On the first night of the Dientes de Navarino circuit in Chilean Tierra del Fuego, I burrowed into my sleeping bag in my tent perched on the banks of the alpine Laguna del Salto. When I peered outside, I saw an opaque gray sky and a jagged, silent landscape dusted with snow from the blustery weather. As I yanked my hat down to cover my ears, I noticed a feeling I鈥檇 never had on a backpacking trip before: I was burned out.

I鈥檝e planned and executed dozens of backpacking trips, including a solo hike of the Colorado Trail. Usually, at the end of a tough day of hiking, I鈥檓 tired but still motivated to complete the adventure.

But that night on the Dientes de Navarino circuit, I felt different. We鈥檇 only hiked seven miles with about 2,500 feet of vert that day, but a late afternoon start, relentless wind, and zero visibility had limited our progress. While pushing through crappy weather wasn鈥檛 anything new for me, that night I felt a deeper level of exhaustion seep into the more profound layers of my being. It was emotional fatigue, a lack of that fiery determination that would usually get me through the discomfort and dread of icy days ahead in these mountains at the end of the world.

I shouldn鈥檛 have been surprised. I鈥檇 been running my life as a tight ship, traveling vigorously and working remotely for the previous year. I鈥檇 spent six months exploring Mexico from Jalisco to the Guatemalan border, then a summer in the Southern Hemisphere, traveling through Chilean and Argentine Patagonia and completing several multi-day hiking trips.

Managing my mobile lifestyle felt increasingly overwhelming. Deep in the Chilean backcountry, I began to crave stability and consistency. But I stubbornly maintained a vice-like grip on the vision of doing and seeing as much as I could on my way down to Tierra del Fuego before I needed to return to the U.S. for a family wedding. I gave myself periods of respite here and there, like a couple of months in Santiago and a month in the Argentine Patagonian town of , but I was beginning to realize these well-intentioned stints weren鈥檛 sufficient to soothe my scattered and travel-wearied soul.

Yet, every time some part of me whispered to stop, I ignored it. I simply could not turn away from the unbelievable luck I felt I had, having the opportunity to spend four months in one of the best hiking regions in the world during peak season. Making it down to the bottom of the Americas felt like a tantalizing adventure I couldn鈥檛 let go of.

My travel approach is usually centered around seeking the unsought. I was looking for remote, almost unheard-of trails, which is how I came to discover the Dientes de Navarino circuit one night in my apartment in Santiago, reading through the last hidden corners of my guidebook. When Google returned a scant few results about the trail, I knew I was on to something.听

In , Charles Darwin鈥檚 journal of his navigation around the Americas in the 1830s, he describes with awe the 鈥渟avage magnificence鈥� of Tierra del Fuego. One glance at the spiked peaks jutting into the somber gray sky, and it鈥檚 easy to understand why. The Dientes de Navarino mountain range, or 鈥淭eeth of Navarino,鈥� so called for its jagged namesake peaks, is located in the Fuegian Andes on Navarino Island, one of the last landmasses before Antarctica. This small island is ever-so-fragmented from the main island, Isla Grande de Tierra del Fuego, with Cape Horn directly to its south.

To arrive at Navarino Island, visitors must take a plane or 150-mile overnight ferry across the Magellan Strait from Punta Arenas, the entry point to Tierra del Fuego and the last city on the mainland before the terrain collapses into a network of glacier-covered fjords and islands. I arrived at the 3,000-person town of Puerto Williams, Navarino Island鈥檚 hub and the southernmost settlement in the world.

The island鈥檚 Dientes circuit is a remote and wild 27-mile route that circumnavigates the Dientes peaks with 7,000 feet of elevation gain, running through perpetually damp and cold subantarctic forest past lagoons, craggy boulder fields, snowy summits, and a variety of endemic trees, mosses, and lichen.

It鈥檚 challenging, principally due to badly maintained or nonexistent trails over rugged terrain and unpredictable, severe weather conditions. A single day in high summer can include anything from blue skies to snowstorms and violent subpolar winds. It鈥檚 difficult to plan your trip around good weather because of rapidly changing forecasts. Route finding is fundamental鈥攁nd stressful. The way forward is often indiscernible, with trail markers like signs, cairns, and ribbons, few and far between.

