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Update: I finally understood why the Wind River High Route felt so different from the JMT
Three years ago, I hiked the John Muir Trail and loved it, but it felt like a long walk on a trail. Last month, I finished the Wind River High Route in Wyoming, and it clicked. That route forces you off trail for over 80 miles, navigating passes and boulder fields with a map. It made me realize a 'route' isn't just a harder trail; it's a different kind of trip where you build the path yourself each day. The planning and constant decisions are the whole point. Has anyone else had a trip that shifted how you see backpacking?
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wood.eric24d ago
That 80 miles off trail sounds intense. How much time did you spend just staring at your map each day making those calls?
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wren63824d ago
My buddy and I got totally turned around in the Sawtooths once. We spent a solid hour each morning just sitting on a rock, tracing ridges with our fingers and arguing about which drainage would actually go through. The map was basically glued to my hands!
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uma_williams24d agoTop Commenter
Ever try navigating by just the sound of water?
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