In Walden, Thoreau sets out on an experiment to live a simple examined life. He builds a small shack and proceeds to get rid of as many material possessions as possible and live a minimalist life free from society. In some ways, he's escaped, though he does realize he is not completely free of the system. His hoe and ax are products of the industrial world. He uses money to buy supplies and scavenges building materials. People come to visit him and bring food. However, he grows much of his own food.
Much of what he's writing about is getting down to the elements of what it takes to be alive, and reconnecting with the art of living. He tries to simplify his life as much as possible and get back to a rich daily experience.
Now, not all of us can or are willing to drop everything and squat next to a pond for the next two years. This is not necessary, however. You can take small doses of the experience in a wonderful activity known as backpacking.
If you don't know, the idea is this: you take a trip and carry (or bike, or canoe) everything you need to live with you for your trip duration. If you're on a longer trip, you can set up resupplies on the way, but if you've never experienced it a weekend trip is best to get you acclimated.
There are a couple basic philosophies, and they are: Bring only the items you need. Take only pictures, leave only footprints. Pack out what you pack in. The key here is to respect nature and the trails, to keep the parks and trails beautiful, and be conscious of your actions and their effects.
Here's a basic breakdown of things you will need:
Water
Food
Shelter
Clothing
A backpack
Personal hygiene items
An itinerary
Time to get elemental! If you've been camping with a car or trailer before there will probably be many things you took you didn't need. You may have brought a giant propane lantern, a TV, possibly an air conditioner, generator, hot dog roasting sticks, camp chairs, massive tents, a GPS unit, your ipod, maybe a laptop, a cellphone, and other vestiges of your daily life. However, backpacking is different, and everything you carry adds up. Anything you can do to cut weight or needless things will make your life much much easier and your trip more pleasant. Finding out what you can get away with not taking is part of the fun!
Now for a slightly expanded version. These are general tips. Before I buy anything, I will look for and read reviews of products online. I also talk to store help, though they are there to make sales and some work for commissions. Take their advice with a grain of salt, but generally there are there to help. Ask friends!
Water -
YOU MUST HAVE CLEAN OR STERILIZED WATER
You will need:
sturdy containers
some method of filtration
Holy hell, probably your heaviest and most vital component. You will need a lot of water! Possibly a gallon or more per day to drink, plus water too cook and clean. You will be working hard, and sweat a lot. Dehydration will ruin you. Drinking dirty water could infect you with giardia and other bugs, which will give you explosive and terrible diarrhea. Possible methods for water sterilization include boiling (doesn't remove solids, takes lots of fuel), tablets, iodine tablets/solution (taste issues), hand filtration (filters clog or fail), and UV pens (no filtration). These methods all take time, some are cheap, some expensive. You NEED good water bottles (preferably without BPA) and probably a sturdy dromedary or water pouch.
A note on alcohol: This will dehydrate you terribly. If you imbibe, do so lightly or in moderation and drink plenty of water to counteract the effects. Pack out your bottles and beer cans.
Food -
You will need
light, nonperishable, easy to prepare food.
A small camp stove if you need to boil water
A pot to boil water in, with a lid/plate
A spoon, a bowl or plate (possibly your pot lid)
A cup for drinks (optional, a water bottle works)
- Breakfast:
For breakfast, hot water foods like oatmeal or grits can go well with coffee or tea. Powdered milk and granola works, and fruit like an apple or orange works. Squishy fruit may get mashed in your bag if you aren't careful. A granola bar here or there can be great too.
- Lunch:
As you will be hiking and burning daylight, time is an issue. Something quick, like a premade sandwich, bagels, fruit, energy bar, dried fruit, trail mix, hard cheese, and crackers work well. Be creative.
- Dinner:
MREs and freeze dried food packets are great but expensive. As this is your first time out, I would recommend them. They can be found in most outdoor stores.
- Cooking utensils:
You will need a small pot to boil water in (a lid makes this faster, though this can your plate), a plate or bowl, a spoon (to eat and cook with), and a cup (if you are making coffee, tea, cocoa or a drink mix. Alternately, you can use a water bottle) Also, you will need a cooking stove. You can make your own out of a coffee can that burns sticks (there are plans online) or use a small single burner stove white gas stove like a whisperlite. Light, small, and little is best. Do you really need that french coffee press? REALLY?
Shelter-
You will need
A small, light, weather appropriate backpacking tent. 1-2 persons (possibly optional)
A weather appropriate sleeping bag
A comfortable sleeping pad
Sturdy metal stakes and cord
a tarp that fits under your tent
A small single or double person tent works great, the lighter and more compact the better. Some are only mesh, buy according to your needs and price range. The same goes for sleeping bags, you will not need a -50 degree bag for hiking in the summer (though places like the desert get surprisingly cold). A light, compact bag in a compression sack (a bag with straps to make it more compact) and a decent ground pad will help tremendously. A tent can also be as simple as a tarp and some stakes, or you can sleep under the stars weather permitting. Buy good sturdy metal stakes. Plastic stakes shatter and break.
Clothing-
You will need:
GOOD BOOTS (do not skimp! Spend time finding a comfortable pair)
GOOD SOCKS
an extra pair or two of dry socks
A rainproof jacket
a spare pair underwear
a couple changes of socks
one change of hiking clothes
A pair of hiking pants and a long sleeve shirt
Your feet will protest greatly under all that weight, a good pair of hiking boots is absolutely essential. Get something with high ankle support, and for make sure you wear them in before you use them. They will rub in odd places and blisters on the trail are killer. Some moleskin will go a long way to treat blisters. Waterproof boots with gortex are worth the extra money, soggy feet are terrible. Remember they are only waterproof to the top of the boot! Change wet socks immediately. Also, don't skimp on socks: You will want a good heavy wool sock with a sweat wicking polypropylene sock inside it, or a couple pairs of heavy smartwool socks. A good outdoor store salesman can get you decent boots.
