Kotchy
11-11-2008, 10:20 PM
On Food Planning:
Each of the three major food components provides energy. These components are: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
Carbohydrates are the easiest food for the body to convert into energy, so they should constitute the most calories in your diet. They are your fuel food. Foods that are high in carbohydrates provide vitamins, minerals, proteins, fiber, water, and essential fats. Examples of good carb foods include: whole grains, rice, potatoes, cereals, pasta, bread, crackers and granola bars.
Proteins are kind of a constant need as it pertains to your diet. They cannot be stored, so once they are consumed they are converted to energy or stored as fat. Foods that are high in protein include cheese, peanut butter, nuts, jerky, canned meats, fish, and foil packaged meals with meat or cheese.
Fats are an important energy source because they pack over twice the calories per gram of proteins or carbohydrates. Fats are digested more slowly than carbs and proteins, so they keep you satisfied for a longer period of time. High-fat foods in clued butter, peanut butter, nuts, canned bacon, jerky, oils, meat, eggs.
Water: Drink a lot, and often. You need to drink about 4-6 quarts a day. Most will drink even more on the trail. Also try hot drinks. They do a good job of warming you up before you go to bed, or begin your day.
As for planning: Typically, you want to plan about 2 pounds of food, per person per day. For short trips, you can make sandwiches or bring things that you may not be able to bring on a longer trip. For those short trips you can bring canned goods and cook them in a pot, especially if you don’t have to worry about pack weight.
Make sure you plan your meals according the trip length, money, weather, and means of travel as well.
For longer trips, start to think about pack weight and whether or not your food will go bad within a few days. Freeze-dried foods are easy and weigh very little. Some of the meals are pricey but they require very little effort to cook, and especially eat.
When you plan your meals, make a list. Write out each day, and also label each meal as breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Don’t plan heavy meals when you need to hike more!
On Leave No Trace:
Leave No Trace Principles:
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave what you find
5. Minimize campfire impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be considerate of other Visitors
Plan Ahead and Prepare
* Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit.
* Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
* Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
* Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.
* Repackage food to minimize waste.
* Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
* Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow.
* Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
* Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.
o In popular areas: Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
o Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
o Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.
o In pristine areas:
o Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
o Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.
Dispose of Waste Properly
* Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter.
* Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
* Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
* To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.
Leave What You Find
* Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch, cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
* Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
* Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
* Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.
Minimize Campfire Impacts
* Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
* Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.
* Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand.
* Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.
Respect Wildlife
* Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
* Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
* Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
* Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
* Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.
Be Considerate of Other Visitors
* Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
* Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
* Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
* Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
* Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises
On Lightning Safety (this shit can suck)
Summer afternoons are the most likely time for thunderstorms and lightning storms. Lightning strikes can occur from miles away toward high points ahead or behind the main thundercloud. You can be in danger of a lightning strike at times other than when the storm is directly above you.
Check weather reports before you head out. If you’re caught out in the open, seek shelter. Tents make poor shelter, the poles can act as lightning rods. Stay away from them, as well as some items that may be wet. Do not stand near high ridges or lone trees. Do not stand in the middle of a clearing, because you’re the tallest object in the area. Make sure you set up camp in an area that is lower, such as a ravine.
How do you know how far away lightning is?
Sound travels at about 1100 feet per second. There are 5280 feet in a mile. So for ABOUT every 5 seconds you count, it equals a mile.
If you count to 20 from the time you see the flash until you hear the crash, lightning is 5 miles away.
Follow the 30/30 rule.
Any lightning safety plan should incorporate the 30/30 Rule. The 30/30 Rule states that people should seek shelter if the "Flash-To-Crash" delay (length of time in seconds between a lightning flash and its subsequent thunder), is 30 seconds or less, and that they remain under cover until 30 minutes after the final clap of thunder. If there is no shelter, get in the lightning position in a safe place and wait it out.
What is lightning position?
When at risk from lightning strike, lightning position reduces the chances of a direct lightning strike, but it does not offer any guarantees.
Lightning position is taken when you are crouching or kneeling in an area that is low and dry. Crouching on top of your pack can help protect you from lightning that strikes the ground. If you have a metal frame backpack, leave it 100 feet from where you’ll be. Ball up, pull your knees to your chest and squat down. Wrap your arms around your legs, both to offer a safer path than your torso for electrons to flow from the ground. Close your eyes.
