, using ski poles, and wearing heavy clothing can all cause you to burn more calories in winter than in summer. Consume plenty of fats and carbohydrates during the day to keep your energy levels up. Bonus: All that food also serves as fuel for your internal furnace. The more you snack, the warmer you’ll be.

Keep in mind that in very cold temperatures, you’ll need snacks that don’t freeze solid. (Below freezing, Snickers bars and many protein bars are tooth-breakers.) Some great options:

  • nuts or trail mix
  • beef jerky
  • dehydrated drink powders
  • milk chocolate
  • chips or pretzels
  • deli meat and cheese
  • crackers or tortillas
  • peanut butter sandwiches
  • slices of pizza
  • banana or pumpkin bread

Staying Hydrated in Winter Weather

The other secret to staying warm is staying hydrated. Drinking water thins your blood, allowing it to reach further into the capillaries that extend into your fingers and toes. Unfortunately, breathing cold, dry air can leave you dehydrated, and cold temperatures reduce your body’s perception of thirst.

The amount of water you should consume varies dramatically based on things like activity level, personal sweat rate, altitude, and how cold/dry the air is. For that reason, experts warn against offering set hydration recommendations due to fears of people forcing liquids and therefore succumbing to hyponatremia. They instead recommend hikers to drink when they’re thirsty (even though that’s compromised in winter), and/or to drink consistently at breaks.

Consider bringing hot tea or cocoa in a thermos and sipping whenever you take breaks.

Keep Your Drinks From Freezing

Wide-mouth water bottles like Nalgenes are more resistant to freezing than narrower bottles or bladders, which have more surface area exposed to the cold. If your bottle is uninsulated, fill it with warm water and store it in your pack upside-down. That will ensure that any ice forms at the bottom of the bottle rather than freezing the lid shut. You can also add some DIY insulation: cut a strip of foam from an old sleeping pad and duct-tape it around the bottle.

hikers in a blizzard with low visibility

Most of the time, navigating in winter is harder than navigating in summer. Snow can obscure landmarks, terrain features, and even the trail. Fog and blowing snow can also snuff out visibility, making it impossible to orient yourself.

Before setting out on a snowy hike, brush up on your foundational navigation skills first. Then, download a navigation app like Gaia GPS. Use it to plot your route, set waypoints to mark the parking area or any campsites, and download topo maps for offline use. That way, if snow or fog rolls in over the trail, you’ll still be able to follow your route and get an idea of the terrain ahead.

If you decide to hike in snowy, foggy, or unpredictable weather, always record a track. That way you’ll be able to retrace your steps, even in zero visibility.

Weather and Conditions Overlays to Help you Prepare

These top-recommended map sources will take your trip planning and preparedness to the next level.

Snow Depth Overlay

Snow depth overlay over Salt Lake City

Check the approximate depth of the existing snowpack to make educated decisions about necessary gear and preparation.

24-, 48-, and 72-hour NOAA Snowfall Forecast overlays

Snowfall 24-hour forecast over Seattle

Keep an eye on upcoming snowfall to help inform your gear choices and to predict the likelihood of avalanche and tree well hazards.

24-, 48-, and 72-hour NOAA Precipitation overlays

24-hour Precipitation Overlay over Mt Hood National Forest

Use rainfall forecasts in conjunction with temperature forecasts to predict icy conditions and to pack the right layers. Rain can also be a factor in avalanche likelihood.

Slope-angle shading overlay

Avalanche-savvy skiers and riders can use the slope-angle shading overlay to help inform their analysis of avalanche terrain.

Base Maps for Winter Travel

ESRI World Satellite imagery

Satellite imagery over Half Dome in Yosemite National Park

Get an idea of expected tree cover and other landscape features with advanced satellite imagery.

Gaia Topo

Gaia Topo over Yosemite Valley

Stay on-trail even when it’s under snow with Gaia GPS’s proprietary worldwide topo map. Gaia Topo also includes labeled backcountry huts and ski runs in many areas.

Essential Winter Hiking Gear

hiker traversing snow ridgeline on a sunny day

As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as bad weather, just the wrong gear. You can stay warm, dry, and comfortable in any weather—even heavy snow and strong winds—if you’ve packed the right equipment.

Winter Hiking Apparel

A proper layering technique is at the crux of ensuring a comfortable winter hike. Opt for wool and synthetics, which dry more quickly and retain some warmth even when wet, over cotton, which can sap heat from your body when damp. Make sure you have plenty of moisture-wicking and waterproof layers to choose from in case of temperature swings. Remember to remove layers before you start sweating (damp clothing will leave you feeling clammy and chilled) and add layers to trap heat when you stop for breaks. It’s easier to stay warm than to get warm.

You can find more information and best practices on how to layer for winter hiking in this in-depth article.

If you’re expecting icy, snowy, or wet conditions, make sure you have shoes with built-in waterproof liners (often Gore-Tex). Boots are better than low-tops in snow. If there are more than a few inches of accumulation, add gaiters to keep it from getting into your boots. Also, be sure to pack a hat and gloves.

Flotation for Snow Travel

For loose, unconsolidated snow that’s more than several inches deep, consider snowshoes, or nordic—they’ll help you float on top of the snow rather than sinking in. While sinking knee-deep into snow (known as “postholing”) is a great workout, it will leave you sweaty and exhausted, reducing the mileage you can cover. Plus, being dehydrated, damp, and low on calories can leave you a candidate for hypothermia.

Traction for Winter Conditions

If you expect packed snow or icy conditions, bring some form of traction to prevent slips. Often, it’s smart to bring both traction and flotation, as snow conditions can change drastically throughout a hike as tree cover and wind activity change.

