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 Dylan Suhr

Chasing Ten With Dylan Suhr

How long have you been going light? 7 years. What’s the base weight of your pack before adding consumables like food and fuel? 10.98 lb.
TWENTY, TWENTY, TWENTY FOUR HOURS TO GO: QUICK OVERNIGHT GEAR LISTS!

TWENTY, TWENTY, TWENTY FOUR HOURS TO GO: QUICK OVERNIGHT GEAR LISTS!

Photo: @spmartin You never know when the urge might be too much to bear–you gotta spend a night outside!
Chasing Ten With Tyson Perkins

Chasing Ten With Tyson Perkins

How long have you been going light? I started really getting into backpacking with a few roommates at the time around 2012.
A GRAND CANYONEERING ADVENTURE: PIPE CREEK TO PHANTOM RANCH

A GRAND CANYONEERING ADVENTURE: PIPE CREEK TO PHANTOM RANCH

Words and Photos by Peter Bugg @bugglife One of my favorite video games is Plants vs. Zombies.

AGENT UTAH ALWAYS GETS HIS ROUTE... USING YOUR DOG AS A ROUTEFINDER

Sure looks like there are developed trails in a lot of this video, right? There aren't.
Peter Bugg at Grand Canyon National Park

A STEP BACK TO LOOK FORWARD: AN ODE TO BACKCOUNTRY PROGRESSION

Words and Photos from Peter Bugg @bugglife As we gain backcountry knowledge, it can sometimes be difficult to remember what it was like not having years of experience to draw on when making critica...
SAME ADVENTURES THROUGH THE AGES: ULTRALIGHT FOR OLDER BACKPACKERS

SAME ADVENTURES THROUGH THE AGES: ULTRALIGHT FOR OLDER BACKPACKERS

Words and Photos from “No Spring Chicken,” Michael DeYoung (New trail name: Second Chance) My first real life-changing event was a two-week backpack trip to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico in 19...
YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW: LESSONS EARNED ON A CALENDAR YEAR TRIPLE CROWN

YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU DON’T KNOW: LESSONS EARNED ON A CALENDAR YEAR TRIPLE CROWN

Words and Photos from Jack "Quadzilla" Jones Jack "Quadzilla" Jones set out this year to achieve what only a small number of backpackers have; a calendar year Triple Crown. Eight thousand miles of ...
MEGA PINTS AND MEGA VERT ON THE GR20 IN CORSICA

MEGA PINTS AND MEGA VERT ON THE GR20 IN CORSICA

Words and Photos from Dan Oliver It started with one of those nights where the forest sounds like an ocean, the winds gusting with such force that you’re stuck awake, fighting to recall how well y...
SHIFTING GEAR: QUADZILLA TWEAKS HIS SETUP FROM THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL FOR THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL

SHIFTING GEAR: QUADZILLA TWEAKS HIS SETUP FROM THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL FOR THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL

Words and Photos from Jack "Quadzilla" JonesAny gear heads in the audience here? Thought so! As you well know, selecting the right equipment for any trail is an addictive art form, and how others d...
BETTER GEAR + EXPERIENCE = FARTHER DISTANCE: THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT

BETTER GEAR + EXPERIENCE = FARTHER DISTANCE: THE IMPORTANT ROLE OF THE RIGHT EQUIPMENT

Words and Photos by Rebecca SperryWe all see them on the trail and internally (or externally) cringe. Maybe they have on a backpack; maybe they’re just carrying a water bottle. Their footwear might...
ACCESSORIES TO COMPLIMENT A TRIPLE CROWN: QUADZILLA’S GEAR LIST, PART ONE

ACCESSORIES TO COMPLIMENT A TRIPLE CROWN: QUADZILLA’S GEAR LIST, PART ONE

Words from Jack “Quadzilla” Jones, Photos by Chris Shane & Jack "Quadzilla" Jones Jack ”Quadzilla” Jones is setting out this year to achieve what only a small number of backpackers have; a ca...