Snow Camping in Hammocks

This spring two of my sons and I backpacked up a trail in our area, and ended up making it up to snow level!  Guess we should have waited a couple more weeks before making this trip.  Well, that's ok.

We brought up hammocks we had made and wanted to try them out on a colder campout, with backpacking supplies.  Our hammocks have a pocket below you that you can put a sleeping pad inside - I've slept in one at 19°F with a 3" foam pad and survived.  See HERE for my post on that.  This time we were backpacking so we brought only our 1/2" blue foam pads, so it was going to be a challenge.

It was snowy due to a late snow storm - it was interesting seeing green leaves and snow on the ground.

Looks cold, doesn't it?

There's something magic about sitting around a campfire and watching the glowing coals.

Long story short, we survived the night.  It was a bit cold, but nothing we couldn't handle.  I did however find that my hammock was tied to a dead tree that was rotten at the bottom.  When I went to climb into my hammock at night to sleep my hammock dropped down low and I could hear the tree coming towards me.  Luckily it didn't go the whole way and I was able to tie to a different tree nearby.  The next morning I was able to push the 16" diameter tree over with one hand!  I think I'll be more careful what I tie my hammock to in the future!

High Adventure 2016 - Blanding Utah - Day 3-4 - Target Ruin & Ballroom Cave then Hammond Canyon

Day Three we hiked up a canyon and checked out two different ruins, the first one was Target Ruin because of a target that was painted on an inside wall of the ruin.  The whole ruin is too high to get to so we only looked at it from across the canyon.

Target Ruin

Here's a closeup of the target (shot with the camera looking through a pair of binoculars):

The Target Painted on a wall at Target Ruin

Then we hiked a bit further up the canyon and found Ballroom Cave and shot this silhouette shot.  The cave is actually quite large, and at least 20 degrees cooler than the 90+ degrees we were hiking in out in the canyon!

Ballroom Cave

After that we drove to Hammond Canyon to backpack in to where the Three Finger Ruins are.  It was approximately a 5 mile hike down into the canyon to where our campsite would be, below the ruin.  We made it there in time to set up camp and have dinner, but not in time to explore the ruin that night.

View of Three Finger Ruin from our campsite
Do you see it? Probably not, it's up on that cliff and quite a hike to get to.

As we started making dinner, about half of the scouts and leaders realized they had forgotten spoons to have our freeze-dried meals!  So they carved their own spoons to eat with.  They were pretty proud of their work and took some time to make them usable.  I don't think they'll forget the spoons next trip though.

That evening we took off our shoes and socks and soaked them in the stream that went by camp.  It felt so good to cool our feet off and clean the dirt/sand off of them!

Day 4 - we decided to not make everyone hike up to the Three Finger Ruins, so just took those that wanted to and left at 6 AM.  It was quite the hike!

View of Three Finger Ruin a little closer up

We were told by a Navajo woman in Blanding that this area is sacred.  She was happy to hear that we were going to see it.  It took us a good 40 minutes to hike up to it, but as we got closer we knew it was worth the hike:

Three Finger Ruin Closer Up

Inside one of the rooms at Three Finger Ruin

Fingerprints still on the "plastered" walls at Three Finger Ruin

View from the Three Finger Ruins

It was an amazing experience to see and wonder what it was there for, what the people did that lived there, how they got food and water, why they chose such a remote place, etc.  We sat there and discussed ideas and soaked in the beauty of the place and the view for over 30 minutes.  It's mind boggling.

Then we hiked back down to the campsite and had breakfast, packed up, and hiked back out to the vehicles.  We had left a truck in a different location so we were able to do a loop instead of an out and back trip.

Lessons Learned:

1. When it's 90+ degrees F outside, it's a good idea to carry a lot of water, and filters.  We did ok for water on the trip, but the weight of it was a lot to handle.  One of our leaders had the great idea to put some cut up watermelon and cold Gatorade in a cooler at the truck.  That was AMAZING!  Everyone loved eating the cold watermelon and gulping down the cold Gatorade!  It was exactly what we needed to lift our spirits after hiking up and out of the canyon.
2. Bring any utensils you may need for the trip - though it was a good experience for those that forgot to make their own this time.
3. Whenever you visit a place where people lived long ago, take some time and discuss with the scouts what it must have been like to live there at that time.  It's a great experience, and very insightful.  It brings the place alive.

Backpacking Overnighter to Rudy's Flat

We went on a backpacking overnighter this last weekend to give our younger scouts the experience.  None of them had ever gone backpacking before.  This was an easy 8 mile round trip up a canyon to a meadow where we camped for the night.  It reminded me of when I went on backpacking trips as a scout, you know, when the pack was much larger than me?