For packed snow or less challenging terrain (think flat trails or rolling hills), you can often get by with chains or spikes that bungee over your shoes. These are available at most outdoor stores.

Additional Winter Hiking Essentials

Whenever you need traction or flotation, you’ll also need ski poles. (Hiking poles will work for bare or icy ground, but not for snow; the baskets on ski poles keep them from sinking in so far that they become unusable.) The poles will help you propel yourself up hills and stay balanced on slick or uneven ground. Goggles or wrap-around sunglasses can also be smart to protect against wind or blowing snow.

Tools For Advanced Winter Travel

An ice axe and crampons can assist you in exploring steep and icy terrain. It’s best to take a snow-travel clinic with a local guide service to learn how to use an ice axe and crampons. A guide will be able to help you practice these skills in a safe environment until they become second nature.

Backcountry skis are an efficient way to travel longer distances in unpacked snow.

Mountaineering, ice climbing, and backcountry skiing often involve exposure to avalanche terrain. We recommend avalanche safety courses as part of your training for these activities. Learn more here on the Education page at Avalanche.org.

Winter First Aid

Jagged, snowy mountain peaks with tent in foreground

Wilderness first-aid is a complex topic, and it’s best administered with complete knowledge from a trusted source. Before you head out on your next big trip, consider taking a hands-on wilderness first aid class, many of which can be completed in just a weekend. The education could save your life.

Here’s a list of reputable course providers:

These courses will teach you more about cold-related injury and illness, but here’s a refresher of some of the most common winter medical emergencies:

Hypothermia

Prevention
Hypothermia occurs when your internal body temperature dips below 95°F. While it’s more common in sub-freezing temperatures, it can also occur in temperatures as warm as 50°F if your clothes are damp and there’s a bit of wind. The bottom line: Always bring plenty of layers, including a windproof and/or waterproof layer, when you head outdoors. Do everything you can to keep those layers dry.

Symptoms
Some of the signs of mild hypothermia include:

  • shivering
  • rapid breathing
  • fatigue
  • impaired speech or coordination.

More serious hypothermia can cause additional symptoms:

  • severe confusion
  • extreme drowsiness
  • low or irregular heartbeat
  • cessation of shivering without any significant warming

Treatment
If you or your hiking partner starts to exhibit symptoms, stop and treat the condition right away.

  1. Put up a tent or find another shelter.
  2. Remove any wet clothing from the affected person, and have him or her layer up with all the spare dry clothing you have.
  3. Have the person sit or lay on a sleeping pad, and wrap him or her in a tarp or sleeping bag. Skin-to-skin contact can also be useful in rewarming.
  4. Give the patient sugary snacks and plenty of fluids (heat warm water or make tea or cocoa if you can). Don’t venture back out until the person is completely warm.
  5. If he or she doesn’t start to warm up, is exhibiting signs of moderate to severe hypothermia, or isn’t able to take in food or water, call for rescue.

Frostbite

Prevention
Frostbite—and its precursor, frostnip—most often affects the fingers, toes, ears, nose, and other extremities left exposed to the cold. Prevent frostbite by keeping your hands and feet warm and dry, and ensuring good circulation by wearing properly fitting boots and gloves. Always pack a hat and extra gloves, and wear a scarf or balaclava in very cold temperatures.

Symptoms
Signs of frostnip include:

  • excessive redness or paleness
  • numbness
  • a tingling or burning sensation

When the lack of blood flow has gotten more advanced, frostbite sets in. Symptoms of frostbite include

  • skin that’s both pale and hard to the touch (it may have a waxy appearance)
  • blisters
  • a purple or black hue in more advanced stages

Treatment
Rewarm frostnip immediately. Do not rewarm frostbite in the field unless you’re absolutely sure that you can prevent refreezing, which can cause even more damage. Always avoid rubbing frostbitten tissue, as that can intensify injury as well. Instead, try to prevent further cooling, and get to help immediately. If help is more than a few hours away, read more about rewarming in the backcountry. Wilderness medicine is often complicated, so we always recommend getting professional training before administering any advanced first aid — see the section above on Hands-On Wilderness First Aid Training.

Snow Blindness

Prevention
Snow blindness is essentially a serious sunburn to the eyes, often caused by light reflected off snowy or icy surfaces. Always wear polarized, UV-blocking, full-coverage sunglasses, goggles, or glacier glasses in snowy conditions, even when there’s not full sun.

Symptoms
Symptoms of snow blindness don’t typically set in until hours after the injury has occurred. They include pain, redness, and, of course, impaired vision. Some describe the cornea as feeling scratchy or gritty, like “having corn flakes under your eyelids.” In extreme cases, total but temporary vision loss occurs.

Treatment
Snow blindness usually clears up on its own, though it can take one to three days. Keep your eyes closed and bandaged as much as possible during this time.


*Note: Always consult with a medical professional or seek qualified training before undertaking any medical treatment on your own. Always call for rescue or professional help if symptoms seem serious and you’re unsure of how to proceed.

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Scott Turner smiles over his shoulder while standing on a rocky overlook. A desert valley with surrounding mountains sprawls out behind him. He's loaded down with his hiking backpack and apparel.
Gaia GPSOut and Back Podcast

Get the Most out of Your National Park Trip with Guide Book Author Scott Turner

by Abby Levene
written by Abby Levene

How to listen: iTunes | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox

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This week on the Out and Back podcast, we’re joined by hiker, guidebook author, and licensed therapist Scott Turner. Turner has written guide books to five national parks, plus his home of San Diego county, CA. He shares insight on how to get the most out of a one-day visit to a national park, including insider tips for beating the crowds, and ways to get off the beaten path at Sequoia, Zion, Bryce, Kings Canyon, and Joshua Tree National Parks.

