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Document Sample
Colegio
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Backpacking for Beginners ________________________________________________ 4
Teach children to respect the land ________________________________________________________ 4
Pack out what you pack in _______________________________________________________________ 4
Other points to keep in mind _____________________________________________________________ 5
Planning Your Trip _____________________________________________________________________ 5
Conditioning for Backpacking ______________________________________________ 7
Getting in Shape for the Trail ____________________________________________________________ 7
Start Moving _________________________________________________________________________ 7
Time Frame __________________________________________________________________________ 8
Minimum-Impact Travel __________________________________________________ 9
On The Trail __________________________________________________________________________ 9
Waste ______________________________________________________________________________ 9
In Camp ___________________________________________________________________________ 10
Food ______________________________________________________________________________ 11
Lastly ______________________________________________________________________________ 11
Understanding the 10-Plus Essentials ______________________________________ 12
The 10-Plus Essentials _________________________________________________________________ 12
Map _______________________________________________________________________________ 12
Compass ___________________________________________________________________________ 13
Extra Clothing _______________________________________________________________________ 13
Extra Food and Water _________________________________________________________________ 13
First-Aid Kit _________________________________________________________________________ 13
Headlamp or Flashlight ________________________________________________________________ 14
Matches ____________________________________________________________________________ 14
Fire Starter _________________________________________________________________________ 14
Knife or Multi-Tool ____________________________________________________________________ 14
Sunglasses _________________________________________________________________________ 14
Sunscreen __________________________________________________________________________ 15
Water Filter/Purifier ___________________________________________________________________ 15
Final Thought________________________________________________________________________ 15
Weather Basics ________________________________________________________ 16
Think Ahead ________________________________________________________________________ 16
Keep an Eye on the Sky _______________________________________________________________ 16
Lightning ___________________________________________________________________________ 17
Stay away from water _________________________________________________________________ 17
Backcountry Health Topics _______________________________________________ 19
Outdoor Adventure Education Student Guide 1
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Sunburn ____________________________________________________________________________ 19
Blisters ____________________________________________________________________________ 19
General Aches and Pains _______________________________________________________________ 20
Poison Ivy, Oak, Sumac _______________________________________________________________ 20
Biting Insects________________________________________________________________________ 21
Stinging Insects ______________________________________________________________________ 21
Ticks ______________________________________________________________________________ 21
Altitude Illness _______________________________________________________________________ 22
Snakebites __________________________________________________________________________ 22
Understanding Water Treatment __________________________________________ 23
The Enemies ________________________________________________________________________ 23
Bacteria ____________________________________________________________________________ 24
Viruses_____________________________________________________________________________ 24
Chemicals and toxins __________________________________________________________________ 24
A Microscopic World___________________________________________________________________ 24
Treat Your Water Right ________________________________________________________________ 25
Tips for Selecting Safer Water ___________________________________________________________ 26
Why Hydrate? _________________________________________________________ 28
Your Body--The Machine _______________________________________________________________ 28
The Benefits of Staying Well Hydrated? ___________________________________________________ 28
Tell Me the Cure! _____________________________________________________________________ 28
Planning a Menu _______________________________________________________ 29
What's for dinner? ____________________________________________________________________ 29
How Much Food Is Enough?_____________________________________________________________ 29
Factors to Consider ___________________________________________________________________ 29
Options ____________________________________________________________________________ 30
Thinking Ahead ______________________________________________________________________ 30
Backcountry Kitchen____________________________________________________ 32
Fuel Type ___________________________________________________________________________ 32
Stove Design ________________________________________________________________________ 32
Backcountry Shelter ____________________________________________________ 34
Three-Season versus Four-Season _______________________________________________________ 34
Tunnel versus Freestanding_____________________________________________________________ 34
Test Driving a Tent ___________________________________________________________________ 34
CARE AND FEEDING FOR TENTS _________________________________________________________ 35
Sleeping Bags _________________________________________________________ 36
Outdoor Adventure Education Student Guide 2
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Choosing a Sleeping Bag _______________________________________________________________ 36
Temperature Ratings __________________________________________________________________ 36
Fill Type ____________________________________________________________________________ 36
Shape and Features___________________________________________________________________ 37
Sleeping Bag Temperature Rating ________________________________________________________ 37
Sleeping Bag Basics Features ___________________________________________________________ 40
Sleeping Bag Construction Methods ______________________________________________________ 40
Sleeping Bag Care ____________________________________________________________________ 42
Backpacks ____________________________________________________________ 43
Backpack Types ______________________________________________________________________ 43
Design and Construction _______________________________________________________________ 43
Fit and Suspension ___________________________________________________________________ 44
How to Fit a Backpack __________________________________________________ 45
Determine Your Hip Measurement ________________________________________________________ 45
Test Fit Your Backpack ________________________________________________________________ 46
A Good Fit, Step by Step _______________________________________________________________ 46
Additional Considerations ______________________________________________________________ 47
How to Pack Your Backpack ______________________________________________ 49
Internal-Frame Packs _________________________________________________________________ 49
External-Frame Packs _________________________________________________________________ 50
Tips for Either Pack Style ______________________________________________________________ 50
Tips: ______________________________________________________________________________ 50
Campsite Selection _____________________________________________________ 52
Winter _____________________________________________________________________________ 53
Year-Round _________________________________________________________________________ 53
Setting Up Camp _______________________________________________________ 55
Housekeeping Basics __________________________________________________________________ 55
Unpacking __________________________________________________________________________ 55
Shelter _____________________________________________________________________________ 55
Kitchen ____________________________________________________________________________ 56
Before You Turn In ... _________________________________________________________________ 57
Campfire Basics _______________________________________________________ 58
Campfire Tips _______________________________________________________________________ 58
Overnight Backpacking Checklist __________________________________________ 60
Outdoor Adventure Education Student Guide 3
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Backpacking for Beginners
To city dwellers, stepping into a wilderness setting
for the first time is an entirely new, nearly foreign
experience. Accordingly, take a few moments to
acquaint yourself with some of the basic ground
rules of outdoor exploration:
Wilderness lands are not theme parks. Out here,
there are no handrails, no water fountains, no flush
toilets, no snack bars; no trash cans, no cheery
attendants directing you to your next attraction. You
are on your own, completely dependent on your
individual skills, energy and knowledge. If you're
careless, you could get hurt, or worse. If complete
self-reliance is unappealing to you, think twice
before you attempt an overnight trip. Nature is utterly indifferent to your presence.
Roaring wind, searing heat, freak snowstorms, rockslides, idyllic summer
afternoons, magnificent sunsets, revelatory moments of stillness and silence—the
good and the bad of nature are both present in the backcountry, and it can be
difficult to predict which face nature will reveal to you on any given day. The faint
presence of danger is what gives backcountry exploration its distinctive appeal.
Always be prepared for the unexpected.
Backcountry travel requires a change in thinking and behaving.
Wild lands are special, even sacred places. "The clearest way into the Universe,"
wrote author John Muir, "is through a forest wilderness." In this development-
minded civilization, our remaining parcels of wilderness are treasures that should
be approached with joy and a degree of reverence. Tread lightly as you travel.
Avoid boom boxes, litter, commotion and other byproducts of urbanization. Wrote
Muir: "Only by going alone in silence, without baggage, can one truly get into the
heart of the wilderness. All other travel is mere dust and hotels and baggage and
chatter."
Teach children to respect the land
Kids might think it's entertaining to paint words on rocks or gouge initials into trees
or cut switchbacks. Adults must be diligent to help children appreciate the fragile
qualities of wilderness lands. Teach them to leave rocks, flowers and natural
features undisturbed.
Pack out what you pack in
That's a familiar old bromide that still rings true, right along with "Take only
pictures, leave only footprints," and "Only you can prevent forest fires." In the
wilderness, no one comes along and cleans up after you. You must take
responsibility for all your actions. Leave no lasting impact on the land. Make sure
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people coming behind you can enjoy the same sensations of peacefulness and
beauty that you experienced.
Other points to keep in mind
o Stay on established trails; when traveling cross-country, choose to walk on rock or
snow rather than soil.
o Camp in established campsite whenever possible.
o Dispose of human waste far from water sources and trails.
o Use a camp stove rather than building fires in order to minimize impact.
o Keep your food away from wildlife, and never feed animals intentionally; it alters their
natural foraging habits.
Planning Your Trip
So, has the time come to plan your first
backpacking trip? Outstanding! Keep a few
pointers in mind:
Pick a destination
If possible, choose a backcountry area not too far
from home, one that involves an established trail,
regular visitation and established campsites.
Maybe limit your first backcountry excursion to a
1-night stay so you're within a day's walk of an
exit point—just in case things aren't working out.
Think ahead
Research and select a trip suitable for your skills
and conditioning. Consult guidebooks. Confer with the information staff at a ranger
station or visitor's center when you secure your permit (which is usually required).
Ask about up-to-date trail conditions. If, for example, you're hiking in the Sierras,
ask about bear activity. Some Sierra backcountry camping sites have "bear boxes"
for storing food. Is your chosen site equipped with one? Or will you be required to
carry a bear-resistant food container?
Educate yourself about wilderness food storage techniques before you go.
Prepare
Do some local day hikes before the Big Event to acquaint yourself with walking in
wilderness terrain. Break in your boots prior to your overnight jaunt. Blisters can
litliterally stop you in your tracks far from a trailhead. Show courtesy to others on
the trail. Seek out updated weather forecasts. Pick up additional advice from online
clinics and Tips and Tricks in our Community section. You can print out a page or
two of our tips and carry them with you in the field. Store them with your map for
hand reference.
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Gear up
Refer to a checklist to consider what items your particular trip will require. Print one
out. Relax: You won't need everything a checklist mentions, but it will help you plan
so you don't leave behind any items important to you.
Tip: Consider renting or borrowing equipment for your first trip. Stores offer rental
backpacking equipment. Experience in the field will help you shop smarter for gear
that suits your personal long-term needs.
Make it fun. That's the whole point
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Conditioning for Backpacking
Few experiences convey a sense of well being
better than a walk through an old-growth forest
or up to and along a view-packed ridgeline. To
reap those intangible rewards, it's best if you first
prepare yourself with some basic, tangible
benefits of sensible physical conditioning.
Getting in Shape for the Trail
The amount of conditioning you need depends on your current fitness level and the
kinds of trips you have planned. If you exercise regularly, you may be ready for
short trips and easy terrain right now. But if you don't get as much exercise as
you'd like, set up a basic training regimen prior to your first trip to wake up
sleeping muscles and get your lungs working more efficiently. The best way to train
for backpacking is to mimic the activity as closely as possible.
Start Moving
Begin with shorter, less strenuous hikes and a light backpack. Nothing gets muscles
ready for the trail better than the trail itself. Start with shorter hikes and minimal
elevation gain carrying a light daypack.
Gradually increase the length and elevation of your hikes and increase your
backpack load.
As you begin to strengthen your lower body and improve your endurance, switch to
longer, more challenging hikes. Loading your backpack with the gear and weight
you are most likely to carry will help you become familiar with conditions you will
face deep in the backcountry.
If you don't have a chance to hike the great outdoors as much as you'd like, find
the next-best option.
Hit the Gym
Try stair-steppers, elliptical trainers and climbing machines.
These machines provide a great cardiovascular and strength training work out.
They isolate your lower-body muscle groups and help build endurance.
Consider step aerobics
Check out your local gym to see if they offer step aerobics. Or, do step aerobics at
home with a bench and instructional video.
Lift weights
A backpacker does not particularly want to transport a huge upper-body mass on
the trail. Still, a consistent, diversified weight-resistance program helps prepare
muscle groups all over your body for the sudden jolt of full-time, all-day physical
activity. Trained muscles are less susceptible to injury and strains.
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Swim
A great aerobic workout, swimming is easy on the joints and good for the lungs and
heart.
Use the Resources Around You
Climb the stairs in your house, or around the neighborhood.
Take the stairs whenever possible. Walking or running up and
down them on a regular basis is terrific pre-trail training. You
can even mimic step aerobics by just running up 1 step and then
back down, repeating the motion.
Walk instead of driving.
If you can perform certain routine chores by leaving your car
keys in your pocket, do it. Walk to the library, the park or the
store. Toss a weighted daypack on your back for a little extra
benefit.
If you've got a bike, start pedaling.
Cycling is an excellent way to condition your legs and increase
endurance.
NOTE: Jogging is a popular training option for people trying to
get in shape for backpacking. But use caution if you're not
already a runner, since jogging can also lead to muscle strains
that backpacking may aggravate.
Time Frame
How long will it take to get into condition for backpacking? That
depends on you. The better shape you're in now, the quicker you
can cultivate the conditioning needed for a long-haul trip. The more diligence you
show in your conditioning efforts, and the more lead-time you allow yourself, the
happier you'll be on the trail.
Be patient and listen to your body. Try to do some form of exercise at least 3 times
a week for a minimum of 30 minutes and get out on the trails for shorter hikes as
soon as possible with your backpack. Before starting any exercise program, always
consult a physician.
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Minimum-Impact Travel
Wilderness lands are special places. Accordingly, they require special treatment
from human visitors in order to preserve the qualities that make them so attractive.
When you are in the wilderness, be conscious of the impact you are creating. Do
you appreciate seeing small litter, food remnants, and disturbed campsites left by
others?
Human intrusions and carelessness can alter a natural landscape for generations.
One of the most valuable skills you can learn is the ability to "tread lightly" as you
explore our planet's mountains, coastlines, grasslands and deserts.
