Thru-Hiking Tips Part 2

Me thru-hiking the 485 mile Colorado Trail

Thru-hiking is backpacking an entire trail from beginning to end in a single trip. Typically, fewer than 50% of thru-hikers will complete their hikes.

If you are planning a thru-hike (whether 210 miles on the John Muir Trail or 2,000+ miles on the Appalachian Trail or Pacific Crest Trail

Here are some tips to help you improve your odds of successfully completing a thru-hike:


This is the second article in this series. Click here to read Thru-Hiking Tips Part 1…


Take Care Of Your Feet

Foot problems are the most common type of injury suffered by thru-hikers. These are caused by wearing the wrong footwear, carrying too much pack weight or trying to do too many miles too quickly. On a thru-hike, your feet are your most valuable asset, so treat them well.

Here are a few tips for keeping your feet healthy:

  • Wear lightweight, breathable, flexible shoes (like trail running shoes or cross trainers). Most boots are too hot, heavy and stiff for thru-hiking.
  • Replace the insoles that come with your shoes with specialty insoles that provide more padding and support (Superfeet & Enduro Soles are popular choices among thru-hikers).
  • Buy your shoes 1-2 sizes larger thanย  you normally wear. Your feet will naturally swell and expand on a thru-hike. This gives them more room to grow.
  • Wear high quality wool or synthetic socks designed for running or light hiking. I carry two pairs and switch them out every day. Pin used socks to your backpack to air out while you hike (a safety pin works well for this).
  • Take your socks and shoes off and elevate your feet at rest breaks. Whenever possible clean your feet using a damp bandana or dunk them in a creek. Cold water helps to reduce swelling and remove abrasive grime which can cause blisters.
  • Do not pop blisters during the day when you have to walk on them. This makes the pain worse and you risk an infection. Wait till evening, then thread a sterile needle and run it through the blister, leaving the thread in place. As you sleep, fluid will leech out along the thread. When you wake up in the morning it will be flat and dry like a callous.

Eat Lots Of Calories

Thru-hiking requires a lot of energy. The only way to get enough energy is from food, and lots of it. The average thru-hiker requires between 3,500 and 6,000 calories per day. This is more than twice what most people need to eat on a daily basis.

If you don’t eat enough while thru-hiking you will lose weight rapidly and feel weak, nauseous and tired all of the time. When your body is starving it ramps down many of it’s “non-essential” functions to conserve energy. Unfortunately these functions are essential to thru-hiking.

It’s not easy to consume so many calories when you have to carry all of your food on your back. Here are some tips for getting enough calories on your thru-hike:

  • Pack between 2 and 3 pounds of food per day, depending on your age, weight, sex, body type and metabolism. A 50 year old, 125 pound woman would be at the low end of the spectrum. A 25 year old, 180 pound man would be closer to the high end.
  • Choose foods with a high calorie to weight ratio. 100 calories per ounce is a good baseline. 120 is even better. The higher the ratio the more energy you will have and the less weight you have to carry. Here are some examples of high calorie hiking foods.
  • No matter how much food you carry you will probably still lose weight. You can make up for lost calories by pigging out in town stops. All You Can Eat Buffets are a hiker favorite. You can also load up on healthy foods that are missing from your trail diet (like fresh fruits, veggies, meat, whole grains, etc.)
  • Do not prepare all of your food in advance and have someone send it to you. Unless you are doing a shorter trail (like the John Muir Trail) this is a big mistake. Your tastes and appetite will change as you hike. Meals you prepared month’s earlier may not be that appetizing after several weeks or months on the trail. It’s smarter to shop as you go.

Carry Ultralight Backpacking Gear

Every step you take on a thru-hike is compounded by the weight on your back. Gear that is too heavy is responsible for many thru-hiking ailments like foot pain, exhaustion and low morale. The lighter your pack the happier you will be.