Each of these factors wouldn鈥檛 be as daunting on their own, but put together, they can make for a formidable challenge demanding constant caution, forcing sometimes painstakingly slow progress when conditions are bad.

Of course, it was this guaranteed adventure that I could not resist. The fact that very few people I had met on my travels in South America had heard of the Dientes de Navarino mountain range told me I was headed to the right place. I spoke to anyone I could along my way who knew about it, and spent my evenings crammed into hostel bunks all over Patagonia, scrolling endlessly through hikers鈥� trip reviews on . I decided to roll into town and see who else was planning to hike the trail.

On a clear summer day in January, I arrived at my friendly hostel in Puerto Williams. Shortly thereafter, I received a WhatsApp message. 鈥淗i! I got your number from AllTrails!鈥�

(Weeks past, I had left a comment on the trail鈥檚 AllTrails webpage looking for hiking companions.) The woman who had messaged me was named Lisa. She was 26, from the Netherlands, and had recently embarked on a solo hitchhiking odyssey through South America. A savvy hiker who had completed many long-distance backpacking trips, I liked her spunk and fearlessness. After talking through logistics, we agreed to team up and tackle the trail together.

The day of our departure was gray and blustery, nothing like the glowing recent trip reports of gorgeous weather, which in this part of the world is a blessing seldom enjoyed. During the first few hours, we walked a pleasant path through the lush Fuegian forest, the darkness and cold giving the landscape a melancholy, gloomy quality. Eventually, the gusts and snow picked up, and once we broke above treeline heading up to the first of the circuit鈥檚 four passes, the rest of the day was a white vortex. We finally got to our campsite on the banks of spire-framed Laguna Salto.

There, in my sleeping bag that first night, I felt the oppressive weight of my type-A ambition bearing down on me physically and mentally. I felt devoid of motivation. I knew I was wildly fortunate to be sleeping in this otherworldly landscape, but, for the first time, I felt smothered by the months of constant motion. The captain of the Beagle, the ship Charles Darwin navigated around the Americas, said that the oppressively somber weather in Tierra del Fuego was such that 鈥渢he soul of man dies in him.鈥� His words, to my surprise, resonated.

I could鈥檝e decided to turn around the next day and go back, but I didn鈥檛 want to abandon Lisa, and I also couldn鈥檛 bear to walk away from my goal. So I continued.

I endured three more days of an unrewarding suffer-fest. The morning of day two, navigating a slippery, icy rock face along the ridge up to Paso de los Dientes, staring down the sheer drop into the depths of the frigid Laguna del Paso below, I sunk further into mental fatigue.

My surroundings were as wild and gorgeous as I ever could鈥檝e wanted, but I was weary and depleted. At one point, coming down the steep descent from that pass, I slid and fell in the mud. The weight of my pack lurched me forward, and I hit my knees on the sharp rocks sticking out of the forest floor. I burst into tears, more from the shock and emotion than the pain itself.

I knew in that moment that I was ready to listen to myself and take a break.

But I had to complete the hike first. Lisa and I put our heads together to hunt down precious trail marker after trail marker as we tramped through the miles of muddy peat bogs and twisted dwarf forest under the gently falling snow. Her zeal and upbeat attitude, even through the most unpleasant moments, kept me from descending further into a pit of negativity.

On the third day, we began our ascent up 2,800 foot Paso Virginia, the biggest pass of the circuit. We moved past the treeline and entered the alpine tundra. As we gained more elevation, the weather conditions deteriorated. We began to move farther away from the last flat, semi-protected patch of ground in view and headed through the boulder field toward the gray void above. It occurred to me that my extremities were as numb as I had ever felt them. My hands and feet burned and tingled so painfully that I could barely move them. I had been wet since the day before due to the constant precipitation and complete lack of sunshine, but it didn鈥檛 become an issue until we gained more elevation and hit worse weather and lower temperatures.

With so many unknowns ahead of us and with such poor visibility, I told Lisa we should pitch our tent to warm up for a while in that last flat spot before moving on. I wanted to stay for the night and let the snowstorm pass, but she reminded me that the weather would probably get even worse that night; coming down the other very steep side of that pass in fresh snow the following morning could be dangerous. We chose to forge ahead.

Arriving at the top of Paso Virginia, we peered down to find a heart-stoppingly steep scree slope down to the valley. A few ginger first steps into the loose jumble of small rocks, sand, and snow soon felt like skiing through gravel.

