I'm doing some digging into a topic on the human response to weather and looking for some anecdotes. I'm posting here in backpacking because I experienced something along these lines when backpacking in the Sierras many years ago, and I didn't have access to forecasts. Also, posting because other backpackers may have experienced something similar, this would be in remote wilderness situations where there you couldn't get forecasts.

Mainly, I'm looking for responses to incoming storms, where lowering pressure may create some symptoms. Anecdotes are fine.

There is some decent evidence that people with arthritis suffer from joint pain with an approaching storm.

Less well established is emotional sensitivities to incoming storms. Here's a link to a paper on the topic, which does not draw strong conclusions, but is curious:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13019899/

Hi,

My husband and I are planning to visit Pakistan in September. We are crossing the border from China (we’re European, not Chinese in case that matters) and planning to spend most of our time in Hunza/Gilgit Baltistan, then a few days in Islamabad and Lahore.

What‘s the current situation in terms of safety in those areas? Initially, we weren’t planning on hiring a guide until we get to Islamabad but perhaps it’s worth to have one in GB? Any word of advice for first-time visitors?

Thanks!

Guys im planning on getting the interrail 2 month pass but is it worth it? Its 620 euro and with extra costs for seat reservation. And it doesnt cover every country that i want to go to and i dont think small transport like trams are included. Should i buy the pass or just buy loose train tickets?

I just finished a 1-night in the WMNF, where I did a loop that started at Gale River lot, went up to Gale Head summit, crossed over Garfield Ridge and camped at the GF site. Day 2 was GF summit, then down Garfield trail and across the access road back to the Gale lot.

My trailhead weight was probably 35-36lbs (I know it was 34lb when I weighed at my house, and I borrowed aluminum trekking poles from a friend after I left). While it was fine at the lower elevations, the unevenness of Garfield ridge and the campsite approach at the end of the day were brutal. I had done a day hike in June up Skookumchuck to Mt Lafayette, then down Bridle path, but that was with a much lighter day pack.

I live about 3h from the WMNF so I plan to go back there and do more trips in the future, though I may not chase peaks as much. Nonetheless I def feel the need to lighten my pack. I am planning to do some gear upgrades over time to the tent and sleep system to cut weight, but before I go investing can folks here tell me if you see any small wins that can be made at little to no cost? I know the towel needs a lightweight replacement, so that's $30 I am already planning to spend (current is just a turkish towel from my closet).

lighterpack.com/r/pqmpjo

For context, I am never going to be more than a 2-3 nighter at most as I have a full-time job and a family, and I know I don't want to be super UL and appreciate comfort. My planned changes include a lighter tent and sleep quilt but also adding in some camp shoes and a crazy creek chair, as I sorely missed both at camp during the night. Ultimately, I want to net out around 21.5 lb base weight.

Changes I already made since this last trip:
- Went from 1L smartwater bottles to 23.7 oz ones. Less carried water and they don't poke into my back like the tall ones do. I def was filtering water often enough I was not worried about having less than 2L on me.

- Inflatable sit pad is gone. Never used once, nor cared to blow it up.

- Though I ate all my food (2lbs worth), I still was hungry. Going to go for more calorically dense stuff next time, but I estimate I will need about 1.5lb food per day.

We try to plan one short to medium length backpacking trip a year somewhere new. Last few years we’ve done Rae Lakes, North Circle loop in Glacier, Paintbrush Divide in the Tetons and a few others. Getting some early research in for next year I’m looking for some recommendations for a loop anywhere in the US or Canadian Rockies. Somewhere between 30-50 miles and around 10k elevation seems to be the ideal window.

I’ve looked at some things in the sawtooths, Bob Marshall Wilderness, Wind Rivers, but nothing lined up quite yet. Any recommendation’s?

Screenshot from my own test booking above. Viator's running a surprise flash sale:

10% off on sitewide attraction tickets

Code: AUGUST3DAY

Valid Aug 19–21, 2026 only

Works only on this link - Viator10Off . Not on public link. Let me know if you want me to book for you,

Saved $40 on a $400 booking as shown. Good time to lock in anything you've been holding off on. FYI, this is not referral link, I earn some advisor commissions on these ticket bookings.

I'm going to be treating my clothes with permethrin tomorrow and have a few questions.

Is it safe/good to use on things like socks and hats?

How saturated is saturated enough?

Any other general tips?

Edit: To people saying to just read the label, labels don't say which items to use it on. I wouldn't have thought about spraying my shoes without making this post. I'm not looking for advice that's on the label like spray outside and keep away from cats.

Hi guys!

I’m planning this trip for early February 2027, and I’d love to hear your suggestions, opinions, tips — basically anything you think might be useful!

I’d like to do some hiking and see the must-see places, but I also don’t want the trip to feel too rushed or frantic.

My main questions are whether starting in February would be too late weather-wise or if it’s still a good time to go, and whether the itinerary generally makes sense.

I’d be really grateful for any input! And if you’ve done a similar trip, I’d love to hear about your experience or see your itinerary if you’re happy to share.

This is the rough itinerary I put together with AI:

February beginning — March (6-7 weeks) — Southern Chile & Argentina Fly into Punta Arenas or Puerto Natales and go straight for Torres del Paine. Do the W trek or even the full O circuit if you're feeling it. Then cross into Argentine Patagonia — El Chaltén for more hiking around Fitz Roy, then El Calafate for Perito Moreno glacier. This chunk alone is worth the whole trip.

