Trails & routes
Colorado children found safe after K-9 Archie tracks scent
A two-year-old Labrador named Archie led rescuers to three missing children who had wandered 1.5 miles from their family's campsite near Buena Vista
Latest Adventure Travel news
Safety & emergency
PCT Hiker Rescued After Winter Storm Collapses Tent in Goat
A hiker in his 20s was rescued from Washington's Goat Rocks Wilderness after a severe winter storm collapsed his tent, leaving him hypothermic and unable
Skills
Half Dome South Face 1986 Winter Climb Storm Survival
Experienced climbers Mike Corbett and Steve Bosque faced a life-threatening multi-day storm during a 1986 winter attempt on Half Dome's South Face
Skills
Wyoming Photographer Kicks Mountain Lion to Save Dog
Adam Borkhus fought off a juvenile mountain lion that attacked his Labrador, Diesel, during a September 19 photography trip near Cody, Wyoming.
Safety & emergency
Thru-hiker injured on Day 28 prompts split
A thru-hiker known as The Historian suffered a wrist injury after a fall on Camels Hump, forcing his group to split.
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The board
Profiles
Acadia
Park Loop Road, Carriage Roads, and... · Entrance pass for vehicles, separate...
Accessibility And Adaptive Access To Backcountry
Accessibility And Adaptive Access To... · Adaptive access backcountry permit
Airnow Air Quality
AirNow.gov website and mobile application · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency...
Alpine And Glacier Travel
Alpine And Glacier Travel · Yes
Appalachian Trail
United States · 1930s (conceived), 1937 (first continuous...
Arches And Canyonlands
Scenic drive with spur roads to trailheads · None for entry; timed entry permit for...
Avalanche Awareness And Terrain
Rocky Mountains, North America · High-altitude mountaineering training...
Data and guides
Analysis
Trails & routes
Thru-Hiker Confronts the White Mountains' Legendary
An Appalachian Trail thru-hiker details the physical and mental test of New Hampshire's White Mountains, from the steep climbs of Moosilauke and the
Trails & routes
Hikers Transition from Arid West to Vermont's Green
A hiker's journal details a five-day segment on the Appalachian and Long Trails, moving from Massachusetts into Vermont, encountering changing terrain and
Trails & routes
Thru-Hiker Reflects on Appalachian Trail Journey
A hiker nearing the end of the Appalachian Trail reveals she began with almost no backpacking experience, arguing the trail is forgiving and the dream is
Trails & routes
Thru-Hikers Find Community Late on the Colorado Trail
A hiker reports extreme isolation on the Colorado Trail this season, with a key pass seeing only 50-100 hikers daily in June.
Skills
Stellar Heliskiing Delivers Deep Powder in British Columbia
Stellar Heliskiing offers flexible, small-group helicopter skiing adventures from the historic village of Kaslo, B.C., accessing over 125,000 acres of
Gear
Squamish Climber Stranded After Rappel Miscommunication
A climber was rescued by drone after a rappelling error on the Stawamus Chief. Three experienced out-of-town climbers became separated on descent from the Alaska Highway route, leading to the overnight operation.
Safety & emergency
Thru-Hiking the High Pyrenees: Snow, Scree, and a Zero Day
A thru-hiker recounts the technical challenges and scenic rewards of the GR11 route through the Pyrenees, including a demanding pass, a celebrated rest day
Trails & routes
PCT Hikers Embrace Overnight March Across Barren LA Aqueduct
Thru-hiker Josh Sanders describes the 17-mile LA Aqueduct section of the Pacific Crest Trail as a brutal, hot, and waterless desert crossing that most
Trails & routes
Long Trail Hikers Reunite with Friend After Heavy Resupply
Hikers on Vermont's Long Trail manage a six-day food carry, recover a forgotten wallet, and celebrate a surprise reunion with a fellow trail friend at a
Trails & routes
Appalachian Trail Shelters Face Removal and Replacement
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy is reducing the number of old shelters and installing tent pads to curb ecological damage from overuse, a shift prompted
Gear
Ultralight Hikers Add Weight Back for Comfort and Safety
Thru-hiker Ayesha Cording explains why experienced ultralight backpackers often add weight back to their packs, detailing specific gear swaps made after
Trails & routes
PCTA Crest Runners Conclude 2026 Season
Pacific Crest Trail Association Crest Runners have ended their 2026 season, which involved patrolling the backcountry, educating hikers on Leave No Trace
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Common questions
What is Pack and Summit for?
Backcountry travel in North America, held together by three things: the route, the permit that gates it and the skill it demands. Trails & routes and Permits & access cover the where, Skills and Gear cover the how, and Safety & emergency covers what happens when it goes wrong.
Can I plan a trip from what is here?
Not on its own. Pieces summarise reporting and published guidance about routes and conditions, and conditions change by the week and by the hour. Land managers, current forecasts and up to date maps are what a trip is planned from.
Is the permit information official?
No. Permits & access reports what agencies and named publications have published, including lottery dates and quota changes, and every system has its own rules and revisions. The managing agency's own page is the authority before you apply.
Is Skills a substitute for training?
No. Reading about avalanche assessment, river crossings or navigation is not the same as being taught them, and the site says so rather than implying otherwise. Where a piece describes a technique, it names the source that published it.
Why is there no writer's name on the articles?
Nobody by name. Pieces are written with automated assistance from the source material, with the publication credited in place of an author, and no piece claims the route was walked by anybody here.
How do I follow new pieces?
Through the RSS feed at /feed.xml, which carries every piece in publication order. It needs no account and no key.