On The Trail
o Pack out what you pack in. It's not a cliché; it's the first commandment of
responsible backcountry travel. Please don't leave litter behind, not even an orange
peel. Please.
o Behave like you're a guest in a good friend's home. You wouldn't leave used tissue
paper on the floor of a friend's house; likewise, pick up after yourself in the
backcountry. Don't snap off branches of living things; don't make a racket; don't
trample the flowers. Make it your goal to disturb your surroundings as little as
possible.
o Stay on established trails. When traveling cross-country (off trail), choose to walk on
rock or snow rather than soil. Spread out so you don't wear a groove in trail-less
terrain. Never cut switchbacks on trails.
o Avoid hiking on muddy trails. If you encounter mud, walk through it, not around it.
Your boots are built to handle it.
o If you visit the desert, learn to identify crypto biotic soil. It looks like dark crust, but it's
very valuable to a desert ecosystem. Avoid stepping on it. In seconds one footprint
can destroy a natural soil-stabilizing process that involves years of imperceptible
growth.
o Camp in established campsites whenever possible. Choose a location that conceals
your presence from the sight of others.
Waste
o Dispose of human waste far (at least 200 yards) from water sources and trails.
o Use a camp stove rather than building fires.
o Keep your food away from wildlife, and never feed animals intentionally; it alters their
natural foraging habits. It’s harmful to their health and alters their natural behavior.
Observe wildlife from a distance
o Travel in small groups only (12 maximum). Avoid popular trails, holiday weekends,
and popular camps. It lessens the impact on the wilderness and creates
opportunities for seeing wildlife. Never feed, disturb, or harass wildlife.
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o Always carry a small camp shovel and bury human waste at least six to eight inches
deep. Do not bury toilet paper - pack it out! It is your responsibility to pack out your
own. Toilet paper takes months and even years to biodegrade in an arid mountain
environment and is often dug up by small mammals and scattered about the
forest floor. Human waste is also responsible for the spread of Giardia. Restore
the ground as closely as possible to its natural state.
o Glass, tin cans, and aluminum foil have no place in the backcountry. Leave them
at home. Repackage all your food and beverages so that you carry no more than
zip-lock bags. It is more efficient space and weight wise.
In Camp
o Select only durable campsites a minimum of 200 feet from all meadows, trails,
streams, lakes, and other campers. Always seek out previously used sites.
Creating a new tent site when others are available is irresponsible.
o It is never necessary to dig a trench
around your tent. Simply select a
site, which is well drained. Refrain
from "sweeping" clean the area
where you will put your tent. Doing
so creates nothing but a dusty,
overused looking tent site and
prohibits regrowth of small plants
and grasses. Those pine needles
and duff create a nice cushion for
your tent.
o The best campsites are found, not
built. Consider it nothing more than a place to put your tent before you move on. If
you must stack rocks or logs, disassemble them when you abandon camp and
return them to where you found them.
o Always leave rocks, flowers, lichens, and all other natural objects alone. Minimize
your disturbance of stones, soil, and plant life. Don’t pick wildflowers or edible plants,
and avoid disturbing living trees or plants when setting camp.
o Always carry a water bag. Take the water to your camp, not your chores to the
water. Repeated trips to the water source creates an unsightly and unnecessary use
trail.
o Do all washing of cookware and your body at least 200 feet from all water sources.
Avoid using any soap. Even biodegradable soaps upset the delicate pH balance of
water and inhibit algae growth. A small, wet scrub pad works great alone.
o If you are wearing perfumes, lotions, sunscreens, or deodorants, don’t immerse
yourself in a water source. Such chemicals alter the delicate pH balance of water
that is vital for all types of organisms and for other campers who may need to filter
that water downstream. Do all your bathing at camp and well away from water
sources.
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o Resist the urge to have a fire. Carry a backpacking stove so you do not have to rely
on fire. Fires are not only harmful to air quality, they also remove precious
groundcover and wildlife habitat important to the overall ecological health of the
forest. Not having a fire provides the opportunity for stargazing and potential
nocturnal wildlife encounters.
o Where and when fires are permissible, never burn anything other than dead, down
wood. Never cut any living trees or plants for fuel. Any standing tree having leaves
or needles or not, is not potential firewood - keep looking.
o Never burn trash. Burning trash (plastic, glass, aluminum foil, clothing, etc.) is
dangerous and unacceptable. Doing so releases noxious chemicals and pollutants
into the atmosphere. If you packed it in, you pack it out - everything!
o Leave the Wilderness and your camp cleaner than you found it. Pick up trash left
behind by other careless visitors. Just before abandoning camp, check carefully for
anything left behind, pick up any small pieces of litter, and "naturalize" the site.
Find a downed tree branch (hopefully with needles still attached) and sweep
your camp with it to remove unsightly footprints and return needles and
groundcover. Return any pinecones, branches, or rocks to their original
locations.
Food
o Plan and repackage all meals and snacks at home so you are never carrying any
more waste than zip-lock bags. Much litter recovered from the wilderness includes
twist-ties, plastic bread bag ties, candy wrappers, and other oddities (often lost with
the wind). Repackage your food to not include such items.
o Only cook what you are capable of eating. Disposing of food in the backcountry
builds a dangerous dependence among wildlife. Pack out your leftovers.
Lastly
Travel discreetly and leave no signs of your passing. Stay as quiet as possible and
enjoy the solitude (Leave your walkmans at home). Watch the clouds or take a
good book. Learn to enjoy wilderness for what it is, not what you bring into
it.
Take responsibility for your actions. Think of the overall good of the area, and those
who will follow you. Your decisions will impact how others are able to enjoy the
area you are visiting. Take time to do it right. Minimum-impact backpacking
techniques can take a little extra time and effort. Just keep reminding yourself that
the payoff—a more enjoyable wilderness experience for everyone—is worth it.
Make it your goal to Leave No Trace. Take only memories and photos, leave
only footprints.
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Understanding the 10-Plus Essentials
You won't find any punch lines in this Top 10 list, and appropriately so. Sometimes
the natural world confronts you with an unexpected hazard and it's no laughing
matter. A snowstorm might hit in August, for example, or fallen trees could
obliterate the only trail through a valley. You, the wilderness explorer, need to be
equipped to deal with such unforeseen circumstances. For decades, outdoor
travelers have relied on a 1-stop emergency preparedness kit known as the 10
Essentials. This must-carry survival gear sometimes never gets used on a routine
backcountry trip, BUT it could save your life if:
o weather conditions change
o you get lost
o you get injured
o unanticipated events disrupt your travel
If circumstances take a turn for the worse, it's reassuring to know that you have
the gear (and the knowledge) to cope with whatever nature throws in your path.
The 10-Plus Essentials
o Map (in a watertight case)
o Compass
o Extra clothing
o Extra food and water
o First-aid kit
o Headlamp or flashlight (with extra batteries)
o Matches (waterproof, or stored in a watertight container)
o Fire starter
o Knife (or multi-use camp tool)
o Sunglasses
o Sunscreen
o Water filter (or other method of water treatment)
Map
A topographic map should accompany you on any trip that strays beyond a short,
impossible-to-miss footpath or well-populated nature trail. On short trips (1-2
nights) some people rely on very basic (sometimes hand-drawn) maps handed out
at visitor centers or entrance stations. These "maps" usually show roads and a few
major trails but very few (if any) topographic features. A line on a piece of paper
may look easy to follow, but keep in mind that a flat line may actually climb 1,500
feet in the first mile. Can you trust such a map to accurately?
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Identify the location of water sources along the way? Will it help you if you
somehow wander off the trail? It should be obvious: For anything beyond a short,
trail-bound stroll in the wilderness, you need a topographic map, and you need to
understand how to interpret the information it presents.
Compass
It's easy to get disoriented in the backcountry. A compass, combined with map-
reading skills, can help you stay on course. Will GPS receivers make compasses
obsolete? Not likely. Standard GPS units cannot indicate which direction is north,
and while some high-end GPS receivers now include electronic compasses, a
traditional compass weighs next to nothing and does not rely on batteries. If you
travel regularly in the wilderness, you should seriously consider taking a class to
learn navigation techniques in detail.
Extra Clothing
Conditions can abruptly turn wet, windy or frigid in the backcountry. It's important
to carry an additional layer (or 2) of clothing in your pack. If you get lost, you may
need extra clothing to get you through the night. Consider a wool or fleece cap. You
might not wear it during the active portion of your day, but it's a fantastic heat-
retainer during periods of inactivity. (It doesn't weigh much, either.) Extra socks
are a true blessing if your original pair becomes soaked. Depending on the
conditions, consider carrying a fleece jacket or pile sweater, a waterproof shell or
even a compressible parka.
Cotton items, which become useless when wet, make poor backup items. Another
smart idea: Pack an ultra light space blanket for emergencies.
Pick up additional tips in How to Choose the Right Clothing.
Extra Food and Water
Always pack at least 1 extra day's worth of food. It can be as simple as a freeze-
dried meal, but it's even smarter to include no-cook items: extra energy bars, nuts,
dried fruits and jerky. The process of digesting food helps keep your body warm, so
on a cold night it's smart to munch some food before bunking down — but never
leave animal-attracting leftovers in your tent.
First-Aid Kit
Pre-assembled first-aid kits take the guesswork out of building a kit on your own,
although most people "personalize" such kits to suit individual needs. Any kit should
include moleskin (for blisters), adhesive bandages of various sizes, several gauze
pads, adhesive tape, disinfecting ointment, over-the-counter pain medication, pen
and paper. Latex gloves also deserve consideration.
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Headlamp or Flashlight
A good light source is invaluable in the backcountry. Picture yourself trying to
hustle off a mountain in dwindling light, or trying to set up camp as the last bit of
blue drains from the sky. It's smart to carry replacement bulbs and batteries, even
a backup lamp or flashlight.
Headlamps allow you to keep your hands free during any activity and are usually a
backpacker's first choice for a light source. Keep your light in an easily accessible
portion of your pack; check it once in a while to see if it has become inadvertently
switched on.
Matches
Matches headed into the backcountry should be the waterproof variety, or they
should be stored in a waterproof container. Take plenty and make an extra effort to
keep them dry. Convenience-store matchbooks are often too flimsy and poorly
constructed to be trusted for wilderness use. Save yourself some frustration and
tote reliable matches on every trip. Don't rely only on mechanical lighters, which
sometimes fail.
Fire Starter
As the name implies, fire starter is an element that helps you jump-start a fire. The
ideal fire starter ignites quickly and sustains heat for more than a few seconds.
Possible candidates: dry tinder tucked away in a plastic bag; candles; even
trappings found in the lint screen of a laundry drier. Priming paste and chemical
heat tablets are convenient and reliable fire-starting products.
Knife or Multi-Tool
Knives or multi-tools are handy for gear repair, food preparation, first aid, making
kindling or other emergency needs. A basic knife should have at least 1 foldout
blade (more likely 2), 1 or 2 flathead screwdrivers, a can-opener and (though some
people will call this a luxury) a pair of foldout scissors. The more complex your
needs (if, for example, you are leading an inexperienced group), the more options
you may want in your knife or tool. Read our tips for selecting knives and tools.
Sunglasses
Indispensable. Some medical studies suggest that sunlight and ultraviolet (UV) rays
may play a role in cataract development. Yet protection is so simple: Put on a pair
of protective glasses when spending large amounts of time outdoors, particularly
above tree line, in order to reduce your exposure to UV light. Your goal: Select
lenses that absorb 97-100% of UVA and UVB radiation. Wraparound lenses keep
light from entering the corners of your eyes and are great choices for the high
country. Glacier glasses are a must for mountaineers who run the risk of snow
blindness on days of bright glare.)
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Sunscreen
The Mayo Clinic recommends applying sunscreen with an SPF of 15 or higher 15
minutes before you go into the sun. The clinic also advises the use of sunscreen-
fortified lip balm. If you swim or sweat a lot, use water-resistant sunscreens and
reapply every 2 to 3 hours. Don't leave the trailhead without it. Shop
Water Filter/Purifier
Rushing streams and alpine lakes appear to contain the clearest, freshest water on
earth. Yet sometimes they harbor microscopic pathogens that, if you ingest them,
could leave you feeling nauseous for weeks. You have 3 defensive strategies:
boiling, chemical treatment or straining the water through a mechanical filter or
purifier. Filters and purifiers do the job with minimal fuss. Read our in-depth
coverage of the topic in our water treatment clinic and our guide to choosing a filter
or purifier.
Final Thought
Earlier we mentioned an intangible element — knowledge — that should accompany
the gear on this list. Just having a compass in your pack or a map in your pocket
will be of no value to you unless you understand how to use them. Consider the
words of Douglas Ganterbein, chairman of Seattle Mountain Rescue and someone
who has participated in countless search-and-rescue missions:
"People talk about the 10 Essentials, but the most important essential is
between your ears."
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Weather Basics
Here's one weather prediction you can count on: Some day when you're deep in the
backcountry, the weather will change unexpectedly.
Snow can fall at moderate heights in August. A sudden downpour may hit your
ridgeline while you can still see sunlight beaming on a distant peak. Fog and clouds
can cling to a coastline even though the sun is shining full force just a half-mile
inland.
Unpredictable weather is an inherent risk in wilderness travel. Always come
prepared.
1.With weather, hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
2.Take cues from the clouds.
3.Respond swiftly when lightning threatens.
Think Ahead
It's impossible to know for certain what the weather will do, even on day hikes.
Accordingly, a little common sense and a cautious attitude are two of the most
important items you can bring with you into the backcountry.
Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. Carry reliable rain gear and assorted
layers of clothing you can wear according to the needs of the moment.
Investigate a region's historical weather patterns before you travel. If you plan to
hike in Colorado's Never Summer Wilderness, for example, it's a good bet you'll
need more than a tank top for the trip. Talk to rangers; call ranger stations in
advance; ask locals once you're in the area; consult guidebooks.
Stay informed during your trip. A tiny AM radio can pick up many stations after
dark, even deep in the backcountry. You might be able to tune in a station that lies
within the region you are exploring. Local forecasts are typically announced near
the top of each hour.
