6 Things to Know Before Hiking the Appalachian Trail

Many of my past posts have revealed how I pack for backpacking trips and little tricks I follow. As I started hiking more, some of those have changed significantly. How I pack for overnighters or even 3 day trips in the Midwest differ from how I pack for a 7 day section hike or even future thru hikes. My section hike of the A.T. revealed to me that many of the things I've done in the past aren't feasible or convenient on long distance hikes. This article will be more geared toward those who are looking to do a section hike or even a thru hike on the Appalachian Trail. I have yet to do a "long distance" thru hike (Peru was only 4 days) so I cannot say this will be 100% for thru hikers, but most of this will apply to thru hiking as well.

As I started this article, I tried to decide how I would write it. I was going to title it "Things I learned on the AT", then thought I would make it a post on things that would be easier on a long hike, or possibly "What I would do different". I decided to try to combine all of these into one post. These are some of the things I've learned to make long distance hiking easier that I would do differently next time and would make the hike a lot easier if you follow. Enjoy!

1. Packing

Some of the ways you pack for an overnighter change when you decide to hike long distances for multiple days. I used to religiously follow the rule to not hang anything on the outside of the pack and rightfully so. Things that "flop around" on your pack can throw you off balance, not to mention it's annoying being hit by things hanging on your pack and eventually snagging on things. That being said, on long distance hikes, this just isn't always possible. When you are hiking a ways, there are lots of bigger things you will be taking that make it hard to pack everything (primarily food). 

Being our first section hike of the A.T., we took a little more than needed, but not all that much and still had troubles packing things. With everything packed, I still had to carry my tent, camp shoes, jacket, and chair on the outside, not to mention our trash bag and wet clothes and socks. The trick is to keep everything as tight to your pack as possible. If you have a pack with compression straps, that is ideal. You can traps things tightly to the outside without them moving around loosely. Try to secure larger items that don't matter so much if they get wet (tent, rain jacket, etc.).

While we are on the subject of packing, remember to PACK LIGHT. You will have to carry everything and when you are just starting and don't have your hiking legs yet, it can be a bear. After a few days, you start to gain your "mountain legs", but still have to carry all that weight. Granted, as you eat food, your pack gets lighter, but you will have to eventually restock. Ryne and I had our packs between 45 and 50 pounds to start. Jim's was around 35 pounds, but many of the thru hikers we met had theirs near 25 pounds. We packed 8 days worth of food which was excessive. If you hike more than 10 miles a day, you really only need about 4 days worth of food because you will eventually come to a town or road where you can restock. In addition, there are many things that can be left at home. As you hike, each day, you find what works best for packing and where you want each item in your pack.

2. Water

Since this was our first trip, we didn't know what to expect as far as the water situation. We learned quite fast that on the A.T., you won't run short of water. We brought several bottles and always had them full, which added A LOT of weight to our packs. Realistically, you only need 1 full bottle of water each day (maybe 2 on a hot day). I had a Lifestraw bottle which is a filter bottle that weighs about the same as a Nalgene. This isn't really necessary unless your pack is under 25 pounds, then you can afford to carry the extra weight.

We also carried multiple Smart Water bottles. I think these are ideal and most people carried the same. They come in 2 different sizes, which is useful, and are rugged but lightweight. I had one of these along with my Platypus. To do it over, I would carry one of these bottles to collect water to cook with and my Platypus bottle as a backup. It's not a bad idea to have a designated "dirty" water bottle and marked somehow. I used my Smart Water bottle for dirty water that I filtered into other bottles.

I would also bring my Camelback next time. Yes, it is extra weight, but after cutting weight in other areas, it would definitely be worth it's weight, not to mention it holds the water closer to your back which makes the pack lighter and more balanced. I would carry this for drinking water and the Smart Water bottle for dirty water.

