Let me tell you about my gear, clothing, and food from my recent 7 day section hike from Tuolumne Meadows to Sonora Pass in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, USA. First, I firmly believe in "Hike Your Own Hike" (HYOH) – my way is not the right way, it is just my way. If yours is different, that is all good. As an example, I like to be organized. Everything fits in a stuff sack and then goes in the pack. I know then, if I need my toilet then I grab the red stuff sack, my kitchen – the blue sack, and so on. Others will just cram the tent in, the sleeping bag in, their clothes in, wherever they fit. HYOH.
This trip covered 75 miles, at elevation of 8,500 to 10,800 feet, there was no resupply, and temps ranged from low 70s F in the day to 32 F at night. Packing my hiking kit efficiently was essential. Working clockwise from left, you can see my GoLite Quest backpack... Continue reading....
I carry a journal along when I backpack or camp and I would suggest that you do so, as well. I do not fool myself into thinking that I will ever compose essays in the manner of Edward Abbey, no matter how witty or profound my thoughts seem while hiking throughout the day. For me, the primary reason behind my journaling is to record the day’s events. This helps me in recounting tales of a specific trip, matching my photographs to my maps, and keeping accurate records of exactly which peak, pass, lake, or stream that I encountered. But when face to face with a blank page where does one begin?
I cannot claim that ‘my’ format is really even mine. I give all credit to Ed Garvey, who thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail in 1970, and wrote about his hike in Appalachian Hiker: Adventure of a Lifetime. Garvey kept notes in a 4x6 inch bound notebook but I find his real genius was in devising a format which captures the critical elements of each day's hike. Garvey actually had his format printed up on sheets separate from his journaling book; I am not so formal as that but use Garvey’s foundation as the base for what I record. Here is Garvey’s format that I have adopted... Continue reading...