You can find a lot of information about lowering pack weight and ultralight backpacking here on my blog. Here is some basic advice:

  • Keep your “base pack weight” (the weight of all your gear, minus the weight of consumables like food, water and fuel) under 15 pounds. A base weight of 8-12 pounds is even better. This what most ultralight thru-hikers carry, and that is is plenty enough weight for everything will need for three-season thru-hiking.
  • Don’t waste too much thought on “comfortable camping gear”. Thru-hiking is mostly about hiking and not so much about camping. Camping is just something you do at the end of the day after you eat and before you wake up early the next morning and walk some more. Because you spend more time on your feet than in your shelter it is better to have a comfortable pack than a comfortable camp.
  • Be prepared for the kind of weather that is common where you are hiking. Most long distance backpacking trails are hiked from late Spring through early Fall, which means “three season” conditions. Although freak weather does occur, even in summer, it is a waste of time (and weight) to try and be prepared for every possible occurrence.
  • Despite your best intentions, you will probably start out with too much gear. This is normal because you don’t know exactly what you’ll need yet. As time goes on and you figure it out, get rid of gear that you are not using regularly. Also, do not hesitate to replace unsatisfactory gear with better alternatives (even though it was expensive to buy).

Here is a free tool to help you calculate your gear weight: Backpacking Gear Planner

Don’t Run Out Of Money

Thru-hiking a long trail such as the Pacific Crest Trail or Appalachian Trail typically costs between $1 – $2 per mile ($2,000 – $5,000). This includes transportation to and from the trail, trail food, lodging, restaurant meals and occasional entertainment and replacement gear.

This estimate does not include your initial gear investment ($1,000 – $3,000) and “back home” expenses such as: lost wages, rent, mortgage, bills, storage, etc.

There is nothing sadder than a thru-hiker who has to quit, not because he doesn’t want to hike anymore, but because he is broke and can’t go on. Here are some tips to avoid that:

  • Reduce your “back home” expenses before you go. Many younger thru-hikers give up their apartment, sell their stuff and completely abandon their old life so they can thru-hike. If you have financial responsibilities like loans or mortgages and a life you want to come back to, this might not be an option for you. But you can still avoid paying for the things you won’t use while you’re gone (like car insurance, cable tv, netflix, gym, etc.)
  • Put your bills on “Auto-Pay”. Most banks, credit cards and utility companies allow you to automatically pay bills from a bank account or credit card when they become due. This is so convenient that I leave all of my bills on auto-pay even when I’m not hiking.
  • Create a separate account just for hiking expenses. This way you can see how much money you are spending on your hike and make adjustments as necessary. If you’re hiking expenses are all mixed up with your other expenses it will be hard to see what is going where. Check your account often. This is easy if you carry a smartphone with internet. If not you can use of public computers in towns, or call your bank.
  • Reduce your town spending. Hiking itself is not very expensive. It’s the town stops that take the biggest chunk out of your budget. You can spend less in towns by sharing hotel rooms with other hikers, staying in hostels, buying groceries more often than eating in restaurants, and arranging your resupply stops so that you spend fewer nights in town.
  • Have some extra money set aside. Whether in a credit card or another account, it’s a good idea to have some “extra” money to dip into in case of emergency. Thru-hiking usually ends up costing more than you think, and if you have come a long way and you run out of money in your primary account, it can be useful to have some backup funds. Also, you never know what other expenses may come up.

Don’t Quit

This is so simple, but this is the essence of successful thru-hiking. Thru-hiking is not always fun. Sometimes it is painful, boring and pointless. The hikers who make it to the end are the ones for whom failure is not an option.

When the urge to quit arises (and it inevitably will), put it out of your mind and commit to hiking another hundred miles. If by that time you still want to quit, then hike another hundred miles. If, after 200 miles, you are still sick of hiking, then you may want to consider going home.

But chances are that won’t happen. Because on a thru-hike your morale goes up and down frequently. You might feel like shit for a few days, but it’s never long before something new and exciting happens to reinvigorate you. It might be a new person you will meet, a new sight you will see, or something you discover about yourself. But you will never know if you quit too early.

Happy thru-hiking!

