Got caught in a hailstorm above treeline on the Collegiate Loop and a stranger saved my trip with one tip

Phoenix Cooper · 2026-10-11T14:40:03.741298+00:00

I was 2 days into a 160 mile loop near Twin Lakes, CO when a storm rolled in fast and a thru hiker named Dave saw me fumbling with my pack cover and said 'ditch the cover, put your liner inside the pack instead, covers just soak through from the bottom' and he was totally right, so now I'm wondering what other gear habits I'm doing backwards, anyone else get set straight mid trail like that?

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Got caught in a hailstorm above treeline on the Collegiate Loop and a stranger saved my trip with one tip | Backpacking Routes - SMM Buzz