Ahh, the memories. . .  Of course when I went I had an old army pack that had a hard belt on it that didn't stay tight so I had to either hold it cinched down tight till my hips felt like they were rubbed so badly they would bleed, or let go of the belt and just hike with all the weight on my shoulders.  

Packs are a lot more comfortable now, which makes the hiking more enjoyable.  In fact, I decided I would try adding weight to my pack to give myself more exercise!  I took a couple backpacking stoves (one MSR Butane/Propane stove, and one Coleman white gas stove), and took a bottle of denatured alcohol because one of the boys wanted to try out their pop can stove.   Then I was still glutten for punishment, so I added 1.5 gallons of water.  That did it, got me up to an even 50 pounds.  That ought to give me some exercise!

Then once I got my pack out of the car at the trailhead, I noticed that my pack was missing the plastic latch that holds the belt together - must have come off sometime!  So I ended up doing the 8 miles either without my belt support, or with me trying to hold the belt strap together - just like when I was a kid!

Oh well, it was good that I did bring the extra stoves and water, as the two water filters I brought didn't work - one was clogged, and one was missing parts!  So the extra water I brought up was what kept us going!  We did get some water from a stream, then filter it through a cloth and boil it for 10 minutes though, so that was a good experience.

Another unfortunate experience was that one of the stoves - the coleman white gas one - didn't work.  We were able to pressurize it, but nothing would come out!  So the MSR stove did all the water boiling.

Unfortunately, my son and I needed to be back in town around 6:00 AM so we got up at 4:30 AM and packed up and hiked back down to our cars.  I hear the rest of the boys and leaders made it out ok.

Here's a shot of the sunrise about 30 minutes into our hike in the morning:

What did I learn?  Check and recheck everything before a trip.  I had used both the filters and the stoves in the last year or so, but I should have checked both right before going up.  Even then the Coleman white gas stove could have clogged while we were up there, so an extra on hand is always a good idea.

The boys did good with the setbacks and I detected a hint of excitement as one thing after another didn't work - this was going to be a trip to remember!

High Adventure 2013 - Yellowstone National Park!

This year for High Adventure we went to Yellowstone National Park for a week.  We started out the week with an overnighter backpacking trip into the backcountry to Union Falls in the lower portion of the park.  This required back country permits and reservations, but it was worth it!  We backpacked in 6-7 miles to our reseved campsites, and spend the night, then did a day hike to Union Falls, the second tallest waterfall in the park!

Union Falls

After Union Falls we hiked back down and over to Scout Pool (also known as Ouzel Pool) to soak in the warm river there, sit under the waterfall, and jump off the rocks into the water.  After trying over and over again to swim upcurrent to the waterfall (you can go on the sides, holding the rocks, but we like to challenge ourselves), one of the scouts found out that you can drop down to the bottom of the river and swim along the rocks at the bottom up to the waterfall quite easily.  So we started doing that for fun and a challenge.

Scout Pool

After getting our fill with the falls there, we hiked back to our campsite, had lunch and backpacked back to the vehicles.  

So what was so amazing about this trip?  We did it with our scout with Spina Bifida, so we carried him the entire way!  We used our scout carrier to pack him up there and back, but that means that he, plus the two carriers don't have backpacks.  That meant we had to spread the weight of three people's equipment into the other packs.  Most people had their stuff plus someone else's stuff (I had all mine plus another sleeping bag for someone else).  Then as we went, we traded off on the scout carrier and with the packs.  It was an awesome experience!  It was very difficult for some of those involved, but that's what makes it amazing!  It WAS HARD, but everyone did it anyway, and nobody complained!  It was an awesome trip!

Timpanogos Peak Attempt

So we had planned to hike Timpanogos Peak (elev. 11,750 ft) last weekend.  We planned to backpack up 3-4 miles and set up camp for the night.  Then the next morning we would leave the tents and backpacks and just take day packs to hike to the summit and back, then pack up and hike back down to the trail head.

You'll notice I said "planned".  We didn't get as far as we had hoped due to weather (it was raining cats and dogs), and lack of preparation - but it was a good learning experience for us.

We had boys with sleeping bags rolled up and strapped to packs without any waterproof bag covering them (which got soaked in about 90 seconds).  We had boys with packs that were open on the top that allowed rain to go right in, soaking everything inside the packs.  We had boys that didn't have any rain gear even though they were told that the forecast was for rain and to be prepared.

