My Journey to Freedom and Ultralight Backpacking

by Carol Wellman

  When packing food for a drop box, divide the food into each day's allotment, and keep it as close to your minimal comfort level as possible. If packing several boxes at once, variation of food will be important. Weigh those bags of Gorp, and vary the recipes. Seriously. I like to put each day's worth in a zip-loc bag, keeping it to 10 ounces. If this bag of Gorp is to be used as breakfast as well (high mileage or cold days) my Gorp for the day may weigh up to 14 ounces. In camp that evening, I will have a cup of soup with crackers, then my supper of ramen, rice or oatmeal. Any Gorp left from that day's allotment would be dessert. I drink instant coffee before and after supper, but will seldom carry hot cocoa, pudding mixes or Jell-O because its weight is mostly sugar. As a small woman, I need less food than a larger male would need. Twice this amount would probably be adequate for a man.

  Try to leave town with your stomach full of good, healthy, high protein food. It’s okay to pull into the next town hungry. Keep in mind, though, that sufficient fat and calories are needed on trail to keep energy levels up. In cold weather more calories are needed, especially before bedtime in order to sleep warm. It isn’t bad to have a lot of food weight, because you can always just stop and eat it. Picking up your pack will get easier each morning. It’s those first days that are rough. Some hikers will carry an extra day of food in case of emergency. Some hikers pack scantily, especially in hot months when appetites lessen, making big days easier. Food weight is definitely a variable that needs much practice and individual consideration.

  Using a Convenience Store/Grocery Store

  Using the same principles discussed above, a resupply is almost always possible at a food mart, convenience store, and certainly at any large grocery store. If the store has any deli food available, be sure to enjoy a meal there as well.

  An easy fuel source for the soda can stove is 70% rubbing alcohol. There will be some water when the flame goes out, which is drained by turning the stove upside down. Rubbing alcohol (which can be used for personal hygiene as well), requires one ounce to cook most simple meals, and can be found nearly everywhere. It does burn a bit sooty, and if it gets cold it should be warmed in its bottle next to your body. ISO-Heet, a gas line additive, can be found at almost any convenience store and it makes great soda-can stove fuel.

  Be ready to dump or stash in a hiker box any extra fuel you don't need. Eight ounces should last 8 meals; many times it is sold in 16-ounce containers.

  When buying food for a resupply, shop with a hand basket instead of pushing a cart. This way, you get a feel for how much weight you have picked up. Some weight will be lost in repackaging, but not enough to consider at this point. I keep a mental estimate of weight, knowing that 4 bags of Gorp ingredients, each weighing 12-14 ounces each, will give me 48-56 ounces, or enough for about 5 days.

  If the store is very small with limited food, walk down the aisles to get an overall picture of what is available. At this point, variety is not that important, but quantity and calories are. Almost any gas station, convenience store, or small town shop will have candy, candy bars and chips. These can be combined into Gorp mixes, or repackaged separately. Look for candy bars that have nuts in them. This will see you through to supper. Some small stores sell boxes of cold breakfast cereal, which make fine finger food. Check for bread, hamburger or hot dog buns or bakery items. If there is something to go on that bread, great! Peanut butter, cheese, cream cheese, beef sticks or jerky on the side will all make a fine supper. Something hot to drink is really nice. Look for instant soups, coffee, or tea. It's not important to get all the four food groups now. All you are after is enough reasonably tasty food to see you through to the next resupply. If you see something that takes longer to cook, like white rice or pasta, keep any extra fuel and spend a little more time cooking. Buy between one and two pounds of food for each day, regardless of the vitamin content. This junk food will provide enough energy until your next resupply, and will save hitch hiking into the next town, which is sometimes an impossible or dangerous endeavor.

  I never go shopping when I’m hungry unless I plan to buy my town lunch at the store. If one has had a bad or scanty resupply in the last section, the normal reaction is to overcompensate in the next town. To avoid overbuying, sit down to a satisfying meal first. At the very least, buy a quart of ice cream, drink some chocolate milk, or eat a large deli sandwich. Taco chips and soda also take the edge off hunger before resupplying.

