This was supposed to be a post about how on our third attempt, after not even seeing the mountain from our approach in 2021 and then deterred by bad weather in 2023, we finally summited the Wyoming high point. But for reasons you’ll soon read, it didn’t happen. Our planned route was from the GlacierContinue reading “Making Good: Backpacking the Teton Crest Trail”
Tag Archives: Backpacking
A Different Kind of Adventure: A Hurricane and the Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia High Points
This year in my ongoing quest to combine state high-pointing and medical conferences, I’d decided on Asheville which would set us up well for a day-hike to the top of North Carolina and a backpacking trip in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to include Tennessee’s highest land. I was stoked for this trip until aContinue reading “A Different Kind of Adventure: A Hurricane and the Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia High Points”
A Return to the South Winds: East Temple Peak, Texas Pass, and Throne Peak
Nine years ago, in 2015, Erik and I had our first backpacking trip in Wyoming’s south Wind River Range. We hit all the highlights – Wind River Peak, Lonesome Lake and Cirque of the Towers, Shadow Lake, Washakie Pass, and our favorite – the Lizard Head Trail. Since then we’ve been to the north WindsContinue reading “A Return to the South Winds: East Temple Peak, Texas Pass, and Throne Peak”
Back to the North Winds: A Primer on Tourist Creek, a lot of Disappointment, and a little Redemption
My obsession with Gannett Peak, Wyoming’s highest point, began after we climbed Granite Peak, Montana’s highest in 2017. Prior to that we’d been state high-pointing, but Granite was my first “technical” peak. This opened up a whole new possibility of completing the lower 48, if not all 50, with Denali of course being leaps andContinue reading “Back to the North Winds: A Primer on Tourist Creek, a lot of Disappointment, and a little Redemption”
Backpacking the Eastern Uintas and Kings Peak
After our spring paddling trip, Erik desired something more chill so I came up with this 56 mile loop to do in six days in the eastern Uintas of Utah. The primary inspiration of the trip was to bag Utah’s highest point, Kings Peak. We started and ended at the Hoop Lake Trailhead which hadContinue reading “Backpacking the Eastern Uintas and Kings Peak”
Backpacking the South Carolina and Georgia High Points
I know both the South Carolina and Georgia state high points have roads to the top but I prefer to shed some sweat, blood (read on), and tears on my journey. What ensues is a tale of two backpacking trips, plus some bonus photos from Charleston because yet again, as with Arizona and Colorado andContinue reading “Backpacking the South Carolina and Georgia High Points”
Backpacking Alaska’s Chugach State Park
Like most plans, this year’s backpacking trip didn’t quite come to fruition as anticipated. This trip was motivated by a combo of wanting to visit our friend, Claire, in Anchorage and see some glaciers before they melt. I scoured a map of Chugach State Park, the fourth largest in the United States, and found aContinue reading “Backpacking Alaska’s Chugach State Park”
The Nevada High Point and Backpacking Southern Yosemite
My motivation for this trip was to bag the Nevada high point, Boundary Peak. As with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico, I combined this with a medical conference just south of Yosemite. After our Wind River Range trip this summer, I realized our itinerary, including a four-day-65-mile-16,000-foot elevation change backpacking loop based out of Luken’sContinue reading “The Nevada High Point and Backpacking Southern Yosemite”
The Great North Wind River Range Backpacking Loop + Tourist Creek
Wherever we go backpacking, we always try to do loop routes. Apparently, as was true on our Beartooths trip in 2017, and now on our North Wind River Range trip, the trails don’t always connect into a circle and often skirt the most majestic mountains and instead stick to lower passes and valleys. Enter off-trailContinue reading “The Great North Wind River Range Backpacking Loop + Tourist Creek”
Ultra-light Backcountry Camping Gear: The Small Stuff
In this final of four gear posts, I’ll discuss all the small stuff. Although the list is long, we bring small quantities and so all these things don’t take up much space. Camping Essentials Extra Supplies (weight w/ First Aid Kit) map in waterproof container 108 g rope (thin spectra or dyneema) compass/GPS/phone/camera 179 gContinue reading “Ultra-light Backcountry Camping Gear: The Small Stuff”
Elspeth Ronnander 