Growing up, Turner’s family took road trips to national parks. He loved hiking and reading the glossy guidebooks. Turner rekindled his passions for both hiking and guidebooks as an adult when he visited his girlfriend in San Diego. Looking for something to do, the guidebook Afoot and Afield on his girlfriend’s shelf caught his eye. Turner started hiking the suggested routes, and was intrigued by the book’s take on hiking safely. He’s hiked over 1,000 miles each year since. It didn’t take long for Turner to combine his passions for hiking and writing. Turner began writing trail guides for the popular hiking website Modern Hiker, and wrote a revised edition to Afoot and Afield shortly after that.

Scott sits on a rock with his arms folded on his knees. He's holding a sunhat. Canyon walls loom behind him.

Turner shares what it takes to write trail descriptions and entire guidebooks to places. You won’t want to miss this episode to get insider secrets on the best off-the-beaten-path hikes in several national parks, and the best times of year to go. Turner outlines the importance of planning to make the most of a one-day visit to a National Park:

“The more time and effort you put into your preparation, the more successful your experience is going to be.”

He explains why dropping into the visitor’s center is worth those few minutes, and why you should focus on hiking within one area of the park rather than wasting precious minutes driving aimlessly to landmarks. Turner does our first podcast day-trip pack shakedown. He runs through everything he brings in his day-hiking pack, and everything you should bring to have fun and stay safe on a day hike. He talks about two forms of navigation, at least two liters of water, and advises to bring more food than you think you need. Turner breaks down the “10 essentials” to pack in case you need to survive an unplanned night outside.

Turner lays out his case for why really early morning wake-ups are worth it to maximize your adventure. And he explains why he almost always hikes in trail running shoes instead of hiking boots. You’ll also hear about Turner’s favorite National Park, and how hiking helps him be better at his day job as a family and marriage therapist. Last but not least, Shanty and Turner break down the best hiking Pop-Tarts flavors.

You can learn more about Turner and find his guidebooks on his website. Follow Turner’s adventures on Instagram, and connect with him on Facebook.

Three of Scott's national parks guidebooks lie on the floor: Zion and Bryce; Joshua Tree; and Sequoia and Kinds Canyon.

Episode Highlights

3:20: Scott has written hundreds of trail descriptions.
3:45: Scott’s upbringing planted the seeds for his hiking and writing passions.
5:50: How a book sitting on his girlfriend’s shelf inspired him to learn how to hike safely.
8:00: Scott starts exploring the diverse landscapes of San Diego county.
12:00: Scott starts writing for LA-based Modern Hiker in 2014. He’s written 300 articles since.
13:30: Scott revises Afoot and Afield, which entailed hiking all 250 hikes, plus another 250 hikes.
15:30: How to write a trail description.
19:00: Scott works with Mountaineers Books to write pocket-sized guidebooks to national parks.
20:40: Scott’s guidebooks contain itineraries for people visiting national parks for one to several days.
21:25: How to get the most out of your one-day visit to a national park. (Prep and planning are key!)
22:10: Why to get to the park early.
22:50: Pick an area within the park, and hike to the best spots in that area.
23:15: Scott’s one-day itinerary for Sequoia National Park.
24:30: Scott’s one-day itinerary for Kings Canyon National Park.
27:00: The benefits of an interpretive hike, and why stopping in the visitor’s center is worthwhile.
28:00: Scott’s favorite hike in Zion National Park.
30:00: Scott’s tips on how to enjoy Joshua Tree National Park.
33:25: Why Scott starts hiking really early.
35:00: Scott’s books contain the deep cuts, less busy trails that you may have never heard of.
36:35: Scott shakes down his pack, laying out everything he brings on a day hike.
38:30: Why Scott avoids wearing cotton.
39:25: Scott’s favorite snack to take hiking.
40:15: Why Scott almost always prefers trail running shoes to hiking boots.
41:25: The “10 essentials” you need to survive an unplanned night outside.
42:45: Scott’s books also contain activities for people who don’t hike.
43:53: Scott shares an insider secret about where to hike in the fall.
45:00: Scott is enduring a record fire season in California.
46:25: Scott divulges his next guidebook.
48:10: How hiking helps Scott at his day job as a marriage and family therapist.
50:30: Scott’s favorite national park.
51:10: Scott’s favorite place to go hiking that isn’t a national park.
53:00: Scott and Shanty break down the best Pop-Tarts flavor for hiking.

Next week: The Real Hiking Viking Joins Shanty to Interview The Trek Founder Zach “Badger” Davis

Zach "Badger" Davis smiles for the camera. He's wearing a baseball cap and a backpack, and is standing in a field.

Next week, backpacking superstar the Real Hiking Viking joins Shanty to chat with Zach “Badger” Davis. Badger is a thru-hiking legend and founder of the top backpacking resource theTrek.co. Davis also hosts the informative, funny, and popular Backpacker Radio podcast.

Badger delves into how he essentially went straight from not hiking at all to thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail. Those six months turned out to be the most formative time in his life. Everything went wrong on that first thru-hike, including contracting West Nile virus. But Badger’s stubbornness carried him to the finish. He shares how his puzzlement over the “Virginia Blues” led him to write Appalachian Trials. Badger and Viking dig into the unlikely start to their friendship, and unearth some wild stories from their joint PCT thru-hike.

Seasoned and aspiring thru-hikers alike won’t want to miss this episode. The three men delve into how trails provide therapy, the inexplicable catharsis of overcoming seemingly impossible feats, and they share a lot of laughs. Also, learn more about the Real Hiking Viking on episode two of the Out and Back podcast.