Keep an Eye on the Sky
Pay attention to developments in the sky. The shapes and movements of clouds
typically foreshadow changes in the weather such as the arrival of warm fronts and
cold fronts.
Warm fronts are defined as warm air masses that gradually push out and replace
cooler bodies of air. Warm fronts, which move at roughly half the speed of cold
fronts, rarely produce violent weather, but the precipitation they generate may
linger for long periods. Warm fronts progress from thin, high-level cirrus clouds to
low, dense stratus clouds:
Cirrus clouds: These thin, streaky or wispy clouds sometimes resemble white
brush strokes on a blue canvas high in the sky. They may precede the front by as
many as 48 hours.
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Cirrocumulus clouds arrive next, often appearing as small puffs or rippled rows,
followed by cirrostratus clouds, which tend to wallpaper large areas of blue sky with
thin, bright sheets of clouds. Filled with ice crystals, cirrostratus clouds frequently
cause a halo to form around the sun. Both cloud types float high in the sky.
Altostratus (dense, smoky looking, mid-level) and nimbostratus (gray, thick, low-
level) clouds come next and usually carry the precipitation, anything from a drizzle
to a steady rain or snow. Low-hanging, monochromatic stratus clouds carry
moisture and often resemble ocean fog.
Cold fronts involve cold air masses that wedge under warmer air pockets. Cold
fronts can develop rapidly and move swiftly, causing temperatures to drop, wind
directions to shift and barometric pressure to fall.
Cumulus clouds are white, puffy, fair-weather clouds. Should these puffs continue
to build upward, though, rain may come late in the day.
Cumulonimbus clouds rise vertically and expand dramatically from their original
white, puffy bases to soar high into the upper atmosphere. On other occasions their
tops will flatten out into a menacing, anvil-like shape. These classic "thunderhead"
clouds foretell potentially severe weather. Cumulonimbus clouds also form
independent of cold fronts, blossoming in the afternoon hours of very warm days
and producing late-afternoon thunderstorms.
Tip: If late-day storms become a pattern during your trip, rise early each day and
cover as much ground as you can during the day's more stable hours.
Altimeters: If you carry one, or wear an altimeter watch, an approaching cold
front can cause your elevation reading to rise even if you're not moving. If you
notice such a rise, this means air pressure has dropped (suggesting thinner air at a
higher elevation). This is a hint that bad weather could be on its way.
Lightning
A bolt of lightning causes the air around it to expand and contract with immense
force, producing a shattering sound. An average of 82 deaths per year were
attributable to lightning. A lightning strike sends an electrical current radiating
through the ground over a large area. This "ground current" is usually the lethal
force in storm-related fatalities.
Never take an electrical storm casually. If lightning threatens while you are in the
backcountry, take immediate action:
Move away from a tall, solitary tree—or any lone, tall object. Isolated high-rise
objects are likely strike points for lightning.
Descend from ridgelines or peaks. Lightning tends to strike prominent topographic
features. In threatening weather, move away from high points and exposed areas.
Head for lower ground.
Stay away from water
Separate yourself from metal or graphite objects, including external-frame packs,
ice axes, trekking poles and crampons.
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Keep out of shallow caves or overhangs. Lightning's current easily jumps across
gaps and could jolt a person standing in the mouth of a cave.
Insulate yourself from the ground; sit on an internal-frame pack or sleeping pad. Or
crouch on the ground with your feet close together. If a ground current reaches
you, it most likely will travel only through your feet. Do not lie down (since it
expands your contact with the ground). Have members in your party spread out by
at least 25 feet—farther if possible. CPR can revive a strike victim.
Where is the best place to be? Within a group of trees of roughly uniform height in
a low-lying area or, as a second option, in a low spot of an open meadow.
How close is that lightning? Use your watch and time the interval between the flash
of lightning and the sound of thunder. Thunder travels approximately a mile every
five seconds (or roughly 1,000 feet per second). If it takes 10 seconds for the
sound to reach you after a flash, the storm is two miles away. If that interval is
shorter the next time, the storm is drawing closer.
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Backcountry Health Topics
This brief list of common outdoor health problems, preventative measures and
possible remedies is intended to help you stay healthy while you explore the
backcountry.
Sunburn
Sunburn, caused when our skin is exposed to too much of the sun's ultraviolet light,
is the most common problem experienced by backpackers.
Prevention: All wilderness travelers, regardless of skin color, should wear sunscreen
with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 15. The American Academy of
Dermatology and the Skin Cancer Foundation recommend an application of
sunscreen every two hours, even on cloudy days. The groups also offer these tips:
Minimize your exposure to the sun between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Potential for skin
damage is greatest at noon (or 1 p.m. during daylight savings time). At these peak-
intensity hours, a fair-skinned person could suffer skin damage in less than 15
minutes.
Always shade your head, neck, ears and eyes, particularly at high elevations, where
thinner atmosphere allows more UV rays to reach your skin. Sand, brightly colored
clothing and snow can all intensify the sun's impact. Some outdoor clothing comes
with SPF ratings. Fabrics with tighter weaves help keep the sun off your skin.
Lenses of sunglasses should block both UVA and UVB rays. Examine product
information tags or spec sheets to verify that the lenses offer this protection.
Check with your doctor to determine if any medications you are taking increase
your susceptibility to sunburn.
Remedy—If you do get burned, soothe damaged areas with an aloe-based skin
cream, and keep them covered for the remainder of your trip (either with clothing
or with a strong sunscreen) to avoid further damage. If sunburn is serious and you
experience persistent nausea, chills or fever, seek professional medical attention.
Blisters
One little blister, the product of friction that rubs skin back and forth in a
concentrated area, can ruin an otherwise wonderful backpacking journey.
Prevention—Blisters are easier to avoid than they are to fix. Make sure you start
every backpacking trip with footwear that is broken in and fits you well. Also wear
clean, properly sized socks. Consider wearing two pairs of socks—a lightweight
wicking liner and a thicker cushioning sock—to lessen the chance of abrasion.
Tip: On the trail, address foot discomfort as soon as it develops. A quick response
can often stop a blister before it becomes serious. At the first sign of irritation, put
a small patch of protective material—moleskin, 2nd Skin or even duct tape—over
the affected area to minimize abrasion.
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Remedy—If you're undertaking your first backpacking season and know you are
prone to blisters, consider applying moleskin to your typical "blister zone" before
you hit the trail.
If a blister develops and walking becomes too painful, you could drain the blister by
lancing it along its base with a clean razor blade or knife. Once this is done, sooth
the area with some antibacterial ointment, then cover it with a patch of 2nd Skin
(or similar product) plus a small adhesive bandage to keep the blistered area clean.
If the area is still sensitive, cut a doughnut-shaped cushioning patch out of
Molefoam or duct tape and encircle the injured area. You may need to bulk up your
circular pad with a number of layers to hold your sock and boot out away from the
damaged area. This cushion will protect the area from further damage.
General Aches and Pains
General aches and pains (sore muscles, headaches, joint pain) are a common factor
of many beginning backpacking trips.
Prevention—After a modest warm-up (say, 10 minutes of walking), take time to
stretch. Stretch after your hike, too. Your muscles and joints will thank you.
Tip: Don't attempt to exceed your physical limits early in your hiking season.
Remedy—Most muscle aches can be fixed with a little rest and gentle massage. For
headaches, take a couple of pain reliever tablets—aspirin, ibuprofen or
acetaminophen—and a short rest. Joint pain is typically caused by overuse, though
it can be the result of twists or unusual compressions. Again, rest is usually the
best remedy. Elevating the sore joint might help alleviate pain. Taking glucosamine,
a cartilage-repairing nutritional supplement, can also help joint pain and expand
your range of motion. To learn more about glucosamine, read How to Choose
Nutritional Supplements.
Poison Ivy, Oak, Sumac
Wherever you travel, you may run into troublesome plants.
Prevention—Learn how to recognize the dangerous plants that are common in the
area you'll be exploring. Remember that poison oak and ivy leaves grow in clusters
of three, so if you see "leaves of three, let it be." Be wary of touching anything
foreign to you. Keep in mind that the oily rash-causing resin found in poison oak
and ivy, urushiol, remains present in the plants even during dormant winter
months. Contact with a leafless stem in January can still spawn an itchy rash. Pre-
exposure lotion can be helpful. If traveling in unfamiliar territory, consider carrying
a lightweight, compact field guide to help you recognize plants.
Remedy—Carry a small supply of hydrocortisone cream or another soothing, anti-
inflammatory lotion to lessen the discomfort caused by skin irritations. Fluid from a
rash-induced blister will not spread the rash. However, if the resin is not cleaned
from clothing, boots, skin or tools, you can re-infect yourself or another person. It's
the resin, not the rash that spreads infection. A good first-aid manual will provide
other useful tips on limiting the spread of the rash.
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Biting Insects
Mosquitoes, flies and other biting insects are an unavoidable part of many
backpacking trips. Happily, bug bites are usually more of a nuisance than a health
hazard.
Prevention—The easiest way to deal with bug bites is to avoid them altogether. This
means identifying and avoiding the worst locations and times of year for bugs. It
also means packing the right kinds of clothing (light-colored long-sleeve shirts, long
pants, bug shirts, bug-net hats and so on) and using some form of topical repellent
if necessary.
DEET-based products are effective, though natural alternatives are available for
individuals who prefer to avoid synthetic chemicals. DEET is not recommended for
pregnant women or small children, especially those less than 1 year old. DEET will
not hurt cotton, wool or nylon, but it can damage plastics, synthetic fabrics,
furniture, walls, watch crystals, and eyeglass frames.
Remedy—First-aid products like After Bite help relieve the swelling and itching
caused by bug bites.
Tip: Some people are allergic to certain insect stings. If you are, protect yourself by
avoiding risky situations as much as possible and by carrying whatever medicines
you need to counteract the reactions. Make sure everyone in your backpacking
group knows about your allergy and what to do if you get stung/bit.
Stinging Insects
Bees, wasps, hornets and yellow jackets are additional winged threats a backpacker
may encounter.
Prevention—If you come upon a beehive or wasps' nest, leave the area quickly and
quietly. In campgrounds, avoid brightly colored clothing, shiny jewelry or belt
buckles, and scented cosmetics. If you or someone in your group is allergic to bee
or wasp stings, make sure to visit a health care professional for preventative
injections.
Remedy—For a normal reaction to a sting (itching, redness and slight swelling) the
following first-aid items may be useful: ice, baking soda, oral antihistamines (such
as Chlortrimeton and Dimetane), epinephrine inhaler (such as Primatene), topical
steroids (such as Cortaid or Lanacort), and local anesthetics (such as Benzocaine,
Lanacaine or Solarcaine).
Ticks
Not all ticks transmit Lyme disease. Check with rangers about potential danger
before you explore an area unfamiliar to you.
Prevention—Lyme disease is one of a number of potentially serious conditions that
can be passed to humans through tick bites. The best way to avoid trouble is to
avoid bites altogether by avoiding areas where ticks are prevalent and by checking
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your hair and skin for ticks frequently. Permethrin-based insect repellents can be
applied to clothing to repel or kill some ticks.
Remedy—If a tick is discovered, remove it immediately by pinching the skin just
below the head of the tick with tweezers and lifting the tick straight up and out. You
may lose a small piece of skin in the process. Be careful not to squeeze the tick
body or twist it during removal, since this may cause the tick to regurgitate more
bacteria into the wound. For similar reasons, burning or covering a tick in cooking
oil is not recommended as a method of removal.
Altitude Illness
Altitude illness is a state of unease a wilderness explorer feels when traveling at
high elevations. Traditionally, 10,000 feet is regarded as the height where altitude
symptoms—a sluggish sensation often accompanied by a headache—kick in for
most people, but they can afflict others as low as 6,000 feet. Acute cases of this
illness can be debilitating, even fatal.
Prevention—Avoid abruptly changing elevations from one day to the next. If you're
spending your pre-hike day in a low-lying valley, you could be asking for trouble if
you take aim at a 9,000-foot pass the next day. It is better to acclimatize, meaning
you gain elevation gradually, or you camp at a high elevation for a day or two
before undertaking your hike. A general rule: Ascend no more than 1,000 feet per
day.
Remedy—Descend. If you sense the symptoms are overtaking you, seek out lower
elevation quickly before your condition deteriorates and you are unable to walk
unassisted. Aspirin can be beneficial for any head pain you experience.
Snakebites
While many snakes are harmless, some have potentially lethal bites.
Prevention—Avoid areas prone to snakes. Check your trail guide or ask a local
forest ranger or guide. Stay in well-groomed, open areas. Watch where you're
going and listen. If you see a snake, don't antagonize it.
Remedy—If bitten by a snake such as a rattlesnake (a pit viper), first back away
from the snake. Calm yourself or the person bitten. Rinse the wound.
Apply a mechanical extractor pump for three minutes following the bite. Make no
additional incisions. Mark the time so you can check the progress of swelling.
Remove jewelry. Get to the hospital as quickly as possible for an anti-venom
serum. Try to identify the offending snake to help medical personnel.
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Understanding Water Treatment
The water tumbling along in a clear-flowing mountain stream could be so me of the
cleanest, purest water on earth. Or it may carry a stray microscopic pest that, if it
finds its way into your intestines, could leave you weak, nauseous, cramped,
bloated or vulnerable to diarrhea and vomiting for weeks.
It's a fact of modern wilderness life:
Any backcountry water source, no matter how high or remote, is susceptible to
contamination due to unsanitary practices of the creatures that visit it — from birds
and bears to possums and humans. Experienced wilderness travelers recognize the
need to play it safe with backcountry water and thus treat every drop before they
drink.
What are the risks of drinking water in the
backcountry, and how can you protect yourself?