It is also essential to have a good filter. We used the Sawyer Mini, as did most people we met. Platypus also makes a good filter system, but is heavy. Lifestraw is a great one as well. The Sawyers can by screwed onto the top of a water bottle and drink from it directly or filter into another bottle. These filters can also be placed in-line on your Camelback hose so you can fill your Camelback with dirty water and not have to mess with filtering it. I highly encourage to buy a good, lightweight filter. 

Tip: One of the things we discovered would have been handy is a short 1-foot section of PVC. Each shelter and campsite had its own water source (some good enough to shower under) that was easy to fill water off of. We ran into many other spots on the trail with running water, but difficult to fill our bottles. With a short section of PVC, we could essentially make our own "faucet" to use for filling our bottles.


3. Shelters

We overestimated how much shelter we really needed on the trail! We had shelters or campsites each night, but could have easily had a shelter each night if we would have reserved early enough or registered as a thru hiker. Some places along the A.T. require you to reserve shelters and campsites and obtain a permit if you are a section hikers. Thru hikers can pretty well stay where they want, but if shelters fill up, section hikers get precedence over the shelters. 

Jim and I brought tents and Ryne brought a hammock, all of which added unnecessary weight. To do it over, we would have registered as thru hikers and would have stayed at each shelter and bring a lightweight bivy for when shelters fill up. you really don't have to worry about storing your pack because there's the option of storing it in the shelter, even if you're not staying in the shelter. If sleeping primarily in a tent and you are in a group, it's best to have a larger tent for everyone, then split the load. One person carry the tent while another carries food, while another carries cook set and stove, or some variation. We found splitting loads and sharing loads helped immensely.

Remember to bring a good sleeping pad. Most shelters have wooden floors which can be uncomfortable. I saw many people who used foam sleeping pads and others who used air sleeping pads. I prefer the air sleeping pads because they are more comfortable and pack down smaller and don't add much weight. Your sleeping pad can then, be used for your bivy or in the shelter.

Most shelters also have bear cable systems for hanging your food, but be sure to also bring some sort of cord. All of our shelters had cable systems, but we talked to people who stayed at other shelters that did not. Paracord is also useful (as we found) for hanging your backpack in an overcrowded shelter. Most shelters have nails or hooks to hang your pack to keep mice out of them, but in an overcrowded shelter, those get used up fast. (BTW, be sure not to have ANY food in your pack or the mice WILL get to it). 

To hang our food, we used dry bags from Wal Mart. These work great for keeping things dry in your pack, but don't work as well for hanging food. We kept our food in these and hung them on the cables but when storms hit, the bags leaked a little and soaked our food. You're better off using a good dry bag of container such as a bear canister or Ursack. 

4. Conditioning

One of the most important things to do before a long distance hike is to condition yourself. This would include loading your pack and going for multiple hikes involving lots of hills. If you don't live around hills (such as in the Midwest), use a stair stepper with your pack on. I also use and elevation mask to train. We found that it is essential to condition if you aren't used to hiking to this capacity. After about 4 days, Ryne and I got our mountain legs, but Jim struggled on the ascents. Be sure you are in condition for the hike. The ascents can "wind" you and the descents are hard on the legs and knees, not to mention with a heavy pack on. And trekking poles are essential on the descents. 


5. Leave Stuff Behind
There are quite a few things that we brought that we could have left behind and wish we would have. The A.T. isn't true wilderness and many of the survival items you would need in the wilderness, you don't really need on the A.T. Here is a list of things we brought, but never used or needed:

1. Tree saw
2. Multiple lighters (only need 1)
3. Sunscreen
4. Rain pants
5. Compass
6. Large knife
7. Water purifying tabs (unless you don't have a filter)

The following are things we brought that we didn't need but were glad we brought them:

1. Camping chair (Alite, Helinox, etc.)
2. Camp shoes (sandals, Crocs, etc.)
3. iPod, radio

4. Gloves

6. Cooking

We had a couple options for cooking and next time, depending on how we are hiking, we may do things differently. If you are soloing or cooking for yourself, make sure to have a small cook set and small stove. I brought my MSR Whisperlite which was too much stove for myself. Something like a Jetboil or the MSR Pocket Rocket would be good choices of stoves. Canister stoves would be better than white gas stoves because the fuel lasts longer and canisters are pretty universal with any stove. The GSI soloist or microduelist or some similar cook set would be best. 

