an instructional with cartoons

the author and his book

I am an author now, just like 
Ernest Hemingway and Fyodor Dostoevsky!

Honestly, there is only one reason to write a book: to be taken seriously. And that's exactly what has happened to me. I am now a published author.

How to get this super cool book:

It's available thru a certain corporate giant mail-order book seller named after a river in Brazil... 

  [ linked HERE ]   

But, it's a whole lot more groovy to walk into you local bookstore with the title and this simple code: ISBN-13: 978-0762763849

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Note: I pladurized the header and text from Sarah Silverman.

a recent review

Review due soon

The OTHER book on ultralight backpackin' skills.

Please note, I plan on reviewing Andrew Skurka's new book. It'll be up soon, watch for it! Wanna see more? Click HERE!

Andrew Skurka update

Professional hiker and author

Andrew Skurka is now blogging. He is sharing his very detailed insights into trip planning and trail techniques. Of special interest to me was his food planning and how to print topo maps for a long hike.

His book is due out any day now. It's published by NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC and it's loaded with color photographs. It's titled: The Ultimate Hiker’s Gear Guide: Tools & Techniques to Hit the Trail (linked to his site).

instructional art

Cute, lotsa info, no stress.

Double click for a HI-rez view.

interview on BPL

There is an interview where I share stuff about the book at the on line magazine Backpacking-Light.com. I talk about the book as well as promote an upcoming Tip-of-the-Week on BackpackingLight.com. This book is a nice fit with the content of the web-site.

Here's the LINK to the interview.

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spread sheets

(Click on any image for a Hi-REZ close-up view)

The above list is everything inside the backpack (or gear carried) that makes up the BASE-WEIGHT. This excludes the food and fuel, see the spread-sheet below devoted to the CONSUMABLES. Not that the total BASE-WEIGHT comes in at exactly 8 pounds.

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This list is the GEAR WORN, and that means items NOT in the backpack. This list is somewhat arbitrary because on a really hot day I might wear a little less (thus slightly more on my back), but this would be the core of my hiking ensembal.

I might have an item or two in my pockets, but that's not factored in on this list, though some UL hikers will make good use of their pockets as a way to cheat - er, I mean - as a way to lower their overall pack weight.

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The above set of spread sheets is to show that consumables are really tho only thing that will impact a hiker's overall PACK-WEIGHT because the core of their gear carried is pretty much the same for an overnight or a 10 day expedition.

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ONE-CLICK download PDF file HERE.

a practical guide

Click on the image for a hi-rez view.

Available NOW!

(finally)

There are some links on the sidebar (to the right) with info on ordering. This book is a whole buncha cartoons (and words) that focus on the metaphysical side of getting your pack-weight down to the absolute minimum. Sure, there are some tips on gear too, but fewer than you think (because you leave most of your gear behind).

Just so y'know, I'm super proud of this little book!

Call you neighborhood bookstore, and tell 'em to pre-order a few copies.

tip number 31

The term "in camp" defined

If you're truly on a roll using every trick to boost efficiency, there should be only mere minutes between sleeping and hiking. If you are cooking meals on-trail (see tip 70, eat dinner on the trail) you can hike ‘til bedtime and quickly climb into your bag and sleep. In the morning, you simply roll out of bed and start hiking again.

With this streamlined strategy, the term “in camp” doesn’t really mean anything.

But, if you wanna relax at the end of the day (and the next morning) in a beautiful spot, you’ll be plunked down in one spot for an extra bunch of hours. This is a traditional form of camping and this lazy zone of dinner/sleep/breakfast is known as being in camp.

If this has been your time-honored mode of camping, I implore you to re-think your standard operating procedures. (see tip 24, the human factor) No need to spend time simply parked in one place. Yes, it might be beautiful in camp, but so is moving through the Wilderness with a UL pack. You can drink in that same beauty as you travel.

The traditional camper will only find his comfort in camp, and only after the crippling backpack is jettisoned off his back. The ultralight camper finds their comfort on the trail.

