[at-l] Pack list for feedback - Conquering your fears.

[ronm@fallingwater.com (Ronald Moak)]

Greetings all!

I'm back, at least for a while. It seems that much of the intense fighting
and backbiting has tempered down. So maybe it's safe to come out of the
hole.

Joel, you ask for suggestions about the items you carry. Well I don't get
into specifics about what people should and shouldn't carry. Several years
ago, another hiker on this list passed out her gear list. Like you, she too
was soliciting for comments on reducing her weight. I worked out a pretty
good list of alternate lighter gear. In addition, I made the comment that
she could also save weight by eliminating at least 2 of her 3 drinking cups,
mugs, etc.

She soon responded somewhat incredulously saying "but I NEED those items!"
It was clear that she hadn't accumulated enough trail miles to distinguish
want from need. With your own comments about loving your tent and pack, I'm
going to draw the same conclusion. 

I will make a few observations which you're free to discard. After all free
advice is generally worth what you pay for it. 

1) Before worrying about what you're going to take, learn what you'll need
to take. Since you're planning a thru-hike of the AT, that job is not a
difficult one. But I wouldn't start in normal places of looking at
backpacking books. Instead, read journals both printed and online versions.
Get to know what kind of weather conditions you're likely to encounter.
Think about what kinds of options are available to you incase things start
going wrong. Remember:
a. Nowhere along the AT are you ever more than about 5 miles away from a
road or 15 if you decide to stay on trail.
b. There is a shelter stationed every 7 to 10 miles. 
2) When you think about your gear, imagine using under all conditions. For
example, a tent that's easy to erect on a warm sunny day maybe a nightmare
when it's snowing, the ground is hard,  your fingers are frozen into
grappling hooks, your soaking wet  and your mind is covered by the fog of a
long trying day of hiking. 
3) The basis for most of the gear that people pack is not need but fear.
Fear of dying. Fear of being uncomfortable.  Fear of the unknown. When the
blind hiker, Bill Irwin, setout on his AT thru-hike, he carried a 45 pistol.
He said he was afraid of mice. Just how a blind guy expected to shoot nibble
mice running along the rafters of a shelter beats the hell out of me. 

In any case the best cure for fear is experience and knowledge. So if don't
have time to hike at least try to read as much as you can. 

First you build a solid foundation with an understanding about the trail
you're planning on hiking. Atop that foundation, you build a structure that
defines your thru-hike. This structure includes many rooms. Each covering a
different topic, including, but not limited to, gear, food, re-supply,
transportation, etc. 

While a thru-hike may appear to be little more than a series of connected
short backpacking trips, it's not. Gear and hiking strategies that works
well on short trips may prove to be a detriment on a long distant hike.

Now days there are some excellent resources for understanding and preparing
for a thru-hike. These resources are available both online and in print. 

Online:
The Thru-Hiker Papers by Jim Owen- Available a http://www.aldhawest.org

Published:
Hiking the Triple Crown by Karen Burger
The Advanced Backpacker by Chris Townsend
Beyond Backpacking by Ray Jardine 

Beyond Backpacking is an excellent book about the fundamentals of distant
hiking. It goes into detail how gear can enhance or detract from a
successful hike. It will make you think about how you approach hiking. 

The Advanced Backpacker is new.  I've just started reading it, but have
found it to be an excellent resource. It is best book published that's
geared for distant hiking. While both Chris and Ray are friends, their
approach to distant hiking varies. Chris tends to carry a heavier pack and
covers fewer daily miles.  Over the last few years, Chris has done much to
reduce his pack weight. I suspect age is beginning to take its toll. 

I'd start with Jim Owens work, then read Chris's book followed by Ray's.
Also you may wish to consider joining one or both of the two long distant
hiking organizations American Long Distant Hiking Association - West
(http://www.aldhawest.org)  and Appalachian Long Distant Hikers Association
(http://www.aldha.org).  Both organizations have publications packed with
articles that are geared to the specifics of distant hiking. 

Ron
--------------------------------------
Ron Moak
President
American Long Distance Hiking Association - West
www.aldhawest.org