However, If cooking for the group, it's probably best to bring maybe 2 stoves and 1 larger cook set such as an MSR stowaway pot. Our initial plan was cook our own meals, then decided as a group, it was easier to fix one large meal for all of us. If we would have followed this, one of us could have carried the food, while another carried the stoves and fuel and the other carry the cook sets.

These are some tips we found would have been useful to us before our section hike. All of these suggestions are based on a 7 day section hike in the Smoky Mountains and not a thru hike of the whole A.T., though I believe these would be just as valid for a thru hike. And these tips are for just the A.T. Other guidelines would be different for say the PCT or Superior Hiking Trail. Thanks for reading and I hope this has been a help to you.

Minimalist 101

When I first got into backpacking, I had a tendency to take anything and everything that I could fit into my pack. You know the old Boyscout motto "always be prepared". But as time has gone by and within the past year or so, I have been lightening my load more and more. As I assessed my pack, I realized that I didn't use more than half of the stuff I brought. So I decided to become a minimalist. Now, minimalist is different from ultralight. Ultralight hikers keep their pack less than 10 pounds (excluding the water and food). A minimalist as well doesn't take a whole lot, but does not keep the weight under a certain limit (though they certainly can). A minimalist essentially only takes what is absolutely necessary. I think minimalist hiking is a good way to go (or at least try). For some people, this may not be a preferred method. Such as when I do the Appalachian Trail next year, I may pack a few things just for comfort. 

As I worked on my updated packing list for my last overnight trip, I separated gear into 3 categories: essential, good to have, and not essential. I am going to give you my packing list under each category for my last trip, but bear in mind that this is for a bicycle trip. 

Essential 

Sleeping bag (appropriate rating)

Shelter (in this case, a bivy)

Food

Cooking kit

Stove

Water container

Paracord

Flashlight

Multi-tool

Warm clothing

Rain jacket (if rain is suspected)

Compass and map (if in wilderness or don't know the area)

Water filter/purifier (if multi-day or stream is your primary source of water)

If you were to do an ultralight hike/ride, this may be all you bring. It may not seem like much, but in all reality, it's all that you absolutely need. In fact, if you know that you won't have adverse weather, you could leave the shelter behind. We all know that comfort is nice to have and we like to have some luxuries, even when backpacking. That's why I have a "good to have" category. 

Good to Have

Bug spray 

Sunscreen (if needed)

Shelter tarp and stakes

Ground cloth

Camp chair

Sleeping pad

Weather radio

Spare flashlight

Duct tape

Bandana 

Extra paracord 

Ipod/MP3 player/radio

Small lantern

First aid kit

Charger for electronics

Pillow

Saw

Shovel

Towel

Soap

Hand sanitizer 

Extra socks

Camp shoes

Trekking poles

Spices for cooking 

Some of these things can arguably be moved to the essential list. However, some of these things can be substituted. If you have a hammock and waterproof bags, you don't really need a chair or ground cloth. A pillow is nice, but I just put my extra clothes and lose stuff sacks into a single stuff sack and use that. In a hammock, a pillow really isn't needed anyways. If you are in a state/national park, it is required to "burry your poo" or to carry it out. The "leave no trace" policy would imply the need for a sack or two to carry your "stuff" out or a shovel to burry it. I have a ziplock bag with a couple 1 gallon bags, sandwich bags, a garbage bag, and some paper towels. This is always handy but not essential. Trekking poles may be essential if used for your shelter. To some people, music is essential and therefore, an iPod may be essential. 

