Hiking and Backpacking Glossary
A:
-A.T./Appalachian Trail: A roughly 2180 Mile National Scenic Trail beginning at Springer Mountain in Georgia and ending on Mt. Katahdin in Maine. “I’m saving up to thru hike the A.T. in 2023.”
-Aqua Blaze: Bypassing part of a trail to travel by water. “I aqua blazed that last section and used a raft to float down the Rogue River for 10 miles.”
B:
-Backpack: A bag with shoulder straps designed to carry gear used for backpacking or hiking. “I got a new Osprey backpack. It feels like I’m not carrying anything!”
-Backpacking: Hiking with all of your required gear carried in or on a backpack. “I’m going on a 20 mile backpacking trip this weekend.”
-Bag Liner/Pack Liner: A waterproof bag used inside of a backpack in order to keep the gear inside of it dry. These can be specifically made for backpacking or simply a larger bag like a contractors/trash bag. “Thank goodness I had a pack liner during that rain storm this morning.”
-Base Weight: The weight of all your non-worn gear not including consumables such as stove fuel, water and food. “I’m going ultralight this summer. I got my base weight down under 8lbs!”
-Bear bag/Bear Hang: A bag of food and items with scent that is often hung from a tree or placed in a bear proof container to ensure bears are unable to access it. “I had to hang my bear bag so far from camp since we were above the timberline.”
-Blaze: A logo or color marker along a trail. May be on a tree or human made structure. Designed to help guide one along the trail. “I wasn’t sure I was on the right trail until I saw the white blaze.”
-Blowdowns: Trees or vegetation that are on the trail due to the tree dying or being blown over by the wind. They often require being climbed over or under. “All those blowdowns we had to climb really cut up my legs.”
-Blue Blazer: A backpacker who takes the Blue Blazed side trails instead of the main trail. “Mike saw some beautiful waterfalls while he was blue blazing.”
-Bounce Box: A mailed resupply box that a hiker can send further down the trail if it is not needed at the initial location. “I still had 3 days worth of food so I bounced the box to Elk Lake.”
-Bushwacking: Hiking through brush either do to the trail being over grown or having to take a reroute around an object/blockage on the trail. “We had to bushwack half a mile due to the blowdowns.”
C:
-Cairn: A man made pile or stack of rocks that indicate where the trail is. “Once we crossed the river I spotted a cairn that pointed us toward the trail.”
-Camel Up: Drinking large amounts of water while at a water source in order to not have to carry more water in your backpack. “I had a long water carry so I cameled up at the creek before we started hiking again.”
-Cat Hole: A 6” or deeper hole dug by a hiker in order to poop into. “The ground had so many roots that it was really hard to dig my cat hole.”
-C.D.T. Centennial Divide Trail: A 3028 Mile National Scenic Trail that begins Crazy Cook Monument in New Mexico and Ends at Waterton Lakes in Alberta Canada. “Bruce encountered 3 bears while hiking the C.D.T.”
-Cowboy Camp: Sleeping without a tent/tarp. Often still using a ground sheet/cloth and sleeping pad. “The sky was so clear last night I decided to just cowboy camp so I could enjoy the stars.”
D:
-Day Hike: A shorter hike lasting a day or less. “I’m going to go day hike Multnomah Falls this weekend. Want to come with?”
-Denier: A unit of measure that measures the mass of a fiber used in a textile. Typically the higher the number the more durable the material. “My sleeping quilt is ultralight. It uses 7 denier fabric on the inside.”
-Down: A type of insulation from a natural source often duck or goose feathers. It is often rated in “fill power” which is the amount of space taken up by a given weight of down. The higher the number the lighter weight needed to maintain the loft needed to keep you warm. “My sleeping quilt uses 950 fill down. It’s so nice and warm.”
-Drop: The difference in distance from the heel of a shoe to the forefoot. A “zero drop” shoe would mean the heal and forefoot are at the same height. It is measured in millimeters. “My Altra’s have a zero drop.”
-Dry Bag: A waterproof bag used to store gear inside of a backpack or on a watercraft. “I keep all of my down gear in a dry bag to ensure my sleeping bag stays dry.”
-Dry Camping: Camping in an area with no water source. “We had to dry camp so I made sure we filled all of our bottles before we left the water source before camp.”
-D.W.R./Durable Water Repellant: A waterproof coating that is added to fabrics to help repel water/rain. This treatment often has to be reapplied occasionally as it breaks down over time. “My rain jacket wetted out. I probably need to apply more D.W.R. to it.”
-Dyneema/D.C.F./Cuban Fiber: A high strength and very lightweight material used to make some backpacking gear including backpacks, tents and tarps. “My Zpacks Duplex tent is made of Dyneema.”
E:
F:
-False Summit: A part of a trail where you believe you have reached the peak of a hill or mountain only to realize you still have more elevation and distance to go. “I was so excited to reach the end, but then I realized it was a false summit and I still had a half mile to go.”
