Backpacking Tips and Tricks by Pat Weikum

I love the sport. I will backpack at anytime and any where but only if I am prepared. If you are not prepare you will be in trouble at the least or you may die at the most. You or someone else could get hurt or even DIE . The Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared" really applies to backpacking and hiking. If you don't know what the weather forecast is, you could be in trouble.

If you don't know where the water sources are and how much water that you need to carry, you could run out or carry too much water. Don't have a map, well you know what I mean. I want to share with you some ideas that I have learned and hopefully you won't have some of the problems that I have experienced.

I thought that you may be interested in how I feel like I am qualified to give ideas about backpacking. I have done many hikes in the desert. In fact the desert is where I would rather backpack. I have experienced many of the things that I am going to discuss with you. I have ran out of water and have forgotten things that I needed. I hope that I can help someone else not go through the problems that I have experienced in my backpacking. I have been lucky but someone else may not be. I hope that I can help.

WATER

Be sure of your water sources. Check out the local rangers and local people to see what they think about where reliable water sources are located. Be sure to purify all backcountry water sources. The type of environment that you are going into also is a determining factor in how much water that you need per day. In desert hiking you want to have, at least, one gallon per person per day. In the summer that you need, at least, that much water. In winter you may be able to get by on a little less.

I have always found one gallon per person per day for just drinking is a good figure for me. If you need more than that for cooking then carry, at least, one liter more per person per day. Know your mileage's between water sources and the terrain that is in between them. If you are hiking on a level surface then you will need less than if the terrain involves any climbing. There are many factors in figuring out how much water you will need. Carry a little more than you think you need. Better to be safe than sorry.

I like to carry one liter bottles for my water. I have found that I really like using the wide mouth one liter soda bottles (i.e. Pepsi®). They are easy to pack in my backpack and very durable. Also they are recyclable at the end of the trip.

I keep bandannas on my pack trip for my head and other uses that I will discuss latter. I just wanted to discuss another use, other than covering your head, that I like them for. Let's say that you come upon a steam that you need to get water from. The only problem is that it is silt laden. You can put the unfiltered water in a bottle and let it settle or if the water is not too silty then you might try to put your bandanna around the water intake valve of your filter. It seems to work for me, in some cases.

WEATHER

At least have an idea as to what the weather should be in the area that you are planning to hike. This has a bearing as to what you will wear and what you will bring. It may have a bearing as to whether you will hike a certain area or not. You don't want to be in a slot canyon during a rain storm. You also don't want to carry heavy clothing if the weather is going to be on the warm side. Knowing the weather may save your life.

MAP and COMPASS

Have the correct maps for the area that you are hiking in and also have a compass. In maps I recommend 1:24000 USGS (United States Geological Survey) maps. The details can't be beat. But just having them is not enough. Be sure to know how to use them. Check out the books at your local library and also check out your local backpacking store. They will have books and maybe able to direct you to a class about using a map and compass. Also practice what you have learned before going out into the backcountry.

FOOD

You should carry enough food for every day of your trip and then one or two days more. You never know what may happen. You could get delayed. Have enough supplies. I carry freeze dried foods. They are lightweight and very good. They are also easy to prepare. In most cases you just add hot water and wait 10 minutes. Your local backpacking store should have a very good variety from different vendors.

You should try and see which particular ones that you like the best. Snacks are important. Hard candy is great to keep your mouth moist during the day while you are hiking. Also it gives you ongoing energy. Jerky is a great lunch and snack size pudding and fruit cocktail is a welcome treat during the day. Another good reason for having fruit cocktail on your trip is that the juice is a really great thirst quencher. These have saved me when I have run out of water.

I have a hint that may help you when you are ready to clean those dishes after a meal. First, get the clean water from the stream in a clean pot and take it away from the stream. You want to be, at least, 100 feet, if possible, from the stream. Also before you move away from the stream grab some wet sand to take with you. The reason for the sand is to scrub your dishes. Just take a handful of the wet sand and scrub those stubborn pots. Just be sure to rinse out all the sand. Please deposit the dirty water well away from the stream.

Another idea that you might want to think about. Are there just one or two of you on your hike? If the answer is yes then you might want to do what I do. I don't bring plates because they are added weight. I use a three(3) pot nesting system for cooking and always use one for boiling the water or heating the food and then I have two(2) others we use to eat out of. Also you might want to consider just bringing spoons to eat with because in all the years that I have backpacked I have never used the forks that come with the nesting utensils.

