Category Archives: Backpacking

How Long Are You Willing To Drive?

Backpacking, Camping

How long are you willing to drive for a backpacking or camping trip?

Over the decades I have observed many people arriving at a campsite on a Friday night well after dark. Frequently it is a family with children and they spend considerable time setting up tents and other camping gear. On Sunday morning they are up early packing up and often leave the campground before we even get up. Seems like a lot of logistics and time for a 64 hour camping trip.

I will share some thoughts on the subject and outline my strategies.

Continue reading How Long Are You Willing To Drive? →

A 4-day Backpacking Trip in the Anza Borrego Desert

Backpack Trip Report, Backpacking, Backpacking Gear,

A couple weeks ago I did a wonderful little desert trip.  

Something that I haven’t done in years is share a backpacking trip report gear list. This post will break that trend.

I want to share how I planned this trip, what gear I took, and why I selected each piece of equipment.

Continue reading A 4-day Backpacking Trip in the Anza Borrego Desert →

Sea to Summit Alpha Cookware for Backpacking or Camping

Backpacking, Camping

This collection of cookware from Sea to Summit has been available for a couple of years.

I have been mostly using freeze-dried and instant foods for quite a long time and have been an advocate of freezer bag cooking, which is the lightest and quickest way to carry and prepare meals.

I am slowly going back towards actually cooking meals on the trail to improve the quality of foods I eat. For those who want to cook food, the Alpha series of cookware is hard to beat.

So much thought and effort went into the design, that if one is in the market for new cookware they should check out the Sea to Summit Alpha series of pots and pans.

Continue reading Sea to Summit Alpha Cookware for Backpacking or Camping →

Why I Don’t Take a Cell Phone Backpacking

Backpacking

Nowadays cellphones, or more precisely smart phones, are considered an important piece of equipment for backpackers. They are often included as one of the Ten Essentials.

If you feel one of these devices is essential then by all means carry one. It is not for me to tell someone what he or she should or should not carry with him or her on a backpacking trip.

On the other hand, cell phone users might be curious why I exclude it from my gear. Continue reading Why I Don’t Take a Cell Phone Backpacking →

Book Review — How to Survive Your First Trip in the Wild: Backpacking for Beginners

Backpacking, Book Review,

As the title states, this is a guide for beginners. Given this, the author accomplishes this goal in an easy to read, compact package.

In this age of Internet experts, we often are bombarded with information from dubious sources and of questionable expertise. So the first place to start with this review is the author’s credentials as a backpacker and expert. Continue reading Book Review — How to Survive Your First Trip in the Wild: Backpacking for Beginners →