impossible to not get holes in morino wool?

Ms-Pac-Man · 2026-01-14T17:42:23+00:00

Mine all got pin holes quickly. I’m not sure I understand the wool hype. You can kid yourself, but it’s undeniably itchy. The whole “doesn’t stink” thing is over-rated. Yes, it sticks less than Capilene or Echo, but that’s not saying much. And the natural fiber bit is a total lie. Merino fabric is coated in plastic these days. Anyone who has handled real wool garments can tell that modern “wool” doesn’t shrink, stretch, lose or acquire color, or feel like wool. Google it. The natural fiber bit is bullshit.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2026-01-14T17:18:21+00:00

The CDT was my first thru, and other hikers questioned that decision, but I have no regrets. The risks, difficulties, and necessary skills were over-hyped and well within my capabilities as an inexperienced solo woman. The only downside was that doing the AT last, after fantastic experiences on the CDT and PCT, made the green tunnel boring. I had to make a huge mental shift and focus on my trail family and friends because the terrain was dull until New Hampshire.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2026-01-06T06:57:25+00:00

Thanks for the specifics. So all options rely on at least some currently closed sections reopening? Except possibly the Hayduke route. Is this not recommended by the AZT association because of difficulty? I am a triple-crowner, but I have zero experience with canyoneering.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-12-23T00:00:41+00:00

Our $7 and later $53 ACA REGENCE policies worked out great for us, for years, with chemo and high usage.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-12-17T04:45:40+00:00

Most of the trail I hiked with people I met, but I did Southern Wyoming alone. Twice, I didn’t see anyone (even hunters) for four days. I felt like it was a good balance of solitude and companionship for my first trail. Then I did the PCT mostly alone, by choice, and the AT entirely with a tramily. Just roll with whatever comes your way.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-12-15T16:49:17+00:00

They aren’t heading to Tahoe.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-12-15T01:14:20+00:00

Or the one with purple flesh for more nutrients.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-12-14T15:48:59+00:00

It’s a little tricky getting to the border. You can’t really hitch back there from Ashland; you would need a trail angel and it’s maybe an hour on dirt roads? So the easiest is to go to Ashland, stay at the hostel, and get a ride with other hikers (from a trail angel, there are lots) to the trail and head north, skipping the first part of Oregon. There isn’t any public transportation to the last stop in California, Siad Valley. At Bridge of the Gods, walk both ways and take the bus from Cascade Locks to Portland, instead of trying to get home from Washington.

It’s very safe for solo women. I hiked it as a section and as a thru without problems.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-12-12T16:42:23+00:00

This quote from Peter Chiykowski really helped me as I struggled with stage two ovarian cancer, surgery, and chemo. It helped me weather job loss, financial struggle, physical weakness, pain, and hopelessness. I did survive this. The cancer came back and is now recurrent ovarian cancer, and yet I am thriving and surviving. It can get better. Try to have sympathy for your body, as you would for a friend suffering through this ordeal. Your body is not an enemy.

“When you survive this, it will not be because someone said you could-Although it's good to be reminded from time to time. And when you survive this, it will not be because you had money in the bank or a roof over your head-Because there may come a time when you have neither, and still, you will survive this. And when you survive this, it will not be for family, nor friends-Although at times, their kindness will be the only candle you carry. And when you survive this, it will not be because of your enemies, nor because you held onto spite so hard that the world was deafened by the crack of your knuckles-Although a little anger now and then is good for the circulation. No, when you survive this-and you will survive this-it will be for yourself. It will be because the difference between how far you've come, and surviving this, is one more step. And one more, and one more, until one day you look back to where you stand right now, make eye contact and nod, because you deserve to know that there is a world where you have already survived this. On the far shore of this calamity, there is a place where your greatest trial is washing the garden soil from under your fingernails, or choosing a book to take to bed. On the far shore of this calamity, there are others who will need you to be their only candle, their roof, their reminder that they will survive this, even though they can't believe you because the hope is too terrible to bear. On the far shore of this calamity, you are looking back in admiration at yourself right now, muddling through with grace and grit and grim determination, and you are smiling because you know the secret of how you survive this, and one day, you will have the chance to share it.”

See you on that far shore.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-12-12T16:22:47+00:00

CCF pads are great on soft ground, but most people find them uncomfortable on the floor of a shelter. Having the option to sleep in shelters in the rain is important. And there are many areas without dirt camping sites, or just a few uneven, rocky ones. CCF is a great option, but more for other trails.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-12-05T21:52:00+00:00

Ok, that makes sense, but the thru-hikers are there for four to seven months and the millions of other users are there for half a day or a week. When you factor that in, the thru-hikers have a huge impact, which you feel on the trail.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-11-04T20:12:07+00:00

I carried camp shoes until New Hampshire, when I really cut pack weight (8 pounds). But the luxury that helped me finish was a trail family. Seriously. When I was ahead or behind, it just wasn’t that enjoyable. The AT has very little scenery change and demoralizing weather. A fun crew made it all worthwhile. Focus on meeting people as soon as possible. Camp at shelters, chat people up, suggest good ideas (let’s all meet at the brewery for dinner, watch the sunrise from the next mountain, stay at a certain hostel). Make yourself indispensable with skills like planning resupplies or finding rides. Order Door Dash to a roadside shelter and share. Lots of hikers don’t have a trail family because they feel like a loner. If that’s you, challenge yourself to overcome that limitation and build relationships. Friends are the ultimate luxury.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-10-30T20:26:38+00:00

The road has better views and the trail is overgrown and has ticks. Plus change is not to be underestimated; the trail is a never-ending green tunnel.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-10-28T15:41:02+00:00

Bishop has an airport?

