Sierra High Route

A true wilderness lover s adventure, the 195 mile Sierra High Route runs north to south through the Sierra Nevada, crossing 33 passes without any clearly marked trails. Most backpackers choose to tackle one of its five segments, though Backpacker magazine editor Steve Howe hiked the entire thing in one month in 2006. Also known as the Roper Route, this hike is the brainchild of mountaineer Steve Roper, who sought an alternative to the heavily pounded John Muir Trail, says National Geographic. It passes through Kings Canyon National Park, the Inyo National Forest and Yosemite National Park and involves a good deal of boulder hopping and long stretches of peaceful solitude.