Hiking and Backpacking: Essential Skills, Equipment, and Safety

337 Pages·2004·4.631 MB·English

by  Victoria Logue

$19.95
51995
9 780897 325844
HHIIKKIINNGG AANNDD
BBAACCKKPPAACCKKIINNGG
Essential Skills,
Equipment, and
Safety

HHIIKKIINNGG AANNDD
BBAACCKKPPAACCKKIINNGG
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
PARTONE:GETTING READY
1. PLANNINGYOURHIKE 2
Trail Destinations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
Guidebooks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
Hiking with a Partner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
Hiking in Hunting Season . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
Trip Lengths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
Special Hikes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .16
2. PREPARINGFORATRIP 26
Getting Yourself Ready . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26
Packing for a Trip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28
On to the Trailhead . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .31
3. ULTRALIGHTBACKPACKING 33
4. LONG-DISTANCEHIKING 39
Deciding to Go . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .39
Preparations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41
Managing Your Supplies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48
The Afterlife . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .50
PARTTWO: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
PARTTWO:ON THE TRAIL(continued)
6. HIKINGTECHNIQUE 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. EXTREMEHIKINGANDBACKPACKING 168
Cold-Weather Backpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .168
High-Altitude Backpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .174
Desert Backpacking . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .176
8. FINDINGYOURWAY 179
Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .179
Orienteering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .184
Getting Found . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .192
The Global Positioning System (GPS) . . . . . . . . .192
9. LISTENINGTOANDCARINGFORYOURBODY 195
Stretching . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .195
Massage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .198
Keeping Hydrated . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .205
PARTTHREE:DAY’S END
10. FIRSTAID 216
Possible Medical Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .218
Getting Help . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .235
11. ANIMALENCOUNTERS 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. SETTINGUPCAMP 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. THEBACKCOUNTRYKITCHEN 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. CAMPINGGREEN 285
Recycled Gear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .286
Global Warming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .287
Minimum-Impact Camping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .287
What Else Can You Do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .291
15. GEARREPAIRANDMAINTENANCE 293
Pack Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294
Tent Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294
Stove Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .294
Clothing Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .295
Pad Repair . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .295
Boot Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .296
Water-Purifier Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .296
PARTFOUR: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