We made it down the pass and set up camp at the bottom just as the snowstorm started intensifying. My pack, which had always been totally waterproof in the climate back home in Colorado, had soaked through. This left my sleeping bag barely dry enough to keep me warm. I was cold and wet. Lisa offered me her extra dry clothes.

Miraculously, the next morning we woke up to civil, temperate weather that had caused the snow to mostly melt while we slept. I pulled on my icy trail runners with exhaustion, but also relief for the weather shift and excitement that we were so close to leaving this experience behind.

The biggest hurdle we had remaining was to work our way through the rest of the forest for the next few hours until we hit cow pastures, which would signify our proximity to civilization. Even though this last stretch was all downhill, it wasn鈥檛 easy.

The original trail had long since been dammed and flooded by beavers, which had arrived in the 1940s after a disastrous idea by the Argentine government to start a fur trade. The lack of natural predators created a population explosion that has since led to waterway disruption and trail destruction, pushing us into the dense forest surrounding the original trail.

After a few hours of bushwhacking, we broke through the last of the beech forest and caught sight of the Beagle Channel stretching out in the distance. Looking out at the lumpy green cow pastures that indicated the last couple miles of trail, I felt a rush of relief.

As we emerged from the trail, we approached a quiet country road. We plopped down and waited for someone to drive by that might take us back to town.

Olivia James is 翱耻迟蝉颈诲别鈥檚 former newsletter producer. She writes about travel and health from Buenos Aires. Spending parts of her childhood in Asia ignited a love for adventure, which has led to her solo traveling and living in Latin America since 2018. You can follow her travels on her , and stay tuned for more of her stories for us at 国产吃瓜黑料, to come.

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Depending on the conditions you encounter on a multi-day hike, medication storage can require quite a bit of forethought. A medication鈥檚 potency can be affected by temperature, sunlight, moisture, and humidity. So, what exactly is the best way to pack your meds to protect them from the elements for days, or even weeks, on end?

We鈥檝e chatted with three pharmacists鈥攚ho are outdoor enthusiasts鈥攖o give you their most helpful tips. They also offer advice on ensuring you can properly store the medications so that you can traverse the wilderness with peace of mind. Here鈥檚 what they had to say.

Schedule a 鈥淰acation Override鈥� with Your Doctor to Get More Doses in Advance

If your current batch of medication refills is going to run out while you are in the middle of your trip, and you anticipate that it will be difficult to get a pharmacy refill in the area you鈥檒l be in, organize a “vacation override” beforehand.

A vacation override allows you to get earlier fills of your prescription, so you have what you need on your trip. Speak with your doctor and pharmacist about your plans to fill your prescription early, says Adam James, a pharmacist and manager of immunization and clinical programs at Rite Aid. They will work with you to request the vacation override from your insurance provider. Your insurance coverage for the refill differs depending on the plan you are on.

Of course, if you鈥檙e only going to be away for a couple of days and you happen to have a surplus of medications handy, go ahead and pack those extra doses. Stashing away some extra medication will also save you if you have to extend your trip, says James. Plus, if you happen to drop a pill in a river or between rocks, you鈥檒l be covered.

Ask Your Pharmacist to Fill Your Prescription at a Pharmacy Near Your Destination

An alternative to a vacation override is 鈥渉aving your pharmacy transfer your prescription and history information to a local pharmacy in the area close to where you plan to be, says , a clinical pharmacy manager at the University of Utah Health. It can be an independent pharmacy or pharmacy chain.鈥� If you know that you鈥檙e headed to a relative鈥檚 or friend鈥檚 house, you can also mail the medication there, provided you use a tracked mail service, and the person receiving it knows how to store the medication properly, says James.

Just keep in mind, you cannot ship medication internationally, says , a clinical pharmacist at Gourlay鈥檚 Pharmacy in Alberta, Canada.

It鈥檚 a good idea to have a copy of your recent prescriptions from your physician, up-to-date lab results, and medical history with you when you鈥檙e on a multi-day hike, says Eshenko. It can be printed or stored on an electronic device like a phone. Not only does it aid the process of getting a refill at a pharmacy that is unknown to you, but it also helps in the event that 鈥渁n emergency responder would need to give you some kind of medical attention or rescue you in an emergency situation,鈥� says James. 鈥淓mergency responders are trained to look for that type of information, whether it be in your backpack or on your electronic device,鈥� he says.

