Hiking & Trekking every time i post a photo someone comments “that’s trekking not hiking” like i personally offended their garmin. here’s the breakdown so we can all shut up and eat trail mix in peace.
The Time I Got Ratio’d for Calling the Inca Trail a “Hike”
hiking vs trekking posted a pic from dead woman’s pass. caption: “tough hike today!” comments: 478 people yelling “that’s TREKKING you casual” i cried into my coca tea at 4,200m. anyway.
Hiking – The Chill Cousin
- usually a single day (or a chill overnight)
- you go home/to your car/to a craft brewery after
- trail is marked, groomed, probably has a sign that says “you are here :)”
- you can wear leggings and still look cute on instagram
- pack weighs less than your emotional baggage (under 25 lbs)
- hot shower probability: 98% examples: yosemite’s mist trail, appalachian trail sections, anything with “loop” in the name
Trekking – The Unhinged Older Sibling
- multi-day, usually 3–30+ days
- you sleep in a tent/teahouse/random nepali grandma’s living room
- trails might just be a suggestion and a prayer
- you stop noticing you smell like a wet goat
- pack weighs more than your breakup depression (45–70 lbs)
- hot shower probability: lol examples: everest base camp, torres del paine circuit, the entire himalaya apparently
The Gray Area Where Everyone Loses Their Mind Hiking & Trekking
- john muir trail (3 weeks): trekking
- doing the JMT in day chunks from a hotel: hiking
- rim-to-rim grand canyon in one day: spicy hike
- rim-to-rim with overnight at phantom ranch: baby trek
- anything with “teahouse” or “refugio”: trekking with snacks provided
- anything where you see a yak: automatic trekking, no appeal
My Personal (Very Correct) Rules hiking vs trekking
- if you return to the same bed: hike
- if you pay a porter or a mule: trek
- if you poop in a hole you dug: trek
- if you can still get ubereats at the end: hike
- if you cried from altitude: trek
- if you cried from stairs: hike
bottom line: call it whatever. just don’t be the person correcting strangers on the internet while eating instant noodles at 5,000m. we’re all just walking with expensive back pain.
which side are you?? team “i want a shower and tacos tonight” or team “i haven’t seen my toenails in two weeks”? tell me below so i know who to block when i post my next photo.
now excuse me while i argue with a stranger about whether the tour du mont blanc is a “long hike” or a trek. send wine and a dictionar
