MINIMUM IMPACT BACKPACKING Dennis Crockett
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TABLE OF CONTENTS MAP AND COMPASS .................................................................................................................... 5 CLOTHING ..................................................................................................................................... 9 TENTS ............................................................................................................................................ 13 TEN ESSENTIALS ......................................................................................................................... 21 SLEEPING BAGS .......................................................................................................................... 29 BACKPACKS ................................................................................................................................. 33 STOVES ......................................................................................................................................... 37 BOOTS ........................................................................................................................................... 43 FOOD PLANNING AND PREPARATION ...................................................................................... 55 LOW IMPACT CAMPING ............................................................................................................... 63 SCOUT’S OWN .............................................................................................................................. 71 PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER ....................................................................................................... 77 PHYSICAL CONDITIONING .......................................................................................................... 89 MOUNTAINEERING MEDICINE .................................................................................................... 99 WILDERNESS SURVIVAL ............................................................................................................. 115 ADULT LEADERSHIP .................................................................................................................... 123 BEAR/MOUNTAIN LION MANAGEMENT ..................................................................................... 131 PLACES TO GO ............................................................................................................................. 135 GUIDE TO COUNCIL CAMPS, NATIONAL, STATE, AND COUNTY PARKS ............................ 153 APPENDIX ..................................................................................................................................... 211 2 Orange County High Adventure Team WHAT IS HIGH ADVENTURE? High Adventure is many things to many people. To a Boy just joining Scouting, it is mostly a Mystery. To a Scout on his first Backpack, it is mostly Adventure. To a seasoned Scout on a Sierra Trek, it is mostly super fun. To an Explorer on a Class 5 Climb, it is mostly a Challenge. The Orange County High Adventure Team tries to make certain that High Adventure happens in every Post and Troop in the Council, so that every Explorer and Scout can enjoy the Mystery, Adventure, Fun and Challenge that should be a major part of every Scouting experience. HOW DOES THE TEAM MAKE HIGH ADVENTURE HAPPEN? It administers the Awards Program. Almost every award related to Backpacking, Canoeing, Cycling, Conservation or Trail Building is made available by the High Adventure Team through the local Scout Office. It conducts Backpack Awareness Training Courses designed specifically with Scouts in mind. Our goal is to make sure that Adult Leaders have the knowledge and ability to lead their units on a day, weekend, or long-term hike that is rewarding, meaningful, and safe. It administers the Trail Boss Program. By teaching Adult Leaders the proper methods of building and maintaining trails, they are able in turn to lead their units in this program. This gives our youth a better understanding of our environment and creates a better relationship between Scouting and the Forest Service. It acts as an interface between Scouting and the general public. We encourage Scouting units to respect nature and other campers when on any outing. Occasionally they forget or are misunderstood and we get a letter from someone. We also receive complimentary letters, either way, the unit is notified. We're the Auto Club of the outdoors. Got a question about the Wilderness? Want to know where to go on that next outing? Want to know the condition of a particular trail? Give your District High Adventure Representative a call. Our Team Members, on a collective basis, have literally thousands of miles of hiking experience all over California. Someone will always be glad to help you. SOUND INTERESTING? THERE'S A PLACE FOR YOU ON THE TEAM! 3 4 MAP AND COMPASS 5 BACK PACK AWARENESS COMPASS EXERCISES COURSE: The purpose of these exercises is to familiarize OBJECTIVES: you with the use of a compass both in the field and in relation to a map. PRELIMINARY (PRE-TREK) PREPARATION Step 1: Draw True North/South lines across the map. (This has already been done for you). Step 2: Determine the Magnetic Declination of the map. Step 3: Adjust the compass for Magnetic Declination by using the adjustment screw or tape provided above. USE OF COMPASS IN THE FIELD Proceed outside to location 1. 2. or 3 as indicated at the top of this sheet. Step 1: Know the rule for use of the compass in the field. ARROW TO ARROW Step 2: Holding the compass. a. hold the compass flat and level b. hold the compass perpendicular to the body c. hold the compass with the sight line in the , direction you are looking. Step 3: Determine the direction (bearing) to a landmark. a. Face Flag 1. b. Hold the compass properly. c. Tum the dial until the reference arrow is under the compass arrow (ARROW TO ARROW). d. Read the bearing at sight reference line of the compass. The bearing is Step 4: Determine the direction of the flag 2 in the field. The bearing is Step 5: Walk out to the flag. Step 6: Locating a given bearing. a. Turn the compass dial until the desired bearing is at the sight reference line of t~ compass. b. Hold the compass correctly. c. While holding the compass still. turn your whole body around until the compass arrow is over the reference arrow (ARROW TO ARROW) d. Look out into the distance along the compass sight line and find a landmark. What is the landmark? ________________________________________ Step 5: Reinforcement. a. Repeat the above procedure this time using a bearing of b. Walk along this bearing until reaching your campground (it should look familiar when you get to it). 6 USE OF COMPASS WITH A MAP Step 7: Determine a heading (bearing) on the map. a. Memorize the rules for use of the compass on a map: 1. LINE TO LINE 2. NORTH TO NORTH 3. THE COMPASS POINTS THE WAY b. On the map locate CARBON CREEK as it flows from Point A to Point B. c. Place the edge of your compass along the creek line with the compass sight line pointing towards Point B (THE COMPASS POINTS THE WAY) d. While holding the map and compass still, turn the compass dial until the lines on the dial base are parallel to the NORTH/SOUTH REFERENCE LINES drawn on the map. North on the compass should point towards the top (NORTH) of the map (LINE TO LINE & NORTH TO NORTH). e. Now read the bearing at the sight reference line on the compass. It reads approximately _______ DEGREES 7 8 CLOTHING 9 CLOTHING - a layering system Layering is comprised of combining insulating garments to create an effective and efficient cold and/or wet weather system. The purpose of layering is to keep the activist warm and dry in cool or cold weather. Why is dry important? Because when the body is wet it is cooled, and in cold weather a quickly cooling body equals hypothermia, frostbite, or death. An effective and efficient system allows the user to take pieces off when temperatures rise and put layers on when temperatures drop. This sounds simple but there are many different types of layering pieces and sometimes their usefulness in some situations is not always clear! In order to maximize the effectiveness of this system a better understanding of the 3 components is necessary: 1. Base Layer or Wicking Layer 2. Mid Layer or Insulating Layer 3. Outer Layer or Protecting Layer 1. The Wicking Layer - Wicking is the garments ability to pull moisture away from the body to the outside of the garment where is evaporates quickly. This leaves the skin warm and dry. In cold weather, it is extremely important that moisture be pulled from the body even when you feel HOT! Once you stop exerting energy, the moisture remaining on the skin causes the body to cool extremely fast, and causes the person to chill, maybe even becoming hypothermic. Types of base layers include: Capilene, Polypropelene, Thennax, Thinsulate, and Silk. Silk is the lightest while the others come in a range of weights, providing more warmth as they are wicking. All of these are excellent wickers and provide some insulation even when wet. Cotton (the waffle-style thermal and any T-shirt) should never be used as a layering piece. Cotton absorbs moisture, will never wick and possesses no thermal value when wet. It increases the risk of hypothermia by allowing heat to continually escape from the body!! Once cotton becomes saturated it stays wet for long periods and the wearer expends precious body heat trying to warm this cold, clammy layer covering the skin. Essentially,