Here's an example. Why sit in one place when you can effortlessly glide down the path, like a hovercraft of groovyness! (Wind River Range, Wyoming)

hand lettering

Few things in our lives are more important than loving attention to lettering when the source is the human hand.

TIP number 8

Look where I went with a 6 pound base weight!

know the difference between WANTS and NEEDS

You actually NEED very little; food, water and oxygen are obvious. So is warmth, comfort and peace of mind. But we are all too easily swayed by our WANTS, especially me!

Some things, like the backpack, are obviously required. But what about the tent? Is that something you WANT or NEED? These are decidedly different and it can be a challenging human exercise to attempt separate them from each other. Can you replace the thing you WANT with a something you truly NEED? Is there an option that’s lighter, cheaper, simpler or multi-use? Can it be nixed entirely? It should be easy to ditch the tent and replace it with a tarp, but all too often this decision can be fraught with emotion.

I have a beautiful camping knife. I love this elegantly crafted tool. I feel a very real WANT associated with my well-designed (and expensive) toy. This is a good item to truly scrutinize with ultralight eyes.

Are you hypnotized into believing you NEED a knife when all you are really doing is WANTING a knife? (see tip 53, What! No knife?)

A nice tool at 0.1 oz, and that includes the home-made envelope, built from cereal box cardboard and tape.

Personally, I’ve found a 0.1 oz single edge razor blade, void of frills and charisma, solves my need for a sharp thing in the mountains. Thus, the beautiful knife stays at home, and that liberation feels good!

muffins as a mystical experience

In the book I stress getting up early, hiking for a little while until you find the perfect place to stop and cook breakfast. This photograph clearly shows an example of such a place. Wind River Range, Wyoming.

The author in the act of creating breakfast muffins. I'm seated near the lake (and water source) in the photo above. Please know - Coffee was integral to this experience.

Perfect muffins steam baked in the the Talkeetna backcountry in Alaska.

the stereotypical pose

Portrait of the author (blogger, illustrator and self-promoter) with a weeks worth of food and gear in a 17 ounce backpack. Big Horn Range, Wyoming.

tip number 72

Napping as a skill

There comes a point on a long hiking day when I succumb the overriding urge to close my eyes in the sun. The afternoon siesta can be a beautiful thing. I encourage you to practice this beloved mountain skill. And I confidently predict you’ll achieve mastery, even on the first try.

Ingenious Napping Checklist:

~ Find a spot well away from the trial so other hikers won’t worry that you’re dead.
~ Take your shoes and socks off and let those feet air out!
~ If it’s buggy, find a spot with a slight breeze.
~ If you are in Grizzly country, keep the bear spray handy.
~ Use your backpack as a pillow.
~ Don’t get sunburned.

Should you set an alarm? I don’t, (because I don't carry a watch) I find that the entire napping process, from picking the perfect spot to being back on the trail (with sleep in between), usually clocks in at exactly an hour.

This process of afternoon renewal can be effectively followed with coffee on the trail. (see tip 130, coffee on the trail)

TIP number 28

Define SUCCESS

Anyone can suffer with a light pack. The point is to thrive and enjoy the experience. The simple checklist of four points (below) is a good way to rein in your trip planning. Staying warm, sleeping comfortably, eating enough to be satisfied and energetic and not skimping on safety gear like first aid items and a simple repair kit. All of these points can be blended together to meet the needs of any individual trip.

1. WARM
2. COMFORTABLE
3. WELL FED
4. SAFE

If you skimp on the tools (or mindset) that would insure any of these four simple points, you’ll eventually end up unhappy.

Always refer back to this short list if you have any questions. An example: A traditional camper will bring a big vessel just to lug water to his campsite. This can be eliminated because the Wilderness traveler with a lighter pack can position any cooking near water. It’s better to leave the big water vessel behind and take an extra warm layer. That layer can insure warmth and comfort, the water vessel is nothing more than a convenience. (see tip 2, Comfortable and safe are vital! )