Thru Hiking

7 posts

Expert Tips For Planning Backpacking Meals And Mail Drops For a Successful AT Thru Hike

Food planning can be confusing for the first-time thru-hiker or section hiker. You have yet to determine your pace and don’t know how many days you can go between food resupplies. Here are some tips based on a decade of supplying meals to the thru-hiking community. How much food should I pack for my Appalachian Trail hike? Customers often ask us how much food they should order for an Appalachian Trail (AT) thru-hike and where most hikers receive mail drops. Most hikers have resupply boxes mailed to towns with limited […]

CT trail

Where Do Most Thru Hikers Mail Food to Resupply on the Colorado Trail (CT)?

Each year we are asked by hikers planning a CT thru-hike if we can mail their food resupply. We sure can! The Colorado Trail (CT) is a 485-mile (781 km) trail that spans southwest of Denver to Durango in Colorado, United States. Considered by hikers to be breathtaking and challenging, much of the trail stays above the tree line, offering expansive views and vibrant displays of wildflowers. Snow will be present at higher elevations, which can make travel difficult. The Colorado Trail Foundation (CTF), which maintains the Colorado Trail, recommends hiking the […]

garcia bear cache

JMT Resupply: Mailing Food on the John Muir Trail

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 m) in elevation. Due to the high elevation, JMT hikers will have to time their hike to minimize snow depth. This often gives hikers a short window of travel in the late summer months, commencing […]

high calorie vegetarian backpacking food

Where Do Most Hikers Receive Mail Drops on the PCT?

Customers often ask us what food is best to order for a Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) thru-hike and where most hikers receive mail drops. The majority of hikers have resupply boxes mailed to towns with limited food services. The most common locations Outdoor Herbivore sends PCT orders to: Post Office – Warner Springs, CA; PCT mile 110 + 1 mile off trail Kennedy Meadows General Store – Inyokern, CA; PCT mile 703 + 1 mile off trail Post Office – Independence, CA; PCT mile 790 + 24 miles off trail […]

How to Send a Thru-Hiker Care Package

Do you have a family member or friend thru-hiking this year? Sending a care package is an excellent way to let them know that you are thinking of them. Long miles on the trail can lead to loneliness, and this gesture can help them feel connected while away from home. Here, we explain everything you need to know to send a care package to a traveler, whether that expedition involves backpacking, bikepacking, paddling, sailing, firefighting, RVing, or military leave. What to put in Care Packages Before putting together your care […]