THE ART OF HIKING

Walking is the most powerful creative tool that I know…the most potent spiritual practice known to man…Walking makes our breathing rhythmic and repetitive. As our breath steadies and soars, so do our thoughts.

 For more than 40,000 years, Aborigines have walked in Dreamtime. In this“timeless” dimension, they dream toward the future and the future dreams back. In this realm, they alter the future by altering the way they dream back at it. We can do the same thing. Walking allows the body to move into Dreamtime. —— Julia Cameron; Vein of Gold

Only where you have walked have you really been.

Although simple in concept, there are many aspects of walking, especially when hiking or backpacking, that are not obvious. Hiking and backpacking often involve a great deal of hard work. Making that hard work as easy as possible is my goal. One must like the hard work to enjoy hiking.

1. Physical fitness. It is not enjoyable to hike when unfit. Walking up and down hills requires strong legs. Steep down hills especially stress knees and require strong quads. Simply walking around town, or jogging, doesn’t build the type of strength necessary for hiking. There are many ways to make hiking fitness. Climbing hills or stairs is the best. Adding weight to your pack and going to a gym to use leg machines and stair climbers helps. Lower weights with frequent reps may prevent overuse injuries or exacerbate past joint injuries. It is always best to do the activity that you will be doing; start according to your ability and work your way up. Weight loss may make the most significant difference.

2. Clothing. When I hike, the only cotton clothing I wear is a bandana. Wet cotton is difficult or impossible to dry, and there are a plethora of options involving synthetic material which wick well, are lightweight, and dry quickly. Most are now treated to avoid odour. Merino wool base garments are increasingly available to utilize the warm when wet qualities of wool.
Layering is well accepted, starting with a wicking base layer, then insulation layer(s), and finally a wind/water proof layer. I virtually always hike in shorts. I also prefer light colored synthetic long-sleeved zip tees. They protect your arms and neck from the sun and offer cooling options by simply undoing the zip and rolling up the sleeves. Light colours are not hot in the summer and don’t matter in the winter as warmer layers cover them. Look for brands that have high ultraviolet protection, as many will protect up to 40 SPF. I use MEC zip T silk-weight underwear in an off-white colour.
I prefer hiking shoes or boots with soles that are stiff but not rigid. These offer the most support and absorb more shock, especially when going downhill. A roomy toe box is essential. Wear two pairs of socks, as below, when purchasing new boots. Boots with ankle support prevent injuries. Wearing two pairs of socks is best. Thin, synthetic wicking socks (I like Wigwam Ultramax) inside thick socks that cushion and absorb moisture work well. Some wool in the sock, often in combination with synthetics, works best. This is the combination most likely to prevent blisters and hot spots. Replacing your insoles with better-quality ones may improve comfort. Many require orthotics. Short gaiters are very useful to keep socks and boots clean.
To stay warm in cold weather, it is essential not to sweat. This is a lesson best learned from the Inuit. With sweating, your clothes become damp and are less effective insulators. The moisture continues to evaporate after sweating has stopped, causing further cooling. The trick is to exercise at a rate where you stay warm without sweating, and that is a matter of adjusting speed and clothing. An individual has more flexibility than a group in controlling speed. If you can’t change speed, you must adapt your cooling.

3. Start cool. Most of my hiking experience is in the mountains. Ascents of a few thousand feet usually begin immediately at the trailhead, and within five minutes, things are starting to heat up. To prevent excessive sweating, start walking wearing the minimum, often your light synthetic wicking layer (this depends on the season). I like to avoid sweating as much as possible. For those who are very cold-intolerant, one can start with more clothing, but stop early as soon as any sweating begins. Once your muscles are warm, this is a good time to stretch your legs.

4. Pace. Walk at a pace that allows everyday conversation. This is often a pace that one can maintain for at least an hour or longer without stopping. It also prevents excessive sweating. This results in the most efficient way to cover the most significant distance and to enjoy the surroundings. For people who enjoy socializing, it facilitates easy conversation. Everyone will have their own pace depending on fitness, terrain, and the weight of the pack. Average paces might be five kilometres/hour on flat ground, three km/h day hiking while climbing, or 1½ km/h backpacking uphill. When fatigued, shortening your stride will help. Shorter, more frequent steps may allow one to maintain the same pace.
How often to stop is very individual, but most will want to stop hourly. I usually have trouble regaining my pace after long breaks, so I will more often have a small snack and water while standing for a few minutes or so and then continue on my way. Hydration systems that allow one to drink regularly whenever any feeling of thirst strikes work best.