When to get into lightning position? If you are in a dangerous area with your tent and it is unsafe, you should get out of the tent and move to a lower area. If you cannot, get out of your tent and get into lightning position before the storm starts and stay out of the tent until the storm passes. If you are in a safer area with your tent, you should at least be in lightning position inside the tent.
To estimate the distance between you and a lightning flash, use the "Flash to Crash" method: If you observe lightning, count the number of seconds until you hear thunder. Divide the number of seconds by five to get the distance in miles.
How should a group be positioned when hiking in lightning?
Your group should not huddle together. Instead, have each person find shelter about 100 feet apart. This minimizes the possibility of multiple casualties from a single strike.
On The Sleeping System:
A Sleeping bag’s characteristics: A sleeping bag should be able to handle the temperatures of the area in which you are hiking. It should also be warm, compressible, and lightweight. They are categorized as summer, 3-season, or winter-expedition bags. A sleeping bag can be either square or mummy, depending on the situation. The insulating material that makes up the sleeping bag traps the dead air and warms the sleeper.
Length: With a mummy bag, the bag should be just your size. If the bag is too small it will restrict both warmth and loft, because both are related. Your bag should be form-fitting and have a hood with a drawstring to reduce heat loss.
Temperature Rating: When a manufacturer gives a temperature rating, that rating stands for the lowest possible temperature at which the bag can remain warm and comfortable. Use it as only a guideline. Bags are rated with minimum temperatures; the highest is usually around 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit, while the lowest is usually around minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit. It is important to think about the temperature you will be hiking in, and to get the bag that would cater to that temperature accordingly.
When deciding on your temperature rating, choose the coldest possible temperature in which you’ll be using the bag.
Fill: Warmth, cost and comfort depend on the fill. There are two different types, synthetic and down.
Goose Down-Down is the warmest and most compressible fill. They last a long time and retain their loft very well. Down ratings go up to about 800-plus, the higher the rating, the better the loft.
Disadvantages- Cost, and when it gets wet it stays that way. In moist conditions its nearly impossible to dry if you spend several days in a wet environment and it is soaked.
Synthetic- Resistant to moisture, but packs larger and is heavier than a down bag. It keeps most of its loft when it gets wet and dries fairly quickly. They are also cheaper in price than down bags. PrimaLoft is the typical fill used for synthetic bags.
Disadvantages- Pack large, aren’t as durable or long-lasting.
Ground Insulation
In order to have a comfortable night’s sleep, the backpacker needs to have a good piece of insulation under his/her sleeping bag.
The way your body stays warm is by trapping warm air in the filling of the sleeping bag. When you sleep on the ground, the cold earth sucks away that warmth. Closed cell foam pads are a good solution, but an even better option is an inflatable sleeping pad, such as those made by Thermarest. These keep you off the ground and the insulated air-filled chambers provide additional warmth.
Ground Cloth- Provides additional insulation and separates the sleeper from the cold ground. Also protects the tent bottom.
Closed cell foam like ensolite or polyethylene provide good insulation and are thin-shaped pads. These pads are increasingly becoming improved, so they offer good warmth, a good sleeping surface, and pack fairly small.
Open-Cell foam offers more padding, but it packs large and if it gets wet it holds water.
Air Matress- An Air mattress, while comfortable, does not provide sufficient insulation. It convects heat away from the body by internal air circulation.
Other ways to stay warm while sleeping: Eat/drink before you go to bed, do a few push-ups before you get into your bag. Get a water bottle that doesn’t leak and fill it with hot water and place it in your bag at your feet.
Each of the three major food components provides energy. These components are: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.
Carbohydrates are the easiest food for the body to convert into energy, so they should constitute the most calories in your diet. They are your fuel food. Foods that are high in carbohydrates provide vitamins, minerals, proteins, fiber, water, and essential fats. Examples of good carb foods include: whole grains, rice, potatoes, cereals, pasta, bread, crackers and granola bars.
Proteins are kind of a constant need as it pertains to your diet. They cannot be stored, so once they are consumed they are converted to energy or stored as fat. Foods that are high in protein include cheese, peanut butter, nuts, jerky, canned meats, fish, and foil packaged meals with meat or cheese.
Fats are an important energy source because they pack over twice the calories per gram of proteins or carbohydrates. Fats are digested more slowly than carbs and proteins, so they keep you satisfied for a longer period of time. High-fat foods in clued butter, peanut butter, nuts, canned bacon, jerky, oils, meat, eggs.
