Shoulder Season Backpacking on the Midstate Trail

About this time every year, I get a case of itchy feet. No, not some strange rash or skin funk but an overwhelming desire to put on my backpack and start walking on something other than snow.

A few weeks ago while surfing online for a cure to my itch I stumbled upon the Midstate Trail in Massachusetts.  Let’s see, it's 95 miles long, traverses the low hills of central Mass’, and 3 hours south of here. The snow should be gone. Voila! I think I found my cure.

My First Ultralight Backpacking Trip

My first Ultralight Backpacking trip was in 1999. I hiked 128 miles on the Appalachian Trail in Vermont averaging 19 miles per day.  My total pack weight was 23 pounds. That included 5 days of food and 20oz(!) of fuel. My base pack weight was 11.5 lbs. 


That backpacking trip was an experiment for me. Prior to it I was a traditional backpacker carrying a normal assortment of popular backpacking gear. Little did I know my whole way of thinking was about to change!

Physical Preparations for Long Distance Hiking

"All I could do was sit in the middle of the trail and keep myself from crying. My two hiking partners scattered into the woods to look for a campsite for the night while I tried to maintain control over my exhausted body and splintered mind. I could feel every part of my body, from the blisters on the bottom of my feet, to my aching quads, to the pounding pain in my head. We had hiked ten miles and less than three thousand feet in the White Mountains of New Hampshire over the course of an eight hour day, which was about twice what I was able to handle. The last few hours were a blur of bad memories. I wanted to be anywhere but where I was. There was no joy in my life."

What is Lightweight Hiking? Why should I hike light?

The answer most ultralight hikers would give is: It’s more fun. Lightweight backpackers typically say they feel free, close to nature, and enjoy not having the burden of a heavy pack.

Ultralight backpacking typically is not “fast packing” or covering as many miles as possible. It’s about hiking at the pace you like and enjoying it a lot more. The simplicity of ultralight hiking allows you to spend more time on the trail seeing more of the beauties of nature.

The 10 Essentials of (Ultralight) Hiking

The Ten Essentials is a list of gear to help keep you safe on any outing. It was developed in the 1930s by The Mountaineers, a Seattle-based hiking, climbing, and conservation organization.

You need to stay found, hydrated, fed, dry, and warm (or cool in desert regions). The best and lightest things to take on your adventures are expertise and good judgement.

With some planning most of the 10 items can be kept to under an ounce in weight, so they are not a burden to carry.

Happy feet? Backpacking and Hiking Shoes

One of the real joys of Ultralight Backpacking is being able to wear really comfortable hiking shoes!

There is really nothing worse than having your feet hurt when you are still miles away from the trail head.

I've been wearing trail runners for all my hiking, backpacking, and bushwhacking adventures since 2001. At that time conventional wisdom deemed it rather foolish to venture off-pavement with such lightweight shoes... oh have the times changed!

A Quick and Dirty Guide to the Appalachian Trail

"Planning for an extended trek on the Appalachian Trail can be easy. There are probably hundreds of books,websites, articles and guides on how to backpack on this trail. 

For the same reason, planning a hike on the Appalachian Trail can be intimidating. Esp if a person is new to backpacking and/or long distance hiking, the sheer amount of resources can be overwhelming. Where do you start??!?!?!" 

Appalachian Trail - becoming a "2000 Miler"

My first Appalachian Trail hike was in 1972. What started out as a week long adventure had turned into a life long passion. It took me 31 years to complete the A.T. one section at a time. In 2003 I earned my "2000 Miler" status atop Pleasant Pond Mtn in Maine. To quote Ed Garvey, it truly was "An Adventure of a Lifetime".

Maine's Bold Coast Trail

The Bold Coast Trail is a 10 mile loop located in Cutler Maine. The trail winds along the Atlantic coast for almost five miles of dramatic cliff-bound hiking. Think Acadia National Park without the crowds! 

From the trailhead located on Rt 191 East of Cutler Maine, the trail goes through a spruce-fir forest and crosses a cedar swamp before dramatically