I visited Alpe di Siusi in the Dolomites on a cloudy day, and I have to say, it was still one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. Before the trip, I'd seen so many photos of these endless green meadows with dramatic mountain peaks in the background, usually under perfectly blue skies. So when I woke up and saw the weather forecast, I was a little disappointed.
But once we arrived, I completely changed my mind.
Let’s this be your sign to head to the mountains next year!
I recommend Italy,I have been there in July,incredible. What’s your recommendation?
Took our good boy for his first backpacking trip into the Wiminuche this weekend. Exciting stream crossings with the washed out bridges but the Fall colors were brilliant and weather was perfect. The Spring below campsite 6 was shallow but nice and warm. Beautiful place.
In the ancient and mysterious land of Tibet, China, there stands a majestic mountain called Namcha Barwa.
A local villager once told me that if you’re lucky enough to witness the entire mountain bathed in golden sunlight, you’ll be blessed with good luck for the whole year.
I don’t know if it’s true, but there’s something magical about this beautiful belief.
When I saw the snow-covered peaks glowing gold beneath the evening sun, I understood why people cherish this moment so much. It felt like witnessing something truly special, a fleeting moment of beauty that you wish you could share with the whole world.
So today, I’d like to share these photos with you, along with a little blessing from this mysterious mountain. ❤️
Wherever you are in the world, I hope this golden light brings a little luck, happiness, and warmth into your life.
May good things find their way to you, may unexpected joys brighten your days, and may you always have something beautiful to look forward to.
If this mountain has brought me a little good fortune, I hope it brings some to you, too. Let’s pass this blessing on to everyone who sees it. ✨
The La Sportiva Women's Nucleo High II GTX are highly discounted at my nearest REI from $259 to only $117. Now this sounds like a deal that can't be passed up on to me, but I'm just looking for extra opinions. I'm turning 18 soon and really, really, want to start my backpacking gear collection sooner rather than later so it doesn't become a "I'll do it later" thing.
I have about $600 to spend comfortably which I think should be plenty, but I just don't want to spend 1/6th of my budget on these shoes if I can get a similar product for a lower cost. I'm just hesitating to buy these as it'll be my first cost towards this dream of mine that's over $50.
Also please don't come to my rei to look for this great deal😭 finders keepers
A long approach can feel fine until the last stretch, then camp still has to be set up. Going faster early usually seems like the worst trade, especially when there’s still water, shelter, and gear to deal with at the end. For trips where the approach itself takes most of the day, what pacing habit leaves you with the most useful energy once you actually reach camp?
Seceda in the Dolomites is a super popular spot right now, I visited in August. A couple of tips if you're planning to go. You can take the cable car to the top, but if you want to save some money, you can also hike up. It's a pretty long walk, but if you enjoy hiking, it's absolutely worth it. The views are incredible. Go early to avoid the crowds, and definitely check the weather forecast before you go. If it's cloudy, the views might look completely different from what you're expecting.
Had a $280 backpack sitting in my cart for a few days because I needed it for a trip but kept feeling dumb paying full price, normally I get impatient with gear and just buy it once I decide I need it, then somehow a sale or member coupon shows up a week later and I’m annoyed at myself.
Ended up waiting and started checking more than just the regular sale price before paying member rewards whatever card offer I had, gift cards, all the boring payment stuff I normally ignore so I don’t know why it took me this long because on a $30 thing I probably wouldn’t care but once the purchase gets into the hundreds even a small extra saving starts feeling worth the five minutes.
Edit: Typo
I’m looking at patagonia, cotopaxi, and fjällräven 28L packs for a new day pack and was curious if anyone had any opinions/views on this? I like brands like patagonia and cotopaxi for their socially and environmentally responsible business models. I frequently for 15 mile treks in a day;often times through the desert but maybe would eventually use for overnight trips, thots?
Hiked through the waterfalls and up into the cloud forest at 1100m above Gold Coast. This time we camped overnight amongst the Antarctic Beech trees, some of the oldest living organisms on earth up to 12,000 years old. It was incredibly beautiful, but also incredibly wet. Clouds are really wet inside, did you know?