  Rainmaker taught me to break down the extra packaging, discarding jars, plastics and cardboards. Using the best zip-loc bags possible, repackage oatmeal, pasta, cookies, cereal, coffee, and chips. This definitely saves on the amount of trash that must be carried later. Taco chips, pretzels, Fritos, cookies, and candy all come in their own plastic bags, which can rip down the side later on and spill. It is much easier to put them in zip-loc bags while you’re in town.

  Gear list/ Winter and Summer Checklist

  The following list is intended to be very complete. Its main purpose is to help you not to forget anything. For complete discussion on each category, see chapter seven.

  The Big Three, and Their Components

   Sleeping Bag with stuff sack

   Sleeping Pad

   Shelter with stakes, and guy lines, in stuff sack

   Ground cloth, if desired

   Pack, pack liner or garbage bag liner

   Pack cover

  Clothing

   Rain jacket, rain pants

   Warm layer (fleece top, pants, hat, gloves, socks)

   Mid weight layer (silk or polyester blend top, mid weight bottom, socks)

   Hiking layer (shorts, top, socks, hat)

   Sandals

   Stuff sack for clothing

   Sleep wear

   Town wear (optional)

  Hygiene/ Medical/Murphy

   Tooth brush, tooth paste, dental floss

   Comb

   Ultralight mirror

   Tweezers for tick and splinter removal

   Disposable razor

   Rubbing alcohol, cotton balls

   Toilet paper

   Trowel

   Hand sanitizer, or use rubbing alcohol

   Body lotion or Vaseline, traveler's size

   Camp towel/ bandana

   Pain reliever

   Imodium

   Multi-Vitamins

   Sun block

   Insect repellent

   Electrical or duct tape

   Needle and thread

   Safety pins

   Free flowing super glue

   Any prescriptions you are taking

   Eye glasses, sun glasses

   Two or three ditty bags for all this

  Cook System

   Stove

   Fuel

   Matches, lighter

   Windscreen, pot support, pot lifter

   Cooking pot

   Cup, spoon

   Pot scrubber, if wanted

   Plastic bags for repackaging food

   Zip-loc bag for trash

   Ditty bag for pot and stove

   Stuff sack for food

  Water Treatment and Capacity

   Chemical treatment (always bring)

   Filter, if wanted

   Water bottles

   Water bag/Platypus

   Water bottle carriers, or use pockets on pack

  Other Items and Tools

   Paper and Pencil/Pen

   Driver's license, and /or photo ID

   Non-debit credit card

   Emergency telephone numbers, insurance card

   Flashlight/ LED /Photon light

   Knife

   GI-style can opener

   Watch

   Trail guide, maps, data sheet

   Compass, if needed or wanted

   Cash

   Ditty bag as wallet


   Quality zip lock bags for all paper products

   Rope for hanging shelters, guy lines, or food bags

  Luxury Items

   Cell phone

   Radio, batteries

   Pocket E-mail

   Camera (digital, disposable or regular)

   CD player, discs

   Quality zip-loc bag and ditty bag for any luxury item

   Knee braces, if needed or wanted

   Reading material, books

   Mace/ bear spray

   Bear canister

  My Gear List for January Bartram Trail Hike 2003

  The Big Three, and their Components

   Sleeping Bag, Hydrogen Marmot 800 fill, rated at 30 degrees, with stuff sack: 24 ounces

   Fleece Bag liner: 8 ounces

   Sleeping Pad, closed cell, 43 inches long by 19 inches wide, corners trimmed: 8 ounces

   Reflective ground sheet, for inside tent: 4 ounces

   Shelter, my Tacoma Solo, with 6-skewer type stakes, and guy lines, in stuff sack: 18 ounces