54 Responses to “Thru-Hiking Tips Part 2”

  1. JforJr Reply

    Sir Eric,
    First off kudos to you and your site! Such great information and energy provided throughout. I have recently decided to attempt a thru-hike of the PCT, (no not because of the movie Wild which I have yet to see), but for other reasons. I am a twenty-something guy with great flexibility in my current occupation, no family ties, and no specific location ties. Thought i currently reside in Iowa, i am planing on jumping over to CO where hiking is more prevalent and available. I have been doing close to 3 months worth of training. I guess, i am just weary because this would be the first and only major leap being taken in my life. Any personal advice on how to get my mind right? Or is it more of a “close my eyes and jump” kind of situation?
    Again, thank you so much for your time and efforts in providing all the info and guidance.
    -J

    • @JforJ: Thru-hiking is a close your eyes and jump sort of situation. I first started when I was in my 20s. And like you and I was scared, because I had no backup plan or any idea of what I would do when I got back to the “real world”. But, thru-hiking proved to be rejuvenating for my soul and creatively inspiring. Lots of hikers when they get back take their life in a totally new direction that they never could have imagined before. That is what happened to me. I started a hiking-related business and have been doing it ever since. The thought of what my life would have looked like if I had taken the more conservative path and stayed at my old job makes me shudder. So my recommendation is to be bold and adventurous while you are young and unattached and have the freedom to do it. It’s not really a self-indulgent thing like some people would have you believe. Thru-hiking also build character, and I believe it gives you strength that you will be able to draw on later in life. So I say go for it.

  2. TnT(Tracey) Reply

    Erik,
    I am planning to hike the CT in 2016 I already have your ATLAS. I hiked the AT in 1986. I am trying to get a feel for the differences of the 2 trails. Elevation that I know and acclimation too, I am from PA.(Rocky 5 hiking)I will take as much time as needed to hike the CT.I am also working on ultra light backpacking. Any Love your site! Any advise is welcomed.

    • @Tnt: I have not hiked the AT yet, but from what I have heard it involves hiking straight up and down a lot of little steep hills all day long. The Colorado Trail is different. On the CT you climb way up a big mountain, slowly and gradually, then hike along the top for a while, then hike way down into a valley. The elevations are higher and the difference between the peaks and valleys is greater than the AT, but I would guess the CT is easier to hike because the climbs are more gradual and infrequent.

  3. VikingSwede Reply

    Erik:

    I am planning to do 200+ miles of the Colorado Trail to finish this goal in one shot. I’m in pretty good shape but not sure how I will do on a long hike. Most of my trips have been 2-4 days with my family. I was thinking I could do 20 miles per day but don’t know how the toll would be on my body after several days of this. I know I could do this for one or two days but not sure if I can maintain this pace for 10 days.

    • @Viking Swede: One thing to consider on the Colorado Trail is the elevation. Much of the trail is higher than 10,000 feet above sea level. If you are not used to hiking at high altitudes that can slow you down a bit. 20 miles a day on the Colorado Trail is ambitious but doable if you are in good hiking shape. 15 miles a day is a more moderate pace. Good luck!

  4. Elizabeth Reply

    Happy New Year Eric!! Looking forward to 2014 JMT Hike in August! I’ll be hiking north to south. I’ll be getting 2 permits…as a friend will hike with me from Happy Isles to Reds Meadow…then off the trail to Mammouth. My next hiking partner will start at Reds Meadow and will hike 7 days. He won’t be used to the elevation so Im thinking we’ll be doing 10 miles a day tops. Where can he get off the trail around Muir Ranch? Can I use the same permit for 2 people if the not hiking consecutively?

    Thanks!

    • @Elizabeth: The closest place to get off the John Muir Trail near Muir Trail Ranch is the Piute Pass Trail, which is about two miles south of the ranch. Piute Pass Trail splits after five miles – the north fork leads to Pine Creek Trailhead, the south fork to North Lake Trailhead. The closest town to both of these trailheads is Bishop, CA. This area is too far off-trail to be included in my John Muir Trail Atlas, so I recommend carrying a supplementary map for the detour. Tom Harrison’s Mono Divide High Country Map and Trails Illustrated Mammoth Lakes Mono Divide Map #809 both show this area in great detail.

      I don’t know if it’s technically legal to relay a single permit from one hiker to another, but I think it will work. If a ranger stops you and the first hiker is already gone, and you have two permits for two people, I doubt they will give you any trouble. Good luck!

