Old Guy Music: Hiking Tunes from my PCT Jukebox

(Reposted from The Trek) I don’t listen to music while I hike, for a few practical reasons.  I don’t want to use the battery on my phone, I don’t want to deal with sweaty headphones, and I want to hear rattlesnakes before I step on them.  After 46 trips around the sun, I have a…

The Three Kinds of Ultralight – Be Ultrawise With Your Choices

(reposted from The Trek) If you’re a hiker, and you ever use the Internet, you know there’s a lot of discussion about reducing pack weight.   One phrase I hear a lot is “how do I go ultralight?”.  The answer is complicated, because it’s the Internet, but also because at no point do you “win” and…

Foot Care on the Trail: One Man’s Battle with His Feet

(originally posted at The Trek – https://thetrek.co/pacific-crest-trail/foot-care-on-the-trail/) Warning: there are some potentially scary and gross pictures of my previous foot injuries in this article. Other warning: I am not a doctor. Let’s talk about feet.  With 3,000 hiking miles on mine, I’ve run into more than a few gnarly situations.  This is not a humblebrag.  I…