-Fill power: The “fluffiness” of an ounce of down feathers. The higher the number the less weight of feathers needed to provide the same amount of loft. “My sleeping bag was fairly cheap since it only uses 650 fill power down.”
-Flip flop: To hike different sections of a thru hike trail to ensure better conditions/weather. “Heather did a flip flop on the P.C.T. due to the heavy snow still in the Sierra’s.”
-F.K.T./Fastest Known Time: The amount of time it took the fastest person to hike a particular trail. “Bigfoot has the F.K.T. for the Superior Hiking Trail.”
G:
-Glissade: Sliding down a typically snow-covered hill often while sitting. This allows for a controlled yet fast way to descend. “Once we got over the glacier we glissaded down the far side.”
-Gram Weenie: Hikers who are very meticulous about the weight of their packs and do everything they can to lighten their loads. “I was a real gram weenie on the J.M.T. since I was still a bit out of shape.”
H:
-Hiker Box: a box or bin often at or behind a hiker friendly establishment where people put their unwanted items such as excess food or stove fuel. “I scored some cherry pop tarts and half a fuel can at the hiker box behind the hostel.”
-Hiker Funk: the smell that comes with hiking long miles with only the occasional shower/bath. The funk often permeates the hiker’s gear. “I got some strange looks in that store. Probably due to my hiker funk.”
-Hiker Hunger: Thru hikers often get a voracious appetite due hiking dozens of miles daily. “I ate all of my snacks on day one due to my hiker hunger.”
-Hiker Legs/Trail legs: Usually taking a number of weeks to appear, it is the legs’ ability to adapt to longer and longer miles as the hike progresses. “I didn’t get my trail legs until I was already out of Georgia.”
-Hiker Midnight: The time that most hikers go to bed. Often around dark or earlier. “Make sure you’re in bed by hiker midnight. It will be around 8pm tonight.”
-Hiker Texts: Notes left in the dirt/snow or pined to an object like a tree to notify hikers coming behind you of information. “I left a hiker text on the path so they know we’re going to the restaurant in town tonight.”
-Hiker Trash: Thru hikers are often considered hiker trash as they begin to shun the social norms and become accustomed to their hiker funk. “A group of us hiker trash got some stares from the locals while we were at the laundry mat.”
-Hike your own hike (H.Y.O.H.): A saying encouraging a hiker to do what is best for them. This may mean hiking at a slower pace or taking a zero day when others aren’t. “I just felt like I needed to sleep in yesterday. HYOH, ya know?”
I:
J:
J.M.T./John Muir Trail: A 211 miles trail in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of Northern California. Starting at Happy Isles Trailhead in the Yosemite Valley and ending at the Summit of Mt Whitney. “I was so lucky to get a permit to hike the J.M.T. this summer!”
K:
L:
L.N.T./Leave no trace: 7 principles designed to reduce a hikers impact on the environment. “Make sure you leave no trace this weekend on Mt Adams.”
M:
-Mail Drop: A packaged mailed by the hiker or friends/family of the hiker to a Post Office or location that will accept packages on behalf of the hiker. These packages often contain food and supplies needed for an upcoming section. “I had to hustle to town so I could pick up my mail drop before the Post Office closed.”
N:
-Nero: A day in which a hiker hikes only a few miles. “I had to take a nero since the post office opened up late.”
-NOBO/North Bound: A hiker who is hiking a trail from south to north. “I went NOBO on the A.T. last year.”
O:
P:
P.C.T./Pacific Crest Trail: A 2653 mile National Scenic Trail beginning at Campo California and ending at Manning Park in British Columbia Canada. “The P.C.T. is on my bucket list.”
-Privy: A small bathroom located near a camp area or shelter. Often just an outhouse style with a pit toilet. “I was so glad the privy was next to the shelter since I couldn’t see well in the middle of the night.”
-P.U.D.’s/Pointless Up’s and Down’s: Sections of trail where a hiker ascends and descends constantly despite not gaining or losing any net elevation. “Going over that saddle had so many PUDs. They really wore me out.”
-Puffy: A down or synthetic insulated jacket that can often be compressed to save space in a backpack. “I used my puffy as my pillow since it was warm enough that I didn’t need to wear it at night.”
Q:
R:
-Rainfly: The waterproof/water resistant part of a double wall tent that is used to keep the elements out of the tent. “Thankfully I was able to remove the rainfly on the tent last night so we could see the stars.”
-Register: A log book often kept at hiker locations such as hostels where hikers can leave notes about the trail or for hikers coming up behind them on the trail. “I left a note for flossy in the register so he knows we are zeroing in Ashland.”
S:
-Seam Sealing/Seam Taping: Using a tape or liquid to cover the seam in a piece of gear such as a tent or backpack. This helps lessen the chance of rain/water getting into the gear. “I had to seam seal my tent since I had a leak last time it rained.”
-Section Hiker: A hiker who only hikes a section of a thru hike trail. “I’m sectioning the C.D.T. on my week off this year.”