  5. Elizabeth Reply

    Thanks Eric! A caribiner is a perfect way to keep the canister close at hand.

  6. Elizabeth Reply

    Hi Eric! What Bear Repellent do you recommend and where do you carry it on your pack? Thanks!

    • Elizabeth: I have never had a need for bear repellent before. But I do have a big can of the Counter Assault Bear Spray in case I ever go to Alaska. It comes with a carrying holster. I’m not sure how the best way to carry it would be. Maybe attaching it by carabiner so it could be unclipped easily for times when you are not carrying your pack. The important thing is to keep it within arms reach at all times.

  7. Elizabeth Reply

    Hey Eric! Do I need a Bear Canister on the whole length of the JMT? What do you think of the URSACK for a second container for “today’s food” and their “All White” “bear resistant” bag? Thanks!

    • Elizabeth: Technically a bear canister is not required in some areas of the JMT. But since there are no convenient places to pick up and/or drop off a canister near the borders of these areas it is practically necessary to carry a canister for the entire trip (if you are thru-hiking). You can see which areas require bear canisters here: Sierra Food Storage Map. A Ursack would be a good choice for an “overflow bag” for food that won’t fit in your bear canister (which is sometimes the case, since squeezing more than five days of food into most canisters is tough.) You can also study the map and attempt to camp at campsites with bear boxes on the nights when you have excess food. Bear Box locations are shown on the food storage map above and also in my John Muir Trail Pocket Atlas.

  8. Mayr Reply

    I have been looking into sheep skin pads for pack but they don’t seem like they would be thick enough or large enough to cover belt straps. I am going to Glacier for 5 nights, did you just buy the “car” sheep skin straps or are they custom? Thanks

  9. Amanda Reply

    I am loving all this advice. Thank you. I am planning a thru-hike on the PCT. This is my first long distance hiking trip and have read a lot of good advice.

  10. Grimner Reply

    Tried out the needle and thread tip on a blister this August. Not particularily sterile either of them, but it worked like a charm. Nice blister one day, hard skin the next.

    Morale of the story: don’t change out your socks the day before you start a two-week hike.

    Thanks for the tip! I’ll spread it around, probably followed by a “What? You don’t carry a needle and thread?” ๐Ÿ™‚

  11. Peter Reply

    Two weight saving consumables. Any grocery store has precooked bacon. It will last a couple or three days after opening. Also if you need booze bring rum 151. Twice the kick for half the weight.

  12. LarryB Reply

    Erik, This is such good advice. I hiked the entire JMT last summer and I ran into a young man from Switzerland who had your JMT Atlas. Being from California, I thought I knew it all regarding the trail. Wrong! Your Atlas definately proved to have the most accurate information. I have purchased one for myself now!

  13. Michael Kelly Reply

    I was thinking it might be a bit over ambitious. Didn’t realise there was a resupply station so close to the trail. I want to take the 4 weeks to give me some time for side trips and to enjoy the space at a leisurely pace. I am from Ireland and live in the UK. While the countryside is fantastic for hiking, you can’t really get a true wilderness experience as the islands are not very big!

    Your guides look excellent. Will be purchasing the JMT one come next payday (Xmas is v expensive)

    Thanks for the advice

  14. Michael Kelly Reply

    Hi

    I am planning to do the JMT later this year and planning to to take about 4 weeks. Is is possible to do this without re-supplying?

    Thanks

    Mike

    • @Mike: Yes, you can do the JMT without resupplying, but I would not want to start out carrying 4 weeks worth of food. If you carry 2 pounds per day that would be more than 50 pounds in food weight alone. A better option would be to send a resupply bucket to Muir Trail Ranch. It’s about halfway through and located only a mile off-trail, so stopping by to resupply should be quick and easy, and not distract from your wilderness experience. This way you can divide your food weight in half. You may also want to think about finishing the trail a bit quicker. If you planned on three weeks instead of four, and divided your food into two batches, you’d only have to carry 10 days at a time, which is not that bad. You’ll just have to weigh how much time you want to spend out there versus how much weight you want to carry. Good luck!