My kids moved out and the house got quiet. Hiking went from something we did as a family to just mine. I noticed a shift pretty quickly. Younger guys on the trail used to offer help. Now they offer advice. Had a twenty-something stop me near Quandary last month to tell me my poles were too short. They weren't. He just wanted to say something. Another one asked if I was lost. On a marked trail. With a pack. In July. I've been hiking Colorado for twenty years. Not my first summit. Not my last.
Talked to a woman at the trailhead last week. Late forties like me. Same stories. We both laughed about it, but it gets old. Wondering if others have noticed this change. The gear questions are different now too. Used to be "where did you get that." Now it's "are you sure that's appropriate." Maybe I just notice it more. Maybe it's always been there.
I've been looking at sleeping bags for winter camping in the mountains, specifically for conditions between -10° and 0°C and theres plenty of bags that are rated for just that, but do they take into account sleeping in heavy clothes or just thermal layers? If it's -10° and I'm sleeping in a 0° comfort bag, do I need anything more than a thermal top, bottom and a sweater or how does it work? (Assuming I have a let's say 5R value mat setup) How much more do I need to compensate if my R value is say, 3.5?
A beautiful autumn day was perfect for outdoor but still instead of chasing peaks, we decided to go to easier hike and the choice was Samotnia mountain hut and the stunning Mały Staw lake. We started from Karpacz in Poland, where most of the trails start. The trail climbed gently through the forest before opening up to amazing views of the main ridge, dominated by Śnieżka.
The only downside? Crowds everywhere! The queue for coffee or pierogi seemed longer than the Great Wall of China. 😂 Still, it was a wonderful hike. On the way back, we passed Strzecha Akademicka hut and enjoyed views of the Polish countryside.
Stats:
Start: Karpacz Górny
Distance: 17 km loop (5 km to Samotnia)
Elevation gain: 747 m (314 m to Samotnia)
Time: 4 hours (1.5 hours to Samotnia)
First, I want to say sorry for the long post, I have a lot on my mind. Second, I'm not looking for anyone to join my pity party, just some understanding from people who love backpacking like I do.
I feel like this community would understand how I feel. I feel shitty/sad/depressed (pick a word about being down) because I feel like I have already backpacked my last trail, especially in the wilderness. I say this because of the pain and mobility issues that have started taking over my life. I said this to my wife and she does not understand why I'm so upset.
I had back surgery 6 weeks ago, not a fusion, but I was told to take it easy. Then I went on a tour of the Vikings stadium and I thought it was a great idea to kick a ball and I hurt my leg to the point that it is very hard to walk without having to stop a lot to let the pain subside a little bit. I thought I would be ok to kick the ball, but I over did it after walking for nearly 2 hours. Since then all I hear is, "you're not young anymore, you can't do the things you used to do when you were younger". I am only 42, but my body feels much older...and well I'm in pain all the time.
My favorite thing to do was go backpacking in the back country. Never did massive mountains (except in Scouts with my oldest son) or destination backpacking (which I really wanted to do, like Iceland), but I loved the backpacking I did do. I have backpacked many miles over the many years of my life and I know how taxing it is on your body when you do it. Doing the Appalachian trail (the closest destination to where I live) takes effort and endurance that I just don't have anymore.
I know I can hike small easy trails to get some of the views and nature I crave when I backpack, but it's not the same to me.
First, there are too many people on those trails and the peacefulness I would get in the back country is extremely limited.
Second, a large percentage of those people I cross paths with out there have zero trail etiquette and they ruin things for me (and my family) when I come across them. Not all people are like that and I teach my kids proper trail etiquette, but those others.
Finally, part of the fun of backpacking (for me) was pushing myself up an incline and through the miles to get the great and wonderful views.
So...what can I do? Has anyone in here dealt with severe chronic pain and/or mobility issues and were able to either get back on the trails in the wilderness or found a way to still get the things you craved while backpacking without being able to backpack?
Sorry for the long post. Here is one of my favorite pictures from the trail. I was in wilderness therapy and we spent an hour alone listening to everything around us.