Learn more about Badger on theTreck.co. Follow his adventures on Instagram, and tune into his podcast, Backpacker Radio.

Last Episode: Her Odyssey

Fidgit and Neon smile for the camera while carrying their backpacking packs and trekking poles. They are standing in front of a forest.

Last week, we caught up with world adventurers Bethany “Fidgit” Hughes and Lauren “Neon” Reed for an update on “Her Odyssey,” their journey across the Americas. Hughes and Reed have spent the last five years hiking, biking, and paddling their way across South and Central America, Mexico, and the United States on their non-motorized tour of the American continents. The long-distance hikers are now hunkered down in the States waiting for Covid to subside before finishing off their adventure in the northern most part of North America.

Tune in to learn how Hughes and Reed traveled through the wilderness in foreign countries, their incredible and heartwarming interactions with locals they met along the way, and some tips for treading lightly through indigenous regions and cultures. We also get the inside scoop on what it takes to dream up a massive project like this, their safety plans, and how their contrasting personalities serve their expedition mission in unique ways. Don’t miss this episode if you want to learn about getting off the tourist path in South and Central America.

Learn more about Hughes, Reed, and Her Odyssey on their website. Follow them on Instagram and Facebook. Support their mission, or just simply buy them a meal, on Patreon.

Meet the Hosts

the host of the podcast Andrew Baldwin wearing an orange hat and blue jacket with a frosty beard, smiling

Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

In 2019, host Andrew Baldwin completed a southbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. After five months on the trail, Baldwin returned home to pursue a career in voice acting. A friend of the Gaia GPS company, Baldwin was a natural choice for hosting the Out and Back podcast.

In each Out and Back episode, Shanty strives to bring you conversations with people who spend an extraordinary amount of time outdoors. Listen in as Shanty taps into each backcountry expert’s superpower so that you can take their knowledge and experience with you on your next adventure.

Mary smiles while lying down and resting her head on a rock. She's wearing a purple jacket, gloves, and a black buff around her ears.

Mary Cochenour

Mary is the Out and Back podcast producer and a writer and editor at Gaia GPS. Before joining Gaia GPS, Mary worked as a lawyer, newspaper journalist, ski patroller, Grand Canyon river guide, and USFS wilderness ranger. Mary holds degrees in journalism and business as well as a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Montana. Mary is licensed to practice law in Montana and Nevada.

When she is not in the office, Mary works as a guide for Andrew Skurka Adventures in wild places around the west, like Rocky Mountain National Park, Yosemite, and the Brooks Range in Alaska. Learn more about Mary on Instagram. Also, read her tips on how to plan your first solo backpacking trip.

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Rue McKenrick smiles for the camera while hiking in the desert. The image is overlaid with "Out and Back: Rue McKenrick."
Gaia GPSOut and Back Podcast

The American Perimeter Trail: the Newest Long-Distance Hike

by Mary Cochenour
written by Mary Cochenour

How to listen: iTunes | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox

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Right now, the longest hiking route in America is being designed, mapped, and tested. The American Perimeter Trail circles the contiguous United States to make a 12,000-mile loop of existing trails, roads, and off-trail travel.

Long-distance hiker Rue McKenrick dreamed up the route after completing America’s thru-hiking Triple Crown of the Appalachian, Pacific Crest, and Continental Divide trails. He craved another engaging long-distance hike in the US, so he scoured the maps. When he couldn’t find another long trail to hike, he imagined a route that connected the Pacific Crest Trail to the Appalachian Trail through the states in between.

In June 2019, McKenrick left his home in Bend, Oregon to scout the best track for the American Perimeter Trail. He’s hiked some 8,000 miles since. McKenrick started his journey with a walk south along the Pacific Crest Trail. At the end of the Sierra, he turned east to walk across the Mojave desert through Death Valley. He’s walked across Texas and beyond.

Rue McKenrick hikes across a barren desertscape. He's carrying hiking poles and a backpacking pack.

In this interview, Shanty catches up with McKenrick during a town stop in western Michigan. McKenrick explains what inspired the American Perimeter Trail project, his vision for the trail, and the unbelievable encounters he’s experienced the way.

Hear about how he navigated his way around massive swaths of private property in Texas, endured police questioning for having a backpack and an “accent,” and what happened when shots were fired over his head.

McKenrick gets real with Shanty, revealing the one item he takes with him on every journey — an open heart.

“An open heart allows you to experience what’s in front of you without judgment and thinking it should be different,” McKenrick says. “An open heart allows you to say, ‘This is the time right now. This is it. There’s no past and there is no future’.”

Check out the American Perimeter Trail website and follow McKenrick’s journey with real-time updates on Instagram and the American Perimeter Trail Facebook page. Check out the American Perimeter Trail YouTube channel.