Bring weather appropriate clothes. Always carry rain gear (a good rain jacket and possibly rain pants) and extra socks. A long sleeve shirt and a pair of pants are good for surprise cold weather. Sturdy clothes are a must. Cotton stays wet forever, avoid it if you can.
Backpack-
There are two types, an internal frame and an external frame. Internal frames tend to be more expensive. They are a giant sack with the frame inside, and all your gear goes inside the pack. They tend to be more balanced and comfortable but require adjusting and some mangling to get a proper fit.
External frames tend to be sturdier and cheaper. The frame is on the outside, and gear like pots and pans, sleeping bags, and pads can be strapped to the frame. They don't tend to fit as well, though many now have the same adjusting straps as the internal frame and with careful load stacking can be as comfortable.
Your pack needs to be big enough to hold all your gear. Take your full load (including water) to the store and pack up different packs at the store to see how they feel. A good belt is essential, you will want most of the weight of the pack on your hips and not crushing your spine. You'll only ever want to be carrying 1/4 to 1/3 of your weight. Like I said, the lighter the better. Carrying your heaviest items like water closest to your back and the bottom of the pack will help your balance.
Personal Hygiene -
You will need:
Biodegradable soap
Small toothbrush
travel size toothpaste
a small unscented deodorant (or save weight, you foul person you)
first aid kit including moleskin for blisters and an epipen for any allergies, light-strong pain killers, bandages, alcohol wipes.
Any daily medications
Tampons or pads
A trowel
Toilet paper
The Biodegradable soap is for hand and dish washing. Try to keep it and toothpaste spit to your sump. A toothbrush with half handle cut off or a traveling toothbrush and travel size toothpaste will save weight. Medications, an epi-pen, first aid kit, tampons or pads, a first aid kit with moleskin, possibly a shammy to dry yourself can all be important. Clean socks and underwear are great. A trowel and toilet paper.
-Shitting in the woods: Walk out of sight and 200 feet away from any water source, dig a "cat hole" 6 or more inches deep, toss the trowel out of reach but in sight, then squat over your hole and drop your load. After wiping up (don't waste your TP! be conservative but clean) push the dirt you dug up back into the hole with your hands and cover it up. If there is feces on your trowel, you're doing it wrong. Lastly, stick a stick into the ground on the spot to warn other future diggers. Wash your hands.
Itinerary -
You will need:
A good map, waterproof, or in a water proof bag, close on hand
a compass
a route
Learn to use a topographic map and compass, and get a good waterproof map and keep it folded to where you are and on hand. The national geographic topographic maps are a good choice, and plastic. Be careful though, excessive rubbing and creasing will remove parts of it.
Find a good state park near you with hiking trails. ATV trails are generally very rocky and beat up and suck to walk on. Horse trails have horses and horse poo galore, and your packs spook them. Yield too horses and step off the trail. The best trails are foot traffic only, with views. If you hike close to roads, you will hear cars and trucks down shifting, which breaks the serenity. Plan your trips within your means. Pay attention to elevation gains. Four miles an hour walking is a fairly brisk pace, plan to walk slower. Your first day, three to five miles is a good hike. The next day, six to eight miles might be doable. Ten to twelve miles can be strenuous. Some people hike twenty or more miles a day, though they have been at it for a while. You can get there, it just takes time.
Other stuff -
A small pocket knife is good to have. A cellphone is decent to have, though you should keep it off. It won't get a signal unless you're high up on a hill, and as it is searching it loses batteries very quickly. A small travel game, a deck of cards, or some dice can be fun. Sunscreen and insect repellent if it's necessary, smaller sizes are better. Don't bring your laptop. A small camera is nice if you are into photography. A wildlife, wildflower, or tree identification guide can be fun and informative! Keep things that can't get wet in a waterproof bag. A small bright LED flashlight or headlamp is great at night. You will need a bear bag and rope.
Setting up camp -
BEARS! and their much tinier but still insidious cousins, mini-bears. Take the time to learn about them. Bears have poor vision but excellent smell. They especially love processed sugars and chocolate. Anything that is food, smells like food, or has an odor will attract bears and must be put in a "bear bag" and hung 15-20 feet in the air. Mini-bears (otherwise known as chipmunks) will eat holes in your backpack to get to your food. This is bad. Even short stops jeopardize your gear! Keep it out of reach until you are cooking or eating.
Be aware of the "bear-muda triangle" This should consist of your cooking and eating area, your sump (i.e. cleaning) area, and your bear bag. Keep your sleeping area and tent well away from these, outside the triangle by at least 100 yeards. Keep all (ALL) food, food items, hygiene items, and clothes with spilled food on them in the bear bag. Only take the bear bag down to cook, eat, and clean. This will minimize bear traffic where you sleep, as they are largely after your food or smelly items. Your cooking and eating area will be where your stove is and should be self explanatory. Do not cook or eat in or close to your tent. Your sump area should be a small pile of rocks. This is where you should wash and stack your dishes, dump your grey water, and brush your teeth. Your bear bag should be hung high up, on a sturdy branch away from a tree, and well out of reach from the ground. Bears will eat all your food, I've seen it happen.
Find some friends!
There is a lot I am missing, but these are the basics. The best thing you can do is find a few friends who know what they are doing and take a weekend trip. You'll love it! Some time outdoors can help you get back in touch with what's important. It's a good time to learn and practice some survival skills, to get in shape, to enjoy nature and to bond with people. It's a good time to think about what's really important, and help sort out what is and isn't necessary. The skills, preparedness, and awareness you learn here can help out in the future.
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