Here's an overview:
The Enemies
Whenever animal or human fecal material connects
with a water source, it's possible 1 or more
pathogenic (disease-causing) microorganisms could
invade the water. They fall into 3 categories:
Protozoan cysts
These are hard-shelled, single-cell parasites, including the well-known Giardia
lamblia (ranging in size from 5 to 15 microns) and the resilient, lesser-known
Cryptosporidium parvum (2 to 5 microns)
Giardia infection occurs in the small intestine, where cysts "hatch." Symptoms
(diarrhea, gas, nausea, cramps) appear within 1 to 2 weeks and last 4 to 6 weeks
or longer. Symptoms of crypto (diarrhea, loose stool, cramps, upset stomach, slight
fever) appear in 2 to 10 days and typically last 2 weeks.
Giardiasis can be treated with prescription drugs; so far, cryptosporidiosis cannot.
People with weakened immune systems could be at risk for more serious disease,
particularly with cryptosporidiosis.
Cryptosporidia
These are highly resistant to iodine and chlorine.
Portable filters and purifiers with fine pores (capable of trapping particles as small
as 0.2 or 0.3 microns) reliably capture these bugs. Units should have an "absolute
pore size" of 1 micron or less. (Absolute pore size indicates the largest possible
opening in a filter or purifier's straining element.)
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Bacteria
These are smaller organisms, most of them commonly associated with food
poisoning: E. coli, salmonella, cholera (common in some developing countries) and
others. Campylobacter jejuni has appeared with some regularity in wilderness
settings.
Bacteria range in size from 0.2 to 10 microns. Symptoms of infection (diarrhea is
common) may appear within 6 hours or 3 to 5 days out. They may last 4 days or
longer. In healthy people, campylobacteriosis symptoms usually vanish within 5
days. Antibiotics could be used if needed.
Filters and purifiers are also effective in straining out these organisms.
Viruses
The tiniest (0.004 to 0.1 microns) of organisms.
Examples: Hepatitis A, rotavirus, Norwalk virus and polio.
(To this point, hantavirus does not appear to be a
waterborne disease.) Viruses are the least common
pathogens found in the wilderness.
Viruses that afflict humans usually only reach backcountry
water sources via human fecal matter. Animals and
humans, meanwhile, are common carriers of protozoa and bacteria.
Once exposed to the environment, viral particles exhibit a short lifespan and do not
reproduce in water as some bacteria do.
Viruses can slip through filters but can be inactivated by boiling, by contacting the
chemical component found in purifiers, or by chemical treatment either before or
after filtration.
Chemicals and toxins
This fourth category includes agricultural runoff
(pesticides, herbicides) and industrial runoff (metals,
mine tailings). Some toxic bacteria can spawn algae in
warm, shallow water and turn it green.
Filters that include an activated carbon element offer
some protection against such materials found in water.
If you believe a water source has been tainted by
chemicals or toxins either boil the water (which offers
limited benefit) or, better, move on.
A Microscopic World
None of the organic microscopic critters described above is visible to the human
eye. All are measured in microns.
A micron is 1 millionth of a meter, or .0000394 of an inch. A period at the end of a
sentence is roughly 500 microns. The unaided human eye cannot see anything
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smaller than 50 microns. The straining ability of the pores in filters and purifiers is
typically measured in microns. Often you will hear friends and salespeople
recommend that you seek out a "0.2-micron" filter. In a simplistic way, this is
basically sound advice.
Treat Your Water Right
You have 3 options for treating "raw" water found in the backcountry:
Boiling
Boiling water is considered 100 percent effective against protozoan cysts, nontoxic
bacteria and viruses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends
bringing water to a rolling boil to kill microorganisms in water. At elevations higher
than 3,000 feet, the CDC says boiling time should be extended to 3 minutes.
Sounds like the perfect water-treatment solution. Yet some drawbacks exist:
Boiling takes time (stove setup; heating time; waiting time for the water to cool).
Boiling drains your fuel supply.
Sediment in the water is not removed.
Note: Water boiled for meal preparation needs no additional treatment (chemical or
mechanical filtration) before it is combined with a packaged freeze-dried meal.
Still, boiling is an ideal last resort if your filter clogs or you run out of chemical pills.
Chemical Treatment
Exposing water to halogens such as iodine or chlorine is believed
to kill bacteria and viruses, but not all protozoan cysts. Hard-
shelled cryptosporidia, as mentioned previously, show strong
resistance to iodine and chlorine. You should not expect halogens
alone to be 100 percent effective against this cryptosporidia.
Note: Some manufacturers and water experts recommend
combining chemical treatment with filtration for maximum
effectiveness.
While simple and inexpensive, the use of halogens, particularly iodine, includes
some additional potential drawbacks: Iodized water presents a taste some people
find objectionable.
Iodine can be unhealthful for some people, part icularly for
pregnant women, individuals with thyroid conditions or people who
use it for periods of longer than 14 days.
Follow manufacturer instructions closely when using iodine or
chlorine. Generally, 2 iodine tablets (such as Potable Aqua) purify a
quart of water, though 1 tablet can be used to treat a quart at 50°F
or warmer (basically, room temperature).
Wait 10-15 minutes for pills to dissolve; very cold water or cloudy water requires a
waiting period of 30-60 minutes. Don't introduce powdered drink mixes (to
camouflage the taste) until the waiting period is complete. (Potable Aqua offers
optional neutralizing tablets.) Water treated by a saturated solution involving iodine
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crystals (from Polar Pure) also requires a 15-minute (or longer) waiting period to
assure efficacy.
Adding 2 drops of household laundry bleach to a quart of water can also do the job.
The bleach should be 4 to 6 percent sodium hypochlorite and should be soap-free.
Some experts recommend first treating "raw" water with chlorine, then filtering it,
or filtering first and then adding chlorine. Chlorine is effective against bacteria and
viruses.
Mechanical Filtration
Cleansing water via a mechanical process — forcing it through a finely porous
internal element housed within a filtering unit — has emerged as
the most popular method of nonwinter water treatment among
wilderness travelers.
Portable filters and purifiers are compact, hand-pumped units that
draw in water via an intake hose and physically strain out solid
materials, including fin e sediment and most (though not
absolutely all) microorganisms.
Filtering water from a lake or stream is a relatively speedy and efficient process,
though it is never as fast and easy as turning on a tap back in civilization. Filters
and purifiers, in fact, can sometimes be a chore to operate, particularly when they
show signs of clogging.
When shopping, be mindful of a filter's ratings for output and pump strokes per
liter, and its "pump force" (how much oomph it takes to work the pump; beware of
high numbers). Ratings are supplied by the manufacturers, so be aware that "your
numbers may vary." Prices range from $35 to $250.
If portability and speed are not a factor, you have another option to consider: a
gravity-fed "drip" filter. Here you pour water into a large reservoir, then let it slowly
trickle through one (or more) filters to remove protozoa and bacteria. Such units
are a good choice for car camping in remote locations.
What's the difference between a filter and purifier? Both are microbiological water-
treatment devices. A filter removes protozoa and bacteria from contaminated
water. A purifier does the same, plus it eliminates viruses in 1 of 2 ways:
Through the use of an internal disinfectant (such as iodine), which inactivates (or
kills) viruses — though it does not physically remove them.
By capturing them in a filter medium that carries an electrostatic charge, a
nonchemical approach taken by the First Need purifier.
Does this always make purifiers superior devices? Not necessarily. For a detailed
discussion of the comparative merits of water filters and purifiers, please refer to
our separate clinic, How to Choose a Water Filter or Purifier.
Tips for Selecting Safer Water
Avoid filtering water in area where animal activity is obvious. Are you near signs of
beaver impact? An area where the deer and the antelope have played? A meadow
dotted with cow patties? Find another place to draw water. The same principle
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applies to human impact. Is a heavily used campsite nearby? Are you near a trail
crossing? A mine? If so, go further upstream for water.
Try to select water from still, clear water sources. Many microorganisms,
particularly giardia, tend to sink in still water due to the weight of their shells;
turbulence keeps them suspended.
If your only water option is melting snow or ice, choose ice. Ice supplies greater
water content, but keep in mind many bacteria are impervious to freezing. Thus
while boiling can kill pathogens in water, freezing cannot. Clean snow, though, is
still a good source for water. Beware of pinkish "watermelon snow," however. This
is a toxic algae that filtering will not remove. If you see it, look elsewhere for ice or
clean snow.
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Why Hydrate?
Your Body--The Machine
You've seen it before--a frustrated driver on the side of the
road trying to fan his overheated car. But the car's not going
anywhere and neither is he.
Just like a car, your body is a machine that needs fluids to
operate efficiently. In fact, your body is more than 60%
water, and even light exercise can deplete that percentage.
No fluid means any function, and suddenly it's you stranded
on the trail with an overtaxed body. This loss of fluid is
called dehydration. And hydrating, or adding fluids, is the
key to keeping it from happening to you.
The Benefits of Staying Well Hydrated?
More energy, power and endurance.
Stay cooler, feel better.
Go farther, faster.
Work harder, burn more calories.
Decrease your recovery time so you can go out and do it
all again.
How Do I Know When I'm Dehydrated? Once you've
reached the point of feeling thirsty, dehydration has already begun. If left this way, the
body will continue to provide signs that it is running low. Early signs include a dry mouth
and a decrease in energy. These can quickly lead to cramps, headaches and nausea.
Tell Me the Cure!
The cure to all this unpleasantness is as close as a glass of water. Experts recommend
the following to make sure you are well hydrated while exercising:
o Drink early -- about 2 hours before exercise.
o Drink often -- continually sip fluids rather than gulp them down infrequently.
o Add sport/energy drinks -- they help restore carbohydrates and electrolytes.
o Drink after -- Post-exercise hydration gets your fluid levels back to normal and can
help with recovery.
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Planning a Menu
What's for dinner?
As an outbound backpacker, your answer
to that important question was made days,
maybe weeks in advance. When you finally
make camp after a full day of vigorous
exercise, you're going to want to be happy
with the decision you made. You want food
that will nourish you, strengthen you, revitalize you and taste really good.
How Much Food Is Enough?
The National Outdoor Leadership School estimates that backcountry travelers burn
between 2,500 and 4,500 calories per day, depending on their individual physiology and
their activity. That translates into roughly 1.5 to 2.5 lbs. of food per day.
In a diet-conscious society, that may sound like a huge caloric intake. But food is the
fuel your body burns as it powers up and down wilderness terrain. Finicky eaters
typically morph into indiscriminate chowhounds after a few high-output days on the trail.
Anticipate that you will feel hungry often and that much of your quiet time on the trail will
be spent thinking about food. It's true! Plan ahead for this stomach-gnawing reality.
If you're facing a borderline decision about how much or little to carry, take a little more.
Feelings of unsatisfied hunger can distract you from the other sensory joys of a great
hike. One of the 10 Essentials for an overnight trip, in fact, is a supply of extra food. One
day's worth of food is a smart emergency backup.
On the other hand, don't overdo it. A common beginner's blunder is to bring too much
food on a trip, forcing you to lug unwanted bulk and weight in your pack. Experience will
teach you what amount of food works for you. Consider a few basic guidelines:
Factors to Consider
Taste—Eat what you like. Don't try and convert your taste buds to new types of food
deep in the backcountry.
Calories—Don't inaugurate a diet program during a multi-night hike. You'll need ample
calories (and water!) to fight off fatigue and headaches.
Nutrition—It's fine to tear into a candy bar during a trip, but for the long haul you want
to rely on complex carbohydrates and proteins. Intelligent quick-eats such as nuts and
dry fruits provide a stable flow of energy to your muscles.
Weight and Bulk—Stick to lightweight and low-bulk foods as much as possible,
especially on long journeys.
Ease of Preparation—Unless you are an experienced gourmet, keep things simple. It's
smart to be well supplied with no-cook food items in case your stove malfunctions.
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Cost—Convenience has its price. Freeze-dried meals and energy foods can be
expensive, but at the end of a long day when your weary body only has enough energy
to boil water, such luxuries seem justifiable.
Options
Refrigeration is one of those civilized luxuries you leave behind at the trailhead. Thus
fresh foods are good for 1 day inside your pack, maybe 2. Carrots can sometimes last
longer.
Canned foods sometimes have a place in your pack if the trip is short and your hunger
for grocery store food is high. Tins of tuna or other canned meat products can be a nice
toss-in item for a pot of rice, for instance. But skip foods packaged in traditional 15-
ounce (or larger) cans. The weight and bulk just aren't worth it. Don't even think about
toting glass bottles.
Dry foods (pasta, noodles, instant rice, soup mixes, drink mixes) are light, take up
minimal volume inside a pack and offer you some decent taste alternatives.
Freeze-dried/dehydrated foods have improved considerably in taste, texture and
appearance in recent years. They cost about the same as a meal at a modestly priced
restaurant, but they won't taste quite that fresh and savory. Still, put into perspective,
they deliver above-average taste sensations in far-flung places.
Spices can be crucial to boosting the appeal of backcountry food. Consider bringing
your own spice kit, which could include pepper, garlic powder or salt, basil, cayenne
pepper, lemon pepper, cumin, crushed red pepper, cinnamon or whatever else is
essential to your home kitchen.
Flavored beverages can taste mighty refreshing after a few days of nothing but water.
Powdered drink mixes are a nice mid-trip treat. Take note that the caffeine in coffee and
tea is a diuretic, which counteracts your efforts to keep yourself hydrated.
For winter camping, bring extra food to help keep your internal fires stoked and rebuff
any chance of hypothermia. Carry your ready-to-eat items close to your body during the
day so they are not frozen solid when you want to eat them.
Thinking Ahead
Breakfast
Backpacking breakfasts can range from something fast and basic (an energy bar) to a
lavish spread involving pancakes, eggs, meats and coffee. A hot meal can give you an
extra boost, true, but a quick snack means no cleanup and a quicker start to the day.