   Pack and garbage bag liner: 9 ounces

   Pack cover, same as used on the AT thru-hike: 1.5 ounces

  Clothing

   Silnylon rain jacket, rain pants: 6 ounces

   Warm layer (fleece jacket with hood and mittens attached, socks) 15 ounces

   Mid weight layer (thermal top, nylon tights): 9 ounces

   Hiking layer (polyester pants: 13 ounces, long sleeve shirt: 6 ounces; sports top: 3 ounces; socks: 3 ounces; gloves: 2 ounce): 27 ounces total

   Stuff sack for clothing: 1 ounce

   Sleep wear (balaclava 1 ounce, fleece tights 7.5 ounces, wool socks 4 ounces, polyester top 5.5 ounces)

  Hygiene/ Medical/Murphy

   Toothbrush, toothpaste, dental floss:

   Comb, ultralight mirror

   Rubbing alcohol, cotton balls

   Toilet paper, trowel, bandana

   Vaseline, traveler’s size

   Pain reliever, Imodium

   Electrical tape, wound around water bottles

   Needle

   Sunglasses

   One ditty bag for all this: 8 ounces total

  Cook System

   Soda can stove, windscreen, pot support: 1 ounce

   Fuel, 4 ounces alcohol, and 9 hexamine tablets

   Stick matches, lighter: 20 grams

   Minimalist pot, cup, spoon 1.5 ounces

   Zip-loc bag for trash: 2 grams

   Stuff sack for pot and stove: 12 grams

   Stuff sack for food: 14 grams

  Water Treatment and Capacity

   Chlorine chemical treatment: 14 grams

   Water bottles: 2.2 ounces

   Platypus: 1 ounce

   2-water bottle carriers: 1 ounce

  Other Items and Tools

   Paper and Pencil/Pen: 1 ounce

   Driver's license, non-debit credit card, emergency telephone numbers: 14 grams

   LED Photon lights: 12 grams

   Box cutter-knife: 5 grams

   GI-style can opener, watch: 20 grams

   Trail guide, maps: 2.7 ounces

   Cash: 6 grams

   Ditty bag as wallet: 6 grams

   Zip-loc bag for papers: 4 grams

  Luxury Items

   Cell Phone, in zip-loc bag: 6 ounces

  Ultralighting in Winter

  In the Big Three category I decided not to bring a ground cloth because my tent already had a good, leak-proof floor. However, with temperatures predicted to be in the low teens, I decided to include a fleece liner and reflective ground sheet, adding 12 ounces for both.

  I had a good hood on my fleece jacket, and a hood on the silnylon rain jacket. The wind was gusting between 10-20 mph, so the silnylon jacket hood was very useful. I didn't bother to bring any sandals because it would be too cold to use them, and no town stops were planned. My clothing included an extra long-sleeve shirt, and long hiking pants instead of shorts.

  In the hygiene medical category, I didn't need insect repellent or tweezers. I brought a bandana and a camp towel to help insulate my food when cooked, dry condensation in my tent, and use for stuffing in my pillow. I didn't use any sun block, but the sunglasses came in handy with bright winter glare. I brought dental floss, which can double as thread for repairs. The trail is only 117 miles, so I didn't need a razor, extra lotion or vitamins.

  I carried my mini pot, because of the additional clothing weight. In retrospect, I think the larger pot would have been worth the extra 5 ounces. I never carry a pot lifter, but instead use fleece mittens as potholders. I don’t bring a pot scrubber and instead use water and a finger to clean my pot. If you don't burn food, and wash the pot immediately, this is usually adequate. A pot scrubber can harbor bacteria and food smells. The food smells can attract animals.

  I have never carried or used a water filter, but rely on chemical treatment. For winter backpacking I bring a Platypus instead of a water bag because frozen water can be carried in a Platypus, but not in a water bag. I put water in my pot and cup at night. Before bed, I dumped all the water from my water bottles and Platypus. I knew it would all be frozen in the morning.