We quickly took black garbage bags and covered everything we could, but it was too late really, too much was soaked.  We backpacked up the 1.3 miles to Scout Falls on the Timpooneke Trail, then had a little learning discussion.  We talked about how unprepared we were to spend the night - knowing that it was going to get down to the low 30's and we had all wet stuff.  We still had approximately 2 miles to hike and only 45 minutes before dark.  We talked about what we would do if we were on a 50 miler, and 25 miles from our vehicles and had to spend the night.  Then we hiked back down to the vehicles and drove home.

It was a bummer that we didn't "succeed" in our attempt to climb the peak.  But I found out the next day that there was 3 inches of snow at Emerald Lake, and temperatures at the peak were 30 degrees, with a 20 degree wind chill factor.  It was good we weren't up there for all of that.  And it was a great learning experience for the boys, and us leaders as to what we need to do to prepare better next time.

Backpacking Overnighter - Shoes

I have been on backpacking trips with the high top hiking boots like you're "supposed" to wear, but since I haven't ever had any problems with my ankles (and I've put them through a lot of wear and tear), I prefer to use running shoes.  They're way more comfortable, more lightweight, and dry faster when they get wet.  I tend to get less blisters, and I just feel better all day.

Typical Hiking Shoe/Boot

I once read a study that said that an extra pound of weight in your shoes is equivalent to 5 extra pounds in your backpack.  So if I can take off an extra 2-4 pounds of weight by not using a leather, high top stiff hiking boot (size 14), and using a lightweight, flexible, breathable running shoe, I'm going to do it!

More Lightweight & Comfortable Running Shoe

I realize that some people have ankle problems, and therefore feel more comfortable with the extra support a high top type hiking boot gives them.  And that's fine and you should always go with what is best for you.  But, once you try hiking in running shoes, you may never go back!

Five Finger Shoes

I haven't tried the "toe" type shoes, that have spots for each of your toes and are supposed to make you feel like you're hiking barefoot, but with support and protection.  I would like to try one sometime, but am waiting for prices to go down.


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Backpacking Overnighter - Backpacking Foods

Somehow I got a years subscription to Backpacker Magazine awhile ago, and really enjoyed reading through the articles about all the awesome adventures awaiting out there!  But, one of the best things I got out of it was some of their backpacking food ideas.  I ripped them out of the magazine and filed them away for the next backpacking trip I'd go on.  There was simple stuff like using the tuna in a pouch from the store and adding pasta and seasonings to make a pasta meal.  The tuna weighed some, but in all reality, if you're backpacking where you might be able to fish, then you could do the pasta with the fish you catch just as easy.

We've tried the packages of freeze-dried meals (mostly the dinners) and have done just fine - in fact usually had too much food and ended up taking some of it home.  The nice thing about them is that they are so lightweight, and that for most of them, you boil water in a pot and dump it into the pouch the dinner comes in and let it sit for 10 minutes or so.  Then you either eat or serve out of the pouch and you don't get the pot dirty.  The bummer is that it is expensive.

Freeze Dried Meal, 2 servings for $8

So, here's a list of meals I typically try to pull from for backpacking trips.  Feel free to use whatever you want, and add whatever you want on your own trip.

Breakfasts

• Instant Oatmeal
• Instant Grits
• Instant Cream of Wheat

Lunches

• Munchies
• GORP (Good Old Raisins and Peanuts)
• Granola Bars
• String Cheese (individually packaged will stay good for over a week, just in your bag)
• Crackers (a sleeve of Ritz will go a long ways)
• Cheese to go with the Ritz (weighs a lot, but it's pretty good)
• Summer Sausage with the Ritz (weighs a lot, but it's worth it)
• Jerky
• Bagels

Dinners

• Lipton Noodle packets are lightweight, and "just add hot water"
• Hamburger Helper are also good, but you'll need to precook the hamburger and dehydrate it beforehand
• Raman Noodles
• Stove-Top Stuffing (sounds weird, but it's good)
• Tin-foil dinners if you're not hiking too far (heavy, and the meat may go bad if it's left out too long)
• Freeze-Dried Meals
• Macaroni and Cheese
• Pasta Creation (whatever secret recipes you have that you might be able to adapt for low weight)

Eating Utensils

I like to bring up just a bowl, cup and spoon.  Almost everything you eat while backpacking can be eaten with just a bowl, cup and spoon.  You may need to use your pocketknife at times, but you'll get along alright.

For my bowl and cup, I shop at a dollar store, and buy a plastic (tupperware type) bowl and cup (they usually come in 4/dollar packs).  They are totally lightweight, and the plastic keeps your hands from getting burnt on hot liquids (compared to the metal scout mess kits).  On my cup, I measure and mark beforehand lines on the cup to measure a cup or 2 of water.

For my spoon, I actually use the Light My Fire Spork.  It's only a couple of bucks, and it's pretty sturdy and long enough to use for a mixing spoon if need be.

