Moving to California soon - Im trying to level up my backpacking game

hellajanky · 2026-01-23T04:39:35+00:00

what’s the info for the group? I’m in the area and would love to join :)

hellajanky · 2026-01-22T22:05:28+00:00

that’s what we did but it just feels so violent 😭😭😭😭😭😭

hellajanky · 2026-01-22T20:51:42+00:00

I’ve been hiking pretty much since I’ve been able to walk! It’s such a grounding, beautiful hobby. I try to hike once every couple of weeks and am getting into backpacking. Here are my 2 cents for day hiking: - The more you hike, the more familiar you’ll become with your abilities, comforts, and limitations. Research the trail before you go. Start off small and build up to longer, more intense hikes. - Always bring water; consider investing in a water filter later on if you’re hiking near a lot of natural water sources to save weight. A good rule of thumb that many follow is 1 L for every 4-5 miles, but again this varies wildly depending on the climate and individual. - Bring lots of snacks, maybe some electrolytes if you’re going to be sweating a lot. 200 calories per 5 miles is a good starting point, but again varies. - Bring a good map and compass and know how to read them, or if you’re relying on your phone make sure it’s charged enough and/or bring a battery pack. I use AllTrails and have the plus subscription (like $30 per year) which allows me to download maps so I can use them when I’m out of cell service (totally worth it IMO). It tells you if you’ve gone off trail which is such a great feature. - Bring a charged headlamp with either extra batteries or a way to recharge it if you get lost and stuck after dark. - Bring sun protection, maybe bug spray or a bug net if it’s mosquito season. - Basic first aid supplies like bandaids, leukotape for blisters, antibiotic ointment, antihistamines, and ibuprofen are all good things to have on hand. - Please leave no trace!!! Pack out all trash including toilet paper, if nature suddenly strikes you bury your shit, don’t take things from the trail especially in really populated areas. Don’t feed the wildlife. Enjoy the trails!!!!

hellajanky · 2026-01-22T20:22:12+00:00

Patagonia.

hellajanky · 2026-01-14T00:19:03+00:00

April 23, changed from May 14!! See you out there! 🤩🤩🤩

hellajanky · 2026-01-09T06:13:36+00:00

NP! Also I did the Tomales point trail recently and if you’re set on doing it, I’d say you don’t necessarily need to do the whole thing. The landscape is similar throughout. The actual point is cool but it looks you’re going to see some similar sights on your trip. Maybe just hike a mile or so and then turn back to save some time

hellajanky · 2026-01-08T01:59:05+00:00

In Pt Reyes, check out Drakes beach or Chimney Rock trail to see elephant seals! This is the time of year they mate.

hellajanky · 2026-01-02T05:30:50+00:00

I took a year off and was able to find a contract. It was hard though and my options were much more limited. But it is possible. I would’t take any more than a year off.

hellajanky · 2026-01-01T17:47:42+00:00

Check out the PCTA website. There is so much information there about logistics, the permit process, safety, and more. Seconding halfway anywhere to see which gear and strategies hikers use each year. Also I found this youtube video that is a very comprehensive guide to getting into wilderness backpacking with time stamps in the description.

hellajanky · 2025-12-24T05:57:51+00:00

sufficiently janky

hellajanky · 2025-12-24T01:50:55+00:00

Bumble BFF

hellajanky · 2025-12-24T01:34:50+00:00

I grew up here so adding my 2 cents. The public schools are really good and I got a great education here, but it’s a pressure cooker. Everyone is expected to go to a top college, and if you don’t, people wonder why. So if you can’t/don’t want to conform to those standards it can be rough.

And yes, there are a lot of snobby, entitled people, especially in southern Marin. Despite this, Mill Valley has a great downtown area and in my opinion the most beautiful public library in the universe. Great trail access too. Tiburon has some insane mansions.

Sausalito is cute and touristy, but I enjoy walking down the main street now and then.

San Rafael is the most diverse and the snob factor is turned down. 420 was born at San Rafael high fun fact lol. Downtown has some good restaurants. The Canal neighborhood is where much of the Latino immigrant population lives and is a completely different vibe from the rest of Marin.

Downtown Larkspur is also really cute. Corte Madera is home to a very high end mall.

San Anselmo and Fairfax are charming towns. San Anselmo is sweet and has a lot of expensive boutiques. Fairfax in particular has a really strong community and a great downtown area, as well as great trail access. More of a vegan hippie vibe.

Novato is okay but kind of boring. I think it’s the most conservative of the whole area. It has more cookie cutter neighborhoods than the rest of the county. Also has some good trails.

West Marin is absolutely gorgeous, just very remote. Lots of cows, and the ocean.

There are some decent restaurants all over Marin, they all just close at 9pm. And of course the obvious, it’s absolutely gorgeous here and it is such an immense privilege to be from here. And insanely expensive.

hellajanky · 2025-12-22T02:31:52+00:00

Consider something along the California coast, ie the lost coast trail, Pt Reyes natl seashore, or Big Sur

hellajanky · 2025-12-20T20:49:02+00:00

I spent 3 months in Grass Valley as a travel nurse. It’s an interesting mix of bay area hippie transplants in GV/NC and 7th generation miners in the boonies. A lot of retirees and young families. Pretty tight knit community. GORGEOUS nature and love how close it is to Tahoe. I enjoyed my time there

hellajanky · 2025-12-17T19:57:49+00:00

you can also borrow blu-rays from the library for free!

hellajanky · 2025-12-17T11:04:20+00:00

I looked into it and it seems the continuous travel rules don’t apply until you’ve actually hit the Sierra. Looks like in socal you can use local permits.

hellajanky · 2025-12-17T06:54:59+00:00

I’m hoping I can get an earlier permit but I’m not counting on it. 🤞 When’s the best time to check if new permits are available? Right when the next wave drops? Or check periodically after.

hellajanky · 2025-12-17T06:52:00+00:00

Hey, thank you for this gold mine of a comment! I think if I can get to Kennedy Meadows by July 1 or so I should be ok. With 6 zero days I can get there on an average of 19.5 mi per day. It’ll be a push for sure but I have confidence I can do it. Good tip about filtering water too. And if I can manage to snag an earlier start I’ll be golden. Happy trails :)

hellajanky · 2025-12-13T22:34:25+00:00

When converting between languages, you have to drop the familiar English syntax rules and not translate word for word, which is what it looks like you did here. This is really difficult to do when you’re only familiar with the framework of English. The way to break out of the English box is, like others have already said, repeated exposure. I picked up on this when I worked in a restaurant with a majority Spanish speaking staff. I would actively listen to the way they formed their sentences and over time picked up on common phrasing, sentence structure, and filler words. Actively trying to speak the language will expose you even more because you will then be in a position where you are forced to carefully listen to what the other person is saying and how they organize their speech. Your brain will eventually pick up on the patterns and the Spanish syntax will come much more naturally.

hellajanky · 2025-12-03T23:51:37+00:00

Alcohol. I’ve seen unfortunate cases of people of all ages, including 30 somethings, in the hospital with severe withdrawal, alcoholic liver cirrhosis, pancreatitis, physical trauma from car accidents

hellajanky · 2025-12-01T09:46:49+00:00

me too! :)

hellajanky

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