4 Ways to Store Medications Safely in Your Backpack

Here are four pharmacist-approved ways to pack your medications safely before your next hike.

1. Protect Pills and Tablets From Moisture and Sunlight

Exposing your medication to moisture (like humid conditions) can cause a decrease in your medication potency or, in some cases, make it toxic, says James.听The same goes for ultraviolet light rays听from the sun.

To protect your medication, if it comes in its manufacturer鈥檚 bottle, simply keep it stored in there, James shares.听But if听it’s been dispensed into plastic prescription vials, transfer the medication to a pill box that is specially designed for outdoor activities, he says.

Look for pill boxes that are waterproof, airtight, made of metal or anodized aluminum, and do not simply snap shut but have the added security of a locking clip鈥攍ike . Unlike plastic prescription vials or generic plastic pillboxes, these specialty pillboxes are unlikely to crack or pop open and spill their contents out.

If you鈥檙e going to be in a humid environment, Eshenko suggests asking the pharmacist if the medication is originally packed with , packets of silica gel that absorb moisture, in its stock bottle. If it is, request for desiccants to be included in your repackaged medication.

Terry also suggests placing your medication bottles or pill boxes inside a . 鈥淚f you drop it accidentally in a lake, it floats so you can easily retrieve it,鈥� she says. Neoprene fabric is also , so you won鈥檛 need to worry about your meds getting soaked. As a bonus tip: it鈥檚 still probably a good idea to toss your pills in a plastic storage bag to be extra safe.

2. Account for Temperature

Temperature is another thing that can . When a medication label directs you to store it at room temperature, James says the ideal storage temperature range is 68 to 77 degrees Fahrenheit, though it can generally be stored between 59 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit.

To shield your medication from heat, always store it deep in the center of your pack, says Terry. In very cold climates, where temperatures plummet below freezing at nightfall, Terry advises keeping your medication in the inside pocket of your jacket. This helps prevent the medication from freezing while also keeping it from being exposed to direct body heat.

If you have a medication that must be refrigerated at 36 to 46 degrees Fahrenheit, the first thing to do is to ask your pharmacist if there鈥檚 any leeway to this rule. 鈥淪ome medications that are normally kept cold can be kept out at room temperature, whether it be for a few hours, a few days, or even up to a month. It鈥檚 important for people to ask their pharmacist so that they’re able to get that information and plan accordingly for their hikes,鈥� says James.

Should the pharmacist advise keeping your medication or injections cold while hiking, you could try this trick that Terry has seen work. Create an “ice well”听in an insulated water bottle to store the medication by freezing water around a cylinder-shaped object and removing it to leave a hole. Alternatively, use an insulated cooler bag with ice blocks or packs.

3. Protect Brittle Medications

Something else to keep in mind when hiking is that your tablets are likely to be bouncing around in their containers. They could break into pieces or disintegrate into powder, especially if they鈥檙e the fragile kind, Terry says.

When the time comes for you to take a dose, there鈥檚 a chance that you won鈥檛 be consuming the full, accurate dosage if you鈥檙e ingesting pill fragments or pills with broken surfaces. Because of this, she suggests packing your medications within gauze pads in the bottles or pill boxes. She prefers gauze pads over cotton balls because you can always repurpose them to treat a cut or graze.

4. Use a Pill Box to Prevent Medication Mix-Ups

According to Terry, it鈥檚 important to 鈥渉ave the description of the tablet or the capsule, of what it looks like, what the medication is, and how you’re supposed to take it, and have that affixed to either the top or the inside cover of the pillbox.鈥�

This way, you can differentiate between your pills and easily remember what your听dosing schedule is.

Want more of听国产吃瓜黑料鈥檚 Health stories?听.

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

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

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

1. Assess conditions before you go

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

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

2. Stay on sturdy surfaces when available

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

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

3. Build in extra time to go slow

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

4. Pack and wear the right gear

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

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

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

5. Have a cleanup plan

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

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

6. Don鈥檛 let the dry weather fool you

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

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

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Two hikers in California are lucky to be alive after one of them fell 100 feet down a sheer cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean.

