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Three Steps for Packing Your Backpack
Unbeknownst to casual or first-time hikers, the weight and quality of your backpack – not to mention what it contains – can be one of the most important predictors as to whether or not you’ll have a good time hiking. Why is this? Because backpacks that are too heavy or drag on the shoulders will wear you down, making you expend more energy than you need to and ultimately making it an uncomfortable experience. Here are three steps for packing your backpack in a way that won’t slow you down.
#1. First, make sure you have a decent backpack.
For the hiker, the backpack is the best “expense” to take an opportunity to really splurge on something of high quality. Backpacks with steel frames that rest on your back, distributing the weight of their contents can be highly helpful, and it might feel like you’ve got some extra support from somewhere as you carry it. A simply school backpack that only drags on your shoulders, pulling them tight and hurting them, simply won’t do here. If you’re going to overspend at any point here, spend more money on quality on a backpack.
#2. Plan in advance.
Planning in advance to fill your backpack with the essentials will help you make sure you cover your bases. Do a mental walkthrough of your planned hike and ask yourself what you feel like you’ll need. A cell phone or not? How much water? Some emergency food, or a meal? Depending on the length and quality of your hike, these answers will be different for everyone.
Planning in advance will also help you to pack more tightly, as you’ll be able to fit items better if you plan them out rather than simply “stuffing them in.” Stuffing them in will lead to an uneven weight distribution and will drag you down while you’re out on the hiking trail.
#3. Review and remove.
The key is to pack as light as you can, while not sacrificing any of the materials you know you’ll need. Water is kind of heavy, so that might be a necessary evil for you (unless you carry your own water filters). Do you want navigating electronics, or can you do without the technology? Review what you’ve got, try out your backpack and see how heavy it is. Try not to imagine how heavy it is now, but how heavy it will be after an hour of hiking. What can you afford to lose? These are important questions to consider – the key is to do most of the preparation and thinking before you take your hike so that later you don’t have to.
Photo Credits: richardmasoner
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Is It Safe to Camp During Winter?
For camping addicts who live in the northern states, the winter months can cause you to go through “camping withdrawal.” But is that reason enough to try and venture out during the coldest season? Recently, a blizzard swept across the northern part of the U.S., dumping untold amounts of snow across several states. What if you were camping during these blizzard conditions? Is camping outdoors in the winter safe?
As is often the case, the risks will depend on you. Just because the calendar says December doesn’t mean you can’t camp safely. If the temperature is high enough, maybe there are some instances in which you can head out and enjoy a good time camping. But that also doesn’t mean you can treat winter camping the way you’d tread summer camping. It’s an entirely different animal.
For one, winter camping will require plenty of planning, especially as it relates to weather. How cold will it be during your trip? Will the temperatures drop on a specific day, or will wind make things worse? You’ll want to avoid snowfall, drops in temperature, as well as wind, which can make the temperatures feel drastically colder. If you’re not an experienced veteran of the winter season, it will help to get some cold-weather experience under your belt before you go camping.If you’ve been able to find a relatively warm and stable window in the winter weather, this is the time to go camping. Low winds are also very important. If you do decide to go camping during the winter in these occasions, then you’ll want to pack like you usually do, but with an increased emphasis on insulation, protection from moisture, and being able to build fires. Dress in layers that insulate you while also keeping moisture from snow out. If you can stay dry and warm, then you’re doing it right.
It will also help to have a good escape plan if necessary, as well as a cautious eye. You don’t want to get caught in a snow storm, so it’s a good idea to head for non-camping shelter as fast as possible if you perceive a threat. Don’t try to “rough it” because you could potentially compromise your safety. Make sure that you stay close enough to civilization that you can easily get out of a blizzard should one arrive.
Photo Credits: Rob Lee
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Hiking at the Grand Canyon
The Grand Canyon, to many, is the grand-daddy of all the possible sights to see in the world, the most intriguing visual challenge to conquer. To locals in Arizona, it may more simply be a great place to hike, but the Grand Canyon continues to be one of the top-rated spots to backpack and adventure, even for beginning hikers. Here is a brief guide to hiking at one of the world’s most famous hiking spots.