  The liquid fuel was difficult to light in the evening, as the temperature dipped below freezing. The next morning, a companion reported that the temperature had dropped to 12 degrees. I used 4 hexamine tablets to thaw my water on the soda can stove. When water came to a boil, I poured some over the ice in the cup, thawing it this way. As planned, all my water was used at breakfast, and I didn’t carry any worthless ice. Within half a mile after leaving camp I came to good water, and filled a bottle for the morning's hiking. Because of the possibility of leaks, I never take the chance of sleeping with my water to prevent it from freezing. A person's perception of thirst is less in cold weather. However, it is very important to be well hydrated in winter.

  When winter hiking, bring plenty of high calorie food, and eat well before going to bed. Eating salty peanuts or beef jerky can cause incredible thirst, so when it's this cold that can cause some problems. During the night it will be hard to drink a lot as your water becomes frozen, and if you do drink a lot it’s hard to get up to pee. It's a good idea to plan on having a midnight snack, which will help you to stay warm. Do not eat or drink anything that could upset your stomach, and do not eat a lot of fiber, or quantities of chocolate, which can act as a laxative. It's very hard to dig a cat hole in frozen ground in the middle of the night.

  There is a lot of darkness in the winter. Unless you night hike, plan on spending nearly 14 hours inside your tent in your sleeping bag and out of the wind, where body heat can be trapped. Wear all your clothing, if necessary. Use your pack under your feet for insulation. The coldest hours are just before dawn.

  In the morning, any condensation in your shelter may be frozen. It's hard to get up in such cold conditions, but once you get moving, the blood will circulate and you will warm up. So, pack up quickly (but carefully, so you do not loose any gear). Get out of your tent, turn it inside out, and shake out the frost. Place the tent in its stuff-sack while wearing a spare pair of gloves. They will get wet and cold and you will want to replace them with dry gloves or mittens. Winter backpacking requires an oversized stuff sack for your shelter. You want to quickly stuff this frozen mass, and get hiking. Stakes may be frozen to the ground, so use a stake to remove each one by lifting upwards through the hooked end. Do not bring gutter nails on winter backpacking trips because they can be very hard to get out of frozen ground, having little or nothing to grasp.

  We ultralighters can backpack all year long with proper gear and preparation. The biggest concern is staying warm. Generally while hiking this is not a problem. In camp, use all you have, and stay out of the wind. Don't have your water bottles full if you expect them to freeze. They are of no value then. A water system that has a thin hose, or inline f
ilter, can become frozen, even if the water in the sack doesn’t freeze. The water is inaccessible then, yet must be carried. There is a lot of darkness, so be prepared with enough lighting, even if it means bringing a small tea candle. And, one last tip, eat well, and eat often. Some of the best views can be enjoyed in the winter, and the trails are less crowded. When cabin fever is getting to you, an overnight trip, even in the dead of winter, can do a person good.

  The Future

  I think we will see a counter movement to ultralight backpacking, a backlash to the fascination of ultralight packs. It is human nature. Some will purposely carry heavy loads just to prove they are stronger, unconcerned with pack weight, and defiantly independent of all ultralight innovations. There will always be those who question the motives of ultralighters, suspicious of ulterior motives, wondering how we can see or enjoy anything while hiking long days and doing big miles. My reply is that our enjoyment comes with walking in the woods, without feeling like a pack mule. Feeling light and unburdened, we appreciate our adventure, having come primarily to hike and not to camp.

  The ultralight movement will continue to grow. New fabrics, plastics, and metals will make the low weights of our present gear seem heavy. Paging through The Complete Walker, written by Colin Fletcher in 1971, 33 years ago, one can see remarkable differences just in cooking systems. He lists his two nesting cook pots at 1 pound, 4 ounces, and the spoon at 2 ounces. His Svea 123 stove weighed 1 pound, 2 ounces, with a windscreen listed as 3 ounces. Today we have whole cook systems that weigh less than 8 ounces.

  The "gram weenie" extremism should continue; I hope to promote it myself. I realize it is, and should only be, for experienced backpackers. But every sport has its extremists. Extremism got us to the moon, to Mt. Everest, and to the North Pole. Someone had to believe it could be done, and then went out to prove it.