  15. Doug Reply

    Tom Go for it, but work up to it. As the country western singer Toby Keith sings, “I’m not as good as I once was, but I’m as good once as I ever was.” Like Erik says, work up to it and i would get a heart ultrasound or something if your insurance will pay for it. I am 63 and did some VERY hard trails in the smokies this past year. I would do some day hikes first to see if you really like it, then invest $$$ in good ultra lite camping equipment. I thought I had bought god stuff, and i had, but not for overnite camping. Read Eriks thoughts and suggestions, and if you dont listen to him at first, you eventually will. I go more ultralight every year, both out of experience and necessity from age and its infirmaries

  16. Tom Reply

    Erik, I am a 60 year old out of shape guy who used to back pack 30 years ago. I have just retired and have the dream of hiking across Oregon on the PCT from north to south this summer beginning July 1, 2011. I am in mo hurry and can take as long as I need. Any advice besides don’t do it?

    • @Tom: My advice is do it! Oregon is the easiest segment of the Pacific Crest Trail (not a lot of steep climbs and high altitude) so you’ve got that going for you. I would recommend getting your pack weight down to a reasonable weight (less than 15 pounds without food and water). There’s lots of information this site on how to do that. And start doing regular walking and hiking to get into shape before the big hike. If you start walking a couple of miles every day around the neighborhood, and then head out to the mountains for day hikes and over-nighters (with a full pack) once the weather starts to warm up a bit, you can get into plenty good shape to do the PCT by summer time. It’s good that you are in no hurry, because if you take your time you have less chance of burning out or getting injured, and then all it takes is waking up every day and putting one foot in front of the other.

  17. Wolfman Reply

    Thanks for the feedback Mr. Black.
    Great to know, I thought about starting at the north end, but I would much rather hit the hard stuff first rather then later. I am also trying to work my daily stops so any pass or big climb is first thing in the morning.

    Do you have any recommendations on trail books or trail logs that give good information on the different parts of the JMT?

    Wolfman

  18. Wolfman Reply

    Great Article Eric, both part 1 and 2. I plan on thru hiking the JMT trail next summer (2012), subject to weather and snow load, I have read this year it has been all but imposable in some parts of it.

    Two items if you don’t mind.
    How do you figure the miles that you will be traveling? One of my worries is the altitude, I live at sea level and plan on going north form the Whitney Portal. Given that you start at 8000+ feet, I was thinking on staying at the campgrounds for several days to get adapted to it.

    For some one that is new to this type of hiking, is averaging 10 miles per day “reasonable” or maybe less? At least to start. I will be 46, and will be in better shape by then, but I’m no young buck! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Also, with out going out to a town to get supplies, it looks like I will have to carry 10 to 12 days be fore I get to the first Drop Box point (Mur Ranch). Is this doable? Or am I just trying to kill myself. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Wolfman

    PS I am planing on doing the Wonderland trail around Rainer earlier that same year if the snow melts. That is just over 90 miles and I am planing on 2 weeks.

    • @Wolfman: The John Muir Trail is tougher than most trails because of the steep climbs, snow pack, creek crossings and high altitude. To estimate your daily mileage I would take your normal hiking pace and knock off 25%. So if you can normally hike 20 miles a day – plan on 15. If you can normally hike 15 – plan on 12, etc.

      Spending a couple of days getting acclimated to the high altitude before you start hiking is a great idea, especially if you’re planning on starting at Whitney. Also, plan on doing lower mileage the first few days and then increasing it as you start to feel better.

      10 miles a day should be no problem if you are in decent shape. Most hikers do 12-17 miles per day. You may want to increase your daily mileage a bit (if you can) to reduce the amount of food you have to carry. Food is heavy (about 2 pounds per day) and it can be more painful to lug an extra day of food than hike an extra couple of miles in the evening.

      I wouldn’t want to start out with more than 8 days of food because it will weigh a ton. If you start to fall behind schedule you always have the option to bail out and go into Independence, but chances are you can make it to Muir Trail Ranch in less than 10 days.

      Good luck!

  19. Donald McCullough Reply

    Hello Erik
    What do you do when it comes to vicious dog encounters?

    • @Donald I’ve never had a vicious dog encounter on the trail, but I carry two trekking poles so I imagine I would use those to fend it off.