The incident occurred on Saturday, March 22 on a remote stretch of California’s famed , a rugged 53-mile hiking route along the Pacific Coast in Humboldt County. published by the U.S. Coast Guard, firefighters in nearby Shelter Cove, California received a call on Saturday afternoon of a stranded hiker on a bluff overlooking the ocean.

Rescuers were dispatched by a boat and jet ski and found one of the hikers “barely holding on” to a vertical cliffside approximately 60 feet above another band of cliffs. The hiker was clinging to the washed out slope with his hiking poles, the update said. He hiker had fallen more than 100 feet down the slope and had suffered a dislocated shoulder and cuts and bruises.

“The hiker was unable to move up or down, making it unsafe for rescuers to access him by land,” the post said.

The fire crews called the local requesting help, and the agency sent a rescue helicopter and crew. But the mission to locate and save the hiker was anything but easy. Due to the lack of wind and the limited power of the helicopter, crews had to jettison fuel, position the aircraft above the precipice, and then lower a rescuer 160 feet on a cable.

The hiker was “bleeding and injured” when the rescuer found him, but safety personnel were able to get him aboard the helicopter听and transport him to an medical station in the town of Shelter Cove. The helicopter crew then returned and plucked the second hiker from the the top of the cliffs and carried him to safety.

“Both hoists required intense crew coordination due to the loose cliffside, dead trees, and limited power,” the Facebook post said.

Rescuers reminded hikers of the numerous hazards facing them along the Lost Coast Trail. The hazardous trek is a major draw for hikers across California and the United States, as it traverses one of the state’s last remaining stretches of untouched shoreline. The trail boasts views of lush redwood forests, scenic overlooks of the Pacific Ocean, and black sand beaches.

The steep cliffs and crumbling precipices are too treacherous for roads or development. But the dramatic topography also creates hazards for hikers.

Erosion and deadfall often block the trail, and some sections of the hike take trekkers across narrow beaches that are frequently washed over by waves. Hikers must be wary of tides when traversing these sections鈥攁t high tide, the ocean simply washes up to the cliffs and prevents anyone from getting across.

In 2022, a rogue “sneaker” wave crashed into the beach and ; rescuers eventually saved one but the other drowned. In 2024, a group of teenagers from a nearby summer camp and hypothermic along the trail.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Learning how to tie your shoelaces all those years ago sure has come in handy, and there are even more knots that can make your life easier in the backcountry. We reached out to Richard Hopkins, author of several knot-tying books and a demonstrator for the International Guild of Knot Tyers (IGKT), to learn five for various applications.

鈥淲ith luck, so rare in the outdoors, or ingenuity, most obstacles to a successful hike or backpacking trip can be overcome using one or more of this selection,鈥� Hopkins said.

Before heading out, Hopkins recommends checking that the ends of all your cords are not fraying. If your rope is in fact splitting, or if you plan to cut it, he says that , a thin cord such as twine that you wrap around the end of the rope, can keep the end tidy and together.

Best for almost anything: Bowline

If there鈥檚 one knot to learn, it鈥檚 the bowline, which is universally considered the most versatile knot. The fixed loop at the end of the rope is useful for hanging a bear bag, attaching tent guylines to stakes, anchoring a hammock to a tree, hauling gear or logs behind you, or cinching down a lid. You can also use it to rescue someone who has fallen into a river or down a slope the same way a lifeguard would use a ring buoy.

Hopkins said that it鈥檚 the knot he鈥檚 most frequently asked about but also one that trips people up since there are so many different ways to tie it. 鈥淚f one method fails to penetrate the brain, another may succeed,鈥� he says. 鈥淣ever think that you cannot tie it.鈥�

Best for tensioning tent guylines: Tautline Hitch

Tighten and loosen tent or , an adjustable knot that can slide back and forth, to and from the anchor point. Hopkins says this is a quick way to save you from undoing and retying knots when you need to fine-tune tension. Other applications include rigging an adjustable hanger, such as for dangling a pot over a fire or a bucket of water for a makeshift shower. Known to occasionally slip, this is one to keep an eye on and adjust as needed.

Best for joining ropes: Hunter鈥檚 Bend

You could use the bowline or the square knot to join ropes together, but Hopkins says that the hunter鈥檚 bend is stronger and just as quick to tie. (It鈥檚 also the knot that brought a group of knotting enthusiasts together to form the IGKT over 40 years ago.) Requiring only about six inches at the end of each rope, it鈥檚 the most efficient use of rope if you have a limited amount.