FIRST AID

Someone, preferable everyone, should have, at least, a basic knowledge of first aid. If you can take a Wilderness First Aid course then please do. You never know what is around the next bend in the trail. Again the motto "Be Prepared" comes to mind. A good first aid kit is essential. Your local backpacking store should have a good selection. Get the best one that you can afford and keep it restocked as you use things out of it. Make it a habit to look at your kit right after you return from a trip and restock all used items. This way you are always ready for the next adventure.

EQUIPMENT LIST

Always use a list when you are packing your backpack. You just may forget something that you would never think that you would ever forget. An example is I forgot, on one trip, my cooking pots. Had all the freeze dried food that I needed but nothing to cook in. Luckily I was only about two miles from the top of the Grand Canyon when I thought about it and could return to the truck and get the equipment. Always use a list. I have a list from a local backpacking store (Mountain Sports, Arlington, Texas) that you can print up and use. This equipment list contains everything that you may need summer and winter so modify it accordingly.

I have found out that I love to carry the Candlelier® candle lantern. It is a three candle lantern and each candle burns for approximately 9 hours. It works great in a tent and does not heat it up and it gives off a soft light that is great to read by.

CLOTHING

The clothing that you wear is very important. Layering is the best way to stay warm on a cold day. I like to wear a tank top, tee-shirt, overshirt, hat, pants, and underwear. You can remove clothing if you are too hot. Layering creates pockets of air and creates warmth. Try it sometime. You will feel warmer this way than bundling up with one very thick jacket without the bulk.

I have found that I like to use a light weight overshirt with long sleeves. The sun will stay off your arms and any sweat that forms will be absorbed by the shirt and then cool you off. Also it helps keep the sun off you skin and helps prevent some forms of skin cancer. For any exposed skin parts you should use a sun block. Be safe.

For pants I have found that I like to use what is called convertible pants. I have a pair from REI that I really like. They are pants that have a zipper in the legs that allows you to remove the bottom part of the legs when you want. I like this feature because I like to use shorts most of the time but at times I like to use pants. An example of this is when I am going through a patch of cactus thorns or other prickly areas. Also it may be cool in the morning and you need pants, warm during the day and you want shorts, and then cool again during the late afternoon. This is the reason for convertible pants.

I have also found that I like to use men's boxer shorts when I backpack. The reason for this is because I have found that you run less of a chance of chafing with these than with conventional underwear. They are loose and add a lot of room for movement for areas that you need to scramble in. Women may want to think about using baby powder during the hiking trip. I have found out that I stay more comfortable with powder. I have less chafing from sweating by using powder.

Another item of clothing that is very important is a hat. One that allows air to flow through the hat and a wide brim is very important. Also having one that covers the back of your neck is better for you. Along with a hat I have found out that a bandanna works great for me under my hat. It will keep your hair off your neck and out of your face. Also works to keep your head cool. Your head will sweat in the warmer months and be absorbed by the bandanna there fore keeping your head cool. You may want to consider using a light colored one in the summer and a dark one in the winter. The light one will repel heat thus keeping your head cooler and the darker one will absorb heat to help keep you warmer in the winter.

There are many uses for bandannas. You can use them to help filter water that has a lot of silt. Getting it wet is a great way to cool your face in the heat of the day. Just be sure to reapply the sun screen. A great item to use to stop bleeding on the spur of the moment. How about having an extra one to just blow your nose. Like I said, there are so many uses for them. If you have another idea then e-mail me and I will include it in this page.

POTTY ETIQUETTE

This may be a subject that some people get squeamish about but it is a big part of your backpacking experience. The animals may go anywhere that they want but it is their domain and we are intruders. A pile of animal poop is not gross but seeing a toilet paper flag is revolting and makes me sick and mad. Proper manners is important for all.

You need to carry a garden trowel. Your local backpacking store will have a variety for you to choose from. Move away from the trail about one hundred (100) feet and select a site. Dig a "cathole" with your trowel and be sure that the hole is six (6) to eight (8) inches deep. Make your deposit and fill in the hole. To finish up use a rock ( a good piece of sandstone is great) or leaf instead of paper if you can. If you use a leaf then be sure that it is not poison Ivy or something similar.

If you must use paper then please take it with you. Put it into a zip-lock bag that has a little powdered lime in it to keep down the odor. Pick your site carefully because you don't want to be surprised by a snake, scorpion, cactus needle, or other hikers. Please don't use the streams or springs as toilets. That is your and everyone else's source of water. Please be considerate. Never leave toilet paper in the cathole even if it says that it is biodegradable. All paper is biodegradable at one point or another but it takes time. Also animals may dig it up and there will be a toilet paper flag hanging on the bushes blowing in the wind. If you take care of your business properly no one will ever know that you were there.