5. Foot placement. Walking on rocky ground requires the hiker to almost constantly look at the ground for stable foot placements. Placing your foot on a flat, as nearly horizontal a surface as possible, causes the least fatigue and strain. I’m constantly looking for larger rocks or roots, which usually provide the most stable surface to step on. Avoid loose rocks, scree, and sand as much as possible. When walking uphill on sand or loose scree, try to step in the footsteps of whoever is ahead of you. Hopefully, they have the same stride length as you. Safe foot placement is crucial to avoid injuries. One of the most important rules of hiking is never to injure oneself when miles from help. I once fractured my ankle on an unpleasant bushwack. It was a long six hours hobbling back to the car.
Keeping one’s foot flat is an important general principle. When walking up steeper hills, keep your heel constantly raised, trying to recreate the flat foot placement.

6. Rest steps. When having to work extra hard and fatigue is setting in, use rest steps. A rest step involves pausing on your straight downhill leg. Standing on a straight leg allows your muscles to relax as your bones entirely support your weight. In this brief non-contracted state, the muscle recovers faster. This could be for a split second or for as long as a few breaths. Rest steps are especially valuable at higher altitudes.

7. Pursed lip breathing. This involves breathing out against pursed lips. Hold your lips tightly together, forming a small “o” on your exhalation, which significantly lengthens each exhalation. This raises the back pressure on the air in your airways and lungs, increasing the time available for oxygen transfer and holding your airways more open. This technique, used by people with emphysema to improve breathing efficiency, is particularly beneficial, like rest steps, at higher altitudes for everyone.

8. Hiking poles. Poles help going uphill, especially for people with limited aerobic ability, on rough terrain to improve stability, or downhill to ease the strain on joints, especially knees. Other benefits include giving your arms a workout and preventing the finger swelling common when hiking (secondary to the pendulum effect of arm swinging). I find them more of a hindrance than help on boulder fields because of the difficulty of finding good placements for both your poles and feet. Collapsible poles are easier to store on your pack when not in use. I prefer the flip lock mechanism on Black Diamond poles. Poles are an integral part of many lightweight tarp/tent systems.

9. Health issues
Blisters. Prevention is key. Start with some prophylactic covering for your first hike – duct tape is cheap and effective, and products like moleskin is also helpful. As blisters develop in seconds, stop the instant you feel a hot spot and cover it. Change the tightness of your boots and change socks, adding or subtracting as necessary to improve fit. Once a blister has formed, they are usually best drained using a needle and thread. Leave the thread running through the blister to keep it draining. Once formed, I use doughnut-shaped foam corn pads under moleskin or duct tape. Alcohol can help dry blisters and toughen the skin of the foot.  Purchasing new shoes (often larger, especially across the toe box) is necessary.
Traumatic nail lesions. With nails not cut short enough or a too small toe box, repetitive trauma to the end of the nail will often result in losing the nail, sometimes complicated by infection.
Tendonitis around the ankle. Due to repetitive strain, treatment consists of ice, rest, large doses of anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen, and active stretching of the calf and Achilles tendons.

Hiking essentials
There are many lists (mine follows in a separate article). The essence of any list should include gear that would enable one to stay outside overnight. Just imagine if you were to break your leg and could not be evacuated. What are your chances of even being minimally comfortable?
They are arranged in a relative order of importance and would allow one to survive overnight if necessary (imagine that you have broken your leg, can’t be rescued that day, and have to spend the night outside – what would you need to survive in relative comfort?). That should determine the essence of any list.