Ideas: Instant hot cereals, dehydrated eggs, pancake mix, breakfast bars, granola, dry
cereal, instant tea, coffee, powdered milk, juice, fresh fruit, dried fruits.
Lunch
Rather than take a prolonged break for a midday meal (involving unpacking,
preparation, cleanup and repacking), a smarter strategy is to eat a series of modest
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energy-boosting snacks throughout the day. Such gradual calorie consumption is known
as "grazing."
Ideas: Dried fruit, fig bars, bagels (which you can lug along on a shorter trip), energy
bars, jerky and nuts.
Dinner
The evening meal is your reward for a full day of exhilarating exertion. If you possess
elevated culinary skills that translate well into a backcountry setting, you're set for a
powerful sensory treat—great food amid great scenery. If you don't mind the expense of
packaged, freeze-dried or dehydrated food, the simplicity of a tasty, just-add-boiling-
water meal is a relaxing treat.
Ideas: Packaged meals, pasta, instant rice, ramen noodles, instant soups and
sauces, instant stuffing, instant potatoes and tuna. Consider bringing along some
favorite spices (onion and garlic powder, basil, oregano).
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Backcountry Kitchen
We've all heard the expression, "Everything but the kitchen sink." If you are
carrying your kitchen any distance, however, you'll want to stick to the bare
essentials: a stove, a lightweight pot set, and some good grub.
Fuel Type
Backcountry stoves come in a bewildering variety of shapes and sizes--from ultra-light micro-
stoves to two burner base-camp platforms. Perhaps the most important decision when shopping
for a stove is considering which type of fuel will work best for you.
White gas stoves are the most popular--they are generally inexpensive to operate, come in
lightweight models and burn very efficiently. White gas (a.k.a. Naphtha or Camp Fuel) is widely
available in North America, Australia and New Zealand. White gas is volatile, evaporating
quickly and leaving little residue. White gas stoves, however, are relatively complicated to
operate, and can require a fair amount of maintenance.
Kerosene will burn as hotly as white gas, and travelers off the beaten path will find kerosene
more readily available than most fuels. Kerosene's strong odor clings to belongings and
eventually suffuses an entire pack. If spilled, it leaves a greasy stain that is difficult to remove.
Kerosene also requires a separate priming agent.
Dual/Multi-fuel stoves are usually more expensive than others. In spite of their price, these
stoves are prized where the availability, type, and quality of fuel varies. Dual-fuel stoves are
usually white gas stoves that can be adapted to burn kerosene. Multi-fuel stoves burn exotic
fuels including diesel oil, airplane gas, and solvent. Avoid automotive gas--the additives may
create lethal vapors!
Liquid Petroleum gas is a generic term for fuels that are a compressed gas. Most L.P. gas
stoves are easy to use and require relatively little maintenance (the only moving part is a valve).
The fuel comes in pressurized metal canisters that are common in most parts of the
industrialized world. Temperature and altitude can affect the performance of LP stoves.
Methyl Alcohol stoves use the same burners found in fondue kits. They burn a poisonous
wood derivative called methyl hydrate (a.k.a. alcohol, marine stove fuel, gasoline antifreeze or
methanol). It is the only stove fuel that burns without pressure, making these stoves fairly safe
and silent. Methyl alcohol is unavailable in some parts of the world; it doesn't burn very hotly,
but is perfect for simmering stews and stovetop baking.
Stove Design
Once you have decided on the type of fuel that suits your needs, take a look at the
design and performance of some specific models. Some questions you should be
asking are:
o How easy is the stove to set up?
o Is the stove sturdy--can it be set up on uneven ground; will your pots balance on
top?
o How easy is the stove to light?
o Can heat output be adjusted easily (a key factor for simmering)?
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o Is the stove easy to maintain in the field?
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Backcountry Shelter
Tents come in a variety of designs to suit a variety of different uses: from
mountaineering above 8000m to cycle touring (and everything in-between). The
perfect tent for one activity is often not suited for another. To choose the right tent
you need to ask yourself some basic questions. Where and when will the tent be
used? How many people must it hold? Is weight important?
Three-Season versus Four-Season
Three-season tents can be used in the more moderate weather of spring, summer and
fall. These tents are designed to provide good ventilation and weather protection in a
wide variety of weather conditions (everything but heavy snowfall, and high winds). The
versatility of these tents makes them ideal for recreational backpacking, paddling, and
cycling.
Four-season tents are designed for extreme winter conditions. They have sturdy pole
configurations and low profiles to handle high winds and built-up snow. Four season
tents should have a full-coverage fly making them more weather proof, but less
breathable. They also tend to be heavier and bulkier.
Tunnel versus Freestanding
Tunnel tents are like well-designed suspension bridges--light, flexible, and strong--but
dependent upon the strength of the anchors at either end. They offer the same quality
shelter of their freestanding counterparts, but are about 15% lighter, less bulky, and less
expensive. You can get away with as little as three anchor points to set up tunnel
designs. These tents are designed with an elongated and efficient floor plan. Tunnels
are often noisier and more prone to swaying in the wind than domes, much as
suspension bridges often move more than massive girder-style railway bridges.
Freestanding tents have earned their reputations as strong and roomy shelters. They
generally use more poles than tunnel designs, which makes for a stronger, more rigid
(albeit heavier) shelter. These tents rely less on their anchors for strength, but must still
be pegged out to properly tension the tent body and protective flysheet. Their design
generally incorporates a more generous floor plan and overhead room. Freestanding
shelters are the preferred choice for use in extreme conditions.
Test Driving a Tent
Ease of set-up is a major factor in buying a tent. Before buying, you should set the tent
up yourself. While setting the tent up imagine you are cold, hungry, and wet. How long
does it take? How many steps are involved? Could you do it wearing gloves in the dark?
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Usable space is at a premium in a tent. After assembly, take your shoes off and get
inside. Stretch out and roll around. Consider how many people will fit inside: Are they
little or big people; is there room for gear? Look for tent doors that are easy to use.
Poles are the skeletons of your tent. Push on the walls to ensure the tent won't collapse
or bend too easily. The canopy and fly should be taut (loose panels decrease
breathability, water repellency, and stability). In general, tents with more poles and pole
intersections are stronger, but heavier. Finally, aluminum poles are tougher, lighter, and
stiffer than fiberglass.
Profile is important for tents as well as supermodels. A tent with steep wall will shed
rain well, but catch the wind. A flat roof may give good headroom in the interior, but will
allow snow build-up.
Grams vs. dollars is an ongoing dilemma for the backcountry traveler. The less you
carry, the easier a trip becomes. If you are carrying your tent a long way over rough
terrain, weight becomes a real factor. Unfortunately, lightweight often translates into a
hefty price tag.
CARE AND FEEDING FOR TENTS
Cleaning your tent can dramatically lengthen its life. Debris can make holes and tears
once the tent is packed. Brush or shake your tent out after each trip. If the zippers get
gritty, rinse them out with fresh water as soon as possible. If they are sticking, use
silicone lubricant, as it will not attract dirt.
Store your tent in a cool, dry, dark spot. If the tent is damp from use, set it up and let it
dry completely before you pack it away. Mildew can develop any time you store your
tent wet. In addition to looking and smelling bad, mildew can damage a tent's
waterproofing.
Mildew is tough to remove. Try hand washing with a mild non-detergent soap and cool
water using a non-abrasive sponge (detergents and scouring pads can damage
coatings and fabrics). Rinse the tent thoroughly and let air-dry.
Sunlight causes skin melanomas; imagine what it does to your tent. UV rays can
damage fabrics and coatings. Whenever possible, pitch your tent in shady areas.
Moreover, use a groundsheet to protect the floor from punctures and abrasion from
below.
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Sleeping Bags
Choosing a Sleeping Bag
After an active day, a warm and comfortable sleep can revive you so you awaken eager
for new adventures. There are many sleeping bags to choose from, however. From the
thirty-dollar specials filled with mysterious lint to the thousand-dollar state-of-the-art
expedition cocoons, all sleeping bags purport to offer you a cozy night's rest.
To narrow your search, consider your budget, and where/when you will be camping in
conjunction with a bag's:
o Temperature rating
o Type of fill
o Shape and construction
Temperature Ratings
Sleeping bags are usually grouped into four general temperature categories:
o Summer weight (above freezing)
o 3-season (as low as -10°C)
o Cold weather (-15° to -20°C)
o Winter/extreme (as low as -40°C)
Though ratings for bags are often a specific temperature (i.e. -7°C), many factors
influence a bag's real world performance. Use of a tent, your metabolism, gender
(women usually sleep colder than men), diet, and fluid intake all affect how warmly you
sleep. There is no industry-wide standard, though all ratings assume use of a sleeping
pad. Reputable manufacturers are conservative in their ratings, but use ratings only as
guidelines and choose a warmer bag if you know you sleep cold.
Fill Type
When fully lofted or fluffed up, the fill in a sleeping bag creates thousands of very small
dead air pockets. These pockets slow heat loss to the outside world allowing your body
heat to warm the envelope of air around your sleeping body. There are two main
categories of fill: down and synthetics.
Down is an excellent insulator--nothing beats its warmth to weight ratio, compressibility,
or luxurious feel. Down is ideal for those who travel light or want to minimize pack
space. It is expensive, but with proper care will last longer than a synthetic. Down's
major drawbacks are that it loses most of its insulating power while it is wet and takes a
long time to dry. Down is also a problem for some allergy sufferers.
Synthetic fills vary greatly in durability, bulk and weight. For a given insulation rating,
even superior brand-name synthetics are heavier and bulkier than down. On the other
hand, a synthetic bag is less expensive than a down bag of the same insulating value.
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Moreover, synthetics absorb less water and will maintain some of their loft when wet.
Synthetics also dry faster making them less vulnerable to mildew and other moisture
damage.
Shape and Features
The shape of a sleeping bag can dramatically affect its performance. Shape and fit will
impact how comfortable it is to sleep in, how warm it is, and its packed size. There are
three basic sleeping bag shapes:
Mummy bags are designed to save weight and maximize heat retention. They are
narrow at the feet, flaring out to the shoulders, then tapering to a fitted hood. With less
space for your body to heat, a closer-fitting bag has superior warmth to weight ratio than
a roomier bag with the same loft. The trade-off is that some people find mummy bags
too constricting.
Barrel bags offer a trade off between thermal efficiency and room to thrash about in.
Barrel bags have no hood, are gently tapered, and incorporate a patterned oval foot
section. They offer more sleeping room than mummy bags, but are slightly heavier and
more bulky as a result.
Rectangular bags are warm-weather sleeping bags. They are essentially a quilt that
has been folded over and zipped together. They're inexpensive and roomy, but let a lot
of body heat escape. Rectangular bags are heavy and bulky for the insulation they
provide, and are generally considered inappropriate for most backcountry travelers.
Sleeping Bag Temperature Rating
The Manufacturer's Rating
There is not currently a mandatory testing standard for sleeping bag warmth. If they
wish, manufacturers and retailers can simply pick a temperature rating out of thin (often
cold) air. MEC and Western Mountaineering, together with many other major sleeping
bag manufacturers, are working with the ASTM (American Society for Testing and
Materials) to develop a standardized testing procedure. In the meantime, most
reputable manufacturers, including MEC, follow the general principles that will be part of
the final test protocols. These include measuring the rate of heat loss using a sensor-
equipped copper dummy in a carefully temperature- and humidity-controlled laboratory.
Selected MEC bags are tested in this way at the University of Kansas.
As many people have experienced, what works well in a lab often leaves much to be
desired in the real world. For this reason, MEC also gives great emphasis to extensive
field tests of prototypes, as well as ongoing feedback from members regarding
production models. The results of lab and field tests are considered in conjunction with
the type and amount of insulation, and the bag's design, to arrive at a temperature
rating. We error on the side of conservatism, and sincerely believe our ratings are
realistic for the vast majority of users under most real world conditions. We rate our
synthetic bags according to the performance they should provide during most of their
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useful lives. As with most manufacturers, our ratings assume use of a sleeping pad and
tent. Many people enjoy sleeping under the stars when weather permits. Don't miss this
glorious experience, but use an appropriately warmer bag or a bivi sac.
Your Rating
It's possible to measure objectively in a lab that one bag retains heat better or worse
than another. What's difficult to establish is an absolute temperature rating, valid for all
people in all places, because humans and their sleeping circumstances vary infinitely.
The human factors that can effect actual and perceived warmth include gender (on
average, women sleep colder than men), body fat, overall fitness, fatigue, hydration,
diet, expectations and morale. You'll sleep best if you avoid exhaustion, drink enough
fluid, and eat well before you hit the sac. The external factors include bag fit, relative
humidity, wind, and of course, the other components of your shelter. See Bag Layering
on page 55 for ways to get the most performance and versatility from your bag.
Why Choose Down?
The very fact that synthetic fills are promoted by comparing them to down in warmth-for-
weight, compressibility and resilience tells you that down is the gold standard on all
three counts. Down is nature's finest insulator - nothing matches it in absorbing
transpired moisture, and molding itself to your body to fill heat-sucking voids.
Down is expensive (although amortized over its almost unlimited useful life, down offers
superb value), relatively high-maintenance, and insulates poorly when wet. W.L. Gore's
moisture-proof DryLoft® laminate is often used to protect down in bags intended for
more extreme use.
The fluffy undercoating beneath the feathers of waterfowl, down consists of thousands
of pods, or plumules, made up of light, fluffy filaments. Pure down would be too
expensive, so all down fills contain a percentage of clusters, feathers and feather fibers.
MEC uses only Goose down, which has larger stronger plumules for better loft and
longevity.