Edit for description of picture: I was in the mountains just outside Aspen Colorado for a Wilderness Therapy trip with Huts for Vets. This was one of the last days out there and we had to find a secluded spot (but still in sight of the staff) to sit for an hour in our own thoughts. I chose this spot because I love Quaking Aspens and I saw a hummingbird (my grandmother's favorite bird) land on a branch near me and "look at me".
4 days in the Polish Tatras during golden autumn
You can easily reach Zakopane by train from either Warsaw or Kraków, and local buses make getting around the area convenient. We had great weather throughout the trip, with beautiful autumn colours and golden forests, although the first snow had already arrived at higher elevations!
Day 1: Siklawa Waterfall, Dolina Pięciu Stawów and Morskie Oko. Day 2: Siklawica Waterfall, Sarnia Skała and a relaxing evening at Chochołowskie Thermal Baths. Day 3: Cable car to Kasprowy Wierch, followed by a hike to Kondracka Kopa and Giewont. Day 4: Hike to Hala Gąsienicowa and Black Czarny Staw Gąsienicowy, then head back home.
Four days packed with spectacular views, mountain lakes, waterfalls and autumn colours. The combination of sunny weather, golden forests and the first snow on the peaks made this trip truly special. I'd absolutely return to explore more of the Tatras!
I wasn't sure if Albania was worth visiting, but now I can definitely say YES! This country has so much potential for tourism. What surprised me the most was how diverse the nature is. Beautiful beaches, crystal-clear water, mountains, and landscapes that look completely different just a short drive apart. I enjoyed every minute of my trip. If you ever visit Albania, make sure to take a boat tour to see hidden spots!
We took the most common boat tour, but we still really enjoyed it! Also, the Blue Eye is about 40 minutes from Saranda, don't miss it!
I’ve always felt that taking photos is a beautiful way to capture the little moments that make life special. There’s something wonderful about being able to look back at a photo and relive a moment, even long after it’s passed.
I also love sharing these places with others. The world is full of beautiful scenery, and if a simple photo can help someone else discover that beauty or inspire them to visit someday, I think that’s pretty special. 🦢🇯🇵
These were taken at Lake Yamanaka, Japan.
A while ago, I decided to go backpacking through South America and Asia for approximately six months. Naturally, the big question was: “How much is this going to cost?”
After doing some research and drawing on my own experience, I decided to stick to a daily budget of €45 (excluding flights and train tickets in China) and save a total budget of €20,000. For those of you who are good at maths, this left me with a reasonable buffer in case I went over my daily budget. I did this deliberately to make sure I would stay under the €20,000 mark.
During my trip, I kept track of my expenses in an Excel spreadsheet. It automatically showed me whether I was staying within my daily budget and whether I was on track to stay within my overall budget for the entire trip. In the end, I went slightly over budget quite often, but I managed to make up for it on other days. What I particularly liked about the spreadsheet was that it gave me a sense of control over my spending.
To help future travellers plan their budgets, I’ve broken down my expenses by country. I spent approximately €3,000 on flights and €500 on train tickets in China.
Of course, your budget depends heavily on your travel style. I mainly stayed in hostels, ate local food, skipped some paid activities, and tried to keep flying to a minimum.
P.S. In Sri Lanka, I also spent nine days at a surf resort, costing approximately €110 per day. Since I knew I would stay within my overall budget, I decided to treat myself a little. These expenses are not included in the breakdown I’m sharing here.
Overall itinerary:
Colombia: Flew in and stayed for one month.
Ecuador: Took a bus from Colombia and stayed for half a month.
Galápagos Islands: Flew to and from the islands and stayed for 11 days.
Peru: Took a bus from Ecuador and stayed for one month.
Bolivia: Took a bus from Peru and stayed for one month.
Europe: Flew back to Europe to attend a wedding and stayed for five days.
China: Flew to China and stayed for one month.
Sri Lanka: Flew to Sri Lanka and stayed for one month, including the time at the surf resort.
Europe: Flew back home.
Great views, tons of pounding waterfalls, miles and miles of trails, swimming holes, quickly cleared blowdowns, good campsites—and not packed with tourists. You're welcome!