Light My Fire Spork

Cooking Utensils

I can get by on most trips with just a pot to boil water in.  Sometimes I'll bring a pot, and a small kettle if we're going to have 2 stoves.  My pot is 2 Liters, and my kettle is 0.9 Liter.  Both are aluminum and weigh hardly anything.  I will sometimes bring a large, lightweight spoon to stir contents in the pot, but it's not always necessary.

0.9 Liter lightweight kettle (Primus, $20)

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Backpacking Overnighter - Sleeping Bags

It's interesting when you get looking into different types of sleeping bags because they have these nice temperature ratings so you know what temperature you can use the bag in.  A Zero Degree bag is fine to sleep in if it's down to 0 Degrees F, right?  How simple is that?

Unfortunately, it's not as simple as you might think - especially since each company uses their own temperature rating system so you can't even compare companies sleeping bag ratings!  I've been in a zero degree bag when it was 40 degrees outside and been cold all night before.  But I've been in non-rated Walmart specials ($20 Coleman Brand Sleeping Bag) down to the 30's and been fine.

$20 Coleman Sleeping Bag

My night in a zero degree bag was in a High Peak brand bag.  I know other people that have them and seem to do fine, but mine sure should be rated for something more like 50 degrees or something.  I tried to get the lightest bag I could find, and still be a zero degree bag, and that's what I found.  I bought it on ebay for $95, and when I opened it up, I was amazed at how thin the padding was.  I ruffled it out the best I could, but it was still a thin lining.  So initially I was amazed that something that thin could keep me warm in zero degree weather, but after my first couple of trips, I found out that it doesn't.  I later attended a camping class where the speaker mentioned the High Peak brand of sleeping bags, and how they are rated wrong.

High Peak Zero Degree Bag

So, next time I saved up my money and got a more expensive sleeping bag, and I decided to go for a -15 degree bag instead - just in case.  So I put together a list of the bags I was considering, their weights, sizes, colors, fill material, etc. and then waited for a sale.  When I got my 20% off coupon for REI, I jumped on it and bought the bag I wanted.  It was a Mountain Hardware Lamina -15 mummy bag.  It weighs more than my High Peak bag, and is more bulky, but it sure keeps me warm!  I've had it on 2 snow cave campouts so far and have loved it!  Retail right now is $225 ($235 since I got the long model).

Mountain Hardware -15 Lamina Bag

Now, do you have to get an expensive bag to be comfortable?   No way!  I chose to because I know I'll be camping for a long time to come and I've been through quite a few other bags.  I've been totally comfortable in my Coleman - Walmart special as well.  Just make sure that if you are getting it to keep you warm, that it has some bulk to it.  If it's paper thin, then it cannot keep you warm - it just doesn't work that way.

Down Fill vs. Synthetic Fill?

That is a personal opinion in my mind.  Here's some of the criteria I used to determine what I would buy:


Down Fill:

• Is a better insulator
• Is more lightweight
• Cost more (much more in some instances)
• Does not keep you warm when wet

Synthetic Fill:

• Not as good insulator
• weighs slightly more than down
• cost less than down
• still works to some degree when wet

I decided that for less money I could get a bag that would work almost as well in dry situations, but work better when wet.  It does weigh a bit more, but not much.  It is also more bulky than down would have been, but it works great.

Inner Lining

There are two different types of lining in sleeping bags, Flannel, and Nylon.  Here's my thoughts:

• Flannel may feel warmer when you first get into the bag, but if you're wearing sweats, they will stick to the flannel and you'll end up tied in a knot by morning.
• Nylon-type lining is easier to roll around, get into, and dry out if it gets wet.
• I prefer the nylon lining, but my kids think that the nylon is too cold.

Care for Sleeping Bags

Whenever possible, don't store sleeping bags all wrapped up tight in their stuff sack.  It causes the filling to bunch up together and leave gaps without filling.  I store my new sleeping bag under the bed, opened up.  Then when i go on a trip I stuff it in the sack just before I go.  Once I get to camp I set up my tent and pad, and shake out my sleeping bag on the pad to get some air back into the filling.

I know some people store their sleeping bags in the stuff sack, and then open it up and put it in the dryer before a trip to fluff it back up again, but I prefer to keep it stored loose.

Always dry out your sleeping bag after every trip.  Believe it or not, you sweat at night, and your body gives off moisture.  The inside of your bag is slightly moist after a night of camping.  Unzip it and lay it out over the couch or something to let it air out for a few hours (or overnight) after every trip to let it dry out.

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Backpacking Overnighter - Sleeping Pads

There's nothing like a great night's sleep after a day of backpacking!  Though I am convinced that I could have slept just fine as a scout on a dry, rocky stream bed without a sleeping pad, I do need one now to get any sleep.

