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64 HIKE LIKE A PRO How do you get good at hiking? Hike a lot. And we haven’t met anyone who’s logged more miles than Cam Honan. Our suggestion: Follow his hard-won advice. By Barney Scout Mann Contents / March 2014 Features 50 SEASON STARTERS Summer is months away, but you’re itching to dust off your boots. Say goodbye to winter and kick off your best year of hiking ever with these 37 early-season trips and tips. By Kelly Bastone 66 GONE GIRL Are female trekkers in danger in Nepal? When Aubrey Sacco embarked on a life-list Himalayan trip and didn’t come back, her family was shocked to learn about the country’s dark side. By Tracy Ross 78 GO THE DISTANCE Hike farther and in less time than ever before. We consulted pros and fitness experts to craft a workout plan, an eating strategy, and on-trail techniques to boost your mileage. By Casey Lyons 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 Tablet editions Get this issue on your iPad, Kindle, or Nook: backpacker.com/apps. READY FOR SPRING: THE ENCHANTED VALLEY IN OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK P H O T O B Y K I R K E N D A L L - S P R I N G 03.2014 BACKPACKER 5