  20. Roger Carr Reply

    Thanks for addressing teh topic of finances. It is often a forgotten area and can ruin a hike if expenses (both on the trip and back at home) aren’t adequately planned and covered.

  21. Doug Skinner Reply

    Has anybody had experience (good or bad) with the new Spot and Delorme units?

  22. matt Reply

    @ doug – I like Haw Par brand red (extra strength) tiger balm.
    and on the subject of footwear, I hike in asics gel evolution 3 (which unfortunately they don’t make anymore). they certainly don’t have the grip of a trail shoe, but I have extreme overpronation and need the support. they’re also very light, keep my feet pretty cool, and are nice and wide in the toe so my feet don’t feel like they’re being crushed.

  23. doug Reply

    Matt what kind of tiger balm do you use? There are several TB formulas out there.

  24. Doug Skinner Reply

    I just tried on a size larger 978 in 14B width and fits much better than the 13D I had; will return 13s. I like the 978 because my heel pops in well and hopefully won’t slide. They gave me some soft pad to put under boot tongue that will help with slide if it occurs. Now my foot can swell as I hilke and I think I have ample toe length. I will look into low shoes, but at 63, I kind of like the ankle support.

  25. Patrick Reply

    I do not like my 2010 Montrails as much as the pre buy out ones. My pack never exceeded 27#, and the granite trails of the Sierra Nevada do chew up soft rubber. I have never sprained my ankle hiking (only in sports) So I prefer low, lightweight shoes as long as they have some stiffness in the midsole and heel. The inserts help. I am not 22 any more and don’t do well in running shoes, but gave up my higher top leather boots years age and have not regretted it.

  26. Doug Skinner Reply

    Patrick I got on line and checked out your Montrails. A lot of people rave about them but there are two concerns I have. One, people say since columbia bought them out they arent as good (you disagree) and two, will they do Smoky Mt uphills with 40# pack? I usually wear higher top hiking boots for ankle stability but you and erik have me thinking lighter/bigger toe box.

  27. Patrick Dodgen Reply

    I hiked the JMT in 2008, 20 mile days wearing Montrail Hardrocks and Superfeet inserts. Everybody seemed to be bragging about how many blisters they had and how many motrin they took. To my embarrassment and joy I had only one blister on my second two and no knee,hip or foot pain. It was great and showed me that with the right footware and training hiking, though physically and mentally challenging does not have to painful.

  28. Doug Skinner Reply

    Thanks for your thought out suggestions. I have new orthotics ($400) with some arch, and I can’t put a non slip on top of them. I am getting a different style ($350) that I think will have more arch, thus less slip. A lot to spend but “an army travels on it’s feet”, or is it its stomach? I havent worn my 978s yet so will go back to store and try out differnt widths. Will also do the lace up thing. I don’t think the docs can solve this one; it is trial and error.

  29. Heather Darnell Reply

    Feet sliding: This may be too obvious to some, but really I was amazed at the difference when the shoe salesman showed me how to time my shoes!! He had me put on the shoe and “kick” the back of the heel against the floor. This nesteled my foot into the shoe as far back as possible. Then we worked the laces up very carefully from about halfway down, tightening as much as necessary (but not over-tight) maintaining good tension for the knot. Now the shoes hardly slip at all on steep down hills. And, I totally agree with the high-arch insoles like Erik mentions above. Mine are Sofsoles (kinda heavy but VERY cushy!), with a Merrill Ortho-Lite added for the smaller foot.

  30. doug Reply

    Re: feet My main problem is with ingrown nails, which I just had minor surgery on. Going uphill is okay, but downhill two things happen. The socks slide and crimp my toes, and my feet slide forward as well and hit the end of the shoe, which had an easy 1″ clerarance. Going to bigger shoes simply allows the foot to slide more, and lacing pattern changes only help a little. I have found that wool blend sock stretch more against the nail and are more comfy, and form fitting ones tighten up. This is a real dilemma. Take Eriks advice on the insoles, as last year I got deep bone bruises. Also get a shank or rock gaurd if traveling rocky areas. I have New Blance 978s

    • @doug What kind of insoles do you use? I had the same problem with my feet sliding forward with the stock flat insoles. When I switched to an insole with a higher arch it helped to hold my foot in place better (sort of created a little speed bump in the middle). Another thing you may want to try is get a shoe that is closer to your regular length, but wider (EE or EEE width). This would still give your feet room to expand horizontally, but without so much unused toe space. Just a couple ideas…

  31. Heather Darnell Reply

    I especially love the “Don’t Quit” section. Thanks for the great pep talk there!!

