Big Bend Backcountry permit day: water planning mattered
Jan 30-31, 20263 people1 min read
C
Chris Middleton
1 reports
5.0
Difficulty
4
Scenery
4
Trail Conditions
5
Big Bend Backcountry field notes
- Crowds: moderate.
- Crew: group of 3.
- Start: 5:10 AM.
- Route: Outer Mountain Loop sections from the Chisos side.
- Weather: Cool morning temps made long exposed miles feel manageable.
- Trail: No major blowdown, just loose gravel in steep sections.
- Water: Cache strategy helped us keep pack weight under control.
- Wildlife: Tracks were everywhere, but no close wildlife encounters.
- Gear that helped: Sun hoodie, Work gloves, Extra socks, Offline map downloaded
What I would change next time: Take photos of the permit and save them offline.
Tips
- Start earlier than you think if you want space on the first mile.
- Take photos of the permit and save them offline.
- Have a turnaround time before you get committed to the hardest section.
- Pack a dry layer even if the forecast looks perfect.
- Carry a small trash bag. You will find micro-trash.
Conditions at Time of Trip
Jan 2026Weather
Cool morning temps made long exposed miles feel manageable.
Trail
No major blowdown, just loose gravel in steep sections.
Water
Cache strategy helped us keep pack weight under control.
Crowds
Moderate
💡Tips from the Trip
💡
General
- •Start earlier than you think if you want space on the first mile.
- •Take photos of the permit and save them offline.
- •Have a turnaround time before you get committed to the hardest section.
- •Pack a dry layer even if the forecast looks perfect.
- •Carry a small trash bag. You will find micro-trash.
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