Trail Prep and Packing Tips ~ A Faticalawi Adventure
Highlights from the High Sierra The Sierra Nevada isn’t just a spot on a map it’s a rhythm you return to, in every season. With elevations that swing from flower filled meadows to icy peaks, it offers a hard to match mix of solitude, challenge, and sheer beauty. In winter, the backcountry feels otherworldly. Silent, […]
Where the Crowds Aren’t In a state packed with selfies, surfboards, and gridlock, true solitude is rare and valuable. Southern California’s desert wilderness offers something that no spa weekend or five star retreat can replicate: silence you can actually hear. Here, the sky stretches wide, the trails vanish into empty horizon, and you can go
Finding Solitude on the Coast California’s coastal wilderness strips things down to the essentials: cliffs, forest, sea, sky. It’s wild in a way most backpacking destinations aren’t anymore. No highways humming nearby. No crowded trailheads stacked with selfie sticks. Just raw terrain that puts you in your place and gives you space. This stretch of
You’re Not Alone: Hiking Is More Accessible Than Ever More people are lacing up and heading outside in 2026 than ever before and it’s not just hardcore backpackers. First time hikers, city dwellers, and weekend walkers are all finding their way to a trail. Why now? Burnout is high, remote work stuck around, and people
Why Trail Etiquette Still Matters in 2026 The outdoors isn’t quiet anymore. Hiking has exploded in popularity, especially post pandemic, and many trails are struggling to handle the influx. What was once a solitary activity is now a shared experience with dozens, sometimes hundreds, of others. That’s not necessarily bad but overcrowding has clear consequences:
Situational Awareness in the Wild Out in the wild, being tuned in isn’t optional it’s survival. Start with the basics: know your terrain. Loose rock, crumbling trails, steep slopes don’t just glance, scan. Weather shifts fast, especially in the backcountry. A sunny morning can turn to lightning and flash floods by afternoon. If the sky
Why Learn to Navigate the Old School Way GPS is great until it isn’t. One drained battery, one lost signal, and suddenly you’re guessing which ridge leads home. That’s where old school navigation earns its keep. Learning to navigate without digital tools forces you to pay attention: to terrain, to light, to your own internal
Why Trail Navigation Still Matters in 2026 Let’s start with the obvious: GPS is a great tool until it isn’t. Batteries die, signals drop, apps crash. In thick forest, deep canyons, or during heavy weather, your phone’s fancy nav system is basically a paperweight. If that’s your only plan, you’re gambling. Paper maps and trail
Why Leave No Trace Still Matters in 2026 The trails are getting busier. National parks, local forests, and once quiet backcountry spots are seeing record foot traffic. More people than ever are looking for fresh air and open skies but not everyone shows up with the know how to treat these spaces with care. That’s
Know Your Fitness Level Let’s not sugarcoat it lying to yourself about your fitness level won’t get you to the summit any faster. If your cardio hasn’t seen action in a year or your idea of a workout is walking from the couch to the fridge, that’s okay. Just don’t pretend you’re ready for switchbacks