For this post, I thought I would offer some advice for people looking to hit the trail (or any trail) next year. This is meant to be general advice, not a how-to or a gear guide. I'm going to start with "don'ts," which seems a bit negative but I think there are quite a few misconceptions about backpacking and being outdoors in general.
Don't overpack. Whether you're planning an overnight hike or an entire thru hike, the less weight you carry, the better your experience will be. There are many, many things that people think they need for a wilderness adventure but in the end won't use at all.
a. Personal protection. Leave the handguns and bear spray at home. You won't need them and they weigh too much. Unless you have those things at the ready on a holster, they'll be useless to you anyway. I use a SPOT emergency transponder in case I get into trouble. But it also has the added benefit of tracking my progress so my friends and family know where I am (very useful if people are meeting you at trailheads).
b. Cooking accessories. Keeping in mind that lighter is better, the maximum amount of cooking accessories you will need are a stove (and fuel), a bowl/cup with screw on or locking lid, and a spoon/fork combo. If the point of your trip is to make a gourmet meal at your campsite, then you might want to bring more but backpackers don't need anything else than the items listed. I use my cup/bowl for everything from eating to drinking. To clean it, add some clean water, put the lid on, slosh it around a bit, then drink the water. Water is precious and you'll be getting the last dregs of food this way.
c. Books. Dead weight. If you're planning on doing long distances, you will never have the energy to read while on the trail. Cheryl Strayed brought several books with her and found time to read them but this is definitely the exception.
d. Lots of extra clothes. Backpacking is stinky, dirty business and you'll be tempted to bring extra fresh clothes. Bring precisely what you'll need and nothing more. Gauge this based on the time of year, obviously. For summer, socks and undies are the only extra clothes you'll need (aside from rain gear and warm layers).
e. Camp shoes. There is a lot of debate about camp shoes and I did carry them this year in Oregon but I would definitely leave them behind next time. I used mine primarily to access muddy water sources where I needed to wade out a bit - but my feet got muddy anyway. If you're bringing camp shoes because your feet really hurt at the end of the day, you should maybe rethink your footwear choice.
Don't listen to the hype and HYOH (Hike Your Own Hike)
a. Decide for yourself what kind of gear works best for you. There is a lot of information out there about gear but until you try something out for yourself, you won't truly know if it works for you. For example, I bought a pair of Brooks Cascadia running shoes (the most popular PCT shoe) for the trail but they did not work for me.
b. Unless you're an ultra marathoner or an avid backpacker, don't expect to make "the big miles" right away. You'll read lots of trail journals and blogs that talk about 30 or 40 mile days. This is not realistic for most people and don't expect to be doing those miles right from the start. Train before you go to gauge how much you can handle in a day but also use the first 3-4 days on the trail to get acclimatized. At first, try not to do more than 12-14 miles/day. Starting out too hard too fast is a sure way to get hurt and demoralize yourself.
c. Hikers tend to get poetic about the trail and they also tend to gloss over the not-so-great stuff. Their journal entries make it sound like every day is the most amazing day ever. This isn't exactly true or honest. If you have the right attitude, you'll surely have a great time but also be aware that there will be days where you're just not into it. Don't let the bad days dissuade you from your goal.
You don't have to hike the Pacific Crest Trail.
a. There are lots of long distance backpacking trails in the U.S. Try doing one close to home - it'll be cheaper and you will get to see your area from a totally new perspective.
b. If you're new to backpacking, I highly recommend you try a backpacking trip of 3-4 days before you tackle long distance walking. This will give you a chance to figure out if it's something you really like - with the added benefit of giving your gear a thorough test.
Don't prove the seasoned hikers right.
a. Follow the principals of Leave No Trace. Pack out everything you pack in. If you carried it in, you can carry it out. Bury your poop deep and way off the trail and far from water sources. Stay on the trail - DO NOT cut the trail to get down (or up) a slope. Trail maintenance crews work hard to keep the trail nice and you'll be causing erosion problems if you cut the trail.
b. Don't foul water sources with your dirty clothes or dishes (see above about my "swish and drink" method of cleaning). If you have to rinse something out or want to wash off, go way down stream from anywhere people would gather drinking water.
c. Be polite. Say "hi" on the trail. Be courteous. Don't burden other people with your problems unless it's a real emergency. Yield to horseback riders. The best way to do this is to step to the side where the horse can see you - don't stand behind a tree where the horse might be surprised by you. Mountain bikers are supposed to yield to hikers but in my experience they rarely do. It's much easier for hikers to step aside for them.
Don't quit in the first 3 days
a. The first few days on the trail are the hardest. Your body is getting used to what you're doing and there will be some aches and pains associated with this period. You probably will also be surprised by how tired you are and by how bad you're "sucking wind." That's totally normal. Just keep going and it will get better.
b. Don't compare yourself to others. There's always another faster hiker on the trail or someone who seems like they can power up the hills. Hike Your Own Hike and don't worry about that stuff.
Next: The "Do's" Yay!!
Me and my friend Melissa on the PCT south of Lake Tahoe this summer. I learned a ton about my endurance and my gear doing practice hikes before attempting Oregon.
A great day on the PCT in Oregon. Water that doesn't need to be filtered - woohoo!
No comments:
Post a Comment