  32. matt Reply

    To add to your foot care info:
    I made it a nightly ritual to thoroughly clean my feet. I used face cleaning pads (the olay brand specifically, just because those were the most readily available. they’re great for bathing on a backpacking trip) to first wash my feet, then ‘rinse’ them with a little rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball. The rubbing alcohol also helps to dry your skin out if you’re having problems with blisters. After cleaning, I gave them a good massage with tiger balm. A lot of it is just mental (like most everything else with long-distance hiking), but showing my feet that ‘love’ really made a difference in easing foot pain.

    • Elizabeth Reply

      Awesome advice Matt! I’m doing my first long hike on JMT next August and the extra foot care is something I never thought of! I love Tiger Balm! Also a good all round item I travel everywhere with is Tea Tree oil. Excellent for bug bites, rashes, and mosquitoes hate it!

      Peace~

  33. bamboo bob Reply

    Everybody has there own ideas but the best advice is don’t quit. If you feel like quiting take a motel break for a zero day. I’m planning for my 3rd AT thruhike in 2012 maybe I’ll see you.

  34. It was a pleasure to read your post. One can feel that you know what you’re talking about. Keep on the good work!

  35. RJ Lewis Reply

    Once again, thanks for the great advice!! I recently bought myself a 34 ltr pack, just to see how far down I had gotten my gear weight, etc….figured if nothing else, it would make a great weekender. Heck, I got ALL of my normal gear in there and had plenty of room for 5+ days of food and water too! Thanks Erik- you helped me make this possible with all of your helpful advice. Backpacking this summer is going to be an enjoyable experience! =) The only weight I added TO my pack was a pair of real sheepskin pads to my shoulder straps, due to the plate and injury in my right shoulder. Even after the second surgery they may not come off….LOL…They truly are comfortable. Real sheepskin breathes well, so that isn’t an issue.

    To those that complain about the high prices of some of the gear, just remember, you get what you pay for. Take Erik’s advice to start with and avoid some really costly mistakes. ๐Ÿ™‚

  36. RG Reply

    Thanks Erik! I’m starting a southbound thru-hike of the AT in a few weeks, so this information couldn’t be more timely. And I have learned to trust your advice. Do you ever plan on doing an AT guidebook?

    • @RG I plan to hike the Appalachian Trail next year and publish a guidebook soon after. Enjoy your hike!

    • Elizabeth Reply

      Dear Eric…you are a Godsend! I just committed to hiking the JMT mid August 2014! The planning stage is so exciting! I love what I’m learning about thru hiking! Anyway…you mentioned not to have food sent? I really down want to waste time hitch hiking and spending a lot of money in towns for such a short time hiking. I plan to do 10 miles a day + so I will have a rest day every 6th day. So that’s 4 rest days. I know not all but some resupply stations have restaurants? I’d still need food to resupply too? Thanks so much for being so giving with your experience and info!
      Peace~

      • @Elizabeth: On a shorter thru-hike like the JMT where the towns are so far away from the trail I think sending food is a smart move. My aversion to sending food is more based on longer multi-month hikes when I don’t want to have to prepare so much food in advance and because I know my tastes and food needs will fluctuate over time.

        Most JMT thru-hikers send a resupply bucket to Muir Trail Ranch, which is near the midpoint of the trail. In the northern half of the trail you also have Tuolumne Meadows, Reds Meadow and Vermillion Valley Resort, where you can buy some limited supplies or send a box. There are no resupply stops near the southern half of the trail, so you will need to pack enough food to get through the entire second leg or take extra time to go off-trail into one of the towns along Hwy 395 like Bishop, Independence or Lone Pine. You can find info on all of the resupply locations in my JMT Atlas Guidebook.

        Good luck with your hike ๐Ÿ™‚

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