Not Essential

Extra stuff sacks

Space blanket

Fully stocked survival kit (depending on location) 

Extra garbage bags

Candles

Backup stove and fuel

Cooking utensil set

Stake hammer

Hatchet

Fishing kit (unless fish will be your primary source of food)

Shower bag

Dry bag/box for everything

Extra poncho

Spare shoe laces

These are common things that are often added to a gear list that really don't need brought. But again, if I'm on a long trip, I may bring the shower bag. For someone who requires comfort and luxuries, these may be "essentials". I know that some of these may be controversial such as the survival kit, backup stove, and spare poncho. But to be honest, I've never used these. You should be prepared for worst thing that you may encounter but not to the extreme. You probably don't need a snake bike kit in the winter and I doubt you will encounter a flood in the mountains. 

This is my list for my trips as a minimalist. Obviously, some gear gets added depending on the climate (coat, snowshoes, shemagh, etc.) or type of trip (life jacket for kayak, repair kit for bike). Use this list to build your own list of what you need. For someone just starting out, it can be overbearing to obtain all of the gear that most people recommend. But if you use this as a guide, it should be easier. 

What you see in the first picture is all I brought on my overnight bike trip and it was sufficient for me. Here are a few pictures of our last trip. Try out this list and I would love to see your photos. 

Packing the Pulk

There's just something about winter camping. Sleeping in the cold air, the element of survival, and opportunity to use skills you wouldn't use otherwise. I thoroughly enjoy winter camping. One unavoidable area, though, is the excess in gear. Extra blankets, thicker (and heavier) sleeping bag, extra fuel, dry wood, etc. Unfortunately, that means your pack won't quite cut it. Fortunately, you can use a pulk!

This post is strictly how to pack and use a pulk and not so much on building one. Though, I may throw in some things I added to mine to improve the function of it.

The first step is to make sure the pulk will work for you depending on your need. There are different sizes and the length of the poles depend on whether you are skiing or snowshoeing. If you are skiing, the poles may need to be longer. Also, if you are a heavier person and need bigger snowshoes, be sure they will clear the poles. Make sure to find a harness or belt that will work well with your pulk then go out and test it to make sure it will be suitable. The poles should be secured on the sides of the harness for added stability. If you will do a lot of turning and maneuvering, you can hook the poles to the middle of your back. Just be sure to have the poles crossed and in an x-shape. This will help stabilize the pulk, keep it from tipping, and makes it easier to control it. 

As you test out your pulk, there are some things to consider. Something I didn't take into account when I first used mine is the fact that it can be top heavy and can tip over easily. Sometimes it's dependent on how you walk or ski, but this problem can be mostly solved by placing a metal ring or carabiner to hold the 2 poles together (where the poles cross). I noticed that it will often tip over when the poles separate. You will see what I mean when you first go out. 

Now on to packing! Packing a pulk is very similar to packing a backpack or panniers. Balance is key! As you pack, try to keep heavier items in the center and balance everything out from there. If there's too much weight in the front, the front will dig into the snow. If too much weight is in the back, it will feel like dead weight. It's essential to get a good balance. 

As I mentioned earlier, the pulk can become top heavy fast which makes it easier to tip over. So you want put heavy stuff in first and as close to the bottom as possible. When you have few items, you can be more flexible. As you see in the picture below, I put the heavier sleep system toward to back and everything else in front to balance it out. If you have a lot to pack, put heavier items on the bottom and the lightest on top. 

Try not to overload the pulk. First of all, if it's overloaded, it may get too heavy for the poles. Second, the pulk will begin to feel like dead weight going up hills and will try to push you down hills. If it is an extended trip and you will be hauling a lot, balance the load between a pack and the pulk. 

If you hike all year long and have your gear list and pack perfected, you can do nice little trick I learned. I have some winter specific gear. If my pack is set up perfect for year round hiking, I will put my winter specific gear in the pulk and leave everything else in the pack. My bigger sleeping bag, shovel, extra blanket, dry wood, extra fuel, etc. You can strategically pack winter specific gear in the pulk. However, if you're an ultralight hiker like me and going for an overnight trip, you may be better off taking the pulk only. 

