$19.95 5 1 9 9 5 9 780897 325844 HIKING AND BACKPACKING Essential Skills, Equipment, and Safety HIKING AND BACKPACKING Essential Skills, Equipment, and Safety VICTORIA LOGUE Copyright © 2005 by Victoria Logue All rights reserved Printed in the United States of America Published by Menasha Ridge Press Distributed by Publishers Group West Second edition, second printing 2007 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Logue, Victoria, 1961– Hiking and backpacking : essential skills, equipment, and safety / by Victoria Steele Logue p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 10: 0-89732-584-2 ISBN 13: 978-0-89732-584-4 1. Hiking. 2. Backpacking. I. Title. GV199.5.L64 2005 796.51—dc22 2004059253 Photo credits: p. 280 by Victoria Logue; p. 159 by Frank Logue; pp. xi, 46, 264 by Russell Helms; p. 10 by Charles Liu; p. 43 by Diane Stresing; p. 175 by Paul Gerald; p. 177 by Sheri McGregor; p. 199 by Nathan Lott; p. 207 by Johnny Molloy; p. 211 by Travis Bryant Photos on pp. 8, 19, 167 courtesy of the Florida Trail Association Illustration on p. 165 by Tami Knight Cover photo by STOCK IMAGE/Alamy Cover and text design by Grant Tatum with Travis Bryant and Annie Long Menasha Ridge Press P. O. Box 43673 Birmingham, Alabama 35243 www.menasharidge.com CAUTION Outdoor recreational activities are by their very nature potentially haz- ardous. All participants in such activities must assume the responsibility for their own actions and safety. The information contained in this guide- book cannot replace sound judgment and good decision-making skills, which help reduce risk of injury and illness, nor does the scope of this book allow for disclosure of all potential hazards and risks involved in such activities. Learn as much as possible about the outdoor recreational activities in which you participate, prepare for the unexpected, and be cautious. The reward will be a safer and more enjoyable experience. CONTENTS Author’s Notes . viii PART ONE: GETTING READY 1. PLANNING YOUR HIKE 2 Trail Destinations . 3 Guidebooks . 11 Hiking with a Partner . 12 Hiking in Hunting Season . 13 Trip Lengths . 14 Special Hikes . 16 2. PREPARING FOR A TRIP 26 Getting Yourself Ready . 26 Packing for a Trip . 28 On to the Trailhead . 31 3. ULTRALIGHT BACKPACKING 33 4. LONG-DISTANCE HIKING 39 Deciding to Go . 39 Preparations . 41 Managing Your Supplies . 48 The Afterlife . 50 PART TWO: ON THE TRAIL 5. EQUIPMENT 54 Boots . 54 Clothing . 67 Sleeping Bags . 81 Stoves . 93 Cookware and Utensils . 102 Backpacks . 105 Tents . 115 Water Treatments . 125 Other Equipment . 130 v PART TWO: ON THE TRAIL (continued) 6. HIKING TECHNIQUE 149 First Things First: Putting Your Pack On . 149 How Far and How Fast? . 150 Taking Breaks . 151 Uphill and Downhill Techniques . 152 Hiking in the Rain . 152 Stream Crossings . 154 Hiking in Snow . 156 Desert Hiking . 162 The Human Factor . 166 Maintaining the Trail as You Hike . 166 7. EXTREME HIKING AND BACKPACKING 168 Cold-Weather Backpacking . 168 High-Altitude Backpacking . 174 Desert Backpacking . 176 8. FINDING YOUR WAY 179 Maps . 179 Orienteering . 184 Getting Found . 192 The Global Positioning System (GPS) . 192 9. LISTENING TO AND CARING FOR YOUR BODY 195 Stretching . 195 Massage . 198 Keeping Hydrated . 205 PART THREE: DAY’S END 10. FIRST AID 216 Possible Medical Problems . 218 Getting Help . 235 11. ANIMAL ENCOUNTERS 238 Bears . 238 Snakes . 242 Venomous Lizards . 237 Cougars . 247 Boars, Moose, Elk, and Other Beasts . 247 Small Pests . 248 Insects . 252 vi Contents 12. SETTING UP CAMP 260 Finding Your Campsite . 260 Camping in the Hot and Cold . 261 Organizing the Camp . 262 Your Home Away from Home . 263 Setting Up a Tarp . 265 Protecting Your Food . 265 The Latrine . 268 Breaking Camp . 270 13. THE BACKCOUNTRY KITCHEN 272 Nutrition . 272 Things to Consider when Shopping for Food . 274 Types of Foods . 275 Meal Suggestions . 278 Packing Your Food . 282 Cleaning Up after Meals . 283 14. CAMPING GREEN 285 Recycled Gear . 286 Global Warming . 287 Minimum-Impact Camping . 287 What Else Can You Do? . 291 15. GEAR REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE 293 Pack Repair . 294 Tent Repair . 294 Stove Repair . 294 Clothing Repair . 295 Pad Repair . 295 Boot Maintenance . 296 Water-Purifier Maintenance . 296 PART FOUR: APPENDIXES A. Glossary . 300 B. Equipment Checklists . 306 C. Hiking Organizations . 307 D. Internet Resources . 316 E. Index . 