Backtracking at sunset because my guide omitted a key detail

I was following a recommended route in Glacier National Park from a popular guide (you know, the one with all the five-star reviews). Turns out, the guide didn't account for recent landslide damage (a total oversight, in my opinion), so I had to retrace my steps as light faded. How do you all verify that your hiking guides are current before heading out?

3 comments

3 Comments

coracarter12h ago

My buddy Alex once relied on a trail guide for a hike in the Rockies. The book was a few years old and didn't mention that a key bridge had washed out the previous spring. They ended up at a dead end with daylight fading, had to scramble down a sketchy riverbank to cross. Now he always checks the park's official website for trail advisories and recent trip reports on hiking forums. Even calls the ranger station sometimes, which has saved him from a few pointless drives. It's a hassle but way better than getting stuck out there.

nathannelson5h ago

Scrambling down a sketchy riverbank as daylight fades sounds like a plot point from a survival horror game. I can't believe they actually went through with that instead of turning back. Relying on a years-old guidebook for something as variable as trail conditions seems optimistic at best. Calling the ranger station might be a hassle, but it beats an unplanned overnight stay in the woods. Your buddy learned the hard way that outdated information has real consequences.

willowp3953m ago

Yeah, that moment when you're staring at a washed-out trail with a five-year-old book in your hand is a special kind of dread. Got caught like that once up in the North Cascades, trusting a faded forest service map instead of checking online. Ended up backtracking three miles in the dark, the whole woods getting that weirdly quiet, spooky feel. Now I'm obsessive about cross-referencing at least two recent sources, like AllTrails comments and the ranger's recorded line, which is a total pain but absolutely worth the five minutes.