I'll take a hut-to-hut route over a thru-hike any day

Everyone raves about thru-hiking the PCT or AT, but after doing a 6-day hut-to-hut loop in the Italian Dolomites last fall, I think they're missing out. I spent $45 a night on a bunk with dinner and breakfast, no tent to carry, and my pack weighed 12 pounds. Who else prefers shorter trips with real beds over months of sleeping on the ground?

3 comments

3 Comments

danielmason1mo ago

Honestly that's the move right there - I've done both and the hut-to-hut setups in places like the Alps or even Colorado are way more practical if you value your back and knees. You can cover serious miles with that light pack and still get a solid meal and dry boots at the end of the day. Plus you're not stuck with the same trail food for weeks on end.

leo61228d ago

The hut-to-hut setup is honestly the best kept secret of long distance hiking if you ask me. Did the Alta Via 1 last summer and waking up in a warm bunk after a solid dinner made the whole experience feel like a vacation with some tough walks thrown in. My knees are already bad from years of soccer so not hauling a tent and cook kit for two weeks was a game changer.

samwalker1mo ago

Cover serious miles with that light pack" you say? Yeah, on a good day I can cover about 15 feet before I remember why I hate carrying heavy stuff. But seriously, the Dolomites huts are a total cheat code for hiking. You get the views, the sweat, and the satisfaction without feeling like a pack mule the whole time. And hot food every night? I don't miss choking down cold rehydrated beans at all.