A double blaze is two trail blazes placed close together to warn hikers of an upcoming turn, junction, or route change. Often the upper blaze is offset toward the direction of the turn. Spotting a double blaze is a cue to slow down and confirm where the trail goes.
Slackpacking is hiking a long trail while someone else transports your overnight gear, so you carry only a light day pack between points. Often arranged through hostels or shuttle services, it lets hikers cover trail miles with far less weight, trading some self-sufficiency for comfort and speed.
Peak bagging is the pursuit of climbing many summits, often working through a defined list — like the Colorado 14ers, the New England 4,000-footers, or a country's highest peaks. It turns hiking into a goal-driven challenge, with hikers 'bagging' peaks one by one to complete the list.
A section hike is completing a long-distance trail in separate trips over time, rather than in one continuous thru-hike. Section hikers tackle the trail piece by piece — over weekends, holidays, or years — making long trails accessible to people who can't take months off at once.
A trailhead is the starting point of a trail, where it meets a road, parking area, or another trail. Trailheads often have signage, maps, parking, and registers, and are where hikes begin and end. Knowing the trailhead and any permits or fees is part of planning a hike.
Gaiters are protective sleeves worn over the lower leg and the top of the boot to keep out snow, mud, scree, water, and debris. They range from low trail gaiters that block trail grit to tall, waterproof mountaineering gaiters for deep snow, and keep feet drier and more comfortable on rough terrain.
Ultralight backpacking is a style of backpacking focused on minimizing pack weight, typically aiming for a base weight under 10 lb (4.5 kg) by carrying lighter, simpler, multi-use gear. Lower weight means less fatigue and faster travel, at the cost of comfort, durability, and margin — so it rewards skill and planning.
Base weight is the weight of a backpacker's gear excluding consumables — food, water, and fuel — that change over a trip. It's the standard way to compare pack loads because it stays constant. Lowering base weight is the central goal of ultralight backpacking, with benchmarks around 20 lb for lightweight and under 10 lb for ultralight.
Elevation gain is the total amount a hike climbs uphill, measured in feet or metres, summed across every ascent on the route. It's a key measure of a hike's difficulty — often more telling than distance — since a short trail with big elevation gain can be far harder than a long, flat one.
Trekking poles are adjustable, lightweight poles used in pairs to improve balance, reduce strain on the knees and legs, and add power on climbs and descents. They help on steep, uneven, or slippery terrain and when crossing streams, and are a popular aid for hikers and backpackers of all levels.