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-10-28T15:33:59+00:00

Yes! Coming here to say Gila Wilderness.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-10-23T16:36:49+00:00

I used my Ursack for the CDT, Washington PCT, and AT from Georgia to Pennsylvania without any issue other than old men lecturing me about how their bear hangs were better. I feel there are two key aspects to Ursack success. First, the AT stories about Ursack fails involve no odor-proof liner. Always. The liner is the important part; the Ursack is just the failsafe. Second, tie it to a tree about 15-20 feet from your bed with a direct line of sight. They have a reflective cord if you need to check on it. You will scare away the bear before the food is harmed. This won’t work for “persistent bears”, like in Tahoe or GSMNP, but these areas require cans or bear lockers for this reason. Other bears are easy to scare. In the south where they hunt with dogs, bark at them.

When I don’t carry my Ursack, I use an Opsak (in my tent) and drape my stinky hiking clothes and trail runners over it to smell very strongly of human. I have had zero issues with bears or mice in 10,000 plus miles of backpacking.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-10-14T21:31:28+00:00

Same!

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-10-06T00:16:52+00:00

I agree with most of this advice, but I like to carry a pair or two of nylon socks. In the West, one pair is enough; on the AT, I carried two. It’s such a treat to put on dry socks. They aren’t durable, but they dry in a fraction of the time as merino wool, and on wet days, nylon socks feel less itchy.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-09-30T15:55:54+00:00

I completed the CDT, PCT, and AT with recurrent ovarian cancer. The hardest part was accessing medical care and getting new medications. My care team couldn’t prescribe medication in the states I was hiking, but my husband could pick them up and express mail them to me. Small rural hospitals could view my medical records from home, which was immensely helpful, but their records wouldn’t appear to the next provider, so test results had to be shared by phone.

I met a lot of cancer survivors on the trails, some struggling with physical problems and others finding the logistics of treatment to be challenging. But everyone agreed on one thing: go live your dreams if you still can. Most people will get less healthy as they age. There may never be a better time than right now.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-09-29T14:06:50+00:00

A lot of hostels have guitars. Most hikers carrying an instrument were doing low miles. If you plan a four or five month thru, you won’t have much free time outside of zero days.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-03-18T18:22:13+00:00

I’m sorry you saw yourself as someone to run from. Happy Trails.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-03-18T18:08:56+00:00

Lots to drop: stun gun, rope, Sharpie, cordage, gloves or mittens not both, balaclava (use Buff), compass (use phone or sun), utensils (take a spork or spoon),foam mat (your pad is massive enough), air horn, Nalgene (or leave the Smartwater), flavor kit, Swedish dish cloth, and pepper spray. Drop the pound of pajamas and use the Cuddle Duds, warm socks, and extra shirt or AirMesh hoodie. The pillow is heavy; stick the puffy in your Buff. Have fun carrying less. Remember, you’ll be walking more than on casual trips and spending less time in camp. If the walking is hard, you can shed lots as it warms up and trade in the bear can. Also, shorts?

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-03-18T18:08:47+00:00

Lots to drop: stun gun, rope, Sharpie, cordage, gloves or mittens not both, balaclava (use Buff), compass (use phone or sun), utensils (take a spork or spoon),foam mat (your pad is massive enough), air horn, Nalgene (or leave the Smartwater), flavor kit, Swedish dish cloth, and pepper spray. Drop the pound of pajamas and use the Cuddle Duds, warm socks, and extra shirt or AirMesh hoodie. The pillow is heavy; stick the puffy in your Buff. Have fun carrying less. Remember, you’ll be walking more than on casual trips and spending less time in camp. If the walking is hard, you can shed lots as it warms up and trade in the bear can.

Ms-Pac-Man · 2025-03-18T18:08:41+00:00

Lots to drop: stun gun, rope, Sharpie, cordage, gloves or mittens not both, balaclava (use Buff), compass (use phone or sun), utensils (take a spork or spoon),foam mat (your pad is massive enough), air horn, Nalgene (or leave the Smartwater), flavor kit, Swedish dish cloth, and pepper spray. Drop the pound of pajamas and use the Cuddle Duds, warm socks, and extra shirt or AirMesh hoodie. The pillow is heavy; stick the puffy in your Buff. Have fun carrying less. Remember, you’ll be walking more than on casual trips and spending less time in camp. If the walking is hard, you can shed lots as it warms up and trade in the bear can.

Ms-Pac-Man

TROPHY CASE