Episode Highlights

0:50: What is the American Perimeter Trail?
3:50: How Rue got into backpacking.
4:50: Rue grew up near the AT in PA and enjoyed spending time alone.
5:20: Rue got lost at summer camp.
7:10: Rue talks about his first long-distance hike: the AT.
8:00: Rue’s motivation to get into long-distance hiking.
9:30: What Rue learned about himself while pursuing the Triple Crown.
10:30: Hiking the AT redeemed Rue’s faith in humanity.
11:15: Hiking deepened Rue’s empathy towards others.
12:45: Aligning personal and professional values.
13:20: Rue lives a leave-no-trace lifestyle, even in the front country. He hasn’t driven a car in 10 years!
14:30: Rue hiked the PCT in 2005.
14:50: Rue hiked the CDT in 2007.
15:30: Rue felt like his life was taking a more domestic turn, but it never happened.
16:30: Existential introspection led Rue to create the APT.
17:40: Rue’s desire to explore the US before he goes back abroad.
18:30: The now-or-never reckoning moment that led Rue to start hiking the APT.
20:00: Goal of the APT is conservation through recreation.
22:30: Backpacking is like sandpaper. It’s smoothed out a lot of Rue’s edges.
24:00: The APT is not a finished product.
26:00: No long-distance trail is ever complete.
28:30: How Rue started building the APT.
30:00: A lot of Rue’s route decisions are day-to-day on the trail.
31:00: Rue doesn’t like to plan, but he prepares.
35:40: How Rue got through the waterless stretches of Death Valley.
39:00: How Rue is navigating the route.
40:20: Importance of staying found.
40:50: How Rue sees a 3D world when he looks at a map.
42:30 More of the APT is off-trail than on.
43:30: How Rue got through Texas, a state where only 4.2% of the land is public.
46:30: Challenge of thru-hiking through terrain without long-distance trail communities.
46:50: Someone shot at Rue.
47:00: How Rue navigated having guns pulled on him in a store.
52:20: The most discouraging thing Rue has encountered multiple times on the trail.
56:50: How Rue picks up essential items while on the trail.
57:00: Social isolating: Rue’s COVID-19 coping strategy while out on the trail.
58:30: The challenges of thru-hiking during a pandemic that you may not have considered.
59:45: Thru-hiking requires both soft and hard skills. The APT takes both to the max.
1:00:25: Funding the trip while on the trip.
1:00:30: How many times Rue will re-up gear on this project.
1:05:30: The one luxury item Rue can’t hike without — an open heart.
1:06:40: The best trail magic Rue has ever received.
1:08:10: The people who inspire Rue.
1:11: How people can support the APT.

Next Episode: Backcountry Foodie

Aaron Owens Mayhew smiles while eating a bowl of pudding in the backcountry. An alpine lake and mountains are in the background.

In 2017, registered dietitian Aaron Owens Mayhew quit her job to hike the PCT. The only catch: she hated — and hated paying for — freeze-dried meals. Meal planning for a five-month thru-hike felt impossible, as did carrying enough nutritious food. So Owens Mayhew put her culinary expertise to work. Her thru-hike didn’t go as planned, but Backcountry Foodie was born.

In episode 11 of the Out and Back podcast, Owens Mayhew shares stories from her two decades of backpacking and the behind the scenes of how she created her popular backpacking food website and meal planning service. She also shares how you can cut down on food weight while eating healthier and delicious meals on the trail. And get ready for the big news: Backcountry Foodie is transitioning from a do-it-yourself website to selling packaged meals so you don’t have to bother prepping the food at home.

Check out Backcountry Foodie’s website and Instagram for backcountry cooking tips and inspiration.

Last Episode: Hiking Africa, the Himalayas, and the PCT in Winter with Justin Lichter

Circle back to the last episode of the Out and Back podcast with world adventurer and author Justin “Trauma” Lichter. Hear Lichter’s wildest stories from across the globe, including how stampeding elephants and stalking lions stopped him in his tracks on his attempted thru-hike of Africa. Learn about his high-altitude traverse of the Himalayas and the trip that made the most headlines — becoming the first person, with Shawn “Pepper” Forry, to successfully complete the Pacific Crest Trail in winter.

Justin Lichter backcountry skis across a wind-swept snowfield. Barren, rocky peaks jut out of the snow behind him.

Lichter gives insights to the challenges and rewards of international adventure travel and the complications of winter travel on the PCT. And he digs into what motivates him to keep pushing the limits in the outdoors.

“The challenge — to see what what you can handle and what you can’t handle — that’s that’s definitely part of it,” Lichter explains. “And the other part that keeps you going is just seeing these places. It’s just rewarding. When you’re out there at the twilight in the alpenglow and nobody’s out there, it’s just an amazing moment.”

Lichter is truly an expert of backcountry travel in all its forms: hiking, skiing, and bikepacking. In fact, he’s the source of trail details and information on many of National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated maps. Tune is as Lichter discusses avalanche safety, winter gear, and international resupply strategies.

To learn more about Lichter, check out his website: www.justinlichter.com. Tap into his knowledge by reading one of his many books, including: Trail Tested: A Thru-Hiker’s Guide to Ultralight Hiking and Backpacking and Survive: Mountains.

Meet the Host: Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

the host of the podcast Andrew Baldwin wearing an orange hat and blue jacket with a frosty beard, smiling

In 2019, host Andrew Baldwin completed a southbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. After five months on the trail, Baldwin returned home to pursue a career in voice acting. A friend of the Gaia GPS company, Baldwin was a natural choice for hosting the Out and Back podcast.

In each Out and Back episode, Shanty strives to bring you conversations with people who spend an extraordinary amount of time outdoors. Listen in as Shanty taps into each backcountry expert’s superpower so that you can take their knowledge and experience with you on your next adventure.

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Out and Back: Will "Akuna" Robinson is superimposed over an Image of Akuna hiking.
Gaia GPSOut and Back Podcast

How Hiking Heals with Will “Akuna” Robinson

by Mary Cochenour
written by Mary Cochenour

How to listen: iTunes | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox

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When Army veteran Will Robinson returned home from a combat tour in Iraq, he struggled with depression and PTSD. He spent more and more time at home, withdrawing from civilian life and turning to alcohol for self-medication. One day, he flipped on the TV and saw Reese Witherspoon wrestling with an oversized backpack in the movie “Wild.”

That movie scene took Robinson back to his deployment overseas when he read a book about hiking the 2,660-mile Pacific Crest Trail. Inspired, Robinson shut off the TV and got to work planning his hike. Just two weeks later, Robinson put two feet on the trail and began walking north.

