Adequate Preparation is Key to Any Successful Backpacking Trip

I must admit that I love planning a backpacking trip almost as much as the trip itself. It is during this stage that I allow myself to mentally walk through the entire journey from beginning to end, campsite to campsite (and all without incurring any blisters or sore muscles!). I try to imagine any problems I might encounter, but also allow myself to picture the beautiful vistas that await me. If there are blog posts or AllTrails reviews on the hike I plan to take, I will read as many of them as I can. I will also scan Google Maps and Google Earth for recent photos of the area, and if I can find YouTube videos of my planned hike, so much the better.

However, I am not just doing these things for the enjoyment they provide. By using all of these resources, I am drinking in all of the information I can about my upcoming hike, and then using this information to plan not just my route, but also the items I will take with me. Read on for a step by step guide on how to plan and then execute a successful backpacking trip.

Mirror Lake with Broken Top in the Background

A Lakeside Campsite in the shadow of South Sister

A burned out section of trail on the way to Camp lake

Know Your Route

A wise man once said, “If you don’t know where you’re going, you might end up someplace else.”

Before undertaking any backpacking trip, I make sure that I know every detail about the route I plan to take: Is there adequate parking at the trailhead? Do I need a permit? What is the distance between campsites? What is the elevation gain and loss? Are there rivers to be forded? Are there exposed sections of trail (burn sections, steep slopes, rockfall or avalanche chutes)? Are there places to resupply with water, and what is the distance between each of these? Is this bear or mountain lion country? Are there any side trips I might want to take? Are the wildflowers in bloom (especially important if you are a photographer, like myself).

The more you know about your route in advance the less likely that you will be surprised by any particular element of that route, and the more prepared you will be for any possible eventuality.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Know Your Abilities

Just because you were able to tackle a given hike twenty years ago, does not mean you will be able to do so now. You need to be brutally honest with yourself when assessing your ability to accomplish the trip you have planned. There is no worse feeling than being eight miles in to a planned twelve mile hike and realizing that you do not have the will or the stamina to make it to the end. Descending a steep and slippery slope on shaky legs is something to be avoided if at all possible.

If you do not know what your current abilities are, I would suggest starting with a few shorter hikes, and then gradually working your way up towards the longer hikes you have in mind. Out of shape? Join a gym, change your diet, start walking regularly. You can do anything you set your mind to (within reason), but you have to be willing to put in the work ahead of time. The most important thing though is to not get discouraged. If you love the outdoors as much as I do and truly want to take a long backpacking trip, then the ultimate payoff is definitely worth whatever work may be required to get your mind and body ready.

Mirror Lake with Broken Top in the background

Mountain Wildflowers

Check the Weather

This is more than simply checking to see how warm or cold it will be. You will also want to know what the wind forecast is and whether or not lightening is something you need to be worried about. Is rain or snow a possibility and if so, how much? Depending upon the season, bugs might also be a concern. Are mosquitos, ticks or biting flies something you need to prepare for?

Knowing these things will help you make better informed choices about what to pack (see below). Not knowing could be the difference between a successful trip and a miserable one.

It is also a good idea to check the weather periodically throughout your trip. Conditions can change fast in the wilderness and you will be much more able to handle these changing conditions if you know in advance what to expect.

Pre-Load All Needed Information Onto Your Devices

As I am sure you are already aware, there are a wealth on online resources available to help with planning and executing a successful backpacking trip. AllTrails, Google Maps/Google Earth, Caltopo, and Windy.com are just a few of these, but there are many more. Most of these will allow you to download information onto your devices for offline use. Decide which of these resources work for you, what information you will need, and then download all of this so that it will be available to you even if you do not have a cell connection.

Pack the Essentials (and Maybe Some Non-Essentials Too)

I will go into more detail on gear in future posts, but for the purposes of this post, these are the things you should plan on taking on every backpacking trip:

