Backpacking: To Be or Not To Be

When I was first introduced to backpacking over 20 years ago by a friend and I agreed to go on my first trek I thought to myself, "Damn, I agreed to hike 16 miles up and carry all this gear, camp out for days amongst wild animals and there is no phone nearby?! What the hell was I thinking?! Regardless, I did what any common sensed person would do, I prepared myself as everyone should do when they take on backpacking.

Backpacking is when you are hiking for more than one day with gear on the back. You carry food, water, bedding, shelter, clothing, stove and cooking kit. How much you take in weight is important to pay attention to.

If you would like to be a good, well respected backpacker, you stay on established trails, be kind to vegetation, and you Leave No Trace. Leave nothing but footprints, take nothing but photos, kill nothing but time, keep nothing but memories.

Always be prepared for weather changes, changes in the terrain, water crossings, wildlife, dehydration, heat exhaustion, hypothermia, altitude sickness, illness, fatigue, injury. Know where you are, tell someone who isn't trekking with you where you are going, knowing survival skills, first-aid will give you peace of mind as well.

Backpacking can be an amazing adventure in nature with friends, four-legged or two. There's always a new place to discover, always a new place to sleep under the stars. Always a new place to come closer to your own peace. Do your research, plan it out carefully, grab some friends for an experience to remember. There's more to it than just carrying a pack for miles.