Best for attaching ridgelines to trees: Siberian Hitch

Historically used by the Evenk people of Siberia who needed to tie knots while wearing thick mittens, the Siberian Hitch (also known as the Evenk Knot) is handy in cold climates. Without exposing your hands to the cold, tie up each end to a tree to set up a ridgeline for a tent or tarp. Then in the morning when you鈥檙e packing up camp quickly, Hopkins says you can quickly release the knot with one pull of the end.

Best for hanging or hauling gear: Alpine Butterfly

The alpine butterfly is a midline knot that can bear heavy loads. 鈥淚t enables you to fix a loop anywhere along a line without using the ends of the rope,鈥� Hopkins says. With roots in mountain climbing, hikers in the middle of a rope team can use it to stay together along a ridgeline, on a glacier, or in low-visibility conditions. You can also use it as a handle for hauling, to hang things from the middle of a line, or as a foot loop when climbing. In some cases, the Alpine Butterfly can also be used to isolate damaged sections of rope without having to cut or splice it.

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Almost every hiker box I have ever seen after 11,000 miles on American trails has the same litter problem: the thin plastic water bags that accompany the popular Sawyer Squeeze, the most efficient and reliable water filter I have ever used. In theory, these ubiquitous black-and-blue mylar bags are a hiker’s dream, able to hold nearly a liter of water in exchange for less than an ounce of weight.

But water filters get clogged, and gear gets dropped on jagged rocks, these thin bags rip in the middle during the second scenario and burst at the seams with the first. Weight savings and water filters are useless if you don鈥檛 actually have a way to hold your water.

Seven years ago, a product designer named Gilad Nachman began solving the problem caused by the flimsy bags when his fledgling company, Cnoc Outdoors, . A soft-sided and completely collapsible water bladder, the Vecto offered a simple but welcome upgrade: thicker walls and rugged seams that could withstand the pressure needed to force water through a dirty filter or the abrasive chaos of a long-distance hiker鈥檚 cluttered backpack. The Vecto’s real genius, though, is that one end screws neatly into a Sawyer Squeeze; the other end opens completely and easily, making it simple to scoop water from paltry sources, or dip the thing into a lake.

And so, as long-distance hikers have replaced their Sawyer water bags on trails with Cnoc bladders and bottles, they have gotten into the sensible habit of tossing the ones that come free with the Squeeze into our repositories of collective junk and gear, hiker boxes. The discarded bags wait for whatever unlucky walker next needs some emergency water-storage fix. I have donated at least a dozen during my adventures. Those bags are still sitting somewhere, I presume, awaiting oblivion or apocalypse.

Hopefully, this wasteful practice is over: In January, the two companies finally partnered, making the unofficial hydration fix of thru-hikers official by and selling them as complete units. Not only did they make this sensible pair a legitimate couple, but the combination costs less than buying the two products separately.

These units are sold through Sawyer’s distribution channels and on its website, and the Vectro bladders feature both brand logos on them. But make no mistake, the bladder is definitely made by Cnoc Outdoors. Sawyer鈥檚 own water bags should gradually become a little less common in trailside piles, making it easier to spot the free Knorr sides and Pop Tarts always lurking in hiker boxes.

The companies have considered this collaboration for years, since it made so much sense. If people were already doing it, after all, why not make it easier, cheaper, and less wasteful by slimming the packaging and shipping needed for two products into one? But Sawyer鈥攚hich also makes splints and sunscreen, bug repellants and sting kits鈥攚as in the process of trimming its individual products, or of simplifying the assorted SKUs it sold. 鈥淲e had hundreds, and it was so hard to manage,鈥� Amy Stead, an account manager at Sawyer, recently told me during a call alongside Cnoc鈥檚 Nachman. 鈥淲hen Gilad approached us, we were fighting against that.鈥�

Previous partnership talks proved preemptive for Nachman and Cnoc, too. From my own experience, I know he鈥檚 right when he says that the quality of the Vecto has improved in recent years. Today, the bladder’s seams are able to take much more pressure before they, too, succumb. (If you鈥檝e ever superglued a Cnoc together in a hotel room while on trail, you know true Sisyphean frustration.) And in recent years, Cnoc has introduced and then upgraded a water bottle called the ; it鈥檚 one of a few items that is with me on day hikes and thru-hikes alike, and Sawyer is now selling one of those with .

What鈥檚 more, Cnoc鈥檚 production capacity needed to expand to keep up with the potential demand of a company as large as Sawyer. Still a relatively fledgling business, Cnoc has now tapped into the more robust distribution network of Sawyer, a brand that has been making life outside easier for 41 years.

鈥淥ur early bladders were just not as good, and there was a natural maturity curve for Cnoc,鈥� Nachman said. 鈥淎nd then we had to grow to a point where we could teach our factory to produce at this scale. And now is finally the time.鈥�

This is, admittedly, not some revolutionary shift. Sawyer and Cnoc have simply opted to sell a combination of their own products that lots of us have been pairing ourselves for years. But I appreciate the idea that their move makes this bit of semi-hidden thru-hiker wisdom accessible to anyone that doesn鈥檛 necessarily have long-distance dreams. Sure, you could have learned about this pair through Reddit, YouTube, or any number of hiking blogs, really. But now you can just walk into REI or so many of the outfitters that sell Sawyer products and ask for it. A Sawyer atop a Cnoc is the fastest route to reliably clean water on trail; now, it鈥檚 faster and easier to get in the first place.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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No matter where we hike, how long we go for, how (or whether) we train, or how much or little weight we carry, there鈥檚 one thing all hikers need: strong legs. On the trail, legs help you keep up the pace, , and maintain your balance on everything from uneven treadpath to tricky creek crossings. Ensuring yours are ready for your next adventure could be the difference between having a fulfilling trip and spending more time thinking about your aches and pains than the scenery.

Need a primer on the science of stems? We鈥檝e collected some of our best writing on it, plus a couple of personal trainer-backed exercises to help you get yours ready to tear up the trail come spring.

The problem with 鈥渉iking your way into shape鈥�: Those first couple of trips aren鈥檛 much fun. If you鈥檙e looking to maximize your trail time, then doing some pre-hike training is one of the best investments of your time that you can make. We鈥檝e collected six of our favorite leg workouts鈥攊ncluding an off-the-couch conditioning plan, plus workouts for steeps, endurance, and overnight trips鈥攊n one convenient place so you can find the routine that works for you whether you鈥檙e starting from zero or trying to take your fitness to the next level.

Of course, getting strong is only half the battle: Leg injuries are an ever-present hazard for hikers, ranging from minor inconveniences like sore feet or quads to season-ending injuries like ACL tears. Learn the anatomy behind your leg pain and get mobility exercises to help you prevent and deal with it in this expert-written primer.

If you mostly spend the colder months on other pursuits, hitting the trail in spring can be a shock to your hammies. These workhorse muscles keep your knees aligned and stable, especially on downhills and uneven terrain, and play a key role in helping to support your pack weight. This three-exercise, three-times-a-week routine is designed to work your hamstrings into shape over six to eight weeks, allowing you to feel more confident tackling your first big trips of the season.

You鈥檝e probably heard the term 鈥渢rail legs鈥� before; for those of you who aren鈥檛 up on your long trail lingo, it鈥檚 the state thru-hikers reach where their muscles handle the daily stress of of the trail well enough that they鈥檙e able to keep going day after day. Turns out there鈥檚 some pretty serious science behind why it happens. In this piece, fitness columnist, personal trainer, and physical therapist assistant Lee Welton went long on how your body adapts when you hike dozens of miles day after day, and whether it鈥檚 possible to keep your trail legs after the hike is over. (Spoiler alert: It鈥檚 not.)

3 Leg Exercises Every Hiker Should Know

Kickstart your fitness routine with these exercises from 鈥榮 Six Weeks to Trail Fit class, taught by coach and guide Jason Antin

Leg Blasters

Combining several different exercises into one, this circuit is a great base to build your leg conditioning routine around.

Goblet Squats

These modified squats are easy to do with any heavy object from a kettlebell to a dumbbell to a weighted pack.

Walking Lunges

Trail your glutes, hamstrings, and more with this exercise鈥攏o weight necessary.

The post Strong Legs Are a Hiker鈥檚 Secret Weapon. Here鈥檚 How to Get Them. appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.