Backpacking 100

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Backpacking 100
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What is (Wilderness) Backpacking?

• Overnight (or longer) hiking.
• You're carrying everything you need (except
  possibly water) to camp out in the wilderness one
  or more nights.

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What is NOT (Wilderness) Backpacking

• Urban backpacking - low cost travel (Students
  take the summer off, get a Eurail pass, and stay
  is hostels)
• Day hiking
• Car camping
• Hut camping
• Canoe/Kayak/Raft camping
• Bicycle camping
• Animal packing (horses, mules, llamas)
• Trekking, Tramping, Bushwalking (sometimes use
  shelters, huts, hostels, or hotels)
• Through hiking (sometimes use shelters and/or
  huts)
• Mountaineering (sometimes use huts)
• Ski touring (sometimes use huts)

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Why People Backpack

• 1. They like hiking with a bunch of crap on their
  back
• 2. Backpacking allows us to go places we couldn't
  go otherwise

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Introductions and Experience
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"10 Essentials" (Mountaineers)

• 1. Navigation (map and compass)
• 2. Sun protection
• 3. Insulation (extra clothing)
• 4. Illumination (flashlight/headlamp)
• 5. First-aid supplies (especially for blisters)
• 6. Fire (waterproof matches/lighter)
• 7. Repair kit and tools
• 8. Nutrition (extra food)
• 9. Hydration (extra water)
• 10. Emergency shelter (tent/plastic tube
  tent/garbage bag)

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Equipment

• Weight is the key (Minimize weight 20 lbs.
  Minimize bulk)
• Boots
• Backpack, Rucksack (5 lbs)
• Shelter (1-5 lbs)
• Sleeping bag (2 lbs)
• Sleeping pad(s) (2 lbs)
• Clothes (1-5 lbs. Avoid cotton)
• Rain protection (1 lb)
• Food (Maximize calories. Minimize weight)

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Equipment (Continued)

• Stove fuel pot (2 lbs)
• Water purification
• Water containers (1 lb 2 lbs per quart or liter
  of water)
• Toilet paper
• Hand sterilizer
• Zip lock bags
• Ear plugs
• Sun protection (sunscreen, hat, sunglasses)
• Insect protection (repellent, or net)
• Hiking poles
• Signaling devices (whistle, mirror, or cell
  phone)
• Bungee cords and/or Velcro to strap things to
  outside of pack
• Headlamp
• Camera

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Dangers/Annoyances

• Animals (use animal proof containers or hang your
  food, toothpaste, soap, other aromatics, don't
  keep them in your tent)
• Weather (rain, cold, lightning)
• Bugs (chiggers, mosquitoes, ticks, scorpions,
  spiders)
• Poison Ivy, Poison Oak
• Blisters
• Other people

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Locations (Texas)

• Near Austin
• Enchanted Rock
• Pedernales Falls State Park
• Bastrop State Park (Lost Pines Hiking Trail)
• Lost Maples State Park
• Lake Georgetown
• Colorado Bend State Park
• Further away, but still in Texas
• Big Bend
• Guadalupe Mountains (carry water)
• Davis Mountains
• Lone Star Trail

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Locations (Continental US)

• Wilderness areas
• White Mountains (New Hampshire)
• Adirondacks (New York)
• Yosemite National Park (California)
• Yellowstone National Park (Wyoming, Montana,
  Idaho)
• Rocky Mountain National Park (Colorado)
• Unsupported through-hikes
• Wonderland Trail (Mt. Rainer)
• Appalachian Trail
• John Muir Trail, Pacific Crest Trail
• Continental Divide Trail
• Mountaineering (Slow ascents allow time to
  acclimatize)
• Mt. Rainier (Washington)
• Mt. Shasta (California)
• Hoh River Trail, Mt. Olympus (Washington)

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Locations (Rest of the World)

• Denali National Park, Alaska
• Kauai, Hawaii
• A lot of places have hut systems (Swiss Alps, New
  Zealand)
• Other places have porters (Kilimanjaro)

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More Information

• Austin Backpackers
• http//backpackers.meetup.com/170
• Wikipedia
• http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Backpacking_(wilderne
  ss)
• Easy Backpacking Tips
• http//www.easybackpackingtips.com
• Austin Explorer
• http//www.austinexplorer.com/hiking
• Texas Parks Wildlife
• http//www.tpwd.state.tx.us
• REI
• http//www.rei.com
• Mountaineers 10 Essentials
• http//www.mountaineersbooks.org/client/client_pag
  es/Media20Archives/mtn_media_TenEssentials.cfm

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Austin Backpackers Meetup Homepage
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Austin Backpackers Meetup Homepage (Continued)
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Questions