Outdoor Letter is a hiking and backpacking journal by Timothy M Logan — trail guides, skills, gear philosophy and honest notes from the backcountry.https://outdoorletter.com/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/hiking-myths-to-leave-at-the-trailhead/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/hiking-myths-to-leave-at-the-trailhead/From 'cotton kills' to 'heavier boots mean safer feet', a lot of trail wisdom deserves a second look. Here are ten beliefs worth unlearning.Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/overland-track-tasmania/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/overland-track-tasmania/Six days through Cradle Mountain–Lake St Clair National Park — bookings, huts, weather, and the side trips worth your time.Wed, 02 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/samaria-gorge-hiking-guide/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/samaria-gorge-hiking-guide/A practical guide to walking Samaria Gorge in western Crete — the route, logistics, the ferry out, and how to beat the crowds.Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/jotunheimen-hut-to-hut/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/jotunheimen-hut-to-hut/Norway's highest mountains, glacier-fed lakes and a network of staffed and self-service huts make Jotunheimen a perfect first hut-to-hut trek.Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/peaks-of-the-balkans-trail-guide/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/peaks-of-the-balkans-trail-guide/A cross-border loop through the Accursed Mountains of Albania, Kosovo and Montenegro — permits, guesthouses, route options and when to go.Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/arctic-circle-trail-gear-list/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/arctic-circle-trail-gear-list/What to carry for roughly ten self-supported days on Greenland's Arctic Circle Trail — with notes on bugs, water, wind and food.Wed, 27 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/principles-of-going-lighter/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/principles-of-going-lighter/Lighter packs aren't about obsessive gram-counting. Five simple principles will do more for your back than any single piece of gear.Fri, 08 May 2026 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/guide-to-frameless-backpacks/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/guide-to-frameless-backpacks/Frameless packs can be a joy to carry — or a misery. Here's how they work, who they suit, and how to pack one well.Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/w-trek-torres-del-paine/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/w-trek-torres-del-paine/Granite towers, glaciers and Patagonian wind — a planning guide to Chile's most famous trek, from reservations to what to pack.Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/blister-prevention-and-care/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/blister-prevention-and-care/Blisters can ruin a trip faster than bad weather. Here's how to stop them before they start — and how to treat them if they do.Wed, 25 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/tips-for-hiking-downhill/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/tips-for-hiking-downhill/Descents cause more aches, falls and injuries than climbs. Here's how to move down steep ground efficiently and safely.Wed, 04 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/how-to-ford-a-river/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/how-to-ford-a-river/River crossings are among the most serious hazards in the backcountry. Learn how to judge a crossing, choose a spot and move safely.Tue, 10 Feb 2026 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/choosing-a-campsite/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/choosing-a-campsite/A good campsite means a warm, dry, quiet night — and minimal impact on the land. Here's what to look for before you pitch.Mon, 19 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/annapurna-circuit-guide/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/annapurna-circuit-guide/Roads have changed the Annapurna Circuit, but it remains one of the world's great treks. Here's how to plan it today.Thu, 08 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/leave-no-trace-in-practice/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/leave-no-trace-in-practice/The seven Leave No Trace principles are easy to recite. Here's what they actually look like on the trail and in camp.Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/john-muir-trail-guide/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/john-muir-trail-guide/Permits, resupply, direction and timing for California's famous long trail from Yosemite Valley to Mount Whitney.Tue, 02 Dec 2025 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/hiking-at-high-altitude/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/hiking-at-high-altitude/Altitude affects everyone differently, and fitness offers little protection. Here's how to acclimatise, spot the warning signs and stay safe.Thu, 20 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/acatenango-volcano-hike/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/acatenango-volcano-hike/An overnight climb in Guatemala to watch neighbouring Volcán de Fuego throw lava into the night sky.Tue, 04 Nov 2025 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/is-thru-hiking-90-percent-mental/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/is-thru-hiking-90-percent-mental/It's the most repeated saying in long-distance hiking. But the mental game is only part of what gets people to the finish line.Tue, 28 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/books-for-hikers-and-backpackers/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/books-for-hikers-and-backpackers/Trail memoirs, nature writing and a couple of practical classics — a reading list for rest days and long winter evenings.Mon, 06 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/toubkal-circuit-morocco/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/toubkal-circuit-morocco/A guide to Jebel Toubkal in Morocco's High Atlas — the standard two-day ascent from Imlil and a longer, quieter circuit.Sun, 28 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Loganhttps://outdoorletter.com/posts/hydration-on-the-trail/https://outdoorletter.com/posts/hydration-on-the-trail/Carry too little and you risk dehydration; carry too much and you're hauling kilograms you don't need. Here's how to get it right.Fri, 12 Sep 2025 00:00:00 GMTTimothy M Logan