-Silnylon: A lightweight synthetic fabric used to make backpacks, tents, tarps etc. “My silnylon tarp was a great choice to cover my hammock. Kept me dry the whole trip.”
-Slack Pack/Slackpacking: Carrying only a small bag with the essentials. This may be done to lighten your pack weight in order to summit a mountain or complete a side trail while the rest of your gear is kept at basecamp. “We left our camp at the base and slack packed to the summit of Mt. Whitney.”
-SOBO/South Bound: A hiker hiking a trail from north to south. “I hiked the P.C.T. SOBO last year since I had to start later.”
-Spider Blazing: Being the first person on trail who ends up clearing the spider webs by walking through them. “I must have been the first person on trail since I was spider blazing for a couple miles.”
-Stack height: The height of the sole of a shoe. Often measured in millimeters. “These shoes have so much cushion thanks to their 33mm stack height.”
-Stealth Camp: Camping where you are difficult to see. Often because you are not allowed to camp in the area. “We stealth camped right outside of town so we could get our resupply early in the morning.”
-Stoveless: Not bringing any tool to boil water for cooking food. This can help lighten your pack weight by not needing fuel and a stove. “I’m going stoveless on my hike thru the desert next week. It’s too hot to cook anyway.”
-Stuff Sack: A non-waterproof bag used to store gear. They often allow air to be squeezed out to allow items to be compressed to fit inside of a backpack. “I put my tent in a stuff sack to better fit inside my backpack.”
-Switchback: A part of a trail where it makes near U turns in order to help with the elevation gain or loss. These should not be bypassed as that can lead to excessive erosion. “Those switchbacks really kicked my butt! They were so steep!”
T:
-Temperature Rating: Often used in sleeping bags and puffy jackets it is a rating given to a piece of gear so a user knows how cold they can use it. Sleeping bags are often rated to a “survival rating” meaning a 30 degree sleeping bag would keep you alive at 30 degrees but may only be “comfortable” in temps above 40 degrees. “My sleeping bag has a temp rating of 30 degrees so I take it on most of my 3 season trips.”
-Thru Hike: A hike along an established trail from end to end. “I’m thru hiking the Pacific Crest Trail this summer.”
-Trail Angel: People who offer random acts of kindness to hikers, often in the form of food or drinks at various trailheads. “Angie offered great trail magic. It was so nice to get a fresh burger and a beer.”
-Trail Name: A nickname given to a hiker by other hikers. “I got the trail name Wham-O because I brought a Frisbee on the trail.”
-Tramily: The group of hikers you may hike with along a long distance trail. “I finally caught up with my Tramily in Damascus. “
-Triple Crown/Triple Crowner: The 3 main National Scenic Trails and someone who has hiked all 3 including the P.C.T. C.D.T. and A.T. “I love that Dixie is a triple crowner. That is so much hiking!”
U:
-Ultralight backpacking: Backpacking with a base weight of around 13lbs or less. “I went ultralight for our section of the C.D.T. due to all the elevation gain.”
-U.P.F./Ultraviolet Protection Factor: A sun protection rating for clothing and textiles. “My Outdoor Research sun hoodie had a UPF of 50 and kept me from burning in the exposed area.”
V:
-Vestibule: The area outside of the tent body that is still covered by the tent for gear storage. “I keep my pack and shoes in my vestibule so they don’t get rained on.”
-Vitamin I: A slang term for Ibuprofen. “Better take some vitamin I before we leave camp in the morning.”
-Vortex: A location that hikers find hard to leave. It may be a particularly fun town or a trail angel location. “We spent two days in Cascade Locks. It was a real vortex.”
W:
-Water Carry: Having to carry water due to the distance between water sources. “In the dessert section of the P.C.T. we often had an 18 miles water carries.”
-Water Source: A natural or cached source of water. This may be a stream or spring where water can be gathered or in “dry” sections it could be bottles/jugs of water left by trail angels or placed by hikers. “Guthook says the water source in 1 mile is still flowing.”
-Wet-out: When a fabric becomes so saturated with water that the water begins to pass through. This can often happen with rain jackets and tents. “It rained so hard last night that my tent wet-out.”
-Widow Maker: A branch or tree that is dead and at risk of falling on someone especially when they are camped in their tent or hammock.
-White Blaze: A white mark on a tree along the A.T. that indicates you are on the trail. “I wasn’t sure I was on the trail until I noticed the white blaze.”
-Worn Weight: The weight of the clothes or items you have directly on your body such as shoes, shorts and a neck knife. “My worn weight was pretty low since I only had on shorts and a tank top.”
X:
Y:
-Yellow Blazer: Someone who hitchhikes around certain sections of the trail to shorten their hike. “Steve was yellow blazing since he had to go home early and wanted to make it to the end.”
-Yo-yo: Hiking a trail from beginning to end and then turning around and returning on trail to the beginning. “Gummy bear did a yo-yo on the A.T.”
Z:
-Zero/zero day: A day off or on trail where no miles are hiked toward your end goal. “I’m zeroing in town today to resupply and do some laundry