1. Water. One can go several days without eating.
2. Signalling mirror/Emergency Locator Beacon. A mirror is the simplest way to signal help, as it can be seen from a long distance, especially from the air. Whistles are of less use as sound does not travel well. Emergency locator beacons are obviously the best things to have if help is needed. Cell phones, UHF Radios, walkie-talkies and satellite phones have value depending on location. Lighting a safe fire is useful 24 hours a day.
3. Large garbage bag. A large orange leaf bag can serve as an emergency shelter and increase visibility. A bivy sack may be a better option, but it is much heavier. The Integral Designs 8’x10’ Siltarp 2 is another light, great choice.
4. Warm clothing. The amount varies with the season, but every pack should have a warm jacket (down is light and warm but shouldn’t get wet), rain jacket and pants, long underwear, touque, gloves, and neck warmer. A light sleeping bag would be nice.
5. Seat cushion. Keeps your bottom warm and off the ground.
6. Map and compass. If your GPS fails, a compass is invaluable. Know the declination. 1:50,000 topographical maps should be carried on every hike.
7. Fire. Fire-starter, matches, lighter
8. Food. Ideally, you should carry an extra day’s food; 1000 extra calories over and above that day’s food would be a minimum.
9. First Aid Kit. Athletic tape, pain killers and steri-strips with Band-Aids would be a minimum.
10. Insect Repellent. DEET is safe and the best.
11. Flashlight. An LED headlamp is best. Spare batteries.
12. Knife. A multipurpose tool like a Leatherman with pliers may be better than a Swiss Army Knife. Keep the blade sharp.
13. Sun protection. Sunglasses, sunscreen and lip protector with sunscreen.
14. Nylon cord. Useful for many things.
15. Keys and Identification.
16. Pack. One large enough to hold all this stuff.
17. Common Sense.

REDUCE BACKPACKING WEIGHT

REDUCE BACKPACK WEIGHT

Your backpack should weigh less than 20 percent of your body weight. If you weigh 200 lbs (91 kg), your pack could weigh up to 40 lbs (18 kg). That’s a lot of weight!
Less is more comfortable and helps avoid sore shoulders and hips, especially after an injury or with age. You can move faster and cover more ground. It prevents injury. Fatigue can lead to tripping and falling. It’s easier to balance and navigate technical terrain or creek crossings. It’s easier to stay organized. If you save weight on your gear, you can bring some non-essentials, like a chair.