When I was a scout I had the 1/2 inch thick, blue foam pad that was lighter than almost anything else, and did do the basic requirements of a sleeping pad which are:

1. Make you comfortable - so you don't feel all the rocks/sticks/etc that are under you.
2. Insulate you from the ground - which can make the difference between a cold night and a warm night's rest.

There are 4 different types of sleeping pads for backpacking.  Each has it's own pros and cons and you must decide which will fit your use the best.

1. Thin-Closed Cell Foam Pads



Thin Closed Cell Foam Pad

1. These are like the ones I had while growing up.  They work great, weigh little, cost little, and won't ever spring a leak on you in the middle of the night.  
2. They aren't as comfortable as thicker pads, but they will round off the sharp points under you.
3. They can get bulky rolled up, but there are some that fold nicely if you are looking to get one that takes less space in your pack.
   
2. Open-Cell Foam Pads
1. I have a 3" open cell foam pad that I use for winter camping.  It is thick enough to insulate me from the frozen ground, and quite comfortable.
2. Unfortunately, it soaks up water like a sponge so you have to be careful to keep it dry.  I bought some Gor-tex material from an Army Navy store and made my own Gor-tex cover for it to keep it dry in the snow.
3. It is pretty bulky though, and I only use it on winter campouts.
   
3. "Therma-Rest" type air mattresses
1. These will self inflate most of the way, you just need to top them off with a few puffs at the end.
2. More expensive than the first pads, but more insulation and more comfortable than them as well.
3. They do weigh more than the thin-closed cell foam pads, and they can get bulky when rolled up.
4. I had one of these, but it got a small hole in it somewhere so it doesn't stay up anymore.  I need to fill it up and put it in the bathtub so I can find the hole and fix it, but haven't gotten around to it yet.
   
   
4. Air Mattresses



Heavy Air Mattress



Big Agnes 2.5" Backpacking Air Mattress

1. These can be Big Agnes type air mattresses, or air mattresses you would get to lay out on in the water at the pool (I have a friend that buys them from a Dollar Store and just throws it away when it springs a leak), or the big 6" thick air mattresses that are queen size (though I don't suggest one of these for a backpacking trip, they're pretty heavy).
2. Air mattresses may give you a more comfortable rest, putting more distance between you and the rocky ground, but most of them aren't insulated, so they can get pretty cold to sleep on.  Big Agnes and some other companies do offer an air mattress that has some insulation in it, but you have to look for it, and be willing to spend the extra $ (I have a Big Agnes extra long pad, 2.5" thick with an insulated air core).

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Backpacking Backpacks

There are tons of different types of backpacks to use on backpacking trips, but they can mostly be broken down to 2 types:  Internal Frame and External Frame.

The EXTERNAL FRAME is the type we all had growing up, with the aluminum (or plastic) frame sticking above and below the storage part of the pack.

Typical External Frame Backpack (by Kelty)

PRO'S:

• It's easy to strap a sleeping bag on the bottom and a tent on the top.  Any size sleeping bag will fit and any size tent will fit.  Then you stuff the rest of your stuff in the storage pockets.
• They've added a lot more padding than the one you and I used when we were young

CON'S:

• It's kind of like strapping a metal box to your back.  It doesn't give, and it's stiff.

The INTERNAL FRAME pack still has a frame, it's just on the inside of the pack instead of the outside.

Typical Internal Frame Backpack (by Kelty)

PRO'S:

• Benefits to this design are that it hugs your body better, and should strap down better so it doesn't bounce, shift, etc. as much.
• It somewhat forces you to take less gear since everything fits inside the pack
• Some internal frame packs come with a zip-out rain cover.  It's lightweight and easy to put on your pack for when you're hiking in the rain, or have to leave your pack outside in the rain because there isn't enough room inside your tent

CON'S:

• You have to buy an expensive, tiny mummy bag that fits inside the pack
• You have to buy an expensive, tiny tent that fits inside the pack (it is possible to strap some stuff to the pack, but it's not too easy)
• In keeping the pack from being too wide, some internal frame packs are quite deep (ie, they stick out behind you a long ways).  This can be very tiring if your pack is constantly trying to tip you over backwards.

SIZE

So, what size is best to get?  We've all been through the mentality of "I'll just get the biggest one I can get, and then I'll have plenty of room for whatever I need".  But, if you do that, you will end up with the entire pack filled on each trip you go on - which makes for a heavy pack!  Instead of buying the biggest one you can find, try a more moderate size, and then cut down on all the extra's that you probably won't need.