So, you have your gear in your pulk. Now what? You want to try to waterproof your gear because there's a good chance that your gear will get snow on in. I built my own pulk and I riveted a medium tarp to the inside. With this, I can fold the front and back in, then the sides and secure it. This works very well to keep gear dry. If your pulk doesn't have a built in tarp, you can set a tarp on the pulk floor and wrap your gear to keep it dry. I also have paracord running along the pulk and it pulls up on 4 points along the sides and one point in the front. I can secure the cord with 2 carabiners on top and cinch it tight to keep my gear compressed. You want keep your gear compressed as tightly to the pulk bottom as you can. This will not only keep your gear lower and the center of gravity lower, it will keep gear from shifting which could cause the pulk to tip over. 

Something else that the pulk is good for is storage. I love hammock camping and something you always run into is storing your gear overnight. I used to place my pack on one side of my ground cloth and fold the other end over to keep the pack dry. If I use a rainfly that goes all the way to the ground, I can just set my gear on the ground cloth. But with a pulk, you can wrap up your gear in the pulk and not have to worry about where to put your pack (if you take a pack). Otherwise, all of your gear is already in the pulk and you don't have to worry about organizing camp. For my last camp, I used a bivy and it worked really well to have the pulk. Since I didn't have a shelter per se, all my gear was stored in the pulk. I also, generally put my boots in my sleeping bag to keep them warm. But with the pulk, I just stored them in the pulk and used hand warmers in the morning to warm them up. 

Overall, I think pulks are an awesome investment of time and money. They are easy to use (for the most part) and make hauling heavier gear a breeze. I think pulks are probably the best way to haul gear in winter. Hopefully this has helped in your venture into pulk-pullin'. 

Packing for kayak/canoe trip

As I'm getting ready to head out for an overnight kayak trip down the Mississippi River, I decided I would write a post on packing for overnight kayak/canoe trips. If you have read any number of my previous posts, you would know that I am a minimalist. I try to minimize my loads down to the bare essentials. With that being said, packing for a kayak or canoe trip is a little different. If you are on a bike or hiking, you have to lug that weight. But in a kayak or canoe, you can budget for more weight since you aren't physically carryinging it. 

As you pack, as with any trip, you have 2 categories of gear: net gear and gross gear. Your net gear is what you absolutely need and should take on every trip (i.e. Water bottle, compass, map, etc.) These are your essentials that should be on every trip. I keep all of these in a backpack or a pannier, while in storage, so they are all together. 

Gross gear is what you can be more flexible with. This is the gear that can be altered to your trip. (i.e. Clothes, food, shelter, etc.) Each trip is a little different and you may change what you bring. This is where you pick and chose to adjust your weight. 

Gear

As I said before, when packing to go out on the water, you can budget for more weight so you can have a few more luxuries. As far as what to bring, here is a list of your net gear:

Water bottles/bladder

Compass

Map of the area

Whistle

Flashlight (or headlight)

Multi tool

Cord (paracord)

Survival kit (fishing kit, matches, water purification tabs, space blanket, spare flashlight, etc)

First aid kit (minimum: bandaids, gauze pads, tape, medical gloves, Benadryl, antibiotic ointment)

Bandanna

Fire starter

These are what you should always have on you during a trip. Everything else you could possibly do without if you desire. Even though shelter, a stove, food, and sleeping bag are important and you may definately want them, you could do without if need be (at least for an overnight trip). In addition to this list, you can now add your gross gear. Below is what I recommend for an OVERNIGHT canoe/kayak trip. 

Some sort of shelter

Sleeping bag

Stove and fuel

Cook set

Food

1 change of clothing (if bringing shoes, a couple pairs of socks)

Fishing gear and license

Camp chair

Small shovel and saw

Water filter

Sunscreen

Insect repellant

Solar charger

Spare batteries

Rain gear

Tinder 

Toilet paper

Spare blanket

Of course, these item can be tailored to what you would use. Again, you don't have to exactly skimp on stuff, but you should also try to not overpack. In addition to these, you will need to take trek-specific gear: paddles, life jacket, etc. 

