Light Backpacking Guide rev 3-02

G-WeBconnect

The Boys
always look good
before their first step
onto the trail!

"g's" Gear Guide to Light(er) Backpacking
for the
Not-So-Basic Backpacker (continued)
(Revised: 5/05)

Part 4:
Final Preparations:
"I'm walkin' out the door with a 43-LB pack! See Ya! Yahoo!"

OK. You've got your gear lightened-up. You've problem-solved the formula for bringing enough multipurpose clothing to eliminate those extra pants, shirts and grandma's afghan. Your food? You're not planning to feed other hikers and you've got enough power bars and Gatorade to keep you fueled for that last 8-mile jog from Granite Park to the hotel at Many Glacier. What else could there be? Plenty.

Check out these final considerations and have a great backpacking trip!:

"g's" final considerations before a backpacking trip
	(1) When I travel to backpack I get organized! I work from checklists to avoid leaving my hiking boots in the hotel. When I pack my backpacking gear for traveling afar, I compartmentalize everything into labeled zip lock bags and grocery type plastic food bags. For example, one plastic grocery bag will hold clothes for Day-1 of the backpacking trip. Another will hold clean clothes, a towel and quarters (for a shower) for the day we hike-out. When I'm flying, I use a super-duper soft duffle-type bag with wheels. It holds a ton of stuff. Gear that can travel compressed in compression sacks get the squeeze to save on shipping space. ALWAYS wash and clean fuel bottles dry and empty all stove fuel lines. Store components in freezer type, zip lock bags for traveling. NEVER transport fuel of any kind. It's illegal and dangerous. 5/05 Update: Airlines now forbid the storage of empty backpacking stoves and bottles on aircrafts. You're on your own as to what to do when you need to travel with a stove.
	(2) Did you take a hiking map, backcountry permit, menu for daily eating, compass, hotel and car reservation information, road map of the area you are traveling to, cell phone with fully charged battery and battery recharging unit, and emergency phone numbers? Is your digital camera charged; did you pack extra battery-packs and CF cards?
	(3) Because of the incredible, time consuming effort I put into dehydrating personal and community food, I pack food in my day pack to carry onto the airplane. I want to minimize the risk of losing my precious food cache.
	(4) Clothes and gear to leave in the car for the ride home: a towel, ditty bag (with shaving cream, razor, soap, face cloth, quarters to pay for a shower, toothbrush/paste, hair brush, Band-Aids), shorts, pants, underwear, socks, sneakers, sweater, jacket, sandals, etc. This is one area I try not to skimp on. When I come out of the backcountry... I want to be comfortable.
Now, it's time to... have a great trip!

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