A good size for a scout (internal frame) would be in the range of 35,000 to 45,000 cubic inches (most packs are measured in cubic inches because with different shapes, an overall length, width, and height wouldn't show it's true packing capacity).  I wouldn't go smaller than 35,000 ci, and if you get much bigger than 45,000 ci then you'll end up with all the shared equipment.  If you are getting an external frame, go with 25,000 to 35,000 cubic inches.

For a leader, if you're like me, you may want to get as big as 55,000 cubic inches for an internal frame (I still bring a little extra of some things, just in case, and am young enough that my back can handle it).  Or up to 40,000 for an external frame.

COMFORT

If you've spent some time backpacking 20 years ago, and see the packs available now, you've noticed that the new packs are much more cushy than the ones 20 years ago.  The one I used as a scout had a hard, canvas belt that didn't stay tight (I was lucky, many of them from that time didn't even come with belts).  Now the padding on the belt is thick enough to use as a pillow at night and the buckles actually stay tight! (I remember holding one hand on the buckle to keep it tight, and the other on the bottom of the pack to lift it and ease the rubbing on my shoulders and waist).

Shoulder straps are now better padded as well.  In fact, some are curved to go around your neck so you don't get chafing there, and then strap together at your chest.  These are pretty nice because you can use the strap to take the pressure off your shoulders.  Anything that allows you to move the pressure to a different location is a good thing in my book.  Undoubtedly, if you hike 10-15 miles in a day (or less even), you will get some rubbing on your shoulders and waist.  If you can adjust that rubbing spot to keep it from getting too sore, your next day will go better.

EXTRAS

Some of the extras that I have found handy on backpacking trips are:

• Pockets built into the pack for a "camel back" type water container (bladder type).  Some are built into the inside of the pack (which keeps the weight close to your body and makes it easier to carry), and some are in the form of a detachable day pack.  I have found the day pack handy if you can fit more than just the bladder in it.  Ideal is one that fits the bladder, some snacks or a small lunch, and a bit left over for a survival kit of some kind.
  
• Long pocket on the side of the pack that can store a fishing pole that comes apart into 3' segments or so.  I've also used them for a folding saw.  Or if you were splitting up a tent, you could put the tent poles in the pocket.
  
• I like the backpacks that open up from the front with a zipper.  Some of them only open up on the top, and if you need something from the bottom you end up pulling everything out of the pack.  With the front zipper, you can lay the pack down and have access to virtually anything in the pack with just one zip.
  
• I believe it's called a "daisy chain" that's on the back of some packs.  It's basically a webbing that is sewn on the back with loops in it so you can clip things on it.  I've found this helpful for clipping something to the back of the pack to dry out as you hike (some people only bring 1 pair of socks (plus what they wear) and wash their socks each day, then hang them to their pack while they hike to dry them out for the next day).  Just don't strap a lantern or something heavy on there that will swing around and throw off your pace.

HINTS ON PACKING

When packing, try to keep your food above your stove in your pack.  I always try to put the stove and fuel in the bottom of the pack.  That way, if the stove or fuel bottle leaks, you won't ruin your food and starve on the trip.

External Frame:

Strap your sleeping bag onto the bottom of your pack, and your tent on the top.  Sometimes you can roll your pad around your sleeping bag or tent and strap it to the pack together.  Use straps such as those shown below so that you can cinch them up tight and keep them from bouncing around.  I used to use bungy cords, but it's hard to get one just the right size to keep it from bouncing as you walk.

Internal Frame:

• Roll up your mummy bag tight and stuff it inside the bottom zippered pocket on your pack.  The tent may need to be taken out of the bag so that you can put the long poles in the upper pocket and the tent and fly as well.  Sometimes you can strap the tent to the top of the pack, or vertically on the back of the pack (but this will move the center of weight further behind you, making you constantly fight to stay upright)

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Backpacking Tents

Between me and the troop, we've been through a few backpacking tents.  You know they have to be pretty durable to stand up to the abuse they get from scouts, but they also need to be lightweight.  Then there's the size.  What size is best?  How big is too big?  Will it really fit the # of people that it says it will?  Well, I've got a few ideas about backpacking tents that I'll share, but first, let's look at a few tents:

Our Scouts Backpacking tent.  3-4 Man, and just over 8 pounds

A small, 2-man tent made by Eureka, the Zeus 2

Small Tent I got from Smiths Marketplace for around $20

The one in the front is an Ozark Trail tent from Walmart ($30).  It sets up quick, and has been good for what I've needed it for, but it has some clear panels on the rainfly so you can see the stars that gets brittle and cracks when it's used in freezing temperatures.
The one in the back is a Coleman 8-man tent.  Way too big for backpacking of course, but a great car camping tent.  I love the "D" door with it's pole in the door that makes it act like a hinge.  That way you can go in and out of the tent without wearing out the zipper.