If you plan to go for more than one night, you can easily alter your list. The net gear will remain the same, but your clothes, food, etc. may be changed depending on how long you will be gone. 

I recommend making a list for each meal. What will you eat as a main course? What will you drink? Will you want any sides for the meal? These are some questions to ask when writing a menu. Also budget for snacks for during the trip. 

Next, how often will you change clothes? If I'm doing 3 nights, I could get by with 1 change of clothes, plus maybe an extra shirt or 2. Some people need to change every day. Bring the amount of clothes that you think you will need. 

Finally, how many people are in your group? If you will be by yourself, what's on the list may be all you need. If there's more than one person going, you may only need 1 stove, 1 tent, 1 shovel, etc. If it's not something that is specifically for you, you could probably bring just one of that item to share (such as a stove). 

Packing

To pack your gear, I highly recommend dry bags, especially in a canoe. I also use a dry bag in my kayak and put it in the front. The type of kayak also determines how much you bring. Size, sit on top vs. enclosed, compartment space. In a canoe, you can load your bags onto the floor and maybe tie them in. If it's a sit on top kayak, you will have to secure your dry bag, whereas with an enclosed one, you can push to the front and back, letting it just sit there. If you have compartments, store your immediate essentials that you will need on the trek in these. If it's airtight, even better. If it's not airtight, I would advise to not store anything that is not waterproof.  Everything else I would suggest packing in a dry bag. They do make dry bags that double as backpacks. 

I would also recommend getting some dry boxes. I keep my survival kit in a dry box, which I would advise doing. I also keep my multi tool, carabiners, fishing license, and any other small items in one. If you have a paper map, you can get a waterproof map case (or use a ziplock bag). I also have an Armor Series Otterbox. You can get one of these or Lifeproof for your phone if you plan to use it on the water. The key idea here is to waterproof anything that might get ruined if you tip over. I would also highly recommend tying everything to your watercraft or make sure everything floats to keep from losing it. 

Packing for a canoe/kayak trip is relatively simple (in my opinion). This is a good start and if you see need to get rid of some things or add some, you can do so. For a first time, overnight trip, this is a great start. Any questions or additional ideas, comment below. 

Packing the pack

There are endless ways on how to pack your backpack for a trek. You will pack it differently based on type of hike, climate, type of pack, what you use more often, and what you take. As I go through this, I will show how I pack for 3 season vs. winter and hammock vs. tent. My Teton sport backpack has the main compartment, a sleeping bag compartment in the underside, a long outside pocket on one side, two short outside pockets on the other side, a netted water bottle pouch on both sides, a netting gear pouch on the back, a water bladder pouch on the inside, and a pouch on the top flap on outside and inside. 

I also have a smaller pack I use in the summer sometimes that only has a main compartment, two long pockets on the outside on the back, pouch on inside and outside of top flap , and two netted gear pockets on the side. You can see a big difference between the two. All packs are different so how you pack it will vary. I will use my Teton for example throughout this post. I'm going to show you how I pack my pack, then will give some packing principles to always abide by. 

First, I will cover the main compartment. Depending on the trip, the way I pack will change. The following are what I have in my main compartment:

Hammock, pillow, cook set, food and fuel can in stuff sack, air matress, snow shovel, backpacking chair, water filter, clothes. Of course, I don't carry the snow shovel when there's no snow or the hammock when I bring the tent. I don't pack the water filter when I'm hiking in snow. Typically when I pack for a hammock camp, I put the hammock, cook set, air matress, and clothes bag in first. On top of that, I put my food bag, water filter, and chair. Lastly, I put the pillow on top with a Nalgene bottle. In winter, I wrap the water bottle in the pillow. In snow, I take the handle off the shovel and slide both in along the back. In 3 seasons, I put my camelback bladder in the pocket on the inside and squeeze the camelback carrier in somewhere to use as a day pack. 

