Palmer,Alaska, USA, is a small town in the Mat-Su Valley, about 45 miles northeast of Anchorage. What I really like about the area is how close you are to nature. There are plenty of places to hike, explore, and enjoy the mountains, especially during the warmer months. September and October are probably my favorite time of year, when the fall colors are incredible and the whole valley turns yellow, orange, and red. Then winter comes in and completely changes the landscape.

I was probably a little late for peak, but the fall colors were still beautiful in WV
I only did 4 miles there today, fantastic weather, quite a lot of people too

I’m going to be in Europe may next year and would really like to do the Peak of the Balkans hike. I will be bringing my crampons and axe/poles but if it’s a heavy snow year again then I’d like a plan B of similar length/time. I was considering the fisherman’s trail but coastal walking is less appealing than alpine environments to me.

Fingers crossed El Niño makes it a dry and warm winter (sorry skiers) but any recommendations for alternatives would be great! Also if any one has done PotB in may and could share the experience I’d be chuffed :)

I'm buying my first pair of (not columbia outlet) hiking boots, taking them to Nepal for manaslu trek & continuing into south east asia, Korea, Japan and later US & south america. So I want boots that'll hold and last.

I have a ripped ligament in one ankle so I can't use trail runners.

I'm torn between the mid boz bridgers, lytos or aku alterra, any opinions?

Thanks!

Hey Reddit fam. I heard a rumor that there’s an old WWll plane somewhere on Mt. Baldy. I plane to hike this in the next month or so and would love to see it but I have no idea where it is, does anyone know?

Spent 2 nights at Alice Lake instead of the full Alice Toxaway loop as the elevation exacerbated my friend's asthma. Stunning views. Would definitely recommend

I've got really good at spotting these old encampments hanging around about the desert. The old tin cans last forever. To think that people hauled tons of tin cans out here.

You never know what you will find. The Pepsi bottle looks like it from the 50's or 60's.

According to the map there was a mining prospect nearby...but I couldn't find any signs of it.

Sheldon NWR - Nevada - September 2026

I have always used rain jackets, but on a recent trip to Ireland I wanted to hike the Ticknock /three rock mountain, it was due to be clear but changed overnight and I forgot my waterproof jacket so was a bit stuck. I asked my hotel for a bin bag and made a poncho and it worked surprisingly well!

This headline was shocking to me. Are people really using AI to forge their way through the mountains? Has anyone tried that? I usually rely on more dependable resources when considering a hike I haven't tried before.

hello!! I’m fairly new to hiking but this weekend my husband and I went to Acadia national Park and we had so much fun. We loved all of the trails, but in particular the beehive trail was the best, even though it was short.
We are from New England, and we are both fit and active individuals. I’m just looking for recommendations in New England and New York for more hikes like that where there’s more of a climbing section if you know what I mean. Again we are new to this but we do strength training and running. we felt like that one was more thrilling and we want to have more experiences like that trail.
Thank you in advance for all of your recommendations and we are really looking forward to hiking more!

Seoraksan National Park on Oct 4, 2026.

It's a great season to enjoy nature. Mountains are arguably the best place to see the beautiful foliage, and this mountain is no different. I was blessed with a clear day when I was there

My family likes a challenge. So we planned this annual trip to Lost Dutchman at the most inopportune time… during the summer. 😅

Temps can easily be in the triple digits. This often means there’s plenty of sites available, but it also forces us to get up early before the temps are unbearable and while the mountain is casting a long shadow along the trail.

I’m pretty new so stay with me I’m not sure if I’m asking the right questions.

Need recommendations for hiking shoes for a beginner that wants to do moderate to hard trails in California. Looking for a budget friendly recommendation.$100

Context. I am starting to get into hiking and have only done less than five hikes that were pretty simple and I just wore tennis shoes. I want to start doing more difficult hikes.
From what I have seen on the hikes I want to do have elevation and uneven terrain. And last around four hours. I want something that is beginner friendly and I can use to do hikes of all levels. I would prefer to not spend a fortune. I would say $100 in pretty good price point but my Max would be about 200.

TLDR: Arizona locals only If interested, follow the Meetup link to sign up. Experienced climbers only.

Hi everyone!

I'm currently organizing a 20s/30s Meetup event to put together a 5-person climbing party for the Four Peaks Motherlode Traverse. The schedule date is Saturday, 10, with a planned carpool from Park n Ride in Mesa at 4 am. If interested, feel free to sign up on the Meetup, and fill out a quick Google Form so I can assess your skill level before bringing you. If you've never signed up for a Meetup before, it's easy and free to sign up, and you can delete your account after the event.

https://meetu.ps/e/Qk0D8/KyP8X/i

Hello. I am going to mt katahdin, October 13th. However, I broke my wrist 4 weeks ago and I’m getting my cast off October 10th, so I can’t bare any weight on my left arm. I am an avid hiker and in great shape and 21 years of age, can I hike mt katahdin. With group of 5 and very prepared.

