Just a Girl and a Backpack

Join me on my adventures as I hike the world!

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  • Backpacking Tips & How To’s
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    • The Girl Behind the Backpack
    • Contact Me
  • snowy Mt. Rainier in the distance with timber forests in the foreground
    Backpacking & Thru-Hiking,  Lady and Minority Hikers,  Leave No Trace,  Pacific Crest Trail,  SOBO PCT 2021,  Solo Hikers,  Trail Journals,  Trails,  Trip Itineraries,  Ultralight,  United States of America,  Washington State,  West Coast

    Sobo PCT 2021 Series (part 6): Nero at Newcastle/Snoqualmie Pass to White Pass

    August 15, 2021 / 0 Comments

    Keep reading for my 6th installation of my PCT trail journal.

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  • Backpacking & Thru-Hiking,  Lady and Minority Hikers,  Leave No Trace,  Pacific Crest Trail,  SOBO PCT 2021,  Solo Hikers,  Trail Journals,  Trails,  Ultralight,  United States of America,  Washington State,  West Coast

    Sobo PCT 2021 Series (part 4): Nero Day at Stevens Pass to Snoqualmie Pass

    August 5, 2021 / 0 Comments

    Here is part 4 of my trail journal for my Southbound Pacific Crest Trail adventure.  Follow my thruhiking trip in the next posts (no pics due to technical difficulties on trail), or on Facebook and Instagram at JustAGirlAndABackpack.Blog (where I’ve been posting lots of pics!!). The most recent day is at the top, and the oldest day is at the bottom. (I release posts on a schedule a couple of weeks behind the present day for safety reasons.). I want to apologize for any errors, as I am writing everything from my phone while exhausted and haven’t gone back over anything with a critical eye. Statistics for my journey so…

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  • Backpacking & Thru-Hiking,  Lady and Minority Hikers,  Leave No Trace,  Pacific Crest Trail,  SOBO PCT 2021,  Solo Hikers,  Trail Journals,  Trails,  Trip Itineraries,  Ultralight,  United States of America,  Washington State,  West Coast

    Sobo PCT 2021 Series (part 3): Zero Day at Stehekin to Stevens Pass

    August 1, 2021 / 0 Comments

    Here is part 3 of my trail journals for my Sobo PCT adventure. Follow my thruhiking trip in the next posts (no pics due to technical difficulties on trail), or on Facebook or Instagram at JustAGirlAndABackpack.Blog (lots of pics!!). The most recent day is at the top, and the oldest day is at the bottom. (I release posts on a schedule a couple of weeks behind the present day for safety reasons.) Random skills I’ve gotten good at while on trail: walking and doing literally anything else (eating, drinking, using my phone, rearranging stuff in my pack, rearranging clothes); setting up my tent anywhere; eating constantly; thinking and only thinking;…

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  • Backpacking & Thru-Hiking,  Lady and Minority Hikers,  Leave No Trace,  Pacific Crest Trail,  SOBO PCT 2021,  Solo Hikers,  Trail Journals,  Trails,  Trip Itineraries,  Ultralight,  United States of America,  Washington State,  West Coast

    Sobo PCT 2021 Series (part 2): Harts Pass to High Bridge Campground to resupply at Stehekin

    July 25, 2021 / 0 Comments

    Here is part 2 of my south bound Pacific Crest Trail journey. Follow my backpacking trip in the next couple of posts. The most recent day is at the top, and the oldest day is at the bottom. Unfortunately I wasn’t able to upload any photos for this post :(( but if you check out my Facebook page or instagram (justagirlandabackpack.blog) you can get daily updates with pictures!! Mile 69.5 to mile 80.7 + .2 from Six Mile Campground (11.4 mi today, avg 13.03 mi/day, 117.4 mi total, day 9): Fri July 9. I set my alarm for 6am and eventually sat up and stretched, before heading out to the “cooking…

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  • lauren taking a picture with mountains, clouds and a lake in the background
    Backpacking & Thru-Hiking,  Lady and Minority Hikers,  Leave No Trace,  Pacific Crest Trail,  SOBO PCT 2021,  Solo Hikers,  Trail Journals,  Trails,  Trip Itineraries,  Ultralight,  United States of America,  Washington State,  West Coast

    Sobo PCT 2021 Series (part 1): Harts Pass to Canadian Border to resupply at Mazama

    July 21, 2021 / 0 Comments

    Here begins my Pacific Crest Trail journey. I'm going South Bound (Sobo) this year. Follow my journey in the next posts.

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  • About me,  Backpacking & Thru-Hiking,  Lady and Minority Hikers,  Pacific Crest Trail,  Ultralight,  United States of America,  West Coast

    My Pacific Crest Trail Backstory

    July 10, 2021 / 3 Comments

    So I thought I’d give a run down of my backstory: how I got to the point of starting the 2650 mile hike that is the Pacific Crest Trail. This post is related to some instagram posts that have been published and will be published over the next week or so. So check that out @justagirlandabackpack.blog on IG or facebook. Since these are already in the form of a photo series on IG, and I wanted to continue that method here, but my phone won’t let me upload photos right now :(( check out my FB for the pics. I’ll fix this when I get home in 4-6 months haha…

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  • An image of Kirsten staring off into the woods in full backpacking gear, with a poorly edited theme of tree branches and roots
    About me

    The Girl Behind the Backpack

    March 18, 2019 / 0 Comments

    I feel like no good blog is without an About Me section, so here goes: My name is Kirsten (sounds like Kurstin in American English), but in non-English speaking countries I go by Cristina because its easier for others to say. I’m 21 years old. My pronouns are she/her/hers. My maternal grandfather’s Italian heritage shows in my tan skin and curly brown hair, and my father’s mixed-caucasian heritage shows in my green-hazel eyes and 5’7″ height. I am in my third year at the University of California Santa Barbara, although I’m spending the 2019 calendar year in Santiago, Chile studying for two semesters at La Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.…

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  • An alpine lake with white granite and pine trees
    Backpacking & Thru-Hiking,  Backpacking Tips & How To's,  Leave No Trace,  Packing Tips,  Ultralight

    What NOT to bring ultralight backpacking

    February 27, 2019 / 0 Comments

    A guide to packing lighter on a backpacking trip Ok, so here’s the deal. I am not yet an Ultralight backpacker. But I am working on it, and every birthday and Christmas I get closer to my goal with new, lighter gear! I do know how to lose some pack weight, though. Below is a list of things that you can do without, or can substitute for something lighter.  So let’s get to it: Canned food. All of that water weight, not to mention once you do eat what’s inside you still have to carry the heavy cans around! One option is to remove food from cans and put them in plastic…

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Who is the Girl Behind the Backpack?

Kirsten Cook

Kirsten Cook

hiking the world before it gets dark

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