In the sleeping bag, compartment, I have my sleeping bag and space blanket/tarp. The compartment is rather small so if you have one and a large sleeping bag, you can take some smaller things out of the main part, like food and clothes, and put them in the sleeping bag compartment and sleeping bag in the main or on the outside. You can experiment and work with it until you find a solution. 

The top, outside pocket on the flap is where I put the things I will need the most to keep them handy. All packs have a pocket on top of the pack. The following is what I always carry in it:

Ground cloth, duct tape wrapped around a card, map case and map, compass, cotton gloves, multi tool, first aid kit, hand sanitizer, flashlight, headlamp, and bandanna. You may not put the same things in this pocket, but just make sure to have there what you will need most. 

Just on the other side of the top flap, there's another pocket that I typically keep my hygiene stuff, extra first aid supplies, medical tape, and soap. 

The long outside, side pocket I normally use to put longer, small items and things I may need before opening the main compartment. I usually carry my spare tent stakes, bear bag cord, small shovel, and folding saw. 

The top smaller pocket on the other side I typically put my fire starting and cooking equipment in. I have my stove, lighter, tinder, and back up stove and fuel. The bottom small pocket I use for survival gear. I have a dry box with extra lighter, hand warmers, fishing kit, can opener, and flint fire striker. I also have a pill fob with basic OTC medications like ibuprofen and Benadryl and have my emergency space blanket in the pocket as well. 

On the outside of the pack, I strap my foam sleeping pad on the back and the tent on top (when I use my tent rather than hammock). When I hammock camp, I have my underquilt strapped to the top and spare blanket on the back. I have a carabiner with paracord on it that I put on a shoulder strap. I also put my snacks in the outside mesh pockets. Most packs have some way of securing your trekking poles to the outside and have gear loops for ice axes. When I take snow shoes, but not using them at the time, I use lashing straps to strap them to the sides. I always keep an insulated Nalgene bottle pouch on the hip belt that I keep a water bottle in. It's nice having an insulated one because it keeps water from freezing in winter and keeps it cool in summer. 

That is how I typically pack and it may change depending on what I decide to take and what kind of hike I'm on. You will have to mess around with it and decide how your gear fits best and suits you. But regardless of how you pack, remember these principles:

Pack light

When I first started backpacking, I liked to take EVERYTHING for worst case scenario. But I quickly learned that ounces lead to pounds and pounds add to pain. Only bring the essentials and as you buy gear, get the lightest stuff possible. Do your best to minimize your gear or you will suffer on the trail and may have to dump some stuff. 

Heaviest on top

When packing, bear in mind that when the heaviest items are on the bottom, it will feel heavier than if they were on top. Try to follow this as best you can. However, some heavy things I put on the bottom if they will be the last things I need to pull out such as my hammock. Also try to put the heaviest gear closest to your body and lighter gear away from your body. This will keep your center gravity... Well... In the center. 

Accessibility

Accessibility is important. You don't want your snacks for the day on the bottom of the pack or your sleeping bag on top everything. Pack logically and based on how soon you will use the item. You want the things you will use first, more often, and more likely to be in convenient spots. That is why I put the items I use most in the pouch right above my head. They are handy and I can access them while I'm still walking. For example, when winter hiking, first thing I will want to do when I reach camp is to set my pack down, but without it getting wet in the snow, so I keep my ground cloth in the top pouch so it's the first thing I grab. I can now set it out to put my gear on before setting up camp. 

Obviously, you will also want to put items in the pouches that are more logical. I categorize my stuff when I pack it. The larger gear I put in the main compartment, the essentials I keep in the pouch above my head, the fire starting and cooking gear in one pouch, survival gear is in one pouch, etc. As you pack and hike a few times, will learn where you want your stuff packed. You can pack the same way I do or you may find a method that works best for you. I hope this was a help to you. Comment and let me know what works best for you and what you think.