Fill Power (a.k.a. Loft Power): The "fluffiness" of down is expressed as the number of
cubic inches one ounce of a given down displaces. 400-450 fill power is mediocre, 500-
600 good, and 650-750 excellent. Since the price of down increases rapidly as the rated
fill power increases, there's a strong temptation for suppliers to be optimistic with down
ratings. For this reason, MEC conducts its own tests on the down we use.
About Synthetic Fills
Synthetic fills are non-allergenic; they have a lower initial cost than down; and unlike
down, they provide some warmth when wet. These virtues make synthetics a viable,
and for some users, preferable, alternative to down.
The different synthetic fills offer wide choices in lightness and compactability. The ultra-
light and very compressible synthetics tend to be less durable than other synthetics, and
all synthetic fills are significantly less durable (and heavier and bulkier) than down.
Generally, the more durable a synthetic insulation is, the heavier and bulkier it is.
Synthetic insulations are extruded polymers, essentially plastic threads, and may be
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either continuous filament (a single long thread) or short staples (pieces about 5 cm
long). Either type may be hollow to reduce weight and trap insulating air.
Various methods are used to keep these fibers from clumping or settling. The least
expensive (and the only method used with continuous filaments) is to simply bond the
fibers in place with a sprayed-on resin; the resulting blankets or "batts" are somewhat
stiff to the touch, but quite durable. A more expensive method, used only with short
staples, is to heat the fibers just to the point where their surfaces partially melt and fuse
to one another; this "melted fibers" technique yields a softer, more down-like feel,
though the bonding is less durable than with resin. Some short staples are bonded by a
combination of the "melted fibers" technique and varying amounts of resin as the
manufacturers strive for the optimum three-way balance of softness, durability and
affordability.
MEC currently uses five types of synthetic insulation in its bags:
Basic Hollow Fiber
An inexpensive, resin-bonded short staple insulation. Used in our Value bags.
MEC HyperLoft
MEC's very own venture into synthetic fills. Short staple fibers of varying thicknesses,
judiciously blended with "melted" bonding fibers and resin to yield a very loft-stable
synthetic, which offers great durability and reasonable compactability. Used in the GT
series barrel bags.
Polarguard HV®
Durable and proven continuous-filament, resin-bonded insulation. HV (High Void)
Polarguard is a hollow, lighter version of the original Polarguard®. Compact enough for
basic backpacking, at a reasonable price. Used in our Fledgling, Nighthawk, and
Winterhawk and Titan bags.
Thermolite Extreme™
"Extreme" indicates the second generation of this blend of short fibers of varying
thicknesses and construction, which are heat-bonded and resined into place.
Thermolite Extreme offers excellent durability and warmth-for-weight. Used in our
Wilderness series.
Primaloft®
Another blend of short, fibers of varying thickness, heat bonded into a light, warm, and
compressible structure. Although somewhat less durable than other synthetics,
Primaloft is considerably more compact, offers excellent warmth-for-weight and boasts
perhaps the most warmth-when-wet of any insulation. It is made in three versions; PL1,
PL Sport, and PL Lite. PL1 is "slickened" with silicone, and so picks up remarkably little
water even when submerged, making it especially suitable for overbags or as the
topmost layer in regular bags. In many of our bags, we have combined several types of
Primaloft together synergistically. Used in our Vertigo series, the PL barrel bags, and
Penguin overbags.
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Sleeping Bag Basics Features
Differential Cut:
The inner shell fabric is smaller than the outer shell fabric to avoid bunching and
crushing insulation. Most MEC bags are differentially cut.
Draft tube:
An insulated tube behind the zipper to prevent heat loss. Ideally, the tube is sewn only
to the lining material, since sewing through the bag creates a cold spot.
Foot box:
Toes crush insulation. Better mummy bags flare to compensate, and have extra
insulation at the peak. The less-tailored equivalent in a barrel bag is called a foot circle.
Loft:
Refers to the bag's thickness and to the entire bag, not just the portion above the
sleeper. Fills vary in their insulation for a given thickness so loft is not the only factor in
determining warmth, but shape, construction, and fill type being equal, the "loftier" a bag
is, the warmer it is. Fills also vary in their insulation for a given weight - think of how
many wool blankets are replaced by a single down comforter. See also Bag
Temperature Ratings.
Neck Yoke:
This insulated extension covers the throat and shoulders. It reduces heat loss whether
the bag is snugged down or loosely zipped.
Sleeping Bag Construction Methods
The simplest, lowest cost is sewn-through construction. Each stitch line is a cold spot,
so this is used only for warm weather bags. In offset quilt construction, layers are
arranged so tubes overlap the gaps in one another. Synthetic insulations may be
attached directly to the fabric in shingling.
Baffling is how down is kept from shifting. Box baffles are walls of netting running side-
to-side between the inner and outer shell. Continuous baffles are uninterrupted tunnels
from the back to the front of the bag, and allow the user to fine tune bag warmth by
redistributing insulation. They also allow insulation to shift on its own, so periodic shake-
ups are needed. A sideblock baffle is a net running within the bag along the side
opposite the zipper, to prevent down moving to the bottom of the bag. This increases
weight and cost, but holds the down in place.
Shell and Lining Fabrics
Fabrics woven with high yarn counts using fine denier yarns yield better material since
they are lighter, tighter (important to keep the insulating materials from leaking out, and
for durability) and drape better to form sculpted shapes. These are the criteria MEC
uses when selecting bag fabrics.
In determining fabric quality a hands-on inspection reveals much. Grasp the fabric firmly
between the thumb and forefinger of both hands, and push and pull. Note the size of
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any openings between the vertical and horizontal yarns. Crinkle it - does the material
stay rigid as an
Sleeping Bag Layering
It's likely that you're already in the habit of layering backcountry clothing, mixing and
matching items as conditions change. In a similar manner, rather than having to buy
several sleeping bags for different situations, the proper accessories will let you adapt
one or two bags to meet a broad range of circumstances. This approach saves money,
and also weight and bulk since you may carry only those accessories actually needed
for any particular trip.
A sleeping pad is the literal foundation of any bag layering system; it is not an "optional"
accessory. Bag temperature ratings assume the use of a pad; without one far too much
heat is wicked away by the cold ground. No true savings of either weight or cash are
achieved by doing without a sleeping pad. A bare sleeping bag would be so drastically
reduced in efficiency that you would need a much heavier and more expensive bag to
get the same warmth as a lighter bag/sleeping pad combination. Even a thin, compact,
and inexpensive closed-cell foam pad boosts performance many degrees. Cushioning
and insulation needs vary. A lightweight inflatable pad, adequate in summer, might be
augmented with a foam pad for use on snow.
Clothing may be part of your sleeping bag system. Fleece is not crushed by snug fitting
bags, and absorbs little moisture - especially nice if it is part of your daytime wardrobe
as well. Clean, dry long underwear and socks add about 2ºC of warmth, and full fleece
about 5ºC.
A significant amount of your body heat is lost through the head. If claustrophobia
prevents you from clinching up the hood of your bag, or if you are using a barrel bag,
wear a hat or balaclava.
A VBL (Vapor Barrier Liner) is made of polyurethane-coated fabric, and is worn between
the sleeper and the inside of the sleeping bag. Though you are unaware of it, you lose a
great deal of body heat through insensible (non-liquid) perspiration. By raising the
ambient humidity around your body, a VBL reduces or stops insensible, vaporous
perspiration and the accompanying heat loss. This can add 5 to 10° Celsius to a
sleeping bag's warmth. To keep garments from becoming clammy, VBL users normally
wear little or no clothing. VBLs are best used at below freezing temperatures, when they
are the least sweaty and most efficient.
An overbag serves as an insulated outer layer to increase the warmth of a sleeping bag
by between 5 and 10 degrees C. It also helps protect the inner bag from dampness by
moving the dew point (the area which is cold enough to condense water vapor into
liquid) farther outward from the sleeper. An overbag is also useful on its own as a
lightweight summer/tropical bag.
Tents or tarps can also be considered part of your bag system. Depending on the wind,
it's from 5 to 10 degrees C warmer in a tent than outside. Though not as effective as a
tent, a windbreak such as a tarp or any natural barrier will keep you significantly
warmer. In still air, a tarp rigged as a roof will considerably reduce radiant heat loss.
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Sleeping Bag Care
Washing
Synthetic Bags: Would you prefer to be gently spun around or whacked with paddles?
There's that sort of difference between the way a front-loading washing machine treats
your sleeping bag and the abuse a top-loading washer may inflict. The finned agitator of
a top-loader can collapse insulation and tear it from its quilting. If your home machine is
a top-loader, find a front-loader at a Laundromat (you'll also have access to larger
dryers.) Follow the Care Tag instructions for water temperatures and detergents.
Down bags: Very careful hand washing in your bathtub is still the recommended
method. See page 59 for an appropriate soap. Rinse repeatedly - when you're prepared
to drink the rinse water, it's clean enough. Pull the plug and allow as much water as
possible to drain from the bag as it lies supported in the tub. Next, being careful not to
tear the bag's internal baffles with wet, heavy down, lift the bag and hang it to drain until
it is only damp.
Drying
All Bags: Out in the field you may have no choice but to air or sun-dry damp sleeping
bags. Freshly washed bags are thoroughly soaked, however, and will air dry too slowly,
encouraging mildew growth, especially in down bags. Use a large drum machine dryer
(try your Laundromat). Set it to low heat for down bags. Check the Care Tag of a
synthetic bag for appropriate temperature settings. Toss a couple of tennis balls into the
dryer toward the end of the cycle to break up clumps of down. When drying, ensure that
no part of the bag is held pressed continually against the dryer drum, where it may melt.
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Backpacks
For many people the backpack is the icon of backcountry travel. A backpack can give
you the mobility to access places that would give a Range Rover a nosebleed! But,
what should you look for when searching for the right backpack? Focus on design,
materials, and quality of construction that best match its intended use. Some key factors
to consider are terrain to be encountered, mode of transport (hiking, skiing, unicycling),
and weight/volume of load to be carried.
Backpack Types
To accommodate a variety of users and conditions, backpack manufacturers build their
packs in a dizzying variety of shapes and sizes. Before looking at specific packs, figure
out which type of backpack will best suit your needs:
Day packs (15-35 liters)
These are small fabric packs with little or no internal support. They are great for short,
low-capacity outings such as day hikes. The small capacity means the weight of a
loaded day pack is carried on the shoulders. Some features to consider are a waist
strap for stability and padding along the back for comfort.
Alpine packs (30-55 liters)
These medium-sized packs usually have some internal stiffeners and a weight bearing
hip-belt. Their larger capacity make them useful for equipment intensive activities like
ski-touring and climbing, or even light overnight jaunts.
Backpacking packs (55-75 liters)
These packs are designed for multi-day tripping. Due to their large carrying capacity,
these packs incorporate a frame to provide the structural rigidity required to transfer the
load weight from the back and shoulders to the hips.
Expedition packs (75-100 liters)
Imagine a backpacking pack on steroids! The colossal capacity of these packs makes
them ideal for extended backcountry travel. Expedition packs are particularly useful for
winter trips where extra gear may be required.
Travel Packs
Backpacks designed to have the civilized look of a soft suitcase. Because these packs
are designed primarily as luggage the suspension system may lack some of the bells
and whistles of its backpacking brethren. This is not to say that they are not capable of
light backcountry travel, but these limitations should be kept in mind.
Design and Construction
So you have decided what type of pack you are looking for. What is the next step? You
can narrow the field down again by considering some design features such as how you
access the carrying compartments and how the pack is built.
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Panel-loading
(a.k.a. front loading) packs allow easy access to gear. This design is popular for travel
packs. The panel zippers, however, can leak in the rain and are potential weak points.
Look for compression straps to take the pressure off the zippers.
Top-loading
These packs are inherently stronger and more weather resistant than front-loaders, but
to reach something that is packed at the bottom, everything must be unpacked. This
design is popular among backcountry packs because many items do not need to be
accessed during the day, but durability is a priority.
Construction
This should be bombproof because packs take a lot of abuse. Look for tough fabrics like
pack-cloth or Cordura (especially in high wear areas). Seams should be joined with
closely spaced stitching, and all stress points should be reinforced with bar-tack
stitches. A urethane coating will provide some protection from the elements, but expect
some leakage through the seams in any backpack.
Fit and Suspension
Fit is the last, and perhaps most important, factor to consider when choosing a
backpack. It doesn't matter if the pack is the right capacity with all the features you are
looking for if it turns you into a hunchback on the trail! The correct fit of a pack is
dependent on two crucial components: pack size (not to be confused with capacity), and
suspension system.
Pack size
Backpack size is a function of torso length. To find your pack size, measure the
distance from your most prominent neck vertebra to your hipbone, along your spine.
This measurement is a more accurate than overall height for determining what size of
pack you will wear.
Suspension system
Wearing a pack should feel as though your own body has become somewhat heavier;
not as though you are wrestling with an overweight parasite on your back. The
suspension systems of modern packs are designed to transfer most of their weight to
your hips, reducing back strain.
For comfort and weight distribution the hip-belt padding should wrap completely around
your hipbones. Shoulder straps should be far enough apart that they don't squeeze your
neck. When properly adjusted, the padded sections should wrap around the top of your
shoulders comfortably and attach to the frame three or four inches below them.
Finally, load the pack up with 20-30lbs and go for a hike (around the store before you
buy!). Play with the adjustments to fine-tune the fit. The bottom line: if a pack doesn't
feel right now, it won't feel right after 10 hours on the trail.