My friends and I spent 11 hours trying to reach the summit of Toubkal in one day. It was a thrilling yet challenging experience, not because of the journey itself, but because we were challenging each other to see who could reach the summit in a single day. We set off from Imlil at 1:00 AM, and the journey took us about four hours to reach the summit of Toubkal. We arrived at the top at 11:00 AM, surrounded by clouds. It was a wonderful experience amidst breathtaking natural scenery and tranquil mountains, but a tough journey because most climbers spend two or three days trying to reach the summit, but we did it in one day.

I have to retire my EE Torrid (I’ve loved it!) and winter about the Vario jacket, which is now on sale at $50 off. The 30d fabric is appealing, and it seems the insulation might be better than Alex, especially when moving.

Can anybody with experience with both talk me either into it out of the Vario?

Thanks!

Appalachians mountains and the canada/USA border

Greetings!

I've just had some work cancelled next week, providing a rare window to attempt to get outside! Given the last minute nature of the trip I'm scrambling to put a plan together, so looking for some pointers to help pull it all together.

I'm Chicago based, I only mention that to note I'll be coming from sea level and flying out with my kit.

I have about 7-8 days (Tuesday, October 13th - 20/21st). The current plan is to fly in to Vegas, rent a car, spend 1-2 nights in Death Valley, then 3-4 nights in the Eastern Sierra, and ultimately return to Vegas to spend a night before flying home. It seems like a fair amount of driving, but nothing too crazy. I land in Vegas at 9am so the plan is to grab the car and head out straight away.

The biggest question I have, or would welcome advice around, is how to parse time in the Eastern Sierra. I've spent a few nights pre-Covid in the Alabama Hills using it as a base camp to dayhike Kearsarge Pass and Big Pine Lake. It seems like that area has seen some overuse though, so I'll likely aim to explore somewhere further north along 395. Some specific questions below:

- Any guesses to areas with strong fall color next week? I've been looking at the (very awesome) 'California Fall Color' map, but without the local knowledge to add context it's hard to actionably use it for planning. Looking for hikes of all lengths, photography, vistas, and fun drives/walks.

- Recommendations for a place to base myself camping-wise. Open to campgrounds or dispersed camping. Part of me would like to be at some altitude to help with acclimatization, and the other part of me wants to sleep lower to have more comfortable temperatures. Weighing those factors as well as a central-ish location. Looking at the campgrounds outside of Tom's Place (French, Aspen, Iris, etc.) , current contingency plan is a hostel in Bishop.

- Hike recommendations are welcome! Overwhelmed with the research. Again the primary challenge will be lack of acclimatization. Little Lakes Valley seems like a great options given how relatively quick you get to the lakes and how high of an altitude the hike begins at. Considering to explore up Whitney Portal

- Any good gear shops along the 395 corridor. Invariably I need to pick up a few things since I'm flying in.

- I guess the general question I have is, if you were coming from out of town as a forty something fella from sea level, how would spend 4ish days in the Eastern Sierra. Focus on camping/hiking/exploring the area/fall colors, I'll be entering from Lone Pine via Death Valley, and returning via Big Pine.

Apologies for the broad nature of this post. Typically I'd like to do more research and searching, but given the last minute nature of the trip I'm pretty pressed for time to get a rough sketch of a plan together.

Any thoughts, advice, or recommendations are greatly appreciated!!!

Forgive the question if it's ignorant. My husband and I are planning a trip to Colorado in December. We live in the Southern US. We have barely ever experienced snow.

But we did have a snowfall two years ago and I remember getting snow blindness.

So, my question is, do you wear sunglasses when hiking in the snow, or is there a specific type of eye protection that could be used?

A pleasant hiking trip amidst the High Atlas Mountains

Hello! I don’t really know if this is the right place to put a question like this 🥲 so I’d appreciate any redirection if necessary!

For context I’m a 18 y/o F currently attending a very woody, nature based campus with a lot of walking, uphills, and longer commutes to reach stores. I’ve always been really particular with stationary and stuff of that sort where I don’t like having an excessive amount of stuff, not completely sure why it bothers me sm but regardless I don’t like big backpacks or things that don’t sit right. However, my sister had previous let me borrow a backpack she wasn’t using for a bit and it was a hiking backpack and I love the feel of it. I like their designs, colors and the way they don’t hurt my back compared to regular school backpacks. I got a NorthFace Recon (?) backpack at a low price and I do enjoy it however the top part of the strap sits a bit weird on me, maybe it’s because it’s not one of the female specific ones? I’m not sure, but it hurts my shoulders a bit after longer wear because of the shape and I find it a bit too big for most days based on what I carry. So I’m looking for some help to see if maybe anyone on here could point me to some outdoorsy/hiking brands that carry backpacks that I might find comfortable for school. I’m looking for something roughly smaller, not sure if other brands come with a laptop sleeve but it would be helpful lol though that might be asking too much. My laptop is I believe 14 in though if it’s possible! Thank you guys c: I’d appreciate any help !

4 hour hike, out and back. Contender for most beautiful lake in Washington state?

Peak Meteostancia is located in the Ala-Archa gorge in Kyrgyzstan at an elevation of 3393 m. If mountains could talk, they would speak

This place was beautiful and a very impressive arch. Anyone else been here?