If you are a subscriber to Backpacker Magazine (like I am), you probably noticed that they have revamped their website and have heavily promoted it in this month’s issue. Their ultimate goal is to load a database of all the hikes from the last 20-30 years, allow subscribers to upload trip reports, maps, photos, etc. tied to the hikes, and continue to grow their online community. Sound familiar? I actually can’t believe it took them this long to do it. They have a loyal readership and have some really high quality content. I can only guess that they see the future of their magazine online where it can be accessed 24/7 rather than solely in a magazine that comes out 9 times a year.
So what does that mean for the little guys: thebackpacker.com, whiteblaze.net, yourhikes.com, etc. Backpacker.com has deep pockets. We do not. We’ve already proven there is demand for user generated content, but will our loyal members abandon us for this new mega-medium that Backpacker.com has developed? I guess you will be the judge.
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