That first PCT thru-hike “was like an epiphany,” Robinson says. “I really, really enjoy through hiking. This is going to be my life. This is for me. It’s not just that I want to come back next season because I had a goal and I feel like I didn’t accomplish it. I want to come back next season because I love this lifestyle and it’s helped me so much and I enjoy it so much. I just need to go back.”

Dubbed “Akuna” on the trail, Robinson sat down with Shanty for episode 8 of the Out and Back podcast. He engages in a frank discussion about how the trail helps him find purpose, community, and the space and time he needs to focus on himself. He recounts how the PCT hike allowed him to address his PTSD and depression. Inspired by the way the trail made him feel, Akuna continued on to hike the Appalachian Trail and the Continental Divide Trail — becoming the first Black man to complete the Triple Crown of long trails in America.

Akuna hugs a pole signifying the US/Canadian border and also the end of the PCT.

Tune in as Robinson talks about being the first Black man to complete the Triple Crown, what that achievement has meant to him, and how all the hateful comments on social media mentally drained him. Akuna also touches on the recent flood of media requests in his inbox regarding speaking about the issues people of color face in the outdoors. He explains what he believes his fellow hikers can do on trail to make the outdoors a more welcoming place for people of color, and what it means for outdoor brands to become better allies. Laid back yet passionate about hiking, Akuna highlights the healing nature of trails everywhere, whether long, short, or in between.

Learn more about Akuna on his brand new website www.akunahikes.com and follow Akuna on Instagram to catch a glimpse of his latest adventures.

Episode Highlights

3:50: Akuna describes his upbringing living in Germany as a military kid and coming back to New Orleans.
6:30: Racism is real; it is not a made up thing.
7:05: Akuna did not grow up backpacking and camping, but enjoyed being outside as a kid.
8:45: Akuna’s dad told him that joining the military was out of the question.
9:15: An Army recruitment officer diverted Akuna from going down the wrong path in 1999 when he was a young man.
11:10: Akuna served in Iraq and was medically evacuated and sent home to New Orleans.
13:45: Upon returning home, Akuna underwent a number of surgeries and struggled with PTSD.
18:20: The military was not yet prepared to addressed the number of soldiers coming home with PTSD.
18:30: Akuna fell into a downward spiral, getting worse and worse. His room at home became a prison and he withdrew from social interactions.
20:00: Akuna knew he had to do something drastic to get out of this situation.
20:20: He looked up at the TV and saw the movie “Wild” and it inspired him to hit the Pacific Crest Trail.
21:20: Akuna thought “this is where I need to be” and two weeks later he was in Campo ready to start the trail.
24:30: Social interaction is the best part of Akuna’s thru-hiking experience.
27:15: Learn how Akuna earned his trail name.
28:20: Akuna loves the desert section of the PCT.
30:35: How thru-hiking helped alleviate Akuna’s PTSD and Depression symptoms.
39:00 Akuna is dealing with injuries on the PCT and has to leave the trail.
45:00: Akuna comes back and completes the PCT and goes on to nab the AT and CDT, becoming the first Black man to complete the Triple Crown.
48:00: Akuna shares his experience on each of the three trails and the benefits of each.
51:03: Akuna inadvertently completed the Triple Crown.
54:10: Akuna is proud to be first Black man to achieving the Triple Crown because it provides an example to other people of color that they can complete the trails too.
55:40: The community response to his Triple Crown achievement was overwhelming.
56:00: Akuna is sponsored by Merrell.
57:00: Since George Floyd’s murder, Akuna and other Black and BIPOC athletes’ phones have been ringing off the hook.
59:00: Akuna’s advice on how hikers and outdoor brands can be better allies to people of color in the outdoors.
1:04:10: Akuna took a mental health break from social media recently.
1:05:00: What’s on Akuna’s bucket list of hikes? You will NEVER guess.
1:08:05: Favorite trail town food: milkshakes.
1:09:00: Shout out to Erick Schat’s Bakery in Bishop, California, Akuna’s favorite trail town stop.

Next Episode: Justin “Trauma” Lichter on Lessons from Africa, the Himalayas, and a Winter Traverse of the PCT

You won’t want to miss the next episode of Out and Back with world adventurer and author Justin “Trauma” Lichter. Hear Lichter’s wildest stories from across the globe, including how stampeding elephants and stalking lions stopped him in his tracks on his attempted thru-hike of Africa. Learn about his high-altitude traverse of the Himalayas, and the trip that made the most headlines — becoming the first person along with Shawn “Pepper” Forry to successfully complete the Pacific Crest Trail in winter.

Lichter backcountry skis up a mountain. He has a a full backpacking pack on his back, and craggy mountains jut into the bluebird sky behind him.

Lichter gives insights to the challenges and rewards of international adventure travel and the complications of winter travel on the PCT. And he digs into what motivates him to keep pushing the limits in the outdoors:

“The challenge — to see what what you can handle and what you can’t handle — that’s that’s definitely part of it. And the other part that keeps you going is just seeing these places. It’s just rewarding. When you’re out there at the twilight in the alpen glow and nobody’s out there, it’s just an amazing moment.”

Lichter is truly an expert of backcountry travel in all its forms: hiking, skiing, and bikepacking. In fact, he’s the source of trail details and information on many of National Geographic’s Trails Illustrated maps.

To learn more about Lichter, check out his website: www.justinlichter.com. Tap into his knowledge by reading one of his many books, including: Trail Tested: A Thru-Hiker’s Guide to Ultralight Hiking and Backpacking and Survive: Mountains.