Water: Drink a lot, and often. You need to drink about 4-6 quarts a day. Most will drink even more on the trail. Also try hot drinks. They do a good job of warming you up before you go to bed, or begin your day.
As for planning: Typically, you want to plan about 2 pounds of food, per person per day. For short trips, you can make sandwiches or bring things that you may not be able to bring on a longer trip. For those short trips you can bring canned goods and cook them in a pot, especially if you don’t have to worry about pack weight.
Make sure you plan your meals according the trip length, money, weather, and means of travel as well.
For longer trips, start to think about pack weight and whether or not your food will go bad within a few days. Freeze-dried foods are easy and weigh very little. Some of the meals are pricey but they require very little effort to cook, and especially eat.
When you plan your meals, make a list. Write out each day, and also label each meal as breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Don’t plan heavy meals when you need to hike more!
On Leave No Trace:
Leave No Trace Principles:
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave what you find
5. Minimize campfire impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be considerate of other Visitors
Plan Ahead and Prepare
* Know the regulations and special concerns for the area you'll visit.
* Prepare for extreme weather, hazards, and emergencies.
* Schedule your trip to avoid times of high use.
* Visit in small groups when possible. Consider splitting larger groups into smaller groups.
* Repackage food to minimize waste.
* Use a map and compass to eliminate the use of marking paint, rock cairns or flagging.
Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
* Durable surfaces include established trails and campsites, rock, gravel, dry grasses or snow.
* Protect riparian areas by camping at least 200 feet from lakes and streams.
* Good campsites are found, not made. Altering a site is not necessary.
o In popular areas: Concentrate use on existing trails and campsites.
o Walk single file in the middle of the trail, even when wet or muddy.
o Keep campsites small. Focus activity in areas where vegetation is absent.
o In pristine areas:
o Disperse use to prevent the creation of campsites and trails.
o Avoid places where impacts are just beginning.
Dispose of Waste Properly
* Pack it in, pack it out. Inspect your campsite and rest areas for trash or spilled foods. Pack out all trash, leftover food, and litter.
* Deposit solid human waste in catholes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet from water, camp, and trails. Cover and disguise the cathole when finished.
* Pack out toilet paper and hygiene products.
* To wash yourself or your dishes, carry water 200 feet away from streams or lakes and use small amounts of biodegradable soap. Scatter strained dishwater.
Leave What You Find
* Preserve the past: examine, but do not touch, cultural or historic structures and artifacts.
* Leave rocks, plants and other natural objects as you find them.
* Avoid introducing or transporting non-native species.
* Do not build structures, furniture, or dig trenches.
Minimize Campfire Impacts
* Campfires can cause lasting impacts to the backcountry. Use a lightweight stove for cooking and enjoy a candle lantern for light.
* Where fires are permitted, use established fire rings, fire pans, or mound fires.
* Keep fires small. Only use sticks from the ground that can be broken by hand.
* Burn all wood and coals to ash, put out campfires completely, then scatter cool ashes.
Respect Wildlife
* Observe wildlife from a distance. Do not follow or approach them.
* Never feed animals. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers.
* Protect wildlife and your food by storing rations and trash securely.
* Control pets at all times, or leave them at home.
* Avoid wildlife during sensitive times: mating, nesting, raising young, or winter.
Be Considerate of Other Visitors
* Respect other visitors and protect the quality of their experience.
* Be courteous. Yield to other users on the trail.
* Step to the downhill side of the trail when encountering pack stock.
* Take breaks and camp away from trails and other visitors.
* Let nature's sounds prevail. Avoid loud voices and noises
On Lightning Safety (this shit can suck)
Summer afternoons are the most likely time for thunderstorms and lightning storms. Lightning strikes can occur from miles away toward high points ahead or behind the main thundercloud. You can be in danger of a lightning strike at times other than when the storm is directly above you.
Check weather reports before you head out. If you’re caught out in the open, seek shelter. Tents make poor shelter, the poles can act as lightning rods. Stay away from them, as well as some items that may be wet. Do not stand near high ridges or lone trees. Do not stand in the middle of a clearing, because you’re the tallest object in the area. Make sure you set up camp in an area that is lower, such as a ravine.
How do you know how far away lightning is?
Sound travels at about 1100 feet per second. There are 5280 feet in a mile. So for ABOUT every 5 seconds you count, it equals a mile.
If you count to 20 from the time you see the flash until you hear the crash, lightning is 5 miles away.
Follow the 30/30 rule.