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How to Fit a Backpack
What really matters when selecting a new backpack is making sure that it's a good fit for
your body, or get about the color and the fancy logos
You want to choose a pack well suited to your individual dimensions, then you need to
customize it to your body shape. Here are some tips to help you accomplish that:
Determine Your Torso Length
Torso length is a crucial measurement. It is important to distinguish between your height
and the length of your torso. Just because you are a certain height — say a 5' 9" female
or 6' male — does not mean you automatically need a "large" or "tall" pack. Your torso
length, not your height, determines your pack size. Here's how to measure yours:
Enlist the help of friend. Have that person locate the bony bump at the base of your
neck, where the slope of your shoulder meets your neck. (It's known as the 7th
vertebra.)
Tilt your head forward to locate it more easily.
Using a flexible tape measure, ask your friend to start at that spot and measure down
your spine, following the curves of your back along the way.
Place your hands on you hips so you can feel your iliac crest—the twin pointy
protrusions on the front of your hips. (The iliac crest serves as the "shelf" of your pelvic
girdle, the area that is gripped by your pack's hipbelt.) Position your hands so your
thumbs are reaching behind you.
Have your friend finish measuring at the point where the tape crosses an imaginary line
drawn between your thumbs. This distance is your torso length.
Generally, your measurement will fall into one of these frame-size categories:
o Small: Up to 17 1/2".
o Medium/Regular: 18" to 19 1/2".
o Large/Tall: 20" and up.
Pack manufacturers typically use general terms (small, medium, large) to
identify their frame sizes; look at each pack's technical specifications to find
the actual numeric range. REI.com lists those numbers in a chart that
accompanies each pack description.
A person with a measurement right on the border (say, 17 3/4") might want to visit an
REI store to try on both a small and medium version of a particular pack. REI's product
line includes adult packs sized to fit torso lengths as compact as 14" (10" for children)
and as long as 23". If your measurement lies outside that range, you might require a
custom-built pack.
Determine Your Hip Measurement
While not as crucial as your torso length, your hip measurement is useful to know. It's
very helpful if you are considering a pack that offers interchangeable hipbelts.
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Take your tape measure and wrap it around the top of your hips, the "latitude line"
where you can feel your iliac crest — those two pointy bones just above the front pocket
on your pants. A properly positioned hipbelt will straddle your iliac crest, about an inch
above and below that line.
Test Fit Your Backpack
At REI, we acknowledge that shopping for a backpack online is not the same as
examining the packs firsthand. How do you know if it's going to feel good without first
trying it on? A comfortable fit, after all, is crucial to your satisfaction.
Ideally, you should visit an REI store in person and try on some packs. If that's not
possible, try the procedure described below at home with any pack you order. If it just
doesn't feel right, send it back. We don't want you to try and lug an uncomfortable pack
into the wilds. To be fair, you need to keep in mind that no fully loaded pack ever feels
truly "comfortable." What you are seeking to avoid is any sharp or unreasonable
discomfort.
A Good Fit, Step by Step
If possible, start with about 20 or 30 pounds of weight to place inside the pack:
sandbags or weighted pillows supplied by the store; items of personal gear packed into
stuff sacks; climbing ropes. (If you're able to visit a store, throw some things in a duffel
bag and bring them with you.) Distribute these throughout a pack's interior, keeping the
weight close to your body with the heaviest portion near your shoulder blades. Next:
1.Loosen the pack's shoulder straps, load-adjustment straps and hip belt.
2.Slip your arms through the shoulder straps.
Tip: What's the best way to hoist a heavy pack on your back, you ask? Click here.
3.Position the hipbelt so it basically straddles your hipbones (iliac crest); close the
buckle and make the hipbelt straps snug.
Tips: The belt should completely, comfortably cover your hips, but its 2 ends should not
touch. If the belt is too loose or too tight, reposition the buckle pieces on the hipbelt
straps. If this doesn't give you a secure fit, you may have to try a different pack or
hipbelt. Do not tighten your hipbelt excessively. Keep it snug, but if it's too tight or too
long on the trail, you'll have sore spots on your hips the next morning.
4.Cinch the shoulder straps down tightly, and then ease the tension slightly.
5.Look sideways in a mirror. Check the position of your shoulder straps:
For internal-frame packs: The padded sections of the shoulder straps should wrap
around the crest of your shoulders comfortably and attach to the frame about 1" below
that point. No gaps should appear
For external-frame packs without load-lifter straps: The shoulder straps should
attach to the pack frame at a point slightly higher than the top of your shoulders.
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For external-frame packs with load-lifter straps: The padded sections of the
shoulder straps should wrap around the top of your shoulders comfortably and attach to
the frame about 1" below that point.
6.Check your load-lifter straps. These should attach to your shoulder straps at a point
just above your collarbone and just below the top of your shoulders. From there, they
should rise up to join with the frame at an angle of between 40 and 50 degrees. If the
angle is higher than that, your frame is too long. Any lower and your shoulders will carry
too much of the load.
7.Check the shoulder strap length and width:
The buckle on the strap should be far enough below your armpit that it won't chafe. How
far? Try a hand-width. The straps should be far enough apart that they don't squeeze
your neck, but close enough together that they don't slip off of your shoulders during
hiking. The width is sometimes adjustable.
Women need to pay special attention to the fit of shoulder straps. On some unisex
packs, the distance between shoulder straps may be too wide, or the straps themselves
are wide enough to gouge an armpit or breast. If you find a good fit is elusive, seek out
a pack designed specifically for women.
8.Check for a good torso fit. If the pack fits you correctly, you should be able to
redistribute the weight of the pack between your shoulders and your hips simply by
loosening and tightening your shoulder straps slightly.
Tip: Make any adjustments by moving the shoulder harness up or down, using
whatever means the individual pack provides. On a "ladder" system, for instance, you
can rethread the webbing and fasten it at a new position on the ladder.
9.Adjust the sternum strap. Position it about 2" below your collarbone. You should be
able to breathe comfortably when the strap is fastened. It is not essential that you keep
your sternum strap fastened at all times. It is most helpful when you are negotiating
uneven terrain.
10.Check for comfort:
Does the pack feel good on your back?
Does it pinch or bind or unusually restrict your movement?
Can you look up without hitting the pack with your head?
Can you squat down without cutting off the circulation to your legs?
This may seem like a lot to keep in mind, but all of the above will become automatic as
you gain experience. Now walk around with your pack. Climb and descend a flight of
stairs. Hop from spot to spot. Reach. Walk a line. If anything is pinching, try adjusting
the various straps.
Additional Considerations
Bending the stays: The stays that serve as the frame of internal-frame packs are almost
always removable and can be bent to conform to the contours of your torso. How
meticulously and precisely should they be bent? It's a matter of choice. It's usually
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sufficient to give the stays a modest bending so they follow your spine's natural S-
shape.
Ask for help from a friend. Have that person hold the bottom of 1 stay against the back
of your hip, then mark with a pencil or tape the spots where your spine makes its
biggest curves. Place the marked portions of the stay on the edge of a firm, durable
surface and gradually bend the stay to assume the desired shape.
Breaking in your pack: Ideally, make your first trip with your new pack a short one. You
can make some modest adjustments during rest stops. Over time, with regular wear,
items such as internal stays and the padded hipbelt will conform to your body
configuration.
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How to Pack Your Backpack
You've planned, shopped and prepared. Now it's time to load up and head out. What's
the smartest way to get all that gear into your backpack? It depends on what you're
carrying (internal-frame pack or external?) and where you're going (on-trail or off trail?).
Internal-Frame Packs
Whether you're traveling on- or off-trail, keep your heaviest items close to your back,
centered between your shoulder blades.
For on-trail travel, keep heavy items higher inside your pack. This helps focus more of
the weight over your hips, the area of your body best equipped to carry a heavy load.
For off-trail exploration, reverse the strategy. Arrange heavier items lower in the main
compartment, starting again from the spot between your shoulder blades. This lowers
your center of gravity and increases your stability on uneven terrain.
Stuff your sleeping bag into its lower compartment first. Squeeze in any additional
lightweight items you won't need until bedtime (pillowcase, sleeping shirt, but nothing
aromatic). This will serve as the base of the main compartment, which you'll fill next.
Tighten all compression straps to limit any load-shifting.
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External-Frame Packs
As with an internal, keep your heaviest items close to your back, near your shoulder
blades.
Externals are recommended for on-trail travel only. Load heavier items high inside your
pack and close to your body. Doing so centers the pack's weight over your hips and
helps you walk in a more upright position.
Pack your sleeping bag in its stuff sack. Finish loading your main pack bag, then strap
the bag to the lash points on the bottom of the pack bag. If rain seems likely, consider
stuffing your sleeping bag inside a second stuff sack or wrapping it in plastic.
Tips for Either Pack Style
Women and people of short stature often find they prefer to pack the weight low
whether they're traveling on- or off-trail, regardless of which pack style they're carrying.
You are the ultimate judge of what feels comfortable to you. Experiment with different
load arrangements to determine what feels best.
Make sure some items are easily accessible, packed in places where they can be
reached with a minimum of digging.
Map Compass Sunglasses
Insect repellent Snack food Flashlight/headlamp
First-aid supplies Water bottles Rainwear
Pack cover
Don't waste empty space. Cram every nook with something. Put a small item of clothing
inside your pots, for example. Smaller items, such as food, pack more efficiently in
individual units rather then when stored loosely inside a stuff sack.
If you are part of a group, split up the weight of large items (a tent, for instance) with
other group members. Don't make 1 person become an involuntary packhorse.
Cluster related small items (such as utensils and kitchen items) in color-coded stuff
sacks to help you spot them easily.
Minimize the number of items you strap to the outside of your pack. Gear carried
externally may adversely affect your balance. Secure any equipment you carry outside
so it doesn't swing or rattle.
Tips:
How about long tent poles, for example? Stow them horizontally with your sleeping pad
across the top of an external pack; with an internal, carry them vertically, secured
behind the compression straps on one side of the pack with the ends tucked into a
"wand pocket" at the pack's bottom. A daisy chain and ice axe loops are designed for
specific mountaineering gear; feel free to improvise with them, but don't get so creative
that you jeopardize your comfort or stability.
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Make sure the cap on your fuel bottle is screwed on tightly. Position it below your food
inside your pack in case of a spill.
Carry a pack cover. Backpacks, though made with waterproof fabric, have vulnerable
seams and zippers. After a few hours of exposure to persistent rain, the items inside
your pack could become wet—and thus much heavier.
Quick repair tips: Wrap strips of duct tape around your water bottles; in case a strap
pops or some other disaster occurs, a quick fix could keep you going. Take along a few
safety pins in case a zipper fails.
Do you aspire to be a truly organized adventurer? Then before you reach the trailhead
you should:
o Evaluate what equipment is needed for this specific trip.
o Review a checklist before you leave home to make sure you have everything you
need.
o Double-check your older gear to make sure it's in good working order.
o Pre-load your pack the night before your hike begins. Or, a few days before your
departure date, rehearse packing for this trip. If you're missing something, it's better
to discover this fact early.
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Campsite Selection
The sun is dipping toward the horizon and you're seeking a place to spend the night in
the backcountry. Here's what to keep in mind:
Spring Through Fall
Know in advance where campsites can be found on the trail. Consult a guidebook, and
then discuss your options with a ranger when you pick up your backcountry permit. (In
some heavily visited areas, you may have to pre-select a specific site in order to obtain
the permit.) Be nice to the ranger; he or she might recommend a choice spot to you.
Backcountry campsites are often found at trail junctions, lakes or rivers. Some popular
areas are closed to camping due to heavy use. Know the local rules and please abide
by them. If a prime-looking campsite has been closed or sits in off-limits territory, do the
right thing—move on and let the land rest.
Advance reservations can sometimes be made for popular hiking destinations. If you
plan to visit during peak season, inquire about this possibility with the ranger office that
oversees its management. If that's not possible, you should obtain your permit as early
as possible on the day of your departure (or the day before—rules vary at different
wilderness areas). More site choices will be available early in the day.
Schedule your day so you arrive at your chosen campsite at least 2 hours before
sunset. You don't want to race to finish last-minute chores in twilight.
Seek out previously impacted areas. These are usually flat, shaded spots close to a
water source.
Consider the feelings of others when selecting your site. Are other people camped
within easy earshot of a site you are considering? Then try looking around for another
option. Don't crowd other campers unless positively no other choice exists. Also: Don't
plunk down your tent in a spot that spoils a view that other people came to see. When
you enter the wilderness, blend in, don't barge in.
What's the most important consideration when selecting a campsite? The view? It's
important, true, but your site's proximity to water is usually Factor No. 1. You will need
water for cooking, cleanup and filtering for your next day's drinking supply. Plus,
camping near water gives anglers a chance to test the waters for fishing prospects. The
final bonus: The sound of a rushing stream or of a lake's small waves lapping a
shoreline provides a soothing audio backdrop as you drift off to sleep.
You want to be close to water, but not right at water's edge. Choose a spot 200 feet
away from the trail and water. You want to 1) stay out of sight (if possible) of other
hikers and 2) give wildlife an unobstructed path to water.
One of the negatives of camping near a lake or slow-moving water: bugs. If mosquitoes
are a problem where you want to camp, try to select a site where a breeze is stirring.
That won't solve the skeeter problem, but some wind might help ease it.
If you will use your campsite as a base camp for day trips, choose a site that offers
ample shade during the day. You want to minimize the amount of time your tent is
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exposed to the sun. A tent's nylon canopy deteriorates when left in direct sunlight for
prolonged periods.
Many people like to point the head-end of their tents toward the east to catch the sun's
early morning rays. It's not essential, but if you want to get an early start, this tactic may
help nudge you out of the sack in the morning.
Anticipate the wind. If it's gusting, try to select a campsite where boulders or trees
provide a windbreak.
Be mindful of low spots. If you are camping along a river or within narrow canyons, seek
higher ground when making camp in case bad weather moves in overnight. Low spots
tend to collect water. Cold air sinks, of course, making low spots chillier. So, if your
destination gives you the option, take the high road.