Ultralight refers to your base weight, which is the weight of everything in your backpack minus consumables like food, water, and fuel. A common ultralight base weight is between 10 and 15 pounds (4.5 to 6.8 kg).
When deciding what gear to leave behind, make sure you take safety gear, including the ten essentials. Bring the right gear to keep you warm, ensure you get a good sleep, and have some tasty food. Ultralight gear is ridiculously expensive and often not very durable, made with very thin, lightweight materials.
1. Scale. Use a basic digital kitchen scaleor a digital luggage scalein the car to weigh a fully loaded backpack at the trailhead and at the end of the trip. Use it to split up shared gear.
2. Gear List or use apps like Lighter Pack and Pack Wizard that build a personalized gear list, including the weights and how much each category weighs.
3. Focus on the Big Three: tent, backpack and sleep system.
Lightweight Tents: Ultralight Zpacks Plexamid one-person tent or the Zpacks Duplex (2 lbs/ 0.9kg uses Dyneema or very thin silicone-treated nylon or polyester. Many are not free-standing, can be a challenge to pitch, and often require trekking poles as tent poles.
Lightweight tents are more durable, easier to use, and less expensive. MSR Hubba Hubba, Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL and the NEMO Dragonfly OSMO. All weigh just under 3 pounds and are fully freestanding.
Lightweight Sleep Systems: The sleeping bag and pad or ultralight quilt with high fill-power down and ultralight face fabrics (20-denier or less). Therm-a-rest Ohm 32F/0C is super light and converts to a 2-person quilt. MEC Aphelion UL -7C Down sleeping bag (700g or 25 oz)
Sleeping pad R-value. Cheap and durable closed-cell foam pads like the Therm-a-rest Z-lite (14 oz/410 g).
Inflatable pads with insulation. The Therm-a-Rest NeoAir XLite weighs 13 oz/370 g. Sea to Summit Ether Light (16.6 oz/470 g).
Lightweight Backpacks: 60L backpacking packs weigh 3.5 to 4.5 lbs
Gregory Amber 65 (3.55 lbs./1.6 kg), Gregory Stout. Osprey Aether 65 (4.92 lbs./2.23 kg) and Ariel 65 (4.85 lbs./2.2 kg). Ultralight packs have less robust harnesses, so aren’t as comfortable with heavy loads. Sometimes they don’t have an internal frame to distribute the load. Have few features and internal pockets but often have big and stretchy external pockets. Hyperlite Southwest 55 1 kg (2.2 lbs.)
5. Less Clothing, the second heaviest category of gear. Need warm and waterproof clothing in case of bad weather. Layers. Don’t bring extra clean clothing except for an socks and underwear.
6. Lightweight Jackets use Gore-Tex Paclite. Down insulated jacket with high fill-power and thin face fabrics. Light fleece weighing less than 10 oz/283 g with grid fabrics or airy knits like Polartec Alpha Direct that trap warm air.
7. Skip the Heavy Hiking Boots: Full-height leather hiking boots weigh 3 lbs 8 oz (1.59 kg) a pair. Altra Lone Peaks, the trail runner of choice for thru-hikers weighs 10.6 oz (300g). Boots offer more ankle support, foot stability, waterproofness, and durability. Salomon X Ultra Mid Gore-Tex hiking boots are 1 lb. 14 oz.
8. Pack for the Weather Forecast. Use an algorithmic forecast like Spotwx to get weather predictions for the exact elevation where camping.
9. Thermometer. Dial in your clothing and sleep systems.
10. Cook System. Jetboils are heavy. The tiny MSR Pocket Rocket Deluxe (2.9 oz/80 g and the Vargo Titanium BOT 700 (4.8 oz/138 g). You don’t need multiple pots.
11. Measure Your Fuel. Fuel you need: how much water you will need to boil (plus a few extra litres). Look up your stove’s boil time in the manufacturer’s specs and its burn time (how long it can run on a fuel canister of a certain size) and figure out how much fuel to bring. Weigh partially empty canisters and compare them to the weight of a full canister, which should be listed on the side.
12. Plan Your Food Carefully and Count Calories. Just-in-case snacks, treats, or luxury meals are heavy. Choose calorie-dense food – at least 100 calories per ounce (25 g). Dehydrated food. Remove excess packaging. Count calories. Pasta carbonara
13. Ditch the Stove. Hike stoveless, cold-soak the food or eat foods that don’t require added water. Best in warm or mild weather and requires creativity and planning.
14. Research Water Sources. Each litre weighs 35 oz/1 kg, so use maps and trail descriptions to fill up at water sources.
15. Swap Out the Heavy Water Filter. The Katadyn BeFree filter  weighs just 2.3 oz (65 g). The Sawyer Squeeze 3 oz/85 g. To get lighter, use purification drops like Pristine or Aquamira.
16. Leave the Heavy Water Bottles (metal water bottles and thick plastic Nalgenes). Smartwater bottles, empty soda bottles.
17. Toiletries and First Aid. Pre-made first aid kits have stuff you don’t need. Toiletries: a toothbrush, toothpaste, sunscreen. comb, and wet wipes.
18. Electronics. Gadgets: phone, camera (with lenses, tripod), GPS unit, eReader, satellite messenger, GPS watch, etc. All need batteries. Small power bank. Solar panels are heavier. A tiny 3-in-1 charging cable.
19. “Luxury” Items: chairs, bathing suits, a book or eReader, camera gear, a pillow, camp shoes, alcohol, or gourmet food.
20. Share Gear: power bank, first aid kit, stove, water filter, satellite messenger, or tent for each person. Eat shared meals.
21. Multi-Use Items. Skip the mug or bowl and use the cooking pot. Use a stuff sack or puffy jacket as a pillow. Extra socks can double as mittens or an insulator for your water filter or phone/batteries in cold weather.
22. Post-Trip Debrief. What didn’t you use? Why not? What worked well?
23. Get Ruthless With Scissors: gear tags, excess length pack straps and drawstrings, the handle of your toothbrush.

