Things you must have
- Good hiking shoes. Have them broken in well before our trip. Have good socks, too.
- Water. Figure on drinking at least 2 liters a day.
- Shelter. Sleeping bag; pad; tent | Hammock; tarp; quilts
- Food. For an overnight: Lunches (2), dinner, breakfast, snacks.
- Rain gear. You never know when a sprinkle will show up.
- Sanitary supplies. Toilet paper. Hand Sanitizer. Ziploc bags. Trowel.
- Whistle. Universal signal you’re in trouble: 3 blasts.
- Hiking poles. Good for balance. Good for getting up – and down – the hills.
- Headlamp. Yeah, your phone probably has a light. But it’ll eat up the battery and you have to hold it.
If you’re going to cook:
- Backpacker stove and fuel; waterproof matches/lighter.
- Pot/pan with lid; cup/mug; spoon/spork.
- Options: Freezer Bag Cooking (FBC); commercial food packets
Clothing
- Layer, layer, layer! It can get warm as we’re hiking. But you’ll cool off when we stop. And it can be chilly at night.
- No cotton! When you sweat in it, it takes too long to dry. Wear wool, silk, nylon and/or poly instead.
- You only need two sets of clothes: the ones you’ll hike in and the ones you’ll sleep in.
- Good things to have: hat; gloves; buff.
Useful
- Map/compass (learn how to use them)
- Extra Ziploc/trash bags
- Sunscreen; lip balm; bug spray
- Duct tape. Wrap it around your hiking poles.
- First Aid kit. At the very least, some bandages, blister stuff, your preferred pain medication.
Things to know
- Don’t assume you’ll have a phone signal. Especially if you use AT&T.
- Don’t travel far when you go pee at night. It’s very dark and it’s easy to get lost. You can have total privacy in just a few steps.
- The emergency signal is 3 blasts on a whistle.
- Campfires can be nice, but it’s important to ensure they’re set up safely (only in a fire ring) and fully put out.