Gear List

Words of wisdom: Everyone asks how much your bag should weigh. My answer for that is that it should weigh as little as possible. Every backpacker works to make their bag as light as possible and every trip they evaluate what they can leave behind, what they can improve, and what they need. The list below is a basic guideline of what you should bring with you. With time you will develop more experience and refine this list. You'll also make adjustements to your gear to lighten your pack.

PERSONAL ITEMS:

I recommend putting everything in zip lock bags or garbage bags, especially things that you really want to keep try like your sleeping bag and clothes.

Clothes:

You don't need a change of clothes for every day. Avoid clothes that are made of cotton and avoid jeans. When wet, jeans are very heavy and they take forever to dry. I personally recommend having one set of clothes to hike in, one set to change into after we get to camp, and a set to leave in the car to change into after we get off the trail. Please give serious thought to clothing, it's possible it will be warm during the day (t-shirt weather) and cold at night (heavy coat, long underwear). Use the layering method.

For cold weather trips:

GROUP EQUIPMENT:

Helpful Extras:

First Aid Kit

Frequently Asked Questions:

  1. How much should my pack weight? Answer: as little as possible!!!! Some people give a general rule of 1/3 your body weight. Others will tell you 30-40 lbs. I guess I stopped weighing my pack a long time ago, each trip I try to make it weigh as little as possible. Either I need something or I don't, how much it weighs is not important. I make an effort to cut weight as much as possible, though I'm not a gram weinie (term for people who take extreme measures to reduce their weight, such as cutting the ends off all their straps and cutting off most of the handle of their tooth brush).
  2. What about bears? Answer: Good news! You don't have to outrun a bear. You just have to outrun someone else :) In all my trips (see my backpack journal) I have never seen a bear. It isn't common, they don't want to be found. The trip leader will discuss precations for bears. It's also important to be able to tell the difference between black bear scat (poo) and grizzly bear scat. Black bear scat consists mostly of berries and roots. Grizzly bear scat has little bells and smells like pepper.
  3. What about snakes? Answer: I have seen a few snakes on the trail. One timber rattlesnake. One nice thing about rattlesnakes, they let you know they are there. Most snakes just want to be left alone, some basic caution will keep you safe. DO NOT step over logs and rocks. You step on it and step away from it. If you step over it there could be a snake hiding on the other side, you'll surprise him and he will strike immediately. By stepping on and away you keep a safe distance. Watch where you put your hands when climbing, don't put them in places you can't see. Watch your step and you'll be ok. If you see one don't freak out, if you panic then it will panic. Your trip leader will discus with you more about snakes and what to do. You should be cautious, but it should not worry you. Out of 15+ trips I've seen 3 snakes and only one was poisonous (and he warned us well in advance).

Resources: