BACKPACKER's 10 Best Stories of 2014
From goats to ghosts, our editors pick their favorite reads of the year.
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#10
X Marks the Spot
A hidden box of treasure. A cryptic poem from a wealthy Santa Fe art dealer. Four states’ worth of Rocky Mountain wilderness. Our reporter joins the hunt.
#9
Proving Grounds: 10 Astonishingly Hard Hikes in North America
These 10 hard hikes will challenge even the toughest backpackers.
#8
American Wild
The Wilderness Act turned 50 this year, and we threw it a party. We look at one man’s quest to hike all 439 wilderness areas, some great hikes, and the future of American wilderness.
#7
Masterpiece Trails
The stories behind 10 of North America’s most impressive trail-building feats—and how to see them yourself.
#6
My Partner Ate My Socks: A Tale of Goatpacking
The heartwarming (?) tale of one hiker and his goats in the High Uinta Wilderness.
#5
Love on the Rocks
A trek through the Dolomites just might be the most romantic hike in the world. If you’re lucky.
#4
The Complete Guide to Fire
From the dawn of history to dusk last night, fire is mankind’s oldest and most useful tool. Learn how to harness its strength to cook, survive, and connect to a primal force as old and powerful as time itself.
#3
New Zealand’s Routeburn Track
Who says you have to work hard for the best scenery? New Zealand’s great walks deliver life-list terrain with perks for beginners and experts alike.
#2
A Ghost Among Us
One woman’s journey to the brink of what’s possible on the Pacific Crest Trail.
#1
Gone Girl: Aubrey Sacco’s Disappearance in Nepal
Like many hikers, Aubrey Sacco walked into the Himalayas with joyful excitement. But she encountered a dark side of Nepal all trekkers should know about.