SIZE

For scouts I like to get 3-4 man tents for backpacking.  Typically you can fit one less person comfortably than what it says you can fit.  So, our scout backpacking tents that are sized for 4 people, actually fit 3 people pretty well.  We have stuffed 4 scouts in there at times, but they weren't too excited about it.
Interestingly enough, a 4 man tent for the scouts, fits 2 adult leaders pretty good.  It's kind of weird, but adults don't like to be squished in together in tents.  They like a little more room.  So, the Ozark Trails tent that is pictured above is pretty good size for 2 adults.

WEIGHT

The lightest backpacking tent I have is the Eureka 2-man tent in the photo above.  It doesn't have a rain fly - the walls/roof of the tent act as the rain fly.  Since it doesn't have a rain fly, it weighs in just under 4 pounds.  It says it's 2-man, but that's pretty tight for 2 adults.  I guess you could squeeze 2 adults in there, but it's more for 1 adult, or a father and son.
The Scout backpacking tent in the picture above weighs about 8 pounds.  But if you were to split that up into 3 packs (with the poles in one, the tent in one, and the rainfly and tarp in one) then you'd be just over 2.5 pounds each.  That's a pretty good weight for a good size tent.
The Ozark Trail tent from Walmart is a 4 man tent as well, and it weighs almost 10 pounds.  I've used it on a few backpacking trips, but mostly use it for car camping since it's usually shared between me and another leader so if we split the weight we're still at 5 pounds each!

WINTER USE

When the tent says 3 seasons, from what I've seen, the main differences are that a winter tent has a more full rain fly (that covers the whole tent), and winter tents don't have sections of clear stuff in the rain fly.  These sections of clear material will crack if they get frozen.  Then your rain fly doesn't keep the rain out anymore.  If you can, buy the tents that are 4 season.  They're harder to find, but worth the buy.  I have been known to take packing tape and fix holes in the clear sections of rain fly's that have been frozen and cracked, but it's best to not have to deal with it.

All in all, scouts are hard on tents.  You can train all you want, but the tents get used a lot more than the average family tents, so they last less time than that.  The most important thing is to make sure the tent is dry when you put it away.  Nobody wants to sleep in a moldy tent, and the mold will actually eat holes into the tent fabric (had that happen once, it wasn't a happy day).  After each campout, set up the tent and dry it out completely (even if you thought it was dry before).

SELF STANDING

Some tents, like the Smiths Marketplace tent shown above, need to be staked down or they collapse.  If you don't stake it down solidly, it sags, or just falls down.  This can be quite a problem when you are camping  in the sand (where the stakes may not hold) or in a rocky area or somewhere with lots of roots (where you can't get the stakes in the ground).  If possible, I try to get tents that are self standing.  I still stake them down to make it stronger in the wind, but I want the tent to hold up even if I don't stake it.  That's just a personal preference, but it's what I try to do.

CONDENSATION

One problem I have not personally experienced, but someone I lent my Eureka tent to has, is problems with condensation on the inside of the tent.  I would have thought that with the air vents on either side of the tent, plus the large vestibule with a vented door, that you would have enough ventilation that you wouldn't have condensation problems.  But, apparently if you are up high in elevation, and if it gets cold enough, you can be soaked by morning (not a happy thing if you are up in the mountains in the cold).

My brother has the same tent, but with 2 vestibules (one on each of the long sides), and he hasn't had the problem with condensation.  But it's hard to find.  It's the Eureka Zeus 2 LE.

We've never had that problem with any of the other tents, so I guess it must be the air vent on the top that it is lacking.  Since the tent is the rainfly, it doesn't have a vent on the top of the tent.  Try to get a tent with sufficient ventilation low and up high in the tent.

FOOTPRINT / GROUND TARP

Spend the extra $ to get either a cheap tarp or a custom made footprint for your tent.  It will protect the bottom of the tent and make it last longer.  It will also give your air mattress a better chance of surviving the night, adding an additional layer between the mattress and whatever is on the ground.

HAMMOCK

Another option is to sleep in a hammock.  I have written a post on Hammock camping HERE.  In essence, you're taking a hammock instead of the tent, but you still need your sleeping bag, and possibly a pad to insulate you from the cold.  Check out the link for more information.

BACK TO BACKPACKING OVERNIGHTER

Backpacking Overnighter

One of the easiest, and sometimes most rewarding trips you can go on is just an overnighter where you backpack 2-5 miles into the mountains to spend the night.  You don't need food to last a week like you would need for a week-long trip, and sometimes you can get away with less equipment as well.  One stove will get you through, or even better, use a small campfire to cook your food.  Use tents, or try doing a little minimalist camping and just use a tarp and sleeping bag.

