Many of us dream of hitting the trail for an extended backcountry adventure, but often end up finding excuses not to make it happen. Whether it's because we're too busy, we haven't had time to prepare, we don't have the proper gear, or some other reason, we seem to always find some road block to put in our own way. Eliminating those excuses and road blocks frees us up to pursue those adventures however, which is why it is important that we look for ways to do just that. Who could be better at helping us navigating those challenges thant he fine folks at Backpacker magazine. Recently, the staff there published a list of 21 tips for the perfect hiking trip, many of which are real game changers.
The article takes a straight forward approach to dealing with the excuses we come up with for not getting out on the trail more. It presents that excuse as "The Problem" and then goes on to provide a solution. Sometimes that solution offers a different perspective on how to overcome the challenge, other times it is a straight forward suggestion of where to go and what to do. For instance, the first item on the list is the common cop out that we're not acclimatized enough to go on an alpine adventure. To counter that excuse, Backpacker suggests an epic trip through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah, which provides a long trail to explore without ever climbing higher than 8000 feet (2438 meters).
Some of the other "problems" that make the list include poor weather forecasts, the excuse of not being able to sleep in a tent, the lack of good camping food, and extremely warm temperatures. Those are just a handful of the issues that the article tackles however, going into numerous others as well. Best of all, these excuses aren't just given a one paragraph, simple answer, but are instead explored with some depth and insight too. As a result, we're not simply told to "get over it" and go outside, but are provided some thoughtful ways to tackle these often self-imposed obstacles.
Right now, we all have a few additional obstacles-real or imagined-that are keeping us from enjoying the adventures we typically embark upon. Perhaps by reading through Backpacker's list you'll find a little extra inspiration to help you get past them however. Check out the full story here.
