Backpacking Trip

[TomJ]

Re: Backpacking Trip

We packed 50-milers in the scouts and had to lay everything out in front of our packs for the scoutmaster to review. He'd throw this and that out and get us down to a pretty tight load. Thankfully, that taught me early.

Fast forward to last year (with many years of pack-hunting and other "activities" behind me now) when I spent a month backpacking across northern Spain during their worst winter in 100 years (Camino Del Norte'). I was weighing every single thing that went into my pack. But..., half the reason I travel is to write about it and post a daily blog with photo's (used to be called a journal, but no one knows the definition of that anymore, just "blog" now) so I took the lightest netbook I could find - that trumped frivolous stuff like clothing and food. Truth be told, with just 34lbs, I wished I had brought a few more things. Having to wash clothes every night and spend half the night trying to dry equipment and clothes before dawn wasn't worth the weight saved bringing only one or two of something. I'd have brought a few more clothes - it was a muddy, wet trip the whole time and I didn't enjoy maintaining equipment all night so we could hike through mud and jungle for 16 hours before stopping again and repeating the process.

One thing I did bring is my Danner (heavy) mountain hikers. Never had a blister (liners and wools), but my partner had them so bad in his NEW Vasque's (light - not broken in) that he had to take antibiotics for a systemic infection they caused. Just blathering on, but really, it's about being as comfortable as the weight you can pack will afford. If a kid can carry a TV and the batteries to run it AND his own food and gear..., I'll carry his popcorn! Hah!

Weird stuff happening in the Universe. Been awake literally ALL night (not much of a sleeper anyway) from anxiety over likely having to move from my "home" because of a shooting yesterday in Boulder and the impending political fallout. Got to reading some of my old replies and was reading this one EXACTLY ten years from its posting, to the hour. 03/23/2011, to 03/23/21. Total coincidence since I'm on here maybe once a year and that, just to see what's latest gossip.

[TomJ]

Re: Backpacking Trip

We packed 50-milers in the scouts and had to lay everything out in front of our packs for the scoutmaster to review. He'd throw this and that out and get us down to a pretty tight load. Thankfully, that taught me early.

Fast forward to last year (with many years of pack-hunting and other "activities" behind me now) when I spent a month backpacking across northern Spain during their worst winter in 100 years (Camino Del Norte'). I was weighing every single thing that went into my pack. But..., half the reason I travel is to write about it and post a daily blog with photo's (used to be called a journal, but no one knows the definition of that anymore, just "blog" now) so I took the lightest netbook I could find - that trumped frivolous stuff like clothing and food. Truth be told, with just 34lbs, I wished I had brought a few more things. Having to wash clothes every night and spend half the night trying to dry equipment and clothes before dawn wasn't worth the weight saved bringing only one or two of something. I'd have brought a few more clothes - it was a muddy, wet trip the whole time and I didn't enjoy maintaining equipment all night so we could hike through mud and jungle for 16 hours before stopping again and repeating the process.

One thing I did bring is my Danner (heavy) mountain hikers. Never had a blister (liners and wools), but my partner had them so bad in his NEW Vasque's (light - not broken in) that he had to take antibiotics for a systemic infection they caused. Just blathering on, but really, it's about being as comfortable as the weight you can pack will afford. If a kid can carry a TV and the batteries to run it AND his own food and gear..., I'll carry his popcorn! Hah!

Re: Backpacking Trip

When I load up, food-wise, I usually pack mostly dehydrated foods, or stuff that doesn't need to be kept cold or cooked. Just-add-water mashed potato mixes, soup mixes, pre-cooked bacon, etc. Trail mix. Nuts. Jerky. You can cut a lot of weight if you think about it. A lot of times my "cooking" while backpacking is just boiling water and adding it to a freezer bag full of dehydrated food. If you do want to cook, they make nice aluminum and titanium cook sets, expensive, but well worth it after humping an iron skillet up a mountain.

When I got back into backpacking, I used my old USGI gear I was issued in the late 80's. Too heavy. I spent some money, but now have my pack light and tight: Ruck 4000 cubic-inches - 5lbs. 45-degree sleeping bag - 2 1/2 lbs. Two-man Eureka tent, 5 lbs 3 oz. Aluminum cook set (only use the 500ml pot, and cup which doubles as a lid). Poncho and poncho liner. Fuel and small gas stove. Spork. Ground mat, first aid kit, survival kit, Cold Steel tomahawk, BK knife, SA XD .45 Tactical and a couple of mags. Hydration bladder, and 2-1qt canteens. Jacket. Rain gear. Clothes. Extra trail runners. Everything crammed in water-proof bags. Repair kit. For a 3-day, 3-night backpacking trip, my pack weighs in around 35 lbs. Its not the lightest, I know. Could I do without a lot of things? Sure. But, when I go backpacking, I am only traveling 5-7 miles a day, and I do want to be comfortable, so I don't mind the extra weight. Much.

JMHO, YMMV

Steve

Re: Backpacking Trip

The cast iron skillet is way too heavy to backpack. But do take enough food or be sure you can source it locally. Fresh meat is nice on a campout (game or fish). Local vegetables are nice also.

One of the first things I remember being taught in scouting is to never run out of food. It allways makes for a bad campout if you are hungry and there is no food...

Thx-Ace

[ISC]

Re: Backpacking Trip

I really wanted to have the ability to stay out for an extra day, or include an additional child for the trip so I don't want to cut the food. Even if we limit ourselves to 2 days & 3 nights, that's 6-8 meals. I don't want to do open air camping with them yet, I'd hate for them to be uncomfortable and hungry and never want to go camping again. I'll trick them into thay later...