Imagine your scouts carrying everything they needed for the night in a backpack and hiking 5 miles up a trail.  You'll find that some things they might think are important in the "city" aren't as important in the mountains.
Also, don't think you need to get the most expensive, fancy backpacks there are out there.  The bigger they are, the more weight you'll end up carrying.  The more comfortable they are, the more weight you'll carry.  Your goal should be to carry less weight.

Just a simple, square tent seems to work best for us.  We like the 3-4 man tents (and we usually put 3 in it, 4 is too tight), and aluminum poles are nice because they are more lightweight, and seem to hold up better to wind and abuse.

Click on a link below for more information on each:

Tents
Stoves
Backpacks
Sleeping Bags
Sleeping Pads
Backpacking Foods
Shoes

Backpacking Stoves

Backpacking stoves are an interesting subject where different people have completely different opinions.  So I'll offer my opinion on the pros and cons of each of the ones below, but understand that it's my opinion based on my camping experiences.  Below is a photo of the 3 backpacking stoves I have access to.  The one on the left is our troop's stove, made by Coleman.  The middle one is mine, and it's also made by Coleman.  The one on the right is a woodgas stove that burns wood instead of gas.  Each of the stoves below cost approximately the same ($50-$80, depending on where you get it).

The 3 stoves I have access to

So, the first one is a Coleman Featherlight Exponent backpacking stove.  It will run off of white gas, unleaded gas, or kerosene.  I don't picture using the kerosene feature much, but the white gas and unleaded makes it so that if you run out of white gas you can siphon gas out of a stranded vehicle and still cook food.  It's fairly small, but not the lightest thing out there.  It weighs 24 oz empty and gives out 7,500 Btu's of heat on high.  Tank holds .34 L and will burn for 1.5 hours.

Coleman Featherlight Exponent Stove

Here's my first stove.  It's a Coleman Dual Fuel 533.  It will burn white gas or unleaded as well, but not kerosene.  It is larger than the Exponent (above), and weighs 14.5 ounces more as well at 38.5 oz.  It has a larger tank (0.52 L) which will provide 10,500 Btu's (high) for 1.75 hours.

Coleman Dual Fuel 533 Stove

Here's my new stove (below).  I got it from THIS WEBSITE.  It's called a Biomass Wood gas Stove.  It burns wood, but has a fan run by 2 AA Batteries that allows you to burn the wood gas at a more consistent rate.  At high it gives off 10,500 Btu's and at low it gives 5,000 Btu's.  Unfortunately it's either high or low, nothing in between.  But, you don't need any gas, just batteries, and 2 AA Batteries are supposed to last 10 hours on high or 11 hours on low.

Biomass Wood Gas Stove

Let's see, compared to the stove above that would be: 10 hours/1.75 hours = 5.7, and 0.52L x 5.7 = 2.9 L of gas needed to burn for 10 hours on the Coleman Dual Fuel Stove!  Thats approximately 3 quarts of fuel, weighing a total of 6 pounds!


So, weight of Coleman Stove (38.5 oz) + weight of fuel to burn for 10 hours (6 pounds) = 8.4 pounds!
While the weight of the Wood Gas Stove is 1.6 pounds (battery and carrying bag included)!  That's 6.8 pounds less!

Plus, white gas is about $9 per gallon right now.  1 Gallon gas will burn (on high with the dual fuel stove) for approximately 13.3 hours.  While with two sets of 2-AA Batteries you can burn for 20 hours.  What do AA Batteries cost now, maybe $4 for a set of 4?  So, for the same cost as the gas ($9), you could burn your wood gas stove for approximately 40-50 HOURS (instead of 13 hours).

So, suffice it to say that I'm pretty excited about using it.  I have tried it out in the backyard and it worked great there, but I'd love to take it on a backpacking trip (I'll go on at least one this spring) and compare it side by side with the Coleman Stoves.

As I've stated in earlier posts, I like the white gas stoves because the white gas will work at lower temperatures much better than propane, or some of the other gases out there.  I've been on camping trips when people have had the butane tanks or whatever that come pre-pressurized and ready to go - simple, right?  But then some of the tanks would only use up about 1/2 of the gas.  We could tell there was more in there, but it wouldn't come out.  With white gas, you can open the lid and see how much is in there (and you know how much you put in there, you don't have to guess on your next trip how much is actually in the half used tank), and you know you can get it all out.

A word of caution:  If there is a ban on open fires in your wilderness area, you can't use the wood gas stove.  You'll have to use the Coleman stove or another of your choice.

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