Last Episode: Thru Hiking Budgets and Urban Backpacking Routes with Liz “Snorkel” Thomas

Snorkel smiles as she reaches out a hand filled with blueberries. She stands in a field, with a full backpacking pack on her back.

If you’ve ever wondered how much money it takes to set off on a long thru-hike like the Appalachian Trail or the Pacific Crest Trail, guess no more. In this episode, Shanty tackles thru-hiking’s financial costs with author, gear reviewer, and dedicated long-distance hiker Liz Thomas. Known as “Snorkel“ in the trail community, Thomas gives an honest and realistic picture of a thru-hiker’s budget. Learn Snorkel’s philosophy on buying gear, ways to save money in trail towns, and get a glimpse at hidden expenses that most hikers never even consider.

Snorkel also takes us out of the wilderness and onto the city sidewalk with 14 urban trekking routes across American cities. From Los Angeles to Seattle, Snorkel created 100-mile hikes through metropolitan areas to make the joy of thru-hiking more accessible to people who enjoy the comforts of civilization. The best part of urban thru-hiking, Snorkel says, includes checking out city art exhibits, walking through neighborhoods you never knew existed, and getting to eat the most delicious trail food for every meal. One of her favorite routes samples all the breweries in Denver. While not the most economical thru-hike, these trips provide a unique way to experience the hustle and bustle of any metropolis.

Learn more about Liz Thomas and her urban thru-hikes on her blog and follow her on Instagram. Follow Snorkel’s latest adventure: Treeline Review, a comprehensive gear-review website that helps you find and buy the right equipment the first time around. Read her book Long Trails, Mastering the Art of the Thru-Hike and her recent Falcon Guide, Hiking Waterfalls Southern California: A guide to the Region’s Best Waterfall Hikes, released in November 2019.

Meet the Host: Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

the host of the podcast Andrew Baldwin wearing an orange hat and blue jacket with a frosty beard, smiling

In 2019, host Andrew Baldwin completed a southbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. After five months on the trail, Baldwin returned home to pursue a career in voice acting. A friend of the Gaia GPS company, Baldwin was a natural choice for hosting the Out and Back podcast.

In each Out and Back episode, Shanty strives to bring you conversations with people who spend an extraordinary amount of time outdoors. Listen in as Shanty taps into each backcountry expert’s superpower so that you can take their knowledge and experience with you on your next adventure.

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The Real Hiking Viking Thomas Gathman standing on a trail sign, giving thumbs up signal. with Out and Back podcast logo on right side of frame
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The Out and Back Podcast, Episode 2 with The Real Hiking Viking

by Mary Cochenour
written by Mary Cochenour

How to listen: iTunes | Google Play | Spotify | Stitcher | Pocket Casts | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox

The Out and Back podcast drops its second episode today with thru-hiking legend the Real Hiking Viking. In this episode, meet free-spirited and fun-focused Thomas Gathman, who picked up the Viking trail name due to his Norse-like beard and his warrior status as a former Marine Scout Sniper. Viking served two combat tours in Iraq before coming home, selling all his possessions in 2013, and hiking more than 20,000 miles on America’s longest trails.

Tune in as host Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin goes beyond the iconic beard and unravels Viking’s often-overlooked journey from sniper to pro hiker. Viking shines a light on how he was first introduced to thru-hiking culture and what inspired him to step on the trail in 2013 and never look back.

Episode 2: the Real Hiking Viking on his Journey from Sniper to Pro Hiker

Fresh out of the Marine Corp in 2012, Thomas Gathman crossed paths with some Appalachian Trail thru-hikers. They completely blew his mind.

“This Appalachian Trail thing isn’t just this idea of a trail, there are people walking from Georgia to Maine every year in this big, mobile community .. my brain exploded at the idea of it,” Gathman said of his first realization of what the thru-hiking community had to offer. “I was talking to these thru-hikers and, yeah, they were gross, they were dirty, they were stinky and I was, like, enamored by it.”

Nine months later, without any real backpacking experience, Gathman set out on his own Appalachian Trail thru-hike. Returning home to Pennsylvania with a trail name and a new direction in life, Gathman sold all his belongings and left town. Since then, one trail has led to another, taking Gathman to completions of the AT, the Pacific Crest Trail, the Continental Divide Trail, and many more.

Thomas Gathman, also known as the Real Hiking Viking, with mountains in the background.
The Real Hiking Viking in his element.

In this Out and Back episode, Gathman brings an honest account of trail life, recounting both successes and failures, including failed attempts at the Pacific Crest Trail, two winter bail outs of the Long Trail, and a botched try at the Hayduke Trail. Gathman reveals his easy-going, free-spirited approach to hiking, bouncing from mountain range to mountain range in search of the best conditions and most beautiful scenery. When the trail doesn’t pan out, Viking quickly and easily changes course, sometimes ending up at Burning Man.

Viking reveals the long list of places he will go as soon as quarantine lifts, what luxury item he always put in his pack, and which Triple Crown trail he can’t wait to revisit. Gregarious, spontaneous, and untethered to conventional life’s responsibilities, Viking reminds us why hiking is so much fun.

Follow the Real Hiking Viking on Instagram or look him up on his website.