1. You are responsible for your safety.
The Grand Canyon, though national park land, doesn’t exactly have lifeguards posted at every turn to make sure that hikers have a good time and stay safe. Rather, hiking is an “at your own risk” type of situation, which is what experienced hikers should be used to – but something that all hikers should prepare for.
What’s included in your safety? Having enough supplies for you and yours, having an accurate forecast of the weather, and knowing where you’re starting and where you plan on going. You’ll also want to have an idea of the local environment, including critters to expect along the way, just to cut down on the unexpected things you might come across.2. Choose your hike wisely.
There’s no single “one” Grand Canyon hike, there are many to choose from, and if you’re a beginning hiker you’ll want to choose the easier ones. The views are the same whether you’re a beginning or experienced hiker, so don’t feel bad if you don’t get to explore more on your own the first time; just try to choose a hike that is appropriate to your skill level. It’s possible to challenge yourself without putting yourself out of your element, and if you’re going to be responsible for your safety, it falls on you to choose the right hike.
3. Don’t carry so much.
It’s tempting to take your whole car with you on a hike, packing up your backpack full of plenty of convenient – and heavy – items. Don’t do this, as a heavy backpack is one of the quickest ways to spoil a hike; you don’t want to be crawling to the finish line. Instead, pack as light as possible, including necessary elements like water, and spare what you can afford to spare.
All in all, you’ll find it easy to enjoy the Grand Canyon; hiking it is more a matter of understanding your limits and not trying too hard to challenge yourself. You’ll find that once you’re actually there, the magic of the Grand Canyon will take over and you’ll feel you’ve been hiking all your life.
Photo Credits: The Javelina
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Should You Go on a Safari?
Imagine it – you’re out there in the middle of a land that’s been called Eden, looking at some of the most impressive wildlife you’ve ever seen. Elephants, hyenas, leopards, and maybe even lions. Except this isn’t the zoo – the distance between these animals and you is only filled by air.
Sound thrilling?
Then maybe you should consider an African Safari, an outing typically the length of an entire vacation in which you are guided around wilderness that retains its prehistoric qualities and animals that don’t know what year it is. For many people, this is the only way to experience wildlife, while for others, a Safari can actually be a great challenge. Here are some tips on finding out if a Safari is the right kind of vacation for you and yours:
-Remember the financial commitment involved.
To get a lot out of an African Safari, you’re going to actually have to – naturally – travel to Africa and arrange about a week-long trip. Many programs will be able to offer tour guides, lodging, the whole package – but this will cost you. The first thing you’ll have to consider when planning an African Safari is the kind of money you’re willing to spend in order to have a good time and long-lasting memories.
-Where should you go on your Safari?
In this article, we’ve been addressing African Safaris, but that doesn’t mean you still won’t have plenty of options. You can consider options along the Indian Ocean, or East Africa in countries like Kenya. South Africa is also a frequent destination for people on Safari. Look up the local accommodations and the wildlife to see which trip best suits your ideas of a real African Safari.
-Make sure everyone else is on board.
If you’ve got a family, especially, you don’t want to drag along two kids that weren’t interested from the get-go. If you’re dead-set on going on a Safari but no one is as enthused as you and your spouse, you could plan on dropping the kids off at a relative’s. Make sure to get feedback on your Safari plans well before you even start thinking about the trip itself.
-If you plan on going, do your research thoroughly.
This includes checking testimonials from previous customers on specific Safari trips, requesting detailed itineraries from your Safari operator, and knowing exactly where you’ll be lodging. These are crucial questions that you’ll need answers to before you make any set-in-stone decisions about going on a Safari.
If you’re willing to front the cost and do your research, you won’t only find that you’re ready for a Safari, but that you’re already open to a wonderful new experience that the entire family can enjoy.
Photo Credits: yaaaay