SOME RECIPE IDEAS
1. Instant mashed potatoes with instant soup (Knorr brand). Cook, eat and drink out of one pot and need only one metal spoon. To enhance the fairly bland base meal, add chili powder or lemon pepper, peanuts, raisins or tuna.
Use little fuel. Clean-up quick and easy.
2. Southwest-flavoured rice, dehydrated veggies, freeze-dried beef, and cheese mixed together.
3. Fish taco, flour tortillas, a tuna packet, mayo packets, and hot sauce (preferably Sriracha) squeezed into a smaller container.
4. For good calories and sugars – strawberries and fresh blueberries. Unlike most energy bars, try Kind Bars (low on the sugar and high protein. High cocoa % dark chocolate. Beef jerky. Boiled eggs.
ProBars: vegan, blended not cooked, low-GI, high-fiber. Gives a slow-burn energy.
5. Pecorino Romano cheese is long lasting in the field, keeps well even in hot weather, has sodium for some needed salty goodness, chock full of protein, fats, and calories per ounce, and very scrumptious.
6. Nature Valley granola bars and fig newtons. Dinner: Knorr rice sides with a packet of tuna/salmon/chicken.
Keto: snacks are string cheese and homemade beef jerky. Meal: broccoli/cauliflower rice cooked in olive oil, add precooked chicken and shredded, melty cheese.
7. Mountain House Biscuits & Gravy. Favorite quick meal: Tuna Salad wrap – a premixed tuna packet on a tortilla with a side of diced peaches.
Favorite snack: Kind Dark Chocolate and Peanut Butter bar.
8. Wolf and Grizzly portable grill and steaks, grilled with a little olive oil, salt and a squeeze of lemon.
Snacks: trail mix with cashews, almonds and cranberries. Nakd bars delicious!
9. Jolly Ranchers and Sweetart mini’s for snacks. Tortillas with chicken nuggets and mayo or Triscuits with cheese, jerky, dried fruit, particularly mango dusted in chili powder.
Knorr Sides, Idahoian Mashed Potatoes, and peanut butter.

GROCERY STORE FOOD
Non-perishable/Shelf-stable
Lightweight. Avoid foods that contain liquid.
Easy to Pack. Avoid fragile foods and food that’s messy to pack or prepare.
Easy to Cook. Should require only boiling water and need one pot.
Quick to Cook. Add boiling water or simmer for a few minutes.
Calorie-Dense
Where to Shop
Health Food Stores: freeze-dried and dehydrated fruits and veggies, meat alternatives like TVP and soy curls, vegan jerky, and nut butter.
Ethnic Stores: Asian markets for ramen and other noodles, miso soup, dried fish and jerky, shelf-stable tofu and soy products, dried mushrooms, and great snacks.
Trader Joe’s: jerky, nuts, snacks, and dried fruit (mango).
Costco: Bulk-size boxes of granola bars, oatmeal, instant rice, pasta

Breakfast
Oatmeal: Instant oatmeal in packets.
Cereal or Granola With Powdered Milk: Use full-fat milk or powdered coconut milk.
Quinoa Porridge With Dried Fruit or Nuts: Quinoa flakes require adding hot water.
Instant Grits: Add cheese and bacon bits.
Pop Tarts
Bagels or Tortillas With Nut Butter, Nutella or honey
Carnation Instant Breakfast: Needs powdered milk.
Granola Bars or Energy Bars

Dinner
Think about the base of a meal (pasta, rice, etc.) and then what to add (protein, sides, sauce, and seasoning). Can mix and match different ingredients
Dinner Bases:
Ramen or Cup of Noodles (Malaysian laksa).
Pasta: Choose thin/small pasta like angel hair (capellini) or spaghetti as take less to cook.
Gnocchi: Potato noodle balls cook quickly, are filling, but a bit heavy.
Asian Noodles: Rice noodles cook the fastest.
Boxed Mac and Cheese: Use the microwavable Kraft Easy Mac version which doesn’t need to be simmered for 8 minutes.
Hamburger Helper: Add your own protein to these pasta and sauce mixes. Some require up to 12 minutes to cook.
Stove Top Stuffing: A favourite, delicious, and you just have to add boiling water.
Instant Mashed Potatoes: Pair with Stove Top Stuffing and gravy for backcountry Thanksgiving vibes. Idahoan brand has garlic, cheese, and other flavours.
Instant Polenta: Great with cheese and herbs.