If you're camping on the beach, choose a spot beyond the most obvious tide line.
Don't pitch your tent in a plant-filled meadow, on a lakeshore or in some other pristine,
picturesque, never-before-trampled spot. While scuffling around, you may cause
damage to the scenery that will take years to reverse. If you are off-trail and must camp
in some rarely traveled area, camp on smooth rock or bare ground (sandy, light-colored
mineral soil, for example) so your impact will be barely noticeable to future visitors.
Winter
Where should you set up? Either on snow or on bare ground that supports little or no
plant growth. Camping on snow reduces your environmental impact to nearly zero—
very appealing. Just be mindful of animal tracks; try to avoid disrupting a path that might
serve as a lifeline for the resident wildlife. If the only bare ground you can find harbors
plant life that would suffer from your trampling, camp on snow.
Camp higher rather than lower. Cold air really sinks in winter. Avoid valleys if possible.
Calculate where the sun might arrive first in the morning. Position your tent so you won't
be sitting in the shadow of some peak while a spot a hundred yards away will receive
full-throttle sunshine an hour earlier.
Consider the wind. Examine the surface of the snow where you might camp. Has it
been shaped by wind? Does it have a frosty, brittle texture while other spots in the area
are soft? These signs indicate harsh wind patterns. It's best to look elsewhere for a site.
Scan the area around your potential campsite, particularly above it, for signs of past
avalanche activity. Can you spot a section of trees that was mowed down by a past
avalanche? Any piles of avalanche debris in the area below you? See any snow-
collection basins or steeply pitched couloirs looming high above you? If so, make tracks
to a less-threatening area.
Year-Round
Keep your site clean. This should be obvious, but some people ...
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Be responsible, and treat the backcountry gently. You appreciate arriving at a clean
campsite in a wild, beautiful setting, right? Please do your part to make sure those
coming after you will enjoy the same experience.
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Setting Up Camp
You've spent the day covering 10 miles on trail. At last you've reached your destination
for the night, and you are elated, sweaty, tired and hungry. The angled sunlight reminds
you that it will be dark in a couple of hours. What do you do next?
Housekeeping Basics
First, locate and claim a campsite. Make sure it's a legal and appropriate one. How do
you make a good choice? Follow the guidelines outlined in our Campsite Selection
clinic. It offers details on things you should do, including:
o Possess any necessary permits.
o Make sure your campsite is at least 200 feet away from water and trails.
o Choose a site previously used by other campers; avoid impacting untrammeled
ground.
o Show courtesy to other campers; try to stay invisible to one another.
Unpacking
Once you choose your spot, drop your pack and begin unloading gear. Some strategy
tips:
o Put your flashlight/headlamp in a place where you can easily remember its location.
o Sort food/kitchen items separately.
o Find your jacket or pullover and put it someplace handy.
o Locate your tent and ground cloth.
Shelter
Start with tent setup. You want to have quick access to a sheltered safety zone in case
the weather changes or bugs attack.
Choose a flat spot for your tent, preferably a shaded one. Spread your ground cloth
over that spot. Then lay on it and give your spot a test-rest. (This is a step lots of people
neglect to make.) Does it feel level? Lumpy? Clear away any debris that pokes you in
the back. But don't rip up the spot attempting to make the spot too perfect. When major
bumps are gone, set up your tent.
Note: If you have to clear so much debris that you'll alter the look of the area, find
another campsite.
Follow the seams: This is a good phrase to remember if you get a little confused while
assembling a tent. It's easy to start criss-crossing poles and begin inserting them into
the wrong pole sleeves. Pole sleeves are usually stitched into the main seams of a
tent's breathable canopy. Thread each pole through the series of sleeve sections that
line up along a single seam. Setup becomes simplified when you follow the seams.
Some additional tips:
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If you can't find a level spot, angle your tent so your head is higher.
If it's windy, try to set up in a wind-buffered area, such as behind rocks. Point the low
end of your tent into the wind to help prevent a blow-down. Plant your initial tent stakes
with the wind at your back.
If it's a warm night with just a breeze blowing, aim your door into what wind
there is; it might help shoo away mosquitoes.
Do NOT dig a drainage ditch around your tent. This is an old-school practice
that ruins campsites and hastens erosion.
Unroll your sleeping pad, unstuff your sleeping bag and place both inside your tent, then
zip it shut. This gives your bag some time to regain its loft.
If the terrain permits, aim your tent's door toward the east to catch early morning light.
That helps encourage everyone to get an early start.
Kitchen
Keep your food together. Typically hikers carry main food items in 1 or 2 stuff sacks to
keep them consolidated. Then they hang the bags in a tree or other high spot for safe
overnight storage. (See our Food Storage clinic for tips.)
If you are camping in California's Sierra Nevada range, where black bears have become
skilled at snitching food, you may need to carry a bear canister. Before starting a trip,
ask local rangers about conditions in the area you plan to visit.
Wherever you camp, you'll need to keep your food within sight (or safely stored) once
it's no longer on your back. Any number of critters, including squirrels, chipmunks,
marmots, even gray jays, might take an interest in your food if they catch you looking
the other way. Even if you're wandering just a short distance from camp—say, to the
stream to filter water—it's smart to take your food with you.
Do your part to keep wildlife wild—keep a clean kitchen in the backcountry; practice the
proper food storage techniques outlined in our Food Storage clinic; NEVER give food to
a wild animal, even a cute little chipmunk. You do a wild creature a grave disservice by
doing so, changing them from foragers to scavengers.
Special care is required when camping in grizzly bear habitat. Set up your kitchen at
least 200 feet from your campsite. Avoid cooking aromatic foods. Cook in one set of
clothing, sleep in another. The goal is to keep all food odors as far from you, and your
tent, as possible. Other camp setup tips:
o Set up your stove on a level spot. A flat, bare rock, sheltered from wind, is ideal.
Make sure nothing flammable is nearby.
o If you plan to counterbalance your food bags for the night, seek out a suitable limb—
and get a cord up and over it—while you still have light.
o Nutritionists recommend eating within 1 hour of vigorous exercise to accelerate the
body's recovery process. Consider munching on an energy bar if camp duties
preclude you from eating a meal that quickly.
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o Filter water in the evening so you can save time in the morning and break camp as
early as possible.
o If you're in a group, make sure the workload gets delegated fairly. Rotate whatever
tasks are most burdensome for your party.
Before You Turn In ...
o Know the location of your headlamp/flashlight. Always keep it in the same place
inside your tent. The same goes for toilet paper and your sanitation trowel.
o Critter-proof your camp for the night: Hang your food; leave nothing aromatic
(including food, toothpaste, lotions, et al.) inside your tent; don't leave sweaty items
hanging overnight in places where salt-loving rodents may shred them.
o Empty your backpack, zip open every pocket and compartment and, if possible,
hang it off the ground from a tree snag. If the pockets are open, varmints won't be
tempted to chew through the fabric to see what's inside.
o Consider bringing along an extra T-shirt or other top for sleeping only. You'll feel
cleaner inside your sleeping bag.
o Use a wad of clothing for a pillow. Some people carry a pillowcase to help smooth
over any wrinkles in the wad. Another pillow option is an inflatable bag.
o Consider earplugs if you want to block out overnight sounds (streams, wind, snoring
companions).
o Show respect for other campers in your vicinity; keep your camp's volume level low,
especially after dark.
o At some point, pause to take in the silence and beauty of your surroundings;
appreciate the sublime qualities of spending a night in the backcountry.
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Campfire Basics
To many campers, the campfire is a beloved and indispensable outdoor tradition—a
kinetic, luminous, dreamlike force of nature that has served as the centerpiece for cozy
backwoods gatherings for generations.
Campfires remain an entrenched, cherished institution within contemporary
campground culture. Yet today it's rare to find wilderness destinations at higher
elevations where wildfires are permitted. Why? The reasons include:
o Repeated wood-gathering has depleted the high country of soil-stabilizing, nutrient-
building ground cover.
o Human-built fire rings, with their sooty residue, have tarnished many natural settings
with scars of human intrusion.
o Poorly tended fires can quickly escalate into ruinous wildfires.
o As a result, campfires are now usually restricted to low-elevation zones (typically
below 4,000 feet) or drive-in campgrounds. While many people retain a fond,
o sentimental attachment to campfires, modern backpacking stoves—cleaner,
convenient and efficient—have rendered functional backcountry fires nearly
obsolete.
o Campfires, though, can be lifesavers in emergency situations. If you are wet, cold,
without a working stove and unable to find shelter, a fire can help you fight off
hypothermia.
If you choose to build a campfire for any reason, follow these guidelines:
Campfire Tips
Find out if any fire restrictions apply to the area you are going to visit. Check with
officials of the agency that administers the land you are visiting. During severe dry
periods, fires may even be prohibited in campgrounds. It is your responsibility to know
the regulations and how to maintain a fire.
In campgrounds and other recreation sites, build fires only in fire rings, grills, stoves or
fireplaces.
In portions of the backcountry where fires are permitted, use an existing fire ring if
available. If you have to build one, dismantle it when you are done. If one already exists,
clean it out before you depart. How? See the "Pack Out" entry below.
An alternative to a fire ring: Build a mound fire. Using your sanitation trowel, build a
circular, flat platform of mineral soil (sandy, light-colored, non-fertile dirt) about 6" to 8"
high. Use this as the base for your fire. Ideally, build this platform on a flat rock. The
goal is to avoid searing (thus sterilizing) any plant-supporting soil below. You can easily
disperse the mound when you're finished. Some people even haul items like barbecue
pans into the backcountry to serve as portable bases for fires.
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Clear away all flammable material from your fire "pit." Ideally, the pit (base) of your fire
should be nonflammable earth (sand, gravel) or mineral soil (often found in streambeds
or on gravel bars).
Use only dead wood lying on the ground. DO NOT cut live trees or break off limbs from
standing plants or trees, even if they're dead. Wildlife makes use of such snags.
Collect firewood far away from your site. Otherwise, over time the area will appeared
unnaturally denuded. In campgrounds, bring your own wood or buy it locally.
Start the fire by building a small, inverted cone of dry sticks, twigs and forest duff and
igniting it with a match. (Be sure to carry waterproof matches and fire starter—2 of the
10 Essentials.)
Add larger pieces of wood as the fire's kindling temperature increases, but burn no
pieces thicker than an adult's wrist. Thick chunks of wood are rarely allowed to burn
completely and are typically left behind as blackened, unsightly scraps. Move embers to
the fire's center to burn them completely. Ideally, you should reduce them to white ash.
Burn pieces of trash ONLY if they can be fully consumed by fire and turned to ash. Do
not attempt to burn plastic, cans or foil. If you do try to burn such things, gather up
what's left of them and pack them out.
If you are building an emergency fire to stay warm and survive, it's understandable if
conscientious land stewardship is not your primary focus. Still, don't pillage the
landscape. At this point, fire starter and waterproof matches will be 2 of your most
valued possessions.
If you need to dry out clothing, tie a cord tautly between 2 trees well above the flames;
carefully drape a few wet items across the cord and over the fire.
Extinguish all fires by pouring water on them, stirring the ashes, then applying more
water. The ashes should be cool to the touch.
Pack out any trash found in your pit. Extract any charcoal pieces left inside your ring,
carry them away from your site, crush the chunks, then scatter the remnants and dust
throughout a broad area. Dismantle any structure you might have built, and please don't
leave behind any stacks of wood. This may sound like a lot of work, but it is the
responsible way to disguise a campfire's long-lasting aftereffects.
Campfires are:
o Fun in campgrounds
o Rarely allowed in high-elevation wilderness settings and
o Often vital in emergencies. If you build a fire, it is your responsibility to know
how to build it, maintain it, extinguish it, and then minimize any impact it
creates.
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Overnight Backpacking Checklist
(Choose items that match your trip plans and the expected weather conditions)
The 10+ Essentials Wicking liner socks
Extra clothing layer(s)
Map of area (in waterproof case) Camping Gear
Drinking water Backpack
Compass Funnel
Food Day/summit pack
Headlamp or flashlight (with extra batteries/ Matches/lighter
bulbs) Pack cover
First-aid kit Cook set, dishes
Sunglasses (with retaining strap) and Tent, tarp or bivy sack
Sunscreen Cooking/eating utensils
Pocket knife Rainfly
Matches (in waterproof container) and Drinking cup
firestarter
Tent stakes
Pot grabber
Hiking Clothing Ground cloth
Quick-drying pants/shorts Biodegradable soap
Fleece jacket or wool sweater Pot scrubber/dish towel
Short-sleeved shirts Sleeping bag (in waterproof stuff sack)
Wicking long underwear (top/bottoms) Plastic garbage bags
Long-sleeved shirts Compression sack
Regular underwear Resealable plastic bags
Warm pants (fleece or wool) Sleeping pad
Quick-drying swimsuit Water bottle(s)
Fleece or wool vest Water filter/purifier or Water-purification
tablets
Outerwear Sit pad or sleeping pad chair kit
Rainwear (top/bottoms) Extra nylon stuff sacks
Fleece or wool gloves/mittens Food (adequate supply for your trip)
Wide-brimmed rain/sun hat Stove and fuel
Waterproof gloves/overmitts Lantern
Warm hat (fleece or wool)
Bandanna Personal Items
Toilet paper
Footwear Lip balm (with sun protection)
Hiking boots/shoes that match the terrain Toothbrush and toothpaste
Hicking socks Insect repellent
Extra laces Small bath towel
Outdoor Adventure Education Student Guide 60
Colegio
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
Brush/comb
Other/Extras
Altimeter
Repair/sewing kit
Binoculars
100-foot accessory cord
Field guides
Axe/saw
Camera and film
Money
Notebook and pencil
Photo ID
Travel games
Watch/alarm clock
Outdoor Adventure Education Student Guide 61
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