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Ultimate-Ultralight-Backpacking News |
September 2009 |
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WELCOME ULTRALIGHT BACKPACKERS
 Greetings!
Welcome to the September 2009 issue of Ultimate-Ultralight-Backpacking News.
This is the debut issue. Congratulations on getting in on the ground floor.
This newsletter is for YOU. There are plenty of opportunities to get involved and be heard. Feel free to become part of the family.
Give me your input. The more that I hear from you, the better I can meet your ultralight backpacking needs.
Strap on your ultralight pack, lace up your boots and follow me to the great outdoors.
--Laura Mathys Coleman  |
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 SUGGESTED HIKE
Autumn is in full swing. Are you looking for a scenic escape before winter sets in? I have a suggestion.
To escape any remaining remnants of the summer heat put these three factors into play:
(1) Move further from the equator
(2) Increase your elevation
(3) Keep your activity in the "easy" range
One suggestion is Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park in Kelowna, British Columbia. This venue provides plenty of secluded trails to hike. Since there is no road access to the park, the crowds are lower. Anyone in the park will have either arrived by foot, bike or boat. There are parking lots on the outskirts of the northern and southern boundaries. Click here for important information about the park. Have you visited this destination? Tell me about it. Have another destination that you would like to tell me about (either to recommend or warn against)? Let me hear it. Do you have a funny, most embarrassing or exciting hiking story? I'd love to hear it. Send me your story and it might be chosen to be included in a future newsletter edition. |
WHAT'S NEW
Ultralight Backpacking Gear-What to Pack, What to Leave: Not sure what to put in a well-stocked ultralight pack? Find out here.
Topo Maps: Topographic maps can be intimidating to the novice hiker. Learn the basics of using this necessary map here.
Winter Hiking: Looking ahead to a cold-weather hiking trip? Begin planning now by considering the extra precautions necessary for a safe and enjoyable cold weather hike.
Is there a subject that you would like to see discussed on this website? Contact us here. Suggestions are very welcome.
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Backpacking Pudding
Amanda
from Minden, Louisiana shares her recipe for backpacking
pudding--a cool, refreshing and delicious treat at the end of a long day of hiking. **Note** This requires close proximity of a source of
cool water.
Ingredients: 1 package of Jello Instant Pudding 2/3 cups dry milk powder 2 cups cold, filtered water 2 zip-closure bags Pour
dry milk and filtered water into one zip-closure bag. Shake to mix
thoroughly. Add instant pudding, close and kneed bag and shake
vigorously until well mixed. Remove as much air as possible from bag
and seal. Place in second zip-close bag, remove air and seal. Place
bags in cool water. Secure bag if necessary to prevent it from
drifting down stream. Cool for 5-15 minutes. Open bag and serve. Do you have a favorite backpacking food? Share it with others here. Each month I'll feature one recipe in the newsletter.
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YOUR IDEAS
Scott from Urbana, IL, suggests:
"One of the things that I find happens with nearly any activity, backpacking among them, is that people add equipment they missed having the last time but they almost never go through what they brought and weed out what they never used. This "creeping incrementalism" causes unused gear to be carried on successive trips, adding useless weight and clutter. An essential step of gear management, then, is to go through everything you brought and see if you really needed it. Of course things like emergency equipment and first aid kits should always be carried, but that fishing rod or camera filter?? "Scott recommends putting a column labeled, "Didn't need it" (or even "what was I thinking?") on your hiking checklist to use when you empty your pack after each trip. You could place this checklist, marked with what you DIDN'T use/need inside your backpack as a reminder for the next time when you will inevitably try, once again, to overload your pack.Great observation, Scott. Thanks for sharing this important tip. Excess gear certainly has a way of sneaking up on us. Do you have a hiking tip or observation that you would like to share with others? Send it to me and you might find your tip highlighted in a future newsletter..
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ASK THE EDITOR
Q. Veronica from Madrid, Spain writes..."I do a lot of full day hikes and having stumbled onto your website I am inspired to try a week long hike. I would like some more advice on tents. I was reading about the bivy. I want to know what do you think is best suited for hotter conditions because from what I've read, bivies are more suited to colder conditions."
A. You are right; bivies can have problems with condensation due to a lack of ventilation in hot, humid climates. Depending on your particular style, I would recommend either an engineered tarp tent or a very light full coverage tent. As a rule of thumb, keep your tent weight less than 2 pounds per person. Another very light option would be a hammock tent system. Very nice if you are hiking in heavily forested areas.
Do you have a question about your next hiking adventure? Contact me . I'll be happy to answer your question immediately via e-mail. Then, each month I will choose a question to share with my readers here. Perhaps your question will appear in a future edition of this newsletter. |
LOOKING AHEAD
Autumn is such a beautiful time of year. The chill makes me want to move about more and the leaves beckon me to the outdoors. Now is the time for a fall-color hiking trip.
Vermont has long been known for its breathtakingly beautiful display of fall foliage. Why not plan a hiking trip to take in the beauty.
One area that is sure to deliver is the Glastenbury Wilderness Area of the Green Mountain Divide northeast of Bennington, Vermont. Click here and page down to the last subsection on the page to learn more about the Glastenbury/West Ridge loop trail. At nearly 22 miles, you are sure to get a good dose of fine fall foliage.
The peak of fall color depends on many factors. Of course, nobody can guarantee a certain date to deliver peak color. However, a good bet for prime viewing would be the last week in September or the first couple of weeks in October. So put in for your vacation, inventory your backpacking supplies and head out to Vermont in October. Be sure to take your camera and send me some pictures along with your impressions of the area.
Do you have a favorite Autumn hike? Send it to me and I'll share it with others. Send me your best hiking photograph to share in a future newsletter.
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JOIN THE DISCUSSION
Ultimate-Ultralight-Backpacking was born to share my passion for the outdoors with a group of people who, like me, want to enjoy the outdoors without carrying a heavy load.
Many people are intimidated by the daunting task of deciding what to carry and what to leave at home. This typically results in carrying a pack that is much heavier than necessary. For me, and for many others, this decreases the enjoyment of the outdoors.
My hope is that by decreasing the weight you need to carry, while maintaining enough supplies for comfort and safety, that you will get into the outdoors more frequently and savor the enjoyment of each trip.
Please contact me with questions and comments. I am always striving to make my website more informative and easier to use. Your suggestions can help me do that. I always like to hear from you--the people this site was created to serve. Send pictures, stories, comments and suggestions.
Enjoy the outdoors and share it with others.
Sincerely,
Laura Mathys Coleman
ultimate-ultralight-backpacking.com
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