SPRING AND STREAM MANAGEMENT

This section is common sense for most but it needs to be mentioned again and again. Be protective of all water sources. That pothole, spring, stream, or creek may be your only water source. You wouldn't want to find it fouled by misuse. Keep all and I mean all soaps and detergents away from the water sources. Even the biodegradable ones leave suds and could harm the water floral and fauna.

The best way to think about it is this way...... If the water does not contain it then don't introduce it. If you want to take a bath go ahead and get in. Take off all your clothes, if you can, as to not introduce the soap that is in your clothes to the water. Just getting in the water will clean off the big chunks of dirt and grime, but to clean better just grab some of the sand or mud from the bottom and scrub. After scrubbing just wash off the sand or mud and you are clean again. Nothing foreign is introduced and all is well.

WALKING STICKS

A walking stick is very important. Some people consider them cumbersome but I would never go on any hike without one. They have some many uses. They help you keep your rhythm when you are walking. The pressure that is relieved from your knees is enormous. They are great for use as a fishing pole, emergency tent support, brace for broken bones, poking into an area before you put your boot there to check for critters, and so many other uses. I also use mine to give me standing rest breaks. By this I mean that I lean on my pole when I just want to rest for just a moment without sitting down and taking off your backpack.

I have used my pole to move critters such as baby rattle snakes out of my path. The pole has saved me in that a rattle snake has struck at my pole instead of my leg. Another great use for walking sticks is on down slopes. Always keep your pole planted on the down slope. They help on scree slopes by giving you the support that you need when you are going up or down and help prevent you from falling. I always use mine to check out what my footing will be in different areas. Always, when you fall, fall up hill. You might want to practice this maneuver before you go on a backpacking trip. You want this to be a natural move and not one that you have to think about in time of need.

SWITCHBACKS

You will encounter switchbacks on many trails. These are used to make it easier to go up or down a slope. Please DO NOT cut across these. Doing so causes erosion and destroys the trail. Also when you are traveling these switchbacks, like going up, just take one switchback at a time. The reason that I say this is because of places like the Grand Canyon if you look at the entire trail and switch backs you may be overwhelmed. Look at one switchback at a time. Attack it and then look at the next one. If you do it that way the switch backs will just melt away and you will be at the top pretty quickly.

BREAKS

A good rule of thumb is to plan for a short break about once an hour. Taking a 5 to 10 minute break once an hour will keep up your energy better than taking one 30 minute break after 4 or 5 hours. Also it will give you time to stop and really look at the world that you are hiking in. Take advantage of each break and eat something. A piece of jerky, pudding, fruit cups, gorp, or whatever you have for snacks. Also drink plenty of water during these rest breaks. You will enjoy your trip more when you are rested.

"LIFELESS DESERT SOIL???"

You may look at the desert soils and say that nothing can grow in it but look around you. Do you see cactus? How about getting really low to the ground and see that very tiny flower that you almost stepped on? The desert is alive and so is the soil. Have you ever seen desert soils that have "nothing" growing in the way of plants that looks dark and crusty? When you do please don't step on that area. This soil is Cryptobionic soil and has very tiny microbes growing within. It takes a very long time for this crust to form, decades to be truthful. So when you walk on this soil your footprint will be there for a long time. Now you might think that this idea is very cool but there is two different things at work when you walk upon the soil. One you are killing the microbes that are living in the soil and two the microbes help hold the soil in place and prevent erosion. So your footprints can be very deadly to the desert.

LIP, SKIN AND EYE PROTECTION

I don't care where you go hiking, backpacking, or even just standing in the city you must protect yourself. Your lips can be torn to shreds by the wind and sun. Always wear lip protection that has a sunscreen.

Your eyes can burned by the sun, wind, or glare from the sun. Wear sunglasses in sunny or even cloudy conditions. This is mostly for the desert or if you are in snow conditions.

Keep sunscreen on your face and skin at all times. The wind can dry out your skin very quickly. Glare from the sun can do major damage to your skin. A deep dark tan may be beautiful now but in latter years it will turn to wrinkles or maybe even skin cancer. Be careful and protect yourself.

Disclaimer

I hate to have to put this into this but in order to protect myself I feel that I must. All the information that is given in this article is what I have learned in backpacking and life. You may use it if you think that it may help you but I do not assume any responsibility for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.