Powdered Soup Mix: Knorr, Lipton, and others can be a good base for a meal.
Knorr Sides: Cost less than $2. Marketed as side dishes, but with some protein, can easily be a meal for one. Some require milk and/or butter and many require 7-10 minutes of cooking.
Couscous: cooks super quick (just let it sit with boiling water). Casbah brand has flavoured versions like garlic and olive oil.
Instant Rice: Just add boiling water.
Microwavable Rice Packets: Ben’s and Zatarain’s make microwavable flavoured rice packets. Heat in a camping pot in a couple of minutes. Taste good, but are heavy.
Flat Bread (Tortillas, Pitas, Wraps, Naan Bread): Travel well and are great for wrapping around all kinds of fillings, quesadillas or pizza.
Ready to Eat Curry: Cheap and super tasty. Heavy, so use for the first night of a trip.
Proteins: Jerky (Mix with pasta or rice while it cooks.
Vegan or Tofu Jerky:  Delicious. Spicy tofu jerky.
Shelf-Stable Bacon: You can buy precooked shelf-stable bacon in a box for a very high-calorie backcountry carbonara.
Bacon Bits
Salami, Pepperoni or Cured Meats
Tuna or Chicken Pouches: Lighter than cans and flavoured.
Canned Meats and Fish: Bulky and heavy, but there are tons of options
Powdered Eggs: OvaEasy
Cheese: Hard cheese or Babybels.
TVP: Textured vegetable protein is made from soy.
Soy Curls: Dried soy strips soak in water to rehydrate. In recipes, they mimic chicken.
Bean Curd: In strips, sheets, knots, need to be soaked, great in soups.
Instant Hummus Mix: hard to find.
Nuts or Nut Butter: Added protein. Pine nuts, cashews, peanuts, walnuts, and almonds in couscous, pasta, and curries. Peanut butter is great in Asian dishes.
Sauces, Seasonings and Sides: soup, ethnic food, and produce sections. May require milk, butter or oil: Pasta Sauce Mix, Pesto Sauce, Gravy Mix (great for mashed potatoes), Mexican Spice Mix: Taco seasoning for rice.
Asian Spice Mix: Packets of stir-fry seasoning or chow mein seasoning, Most need soy sauce so save take-out Chinese food or sushi.
Curry Paste
Bouillon Cubes or Powder
Butter Powder for Knorr sides or mac and cheese.
Fast Food Sauce Packets: Collect soy sauce, hot sauce, ketchup, vinegar, and more from fast food restaurants.
Freeze-Dried Herbs
Dried Mushrooms: Adds umami to your meal. Great in Asian dishes, pasta, and couscous. Some need a lot of rehydration time.

Sundried Tomatoes: dry ones, not the messy oil-packed ones for pastas and couscous. Cut them into smaller pieces for faster rehydration.
Dehydrated Veggies: Can be hard to find or make at home

Grocery Store Backpacking Dinner Recipes
1. Capellini noodles + pesto + mini pops jerky + parmesan
2. Ramen + jerky + dried mushroom + dried jerky
3. Couscous + pine nuts + dried sun dried tomatoes
4. Mashed potatoes + Stove top dressing + canned turkey + turkey gravy

Dessert: chocolate or high-calorie cookies like stroopwafels.
Instant Pudding: mix, powdered milk, and water, then whisk with Oreo cookies crumbled on top.
Jello No-Bake Cheesecake: Make individual cheesecakes in camping mugs. Use a shallow stream or lake to help them set faster.
Mug Cake Mix: Designed for a microwave, but a camping stove at its lowest temperature. Make 2 or 3 mug cake mixes at once to avoid them being thin and burn quickly.
Chocolate Fondue: Melt chocolate, liqueur and dip in cookies, dried fruit, pretzels

How to Pack Food
Repackage food – lightweight, compact, and doesn’t leak: Ziploc bags (eg. mac and cheese.
Vacuum Sealer compresses your food especially for a bear canister or a long trip. Nesco VS-12 Vacuum Sealer
Resealable Containers. For liquids: humangear Gotoob+ silicone bottles are mini squeeze bottles with a locking cap in a few different sizes. Nalgene mini containers and jars. Always bag it inside a Ziploc.
Bring Cooking Instructions. Write on the outside of a Ziploc bag or cut out the instructions or a photo of the packaging.