Episode 2 Highlights with the Real Hiking Viking

  • 2:00, Viking talks about his combat tours to Iraq, one as a Marine Scout Sniper
  • 2:30, Viking explains the meaning of his trail name the Real Hiking Viking
  • 5:30, Viking talks about his introduction to thru-hiking culture
  • 12:12, Viking talks about why he’s chomping at the bit to get back to the Continental Divide Trail
  • 14:45, Viking takes on the Appalachian Trail in winter, and how that trip was the pinnacle of danger for him
  • 27:15: Viking touches on the visiting the Jordan Trail in the Middle East in early 2019
  • 29:25: Learn why 2019 was a “train wreck” for Viking, felt like getting boxed by Mike Tyson
  • 41:11, As soon as quarantine ends, Viking is headed to a whole bunch of trails, listen to which ones are on top of his list
  • 46:60, Viking reveals the luxury item that he always takes with him
  • 47:15, Viking tells us what kind of music motivates him on the trail
  • 49:00, Find out the biggest town meal Viking ever ate
  • 52:15, Shanty asks about Viking’s cinnamon-colored beard

Next Episode: Adventurer Andrew Skurka Talks Backcountry Navigation

Andrew Skurka, backcountry navigation expert, with mountains in the background.
Mountain guide Andrew Skurka talks backcountry navigation in the next episode on Out and Back.

In Out and Back’s next episode, Shanty catches up with backcountry navigation expert Andrew Skurka. Widely known for
making up his own unique and burly long-distance hiking adventures, Skurka has more recently turned his attention to developing shorter-distance off-trail routes in the Wind River Range, the Sierra, and the Colorado Rockies.

Author of The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide: Tools & Tips to Hit the Trail, published by National Geographic, and host to one of the most comprehensive websites for backpacking gear and tips, Skurka has become the definitive authority on ultralight, off-trail hiking. You won’t want to miss Episode 3, as Skurka passes along his insights on backcountry navigation, how not to get lost, and his favorite maps and navigation tools for hiking off the beaten path.

Last Episode: Record-Setting Thru-Hiker Heather “Anish” Anderson

Heather Anish Anderson looking at the camera with rocks in the background,

In case you missed it, go back and check out Out and Back’s debut episode, featuring record-setting thru-hiker Heather “Anish” Anderson.

Shanty dives deep with Anderson, who spells out the complex set of factors that drove her to accomplish speed records on the Pacific Crest Trail, the Appalachian Trail, and the Arizona Trail, as well as become one of a handful of athletes to nab all three of America’s long trails, some 7,500+ miles of hiking, in a single calendar year.

Listen in to find out what drove Anderson, a self-described overweight and unathletic kid, to subject herself to unimaginable sufferfests, ultimately becoming one of the backcountry’s most celebrated athletes.

Meet the Host of the Out and Back Podcast: Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin

Out and Back podcast host Andrew Baldwin covered in snow on the Appalachian Trail.
Andrew “Shanty” Baldwin finishing up his 2019 Appalachian Trail thru-hike.

In 2019, host Andrew Baldwin completed a southbound thru-hike of the Appalachian Trail. After five months on the trail, Baldwin returned home to pursue a career in voice acting. A friend of the Gaia GPS company, Baldwin was a natural choice for hosting the Out and Back podcast.

In each Out and Back episode, Baldwin strives to bring you conversations with people who spend an extraordinary amount of time outdoors. Listen in as Shanty taps into each backcountry expert’s superpower so that you can take their knowledge and experience with you on your next adventure.

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Discover the Best Trails and Find Public Lands with Gaia Topo Updates

by Julien Friedland
written by Julien Friedland

Discover new trails and routes and find campsites off the beaten path with two new updates on Gaia Topo. The first update lets you plan ahead at home and save known hikes and other routes for the field on gaiagps.com. Additionally, now you can find national forests, state parks, national parks, and any other public lands quickly with new color-coded public land shading.

Each new improvement on Gaia Topo makes this map a better one-stop shop for all of your planning and traveling needs.

Find Routes Near Your Campsite or Any Point of Interest on gaiagps.com

New nearby route suggestions make it easy to find hikes, offroading routes, bike trails, or other public tracks close to the places you want to visit. While you plan on gaiagps.com, select a trail, campsite, or any natural feature to see a quick list of nearby routes.

How to Use Nearby Route Suggestions

Start by selecting a trailhead, campsite, viewpoint or natural feature, to see nearby routes. A list of routes will appear, including the distance and difficulty rating of each route so you can quickly assess which ones fit your needs. The list includes routes within 500 meters of the selected point of interest and 1000 meters of selected trails. While you browse the list of routes, hover over them to see the tracks appear on the map.

Once you find a route you’d like to explore, you can either select the route name to view even more details or quickly save it by clicking the green “plus” button. If you want to save multiple routes, click the “plus” buttons for all your favorites. Unsave any route by clicking the red “-” button. Find all of your saved routes in the saved folder on your iOS or Android device.

Nearby route suggestions are now available on gaiagps.com. To access your saved routes open the Gaia GPS app on your iOS or Android device, and visit the saved folder. Download any saved route to your device for the field with a Premium membership.

Identify Public Lands With New Map Shading

New color-coded public land ownership on Gaia Topo helps you discover areas to hike, camp, and explore. Now you can identify all of America’s public lands by designated colors on the map. Use this new feature to seek out campsites on BLM land (yellow) or National Forest land (light green), view nearby state parks (red), or safely travel through any public land across the United States.

Color designations appear for National Forests, National Parks/Recreation Areas, State Parks, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Wildlife Areas, Marine Protection Areas, Wilderness/Wilderness Study Areas and Other Parks/Protected areas. You can find each designation under the Gaia Topo map legend by clicking the layer on gaiagps.com or tapping the “i” icon on the lower righthand corner of your map on iOS and Android.

Map legend for Gaia Topo showing color-coded public lands

With fast map downloads that take up a small amount of space, Gaia Topo is easy to save and take with you on the road. Download National Parks and State Parks in seconds or entire states in minutes, and always have the information you need about the wild spaces you plan to visit.

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