Guide To Wilderness and Backcountry Backpacking Preparation

Living in a crowded area and interacting with multiple people on a daily basis can be stressful! It can make one yearn for some alone time. If you have been avoiding jam-packed areas and prefer staying isolated from people, you need a break and it’s high time you plan a trip to the wilderness and backcountry.

Having said that, planning such a trip comes with its complications. Safety issues, possibilities of getting lost, and inadequate facilities may make things unpleasant. However, if you follow this guide, you will be able to prepare for a perfect backpacking trip efficiently.

1. Have Enough To Eat

A trip to wilderness and backcountry sites means having to manage your hunger through backpacking meals. You won’t find any fancy hotels or restaurants and would have to manage everything yourself.

Packing a lightweight stove, utensils, pots, and spices with you is a must! As you will be traveling minimalistic, make sure you won’t have to carry an extra load that isn’t necessary. You obviously can’t expect to cook anything fancy. Rather, just take some non-perishable instant food items, and you will be good to go.

Preparing separate food bags for different food items will save them from losing their taste!

2. Have A Companion

It’s nice to be alone sometimes, but having a companion on a wilderness and backcountry backpacking trip will keep you safe. This is why it is advisable to have a friend along rather than going alone.

Planning such a trip even with a group can be full of risks. Going solo would mean that you need to rely on your survival skills and bear the sole responsibility for everything.

Another great benefit associated with having a companion is that you can share some of the load with them. Divide the essential items that you need to take along, and it will make your backpack a lot lighter and easy to carry.

Having a companion will boost your confidence and morale. However, if you still want to go alone, choose the safest site which doesn’t pose any kind of threat to you.

3. Pre-Plan Everything

You need to plan even the minutest details. Leaving things for a later time may mean you end up with a great deal of confusion and anxiety. You can’t really do everything in the eleventh hour and expect your trip to be smooth!

While planning your trip, make sure that you have a permit to visit the site you have been eying for so long. Traveling to a far-off place and then realizing that you don’t even have access to it would be heart-breaking.

Keeping updated maps of the site is mandatory. Make sure that you have two to three copies in case of any unforeseen situation. Alongside this, getting the GPS settings updated on the phone is a must! Also, have a compass app, which will help you track the path yourself where the signals vanish.

Once you sketch the entire plan and are sure of the locations you are going to visit, inform someone about it. A friend or family member back home should be well aware of your whereabouts and plans.

4. Buy And Test The Gear

A backpacking trip requires you to keep all your essentials with you at all times. You can’t afford to forget any of them back home or not have enough of them with you.

Your gear should be appropriate to the site you have chosen for this adventure. For instance, if it’s a place surrounded by mountains and hills, get your hiking shoes ready. If the site is hot and humid, keep the lightest possible clothes with you. The sleeping bag, tent, and camp sheets should be made with breathable fabric.

Before setting out for the adventure, test your gear first. In case any item turns out defective, you would have enough time to replace it.

5. Pack A Light Backpack

Now, this is important. As you are going to walk a lot, make sure that you don’t have a lot of weight to carry. A very heavy bag has all the potential to ruin your trip by keeping you uncomfortable throughout.

The backpack should be made of durable material to endure all kinds of situations. If it’s a long-lasting one, you can take it along on all your future trips.

Rather than stuffing your backpack with everything you might need while hiking or strolling, just make sections and place your stuff accordingly. This will save you a lot of hassle when you would have to take something out in a hurry.

Copyright: Hermann I Pixabay: CC0 Public  Domain

Pack Smarter

Packing your backpack in the right manner will make your entire trip highly pleasant. It would offer you a great amount of ease and convenience. Make proper compartments and stuff your most needed items in an easy-to-reach place, and it will save you a lot of time by avoiding confusion.