A Second Chance: The Out and Back Hike

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

I breathed heavily as I hiked up the snowy ridge, not sure if the effort would be worth it. Just the day before the top of the ridge had viewlessly been engulfed in thick fog. As I neared the top and to my excitement, the sight was now entirely different. Apparently the day before I had been disoriented and thought the prized panoramic view of the lake was in the opposite direction. Looking down nearly 2000 feet I could now see the vivid blue of the lake in its entirety and the many snow-covered peaks surrounding it. It was a view that I will remember as long as I am able to remember. This experience was only possible because I went back again on an out and back hike. Like we often desire a do-over when things in life don’t go as planned, our trails deserve a second chance as well...

@Eric shows us why planning an out and back trip should be given ample consideration when planning for backpacking trips - check out the full article below in Issue 47:

A Second Chance: The Out and Back Hike

Issue 47 Page 1