Transitioning Gear From Summer to Fall

A couple days ago, we went into the first day of fall. I personally love camping in the fall. The scenery is a better sight, the climate feels more relaxing, and of course, colder nights creep up on us. It seems that when we transition from summer into fall, temperature seems to start dropping rapidly. Not an uncomfortable low, but enjoyable with a long sleeve shirt and hot chocolate. Winter camping used to be my favorite season, but now I'm leaning more towards fall.


With the drop in temperature, some things do need to be considered in regards to gear. Our gear changes for each season and a few considerations are to be taken when dealing with fall. Let's first look at the obvious gear change for this season: warmth. This is a little easier to determine for autumn months than winter months.


The big change in clothing is primarily long pants and shirt. I personally wear thin-to-medium long pants and that is adequate for me. Some people need heavier pants and some people get along fine with shorts. If you will be backpacking in the fall, I recommend getting a durable set of convertible pants. Many fall days can be warm, so it's nice to have shorts, but the nights can get cold. With convertible pants, you can zip on the pant legs when the temperature drops.


As far as shirts, I will often wear short sleeves while hiking, but have a thin, long sleeved shirt handy. When you hike, you will warm up, but if you stop for a break and it's cool outside, it is nice to have that extra layer. I will generally bring a thin, long sleeved shirt along with a fleece sweatshirt.


Several posts back, I went into choosing sleeping bags. This can vary quite a bit in the fall based on various factors. I recommend having a sleeping bag rated around thirty degrees colder than you plan to be sleeping in. If the forecasted temperature is to be 60 degrees, you may want a 30-40 degree bag. Remember that most sleeping bags are rated for survivability and not comfort. Some bags have an EN rating which is a European rating. With the EN rating, the upper limit, comfort level, lower level, and extreme ratings are labeled. Right now, I have a 32 degree bag and the next down is a five degree, so I have to use discretion. My 32 degree bag is down fill so it's light and my 5 degree bag is synthetic so it's bulky and heavy. If I have any doubts, I usually go with the colder rating bag. Over the past month, I have experimented with bag ratings and shelters and have found that the type of shelter you use may change what sleeping bag you need. When I sleep in a tent or just in the open, I found that it's a good idea to stick to the 30 degree rule (having a sleeping bag rated 30 degrees below the outside temperature).


When you sleep in a hammock, there are a few factors to think about. If you use a GOOD under quilt, you could stick with the 30 degree rule and should be okay. Though, you may want to consider having a bag rated slightly lower. I've found that your butt will start to chill during the night. When in a hammock, your butt will compress the sleeping bag more than normal, so naturally, it won't loft as well. A good way to compensate for that are to use a good under quilt. When the temperature drop to low 50's, an under quilt may or may not cut it, depending on what sleeping bag you have (assuming you are using the 30 degree rule). Sometimes, the under quilt will keep you warm all except for your butt. That can be fixed by placing a space blanket between the under quilt and hammock under your buttock. You can also just use a thin tarp. A lot of the times, the coldness is caused by convection or wind. If you use a material that prevents the wind from getting to you, the problem can oftentimes be fixed.


Another problem I find is my feet getting cold. I have this issue more than my butt getting cold. I will oftentimes wrap my feet in jacket or coat and that mostly fixes the problem. It would be a good idea to get a pair of thick Marino wool socks that you only wear for sleep. That can almost always fix the cold feet problem (in the autumn months of course).


I recently started bivy camping within the last year. What I have found is that bivy bags will trap heat. In the winter, this is a great plus, but it can be easy to over-insulate in the fall. So far this fall, the coldest it has been was 52 degrees and I used my 32 degree bag. I did find myself unzipping the bag quite a bit. When using a bivy bag, try to have a sleeping bag rated close to 20 degrees lower than the outside temperature. When you add an insulated sleeping pad, it can change that up, but not significantly enough to make much of a difference. If you use a bug bivy, you should probably stick to the 30 degree rule. (Stay tuned for a future post on bivy camping).


Another aspect I look at that isn't quite so critical is food options. For a weekend trip or impromptu trip, it's easy to just grab some Ramen noodles or Mountainhouse freeze dried meals. However, in the fall, it is nice to have a well cooked meal. If the temperature is going to drop, the extra calories will keep you warm. But aside from that, on a cool, fall night, it's enjoyable to have a well cooked meal, sitting back around the fire. I also like to have hot chocolate or hot tea for the evening (bear in mind that tea will make you leave your sleeping bag for the latrine). My camping buddy takes a travel mug along that will keep the hot chocolate warm for a good part of the night. He likes to keep it near his sleeping bag so he can sip on it during the night when it gets chilly.


There really isn't a whole lot that goes into transitioning gear from summer temperatures to fall temperatures, but the changes are significant. If you are looking at getting into backpacking or hiking, I recommend starting in the fall because that is, in my opinion, the most enjoyable season to hike. Now get out there and adventure on!

Camping Essentials pt 2

You have read my last post on what gear you need to start camping. Now you’re ready to find a camping spot. People dream of camping in elaborate and beautiful places. In most cases, though, you have you hike a long ways to get that camping spot. If you are starting out and need the experience, find a state or national park closest to you and go to the campsite. That’s the simplest and easiest way to start out. Most sites are pretty cheap to camp at. You can also just start in your backyard or farm. 

When looking for a site, try to find one that is flat. It may not seem like a significant slope, but when you finally lay down to sleep, you will definitely notice it. If you just can’t avoid a slope, put the head of your sleeping bag uphill. This will help to avoid the feeling of being upside down. You can set up near trees, but as you set up your tent, find a spot that is free of tree roots that will dig into your back. Also, try to clear away sticks and nuts before setting up the tent. If you are hammock camping, you obviously need two trees to set up the hammock. Find trees that are about 10 feet apart. That is ideal for setting up the hammock. 

When you set up your tent, do so upwind of the fire. This will keep the smoke out of the tent. You can also apply this to hammocks. I generally face the door of tent towards the fire. However, if you are expecting wind direction to change, face it away. If you camp in winter, face the door downwind. If you don’t, snow could pile up on the door and when you open it, get a tent full of snow.

All established campsites have fire rings. However, if you’re camping in the backyard or your friend's place out in the country, you need to make one. You can buy fire rings, or you can dig out a hole in the ground and clear out the dead leaves from the area. If they are available, you can put rocks around the fit pit. Don’t build an open fire where it can be seen because some people (including police) don’t really like it. 

If you are at a campsite or in the backyard, you obviously have a restroom nearby. But if you are in the sticks, you need to set one up. I will post later on how to make a latrine, but right now, I will give advice and finding a spot. Make your latrine downhill from your campsite. I have heard a lot of people say how far away it should be from the tents and they all disagreed on how far to go. Just make sure it’s far enough away that you won’t smell it when you’re around the fire. You want to dig a hole about a foot deep if you can. Then you can us sticks, logs, a bucket, what ever you want to use as a toilet. I like to also use orange flagging tape to make where it’s at so it’s easy to find in the dark. 

We have a “leave no trace” policy when hiking which also applies to the latrine. When you are ready to leave camp, you should fill in the hole and put a stick in the ground where it was buried so campers that come there after you will know where your latrine was at. 

When you are at the campsite, you can hang a trash bag on a tree branch. However, when you get ready to sleep, you really need to hang it somewhere higher. In my area, there are raccoons who love trash and bears seem to like it as well. