The Trailhead

The TrailHead

WHAT 60 YEARS OF CARRYING HEAVY PACKS HAS TAUGHT NOLS ABOUT HOW TO LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD

WHAT 60 YEARS OF CARRYING HEAVY PACKS HAS TAUGHT NOLS ABOUT HOW TO LIGHTEN YOUR LOAD

The Trailhead

Every journey has a first step. And some of the greatest, most meaningful journeys begin at trailheads. Welcome to ours! Here you’ll learn about gear, see route and trail intel, and dive into stories, images, and videos from our global community of adventureheads like you. Think of it like "The Third Place"–not home, not work, but your other most important/favorite place. The spot to hang out around like-minded people and have your life decisions and priorities validated. You won't need to justify your latest gear purchase or explain why you're using up all your paid time off hours to this crowd. They get it. Let’s go!

Chasing Ten With Mike St. Pierre

Chasing Ten With Mike St. Pierre

Making an effort to put together an ultralight backpacking kit will reap you immeasurable rewards.
BIG QUESTIONS. SOLID ANSWER FROM THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL

BIG QUESTIONS. SOLID ANSWER FROM THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL

Words & photos by Kaitlyn Cramer One hundred days. I tried to banish the words from my skull with nothing more than fleeting success.
CHASING TEN WITH CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON

CHASING TEN WITH CHRISTOPHER JOHNSON

How long have you been going light? As soon as I began backpacking five years ago, I knew I needed to lighten the load I was carrying.
LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR LOCATION: INTRODUCING NATIVE LANDS, NATIONAL TRAILS

LEARN MORE ABOUT YOUR LOCATION: INTRODUCING NATIVE LANDS, NATIONAL TRAILS

We recently received this press release from the Partnership for the National Trails System about a new free resource called Native Lands, National Trails.
ALPINE ODYSSEY: A SAGA OF DISCOVERY ALONG THE UINTA HIGHLINE TRAIL

ALPINE ODYSSEY: A SAGA OF DISCOVERY ALONG THE UINTA HIGHLINE TRAIL

Words and Photos by Cody Jackson, Jenner Haseltine, and Chase Ordway Smith THE EXPEDITION PARTY:  Cody Jackson - Born and raised in Connecticut, Cody learned to love the outdoors through the wilds ...
DID SOMEONE SAY GEAR LIST? HERE'S JOSH SHEETS FROM THE '22 PACIFIC CREST TRAIL

DID SOMEONE SAY GEAR LIST? HERE'S JOSH SHEETS FROM THE '22 PACIFIC CREST TRAIL

Words and Photos from Josh Sheets Here it is, folks—a coveted Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) gear list. This was the gear that accompanied me on my PCT thru hike this year! I suppose I should let you kn...
INCREASING SPEED FROM 30 TO 10: THE EVOLUTION OF A BASE WEIGHT ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL

INCREASING SPEED FROM 30 TO 10: THE EVOLUTION OF A BASE WEIGHT ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL

Words and Photos from Abbigale Evans When I first started my Appalachian Trail thru hike, everything hurt.
THE SHAKEDOWN 2.0 – PETER BUGG

THE SHAKEDOWN 2.0 – PETER BUGG

The Trailhead - @bugglife , IG - @plbugg Stepping next into the Shakedown 2.0 arena is our friend and frequent Trailhead contributor, Peter Bugg.
DRINK TO YOUR HEALTH–HOW TO AVOID DEHYDRATION AND ALTITUDE SICKNESS

DRINK TO YOUR HEALTH–HOW TO AVOID DEHYDRATION AND ALTITUDE SICKNESS

Words by Eddie “Oilcan” Boyd Avoiding Dehydration and Altitude Sickness On Trail There I was, 14 miles into my Appalachian Trail thru hike.
BEAR IN MIND: TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL AND RESPECTFUL ENCOUNTERS WITH BEARS

BEAR IN MIND: TIPS FOR SUCCESSFUL AND RESPECTFUL ENCOUNTERS WITH BEARS

Words & Photos by Bjorn Olson @Bjørn – Additional photos from Steve “Doom” Fassbinder and Luc Mehl Bears are intelligent animals.
Chasing Ten With Tina Currin

Chasing Ten With Tina Currin

I think I was born ultralight. My parents split when I was young and ended up in different states.
PLAYIN’ FAVORITES ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL–GEAR THAT MADE THE MILES GO BY

PLAYIN’ FAVORITES ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL–GEAR THAT MADE THE MILES GO BY

Words and Photos from Abby Evans During my Appalachian Trail thru hike, there were several sections that made me seriously debate why it was exactly that I was voluntarily choosing to do it.