The main job of a food storage bag is to prevent moisture and air from permeating the contents inside. Standard household freezer bags are readily available and inexpensive, making them appealing for storing homemade dry foods or repacking commercial backpacking food to reduce space. Storing dry food long-term in non-barrier packaging like plastic freezer bags will allow oxygen and moisture from the surrounding air to absorb into the food, where bacterial contamination and growth can occur. Eventually, the food will become soggy and mold. If this happens, the food will be unsafe to eat. Freezer bags will work okay for […]
Are you looking to create delicious, lightweight, and nutritious meals for your next backpacking trip? By making your own backpacking food, you can customize it to suit your taste and dietary needs while controlling portion sizes, spice levels, and sodium content. To achieve this, you’ll need to dehydrate or freeze-dry your meals to remove the water content, making them lightweight and shelf-stable. Don’t have drying equipment? You don’t necessarily need to cook and dehydrate or freeze-dry all your food at home. Purchasing pre-cooked and dried bulk ingredients can save you time and money on long hikes. Simply portion out the […]
When your fingers and toes become frosty after trekking through a day of sloshy, snow-covered ground, nothing sounds better than digging into a hot meal next to a toasty campfire. Yet, winter conditions often make it problematic for making a fire. That soggy kindling just isn’t going to fuel a fire. Your next best option? Pitch the tent before the evening light fades to darkness and snuggle up with a piping-hot pouch of soup! Chase that soup with a side of hot cocoa or apple cider, and your spirits will soar. Here are a few reasons why soup makes the […]
Looking for a new place to hike, run, or cycle? Here’s a list of our favorite sites and apps to direct you to nearby wilderness trails.
[updated for 2026] JMT Highlights Distance: 211 Miles Average Days on Trail: 20 Days Point to Point: Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney Typical Direction: North to South, starting at Yosemite and ending at Mount Whitney Summit. Highest Point: Mount Whitney – 14,505′ (4,421 meters) The John Muir Trail (JMT) is located in the Sierra Nevada mountain range of California, spanning 211 miles from Yosemite Valley to Mt Whitney, plus 11 more miles to Whitney Portal. Most of the JMT is shared with the longer Pacific Crest Trail. Except for a few miles, the JMT stays above 8,000 feet (2,400 […]