Backpack: This should be large enough to hold all of your gear and sized to fit your body. Shelter: Tent, tarp, bivy, or hammock. Sleeping pad: Foam or air filled. If you will be sleeping on snow or frozen ground consider something with a higher R-value. Quilt or Sleeping Bag: Whichever you choose should ideally be rated for at least 10 degrees colder than the lowest temperature you expect to encounter on your trip. Cooking Kit: Pot, stove, gas canister, spork. Food: You will want to make sure you have enough calories to keep your body fueled for the entirety of your trip, typically 2000 to 2500 calories per day, depending upon your body type and the the amount of exertion you expect to put forth. If you can, try to pack calorie dense foods (meaning a high calorie to weight ratio) Typically, each day’s food supply will net about 1 pound, but this could be higher or lower depending upon your needs. If you are traveling through bear country you will also need either a bear resistant canister, or have a way of hanging your food out of the bear’s reach. Do not under any circumstances store your food inside the tent with you. Water Container and Water Filter: You will want to carry enough water to get you to your next resupply point, plus a little extra, just in case. You will also need a way to filter or treat your water. Giardiasis is just one of the risks of drinking un-treated water, and if you have never suffered from this particular malady, trust me when I say that you never want to. Cellphone and/or GPS device with Satellite SOS Capability: I sincerely hope that you never experience a medical emergency while backpacking, but if you do, your life could well depend upon your ability to both call for help and to let your rescuers know exactly where you are. You should also make sure you either have adequate battery life in these devices, or a way to recharge them on the trail. A Compass and a Paper Map and the Ability to Use Both: Getting lost in the wilderness is not only scary, but also potentially life-threatening. If you do not already know how to discern your location using a map and compass, there are many online tutorials for this. And yes, you could depend upon your phone to tell you where you are. But what if you have no signal, or your phone runs out of charge? Trust me when I tell you that a map and a compass are two of the most important things you can pack. A Small First Aid Kit: This should contain an assortment of bandages, gauze, antiseptic ointment, tape, scissors, Benadryl and either ibuprofen or aspirin. A Small Tent and Backpack Repair Kit: Things break, and when they do you will need to be able to fix them. Most tent and backpack manufacturers offer videos on how to field repair their products. I would suggest watching some of these before you go. A Flashlight or Headlamp: If you ever have to set up camp after sunset, or add wind tie-downs to your tent in the middle of the night, you do not want to be stumbling around in the dark. Pack a light source. A Whistle: Lightweight, but loud enough to scare away a bear or signal for help, if needed. Bear Spray: If you will be hiking through bear or mountain lion country, this is a must. Don’t believe me? Then pease read this story. Extra Clothes: Wool socks, underwear, hat, gloves, pants or sweatpants, camp shoes or sandals, plus multiple layers for your upper body (no cotton). You should also bring a rain jacket with hood. The particulars of what clothes to bring will depend upon the conditions you expect to encounter, but you should always be prepared for potential weather extremes. Conditions can change quickly and unexpectedly in the wilderness, especially at higher elevations, and you will want to make sure that you have enough clothing to keep you warm and dry in any conditions. I bring a drysack to store my extra clothes in, and then use this bag filled with dry clothes for my pillow at night. Walking Sticks: I know that many people hike without these, but I do not and I don’t think that you should either. This is especially true if you are older. They help with balance on tricky slopes and scree and are especially useful on steep ascents and descents. I have also used them as emergency tent stakes when camping on snow. Luxury Items: As the name implies, these are not essential items, but if you have the space in your pack, and don’t mind the extra weight, then you might want to consider bringing one or more of these items: A comfy chair; A good book; Earbuds; Binoculars; A travel pillow; chocolate; alcohol; and whatever else you can think of that might add a bit of comfort and/or enjoyment to your trip. Camera Gear: Like the previous item, these items are not strictly essential (unless you are a photographer like myself). I will go into more detail on the subject of camera gear in a future post, but at a minimum I would recommend a quality 24 megapixel or better mirrorless camera body, wide angle lens, 35-200mm zoom lens, and a lightweight but stable tripod. You might also want to add some filters (I usually carry a polarizer for each lens, and sometimes an ND filter as well), and possibly a lightweight star tracker if you intend to do any Milky Way or deep sky photography.

A lakeside campsite in the shadow of South Sister

A Lakeside Campsite in the Shadow of South Sister

Expect the Unexpected

The one thing you can not plan for is the unexpected. Things can and will go wrong, and even though you can’t know in advance what those things might be, you must never-the-less be prepared to deal with them.

You could break a tent pole, or one of the straps on your backpack. A chipmunk might shred all of your toilet paper (and yes, this actually happened to me), or worse, get into your food and render half of it inedible. You could become lost or lose the trail. A sudden snowstorm might change your carefree walk through the woods into a slog through heavy snowdrifts.

If you have done your research ahead of time, and packed accordingly, you will have the tools needed to deal with the unexpected when it arrives. The important thing is to remain calm and to work through whatever problems you encounter until you have found a safe and viable solution.

Conclusions

As you may have guessed by now, there is a lot of planning that can go into an extended backpacking trip, but the more of this you are willing to do, the more likely you are to have a safe and successful outing.

You can do this, and once you do, you will want to do it again and again and again. So get to planning!

A burned out section of trail on the way to Camp Lake

End of the Trail

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