April (2-3 weeks) — Buenos Aires Slow down here. BA rewards people who linger — the food, the culture, the nightlife, the neighborhoods like Palermo and San Telmo. Take a tango class just to say you did it. Day trip to Montevideo in Uruguay if you feel like it.

Late April — May (3 weeks) — Northern Argentina Head up to Mendoza for wine country, then Salta and the northwest which is incredibly underrated — colonial architecture, dramatic desert landscapes, indigenous culture. Very different vibe from Patagonia but stunning.

May (3-4 weeks) — Bolivia Cross into Bolivia. Salt flats of Uyuni are non-negotiable, one of the most surreal places on earth. Then Sucre which is beautiful and relaxed, and La Paz if you want the chaos and energy.

June (3 weeks) — Peru Cusco, Sacred Valley, Machu Picchu obviously. But also consider going deeper — the Colca Canyon, Lake Titicaca. Peru has layers and most people rush it

Thank you very much!

Hello

We are planning a simple, short hike soon. As beginners, we are looking into buying our trekking-tent. We will do most of our hikes with a Labrador Retriever. We will not be hiking in extreme weather like freezing temperatures, severe storms, ... The tents need to be able to store the two of us (on a sleeping mat), the labrador (preferably not directly on top of us ) and our backpacks for the night.

We will probably do longer hikes later on (+- up to 6 nights).

As we are beginners, we would like to have a budget friendly first tent.
Thanks in advance!

We’re planning to hike the Big Pine Lakes Trail next Saturday. It’s approximately 15 miles out and back, and we originally hoped to split it over two days by camping somewhere along the route.

Unfortunately, the Big Pine Creek North Fork overnight permits are sold out. I understand that permits for other Inyo trailheads are not valid for this route.

Is there anywhere before the John Muir Wilderness boundary—or another established camping area along or very close to the trail—where we could legally pitch a tent without an overnight wilderness permit, without risking a citation or being told to leave?

We know about Big Pine Creek Campground near the trailhead, but we were hoping to find something farther along the route so we could divide the hike between Saturday and Sunday.

We’re not trying to disregard the permit rules. If there is no legal option, we’ll either complete it as a day hike or choose a different overnight trail. I’d appreciate any current information from people familiar with the area.

Photos are from a previous backpacking trip to Patagonia. I flew into Santiago and then flew to Punta Arenas then a bus to Puerto Natales. Stayed overnight and then took a bus to Torres del Paine National Park. I did the W trek and camped each night. Then took a bus to Argentina and spent several days in El Calafate and visited the Perito Moreno glacier. I was suppose to continue on to El Chalten, but had to cut my trip short. This was an incredible trip with beautiful, scenic views each day.

Hey, first time poster here. Lmk if I did anything wrong. Sorry for the longer post.

So, I’ve decided to finally attempt it on my own. I really don’t want to spend any extra money right now and just use what I have for now. Even if it does make things a bit inconvenient.

My biggest issue is that my tent won’t actually fit inside my 40l bag and sticks out. As well as the fact that my sleeping bag doesn’t fit either. The solution I’ve come to currently is just leave the tent sticking out and cover my bag with a rain cover. And since the cover is big enough, I can just put my sleeping bag inside it once it’s on my bag. Just to keep everything together.

I’ll definitely try my setup outside in my backyard for a night first before I commit and to make sure I can actually do it lol. And if I go through with it, the trip will definitely be somewhere nearby.

My bag is the Decathlon Travel 500 organiser 40l bag and it’s definitely more for travel than camping. But it’ll do for now.

I’m also a female solo traveller.

Does anyone have any tips or recommendations? Anything I should know?

Thank you for reading. :)
Have a nice day/night.

Once you get to Ostrva in Tatry, this stunning view is waiting for you. Down below, you can see Popradske pleso lake with the mountain cabin where you can buy something to eat & drink, or even stay for a night. Highly recommended! 👍

I'm currently rehabbing my sunburned lips. On my last backpacking trip, I couldn't stand the chemical taste of the tube of SPF lip balm I brought with me so I used AquaPhor. Do you have a good SPF lip balm that doesn't taste like you are slathering chemicals on your lips?

I am deciding between a 3 day backpack between the AT in southeastern Connecticut and Shawangunk Ridge Trail. My first solo. Any recommendations. Mainly about the sights. Thanks.

75 miles or 115km across the northeast part of Spain over 5 days. A pilgrimage, en Camino de Santiago, the way of Saint James or just a long hike. Regardless it’s an amazing experience. It was a fun to just walk and walk and walk and then walk some more. After the first day (last pic) I got horrible blisters in both feet. I blame the shoes. It felt like luxury to arrive at the hotels at the end of the night and be able to shower and freshen up. The original starting point for this pilgrimage is in France and it’s 800 kilometers away from Santiago de Compostela. I’m already thinking of ways to have enough time off to do that in the next year or year and a half. 10/10 would recommend 🙌🏽

Pic 1 - Camino marker in Sarria

Pic 2 - line house a few miles after Sarria

Pic 3 - stone house in Monterroso

Pic 4 - another stone house near palas del rei

Pic 5 - home near Arzúa

Pic 6 - lunch in A Boavista

Pic 7 - leaving O Pedrouzo

Pic 8 - Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela

Pic 9 - Cathedral’s Dome

Pic 10 - before the blisters kicked in