318 Contents vii AUTHOR’S NOTES Make voyages. Attempt them. That’s all there is. —TENNESSEE WILLIAMS While introducing my daughter to the pleasures of backpacking in the South- west a few years ago, I was astonished to discover what appeared to be the entire population of the United States and Europe there as well. Everywhere we went, German and French were heard alongside accents as diverse as those from lower Alabama, northern Maine, and eastern North Dakota. We had gone out west to seek the wide open spaces, and instead we found ourselves elbow to elbow with all humanity. But once we wandered away from the well-worn tourist paths and headed into the backcountry, it was a different picture entirely. As soon as we stepped off the approach trail into Arches National Monument’s Courthouse Wash, the bumper-to-bumper traffic and its noise and exhaust dis- appeared behind us. As we headed toward the towering sandstone walls of Pet- rified Dunes, the only sounds were the trickle of water, the drone of insects, and the whisper of a breeze in the cottonwoods. By the time we had backpacked a mile down the wash, we could have easily believed we were the only humans in the entire park. That night, as we camped high above the wash, well away from the danger of a flash flood, it was easy to remember why we so often put 30 pounds or more on our backs and head away from civilization. With a million stars glittering above us, bats flitting over the dunes, and the distant murmur of the wash, we could have stepped back in time. Although some people enjoy hiking and backpacking for the physical chal- lenge, more and more people are turning to nature to escape the stress of city viii Author’s Notes life and jobs. They seek solace from the earth to help them with changes in their lives, whether it be as dramatic as death or divorce or as simple as seeking an added dimension to life. Once on the trail, they start to experience nature on many different levels. Before long they realize that they’ve learned things with- out being told—the habits of wildlife, where water can be found, the patterns of weather. If they don’t incorporate this increased sense of observation into their daily lives, they at least return to their lives refreshed. They soon find as much pleasure in a walk on a misty morning as on a clear, bright day. And if they hike the same trail time and again, that trail offers something different each time they hike it—the season, the weather, and their mood can all contribute to dif- ferent perceptions and experiences. I’ve hiked on Georgia’s Cumberland Island many times throughout the past 25 years and each time has been different. I’ve spent sweltering days beneath the live oaks. I’ve taken cold and windy rambles along the beach. I’ve chanced upon a wild pig and her piglets rooting in the undergrowth. And I’ve watched feral horses prancing in the surf. Fortunately, as people search for ways to communicate with the earth, public and private groups are developing programs that will open up greater possibili- ties for discovering the planet. Within the United States alone, the number of greenways and the extent of the National Trails System grow each year as federal, state, and local governments, volunteers, and corporations work together to pro- vide everyone with a chance to put on a pack and “get back to nature.” In Canada, Europe, and throughout the world, numerous organizations have been founded to increase the number of trails and greenways worldwide. Hiking and walking for pleasure and fitness is a timeless activity. Backpacking, though, as we know it is a relatively new recreational activity, even though we have been carrying loads on our backs for thousands of years. For hunters, sol- diers, and members of a multitude of expeditions, backpacking has provided a means for getting one’s gear and one’s self to a required destination. It wasn’t until the end of the nineteenth century that backpacking began gaining popu- larity as a recreational sport. Early in the development of the sport, clubs like the Appalachian Mountain Club, the Sierra Club, and the Appalachian Trail Confer- ence were formed in order to protect land from development, build footpaths, and foster interest in the outdoors. Joining these pioneer groups today are nationally based groups such as the American Hiking Society and Leave No Trace who operate to protect the trails and wilderness areas that are so vital to exploring the outdoors. The popularity of outdoor recreation continued to increase in the early part of the twentieth century. Though it slowed during World War I and again during World War II, interest in the outdoors boomed Author’s Notes ix after each of these wars, especially as surplus materials became available.