Backpacking (also tramping or trekking in some countries) is
the complete combination of hiking and camping.
People are drawn to backpacking primarily for recreation, to explore places that
they consider beautiful and fascinating. The main advantage of backpacking over
day hiking is that it allows the hiker to see remote areas, almost entirely
devoid of people or their effects, that are otherwise inaccessible. The main
disadvantages are that the encumbrance of the backpack itself substantially
reduces the hiking pace, so that less ground can be covered in a day, that the
backpack is something of a nuisance and a distraction to enjoying the scenery,
and that camp chores use up several hours every day.
What is backpacking?
A backpacker camps in one place, then packs all of his or her gear into a
backpack and hikes off to a different location. This gear must include food,
water, and shelter, or the means to obtain them, but very little else, and often
in a more compact and simpler form than one would use for stationary camping.
Many backpacking trips last just a weekend (one or two nights), but
long-distance expeditions may last weeks or months, sometimes aided by
prearranged food and supply drops.
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Backpacking camps are more spartan than ordinary camps. In areas that experience
a regular traffic of backpackers, a hike-in camp might have a fire ring and a
small wooden bulletin board with a map and some warning or information signs.
Many hike-in camps are no more than level patches of ground without scrub or
underbrush. In truly desolate areas, firmly established camps do not exist at
all, and travelers pitch their tents wherever they please.
In some places, backpackers have the option of lodgings that are more
substantial than their tents. In the more remote parts of Great Britain, bothies
exist to provide simple (free) accommodation for backpackers. Another example is
the High Sierra Camps in Yosemite National Park. Mountain huts provide similar
accommodation in other countries, though one must usually join an organisation
to make use of their facilities.
Most backpackers purposely try to avoid impacting on the land through which they
travel. This includes following established trails as much as possible, not
removing anything, and not leaving trash in the backcountry. The Leave No Trace
movement offers a set of guidelines for low-impact backpacking.
Backpackers face many risks which add to the danger and excitement of a trip.
These can include adverse weather, difficult terrain, treacherous river
crossings, and hungry animals. Illnesses run the gamut from simple dehydration
to heat exhaustion, hypothermia, altitude sickness, and physical injury. The
remoteness of backpacking locations exacerbates any mishap.
Equipment
All backpackers seek to minimize the weight and bulk of gear that they must
carry. A lighter pack causes less injury and soreness, and allows the backpacker
to travel longer distances. Every piece of equipment is evaluated for a balance
of utility vs. weight. Significant reductions in weight can usually be achieved
with little sacrifice in equipment utility, though very lightweight equipment is
often more costly.
A large industry has developed to provide lightweight gear and food for
backpackers. The gear includes the backpacks themselves, as well as ordinary
camping equipment modified to reduce the weight, by either reducing the size,
reducing the durability, or using lighter materials such as special plastics,
alloys of aluminum, and titanium. Designers of portable stoves and tents have
been particularly ingenious. Homemade gear is common too, such as the beverage
can stove.
Water is usually obtained from lakes and streams. Drinking and cooking water may
need treated with a filter or purifier to protect against bacteria and protozoa
(see Potability of backcountry water). If water is unavailable, or if the only
water available is utterly filthy, backpackers may carry large amounts of water
for long distances. Since a hiker needs three or four litres every day, and much
more under especially hot or dry conditions, a water supply for more than a day
or two is prohibitively heavy. In many cases, though, one litre or less is
enough to sustain a backpacker between water sources.
Water may be stored in soft, collapsible bladders, some of which are equipped
with drinking hoses for easy access while hiking. Some backpackers also store
water in ordinary plastic beverage bottles, while others use something more
durable. In particular, the Nalgene company sells a line of famously
indestructible bottles.
More Books about Backpacking
Backpacking food is typically highly packaged, dehydrated fare that can be
reconstituted by adding hot water. The most valued food products combine a high
energy content with low mass and volume. High-protein foods are generally
somewhat preferred. Some backpacking meals are pre-cooked and vacuum-packed
without being dehydrated, and reheated when needed by a chemical reaction,
allowing the backpacker to avoid carrying a stove and fuel. (This technology,
known as "Meal Ready-to-Eat" (MRE), was originally developed and is still used
for military purposes.) However, meals of this type are heavy, and if the
backpacker carries more than two or three, there is typically no weight savings.
Trail mix is a form of backpacking food that can be manufactured at home.
Some backpackers go to greater lengths to seek lightweight and compact gear than
do others. The most radical measures taken in this regard are sometimes called
ultralight backpacking.
Due to the emphasis on weight reduction, a practical joke common in some circles
is to secretly pack a small but relatively heavy luxury item, such as a soft
drink, into another backpacker's pack. Then, once the group stops for a rest,
the perpetrator retrieves the item, thanks the bearer for carrying it, and
consumes it. The source of this article is
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this
article is licensed under the
GFDL
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