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20 Best Backpacking Photos For 2012

I thought it would be cool to compile a list of the best pictures from all of my backpacking trips this year. It was hard to narrow it down to 20, so many good ones! From the summit of Snowmass Mountain to the Chihuahuan Desert, 2012 was one hell of a year. Many of my favorite backpacking moments are depicted in these pictures, such as overlooking the Whitewater-Baldy Fire in the Gila Wilderness (picture 4). This fire would later grow to be the largest in New Mexico’s history at over 270,000 acres.

Enjoy the pictures, and don’t be afraid to leave comments!

Snowmass Mountain viewed from Snowmass Lake

Fog fills the valleys of the Dolly Sods Wilderness, WV

View from Trail Rider Pass in the Maroon Bells Wilderness, CO.

Me overlooking the Whitewater-Baldy Wildfire in the Gila Wilderness, NM. This would later grow to become the largest wildfire in New Mexico history!!

Lead King Basin in the Maroon Bells Wilderness, CO.

Chihuahuan Desert viewed from the South Rim in the Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park, TX

Linville Gorge, NC

The Chimneys, Linville Gorge, NC

Exploring a cave along Blue Creek in Big Bend National Park, TX. This picture made it into the Big Bend National Park 2013 calendar!

10.

Frigid Air Pass behind me in the Maroon Bells Wilderness, CO

11.

Sunrise over the Chihuahuan Desert, Big Bend National Park, TX

12.

Panoramic view from the top of Snowmass Mountain, 14,098ft

13.

Early morning in the Linville Gorge Wilderness, NC

14.

Sunrise in the Dolly Sods Wilderness, WV

15.

Linville Gorge Wilderness, NC

16.

Big Bend National Park, TX

17.

The Chisos Mountains of Big Bend National Park, TX

18.

A very lonely stretch of road in Big Bend National Park, TX

19.

Table Rock in the distance. Linville Gorge Wilderness, NC

20.

Helicopter flying through the smoke of the Whitewater-Baldy wildfire in the Gila Wilderness of New Mexico

Eric Poulin

Eric Poulin is a long distance hiker/thru hiker, backpacker & outdoor adventurer. I quit my job and sold my house in 2018 to thru-hike the Continental Divide Trail, and since have been mapping new thru-hiking routes of my own. In 2020, I created/hiked an original 1000+ mile thru-hiking route across Nevada called the Basin and Range Trail. In 2021, I blazed a new 600 mile off-trail thru hiking route from Southern Nevada to southern Arizona, called the Mojave-Sonoran Trail. I have several more new long distance/off-trail hikes in the works, from a few hundred miles to over 4000. Additionally, I am a fisherman, rockhound and most recently, a van lifer. My ultimate goal is to spend as much of my life doing what I enjoy, pursuing my outdoor adventure hobbies. I hope to share my adventures with you, along with some inspiration! Eric Poulin is an outdoor documentary film maker, hiking and backpacking writer, and hiking youtuber.

Next Planned Hike - Superstition Wilderness, AZ »

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View Comments

tom says:

December 31, 2012 at 9:33 am

Wow, truly amazing pictures! I think you choose well, number 1 is my favorite!
Helen P. says:

January 2, 2013 at 9:45 pm

Good photos. Favorite? Number five.