I figure the following items I could easily do without to cut weight:

12" cast iron skillet w/lid
Keltec sub 2000
6 cans vienna sausages

We're going to scout the area on bikes next weekend for a day trip. We'll pack our rucks with everything but the perishables and wiegh them and I'll post the weights.

Re: Backpacking Trip

That load sounds too heavy for me. Less is more.

Here is what I packed:

In or straped to my pack (medium alice pack w/frame)
Lightweight backpacking tent.
Ground Pad
Lightweight sleeping bag (polar fleece in sack for waterproofing)
Tee Shirt
Pullover (polar fleece)
lightweight gortex jacket w/hood
2 pair socks
Pants
Boggin Cap
HandTowel (all clothes were in a bag for waterproofing)
Minimal Mess Kit (Plastic frisbee and spoon)
Small first aid kit
Some Para Cord
Small roll of Duck tape (inside cardboard removed and smashed flat)
1/2 gallon water in old OJ jug.
1 qt water canteen
1 Can Spam
1.5lb summer sausage
1 box girl scout cookies
1 jar peanut butter
Matches and spare batteries in zip bag

On my person
Boonie hat
Tee Shirt
Long sleeve shirt
Pants
Underware
Socks
Boots
Cell Phone
Lightweight gloves
Minimaglight
Pocket Knife
Car keys
Handkerchief

I split the food with my two sons. they carried other items and water as well. We were hiking to a mtn top so we had to haul all our water in and did not bring purification stuff (no water available). The temps varied from 40 to 60s. It started cloudy saturday morning and then turned clear. Sunday morning we were in a cloud, literally. We slept in backpacking tents and I used a polar fleece sleeping bag. We adjust our packs based on the situation.

What might I take different next time?
Long John bottoms (I forgot)
Water purification (usually a wet location)
Better mess kit (if I plan to cook or boil water) but still lightweight
Backpacking stove and lantern (or candle)
Binoculars (mini - prefer monocular)
Good Compas
Instead of my own tent my sons and I will split up a bigger one.

We did not need insect repelant due to the low temps. If we were near water we would haul less water and purify local water. A little firestarter is really nice. Pack the lightest gun you can (offically I don't pack with the boy scouts).

Less is more.

Thx-Ace

PS: The boy scouts have lotts of great info on backpacking. Much of it is available online (mostly from volunteer sights, not the official sight).

[ISC]

Re: Backpacking Trip

ACEM can you tell us about how you packed? what you slept in? the weather conditions?

I'm planning a trip like that for my sons and I soon. They are 16 and 10. We live in Fl so we won't have any elevation change, but will have to pack in our own water. I intend to hike 6 miles from our vehicle and set up camp at a clearing with a fire pit near a small lake that I camped at 17 years ago with their mom just off of the trail at Oleno State Park in Fl. I haven't been there since shortly after my oldest son was concieved.

My plan is to use ALICE packs and mostly USGI equipment (its what I have) and possibly invite one of the kids's friends and maybe his dad. We'll spend 3 days and 2 nights there. Once we establish our camp we'll do some day hikes and spend some time practicing things fom tha army survival manual like making a fire with no firestarting tools, improvised shelters, snares, and fish traps.

I'm including an extra day's food and backup water purification and firestarting supplies. I will plan on using boiled lake water for cooking and pack in water for the initial hike and filtered water for resupply.

I will have to buy a few things, like the water filtration and 2 bivy tents because this will be the first time I've taken my sons on a hiking/camping trip instead of just camping out of our truck and sharing one big tent.

I've been trying to put together a packing list for the trip. I'll come back to this as I go along and remember things.

individual items:
3 prs of socks
underwear
t shirt
hoody/sweatshirt
shorts
canteen cup
1 qt canteen
2 qt canteen
1 man bivy tent
sleeping bag
poncho
3 GI mess kit
3 eating utinsel set

items to be split up:
6 chem lights
army survival manual
compass
trail map
lighter
matches
25' 550 cord
e tool (folding shovel)
Gerber multi tool
purification tabs
water filtration system
4x6 blue tarp
12" cast iron skillet w/lid
can opener
p38 can opener
knife
small cutting board
vegetable oil
box of pancake mix
1 lb kielbasa (frozen)
1 lb hotdogs (frozen)
loaf of bread (frozen)
1 lb can of chicken breast
1 lb can of tuna
6 cans vienna sausages
3 lbs potatoes
2-1lb cans of beans
1 lb sliced american cheese
coffee
hot chocolate
salt
syrup
ziploc bags
garbage bags
motrin
first aid kit
toilet paper
box of baby wipes
small bottle of liquid soap
hand sanatizer
insect repellant
permathrin spray
S&W 5906
Keltec sub 2000

I'm considering freezing the cans too as a way to help keep the perishables cold, but I am a little concerned about the cans swelling and splitting.

Our Boy Scout Troop went for a backpacking trip this weekend. We hiked up a mtn trail about 5 miles and gained about 1000ft elevation for an overnight campout. I told the boys to pack light but some did not listen...

We will all do better next time... (esp that boy who packed about 100lbs). We are preparing for a 10 day trek at Philmount Scout Ranch (in New Mexico).

This type of activity is a real eye opener. People who think video games train them for real life are FUBAR.

Thx-Ace