Any lightning safety plan should incorporate the 30/30 Rule. The 30/30 Rule states that people should seek shelter if the "Flash-To-Crash" delay (length of time in seconds between a lightning flash and its subsequent thunder), is 30 seconds or less, and that they remain under cover until 30 minutes after the final clap of thunder. If there is no shelter, get in the lightning position in a safe place and wait it out.
What is lightning position?
When at risk from lightning strike, lightning position reduces the chances of a direct lightning strike, but it does not offer any guarantees.
Lightning position is taken when you are crouching or kneeling in an area that is low and dry. Crouching on top of your pack can help protect you from lightning that strikes the ground. If you have a metal frame backpack, leave it 100 feet from where you’ll be. Ball up, pull your knees to your chest and squat down. Wrap your arms around your legs, both to offer a safer path than your torso for electrons to flow from the ground. Close your eyes.
When to get into lightning position? If you are in a dangerous area with your tent and it is unsafe, you should get out of the tent and move to a lower area. If you cannot, get out of your tent and get into lightning position before the storm starts and stay out of the tent until the storm passes. If you are in a safer area with your tent, you should at least be in lightning position inside the tent.
To estimate the distance between you and a lightning flash, use the "Flash to Crash" method: If you observe lightning, count the number of seconds until you hear thunder. Divide the number of seconds by five to get the distance in miles.
How should a group be positioned when hiking in lightning?
Your group should not huddle together. Instead, have each person find shelter about 100 feet apart. This minimizes the possibility of multiple casualties from a single strike.
On The Sleeping System:
A Sleeping bag’s characteristics: A sleeping bag should be able to handle the temperatures of the area in which you are hiking. It should also be warm, compressible, and lightweight. They are categorized as summer, 3-season, or winter-expedition bags. A sleeping bag can be either square or mummy, depending on the situation. The insulating material that makes up the sleeping bag traps the dead air and warms the sleeper.
Length: With a mummy bag, the bag should be just your size. If the bag is too small it will restrict both warmth and loft, because both are related. Your bag should be form-fitting and have a hood with a drawstring to reduce heat loss.
Temperature Rating: When a manufacturer gives a temperature rating, that rating stands for the lowest possible temperature at which the bag can remain warm and comfortable. Use it as only a guideline. Bags are rated with minimum temperatures; the highest is usually around 40-45 degrees Fahrenheit, while the lowest is usually around minus 20 degrees Fahrenheit. It is important to think about the temperature you will be hiking in, and to get the bag that would cater to that temperature accordingly.
When deciding on your temperature rating, choose the coldest possible temperature in which you’ll be using the bag.
Fill: Warmth, cost and comfort depend on the fill. There are two different types, synthetic and down.
Goose Down-Down is the warmest and most compressible fill. They last a long time and retain their loft very well. Down ratings go up to about 800-plus, the higher the rating, the better the loft.
Disadvantages- Cost, and when it gets wet it stays that way. In moist conditions its nearly impossible to dry if you spend several days in a wet environment and it is soaked.
Synthetic- Resistant to moisture, but packs larger and is heavier than a down bag. It keeps most of its loft when it gets wet and dries fairly quickly. They are also cheaper in price than down bags. PrimaLoft is the typical fill used for synthetic bags.
Disadvantages- Pack large, aren’t as durable or long-lasting.
Ground Insulation
In order to have a comfortable night’s sleep, the backpacker needs to have a good piece of insulation under his/her sleeping bag.
The way your body stays warm is by trapping warm air in the filling of the sleeping bag. When you sleep on the ground, the cold earth sucks away that warmth. Closed cell foam pads are a good solution, but an even better option is an inflatable sleeping pad, such as those made by Thermarest. These keep you off the ground and the insulated air-filled chambers provide additional warmth.
Ground Cloth- Provides additional insulation and separates the sleeper from the cold ground. Also protects the tent bottom.
Closed cell foam like ensolite or polyethylene provide good insulation and are thin-shaped pads. These pads are increasingly becoming improved, so they offer good warmth, a good sleeping surface, and pack fairly small.
Open-Cell foam offers more padding, but it packs large and if it gets wet it holds water.
Air Matress- An Air mattress, while comfortable, does not provide sufficient insulation. It convects heat away from the body by internal air circulation.
Other ways to stay warm while sleeping: Eat/drink before you go to bed, do a few push-ups before you get into your bag. Get a water bottle that doesn’t leak and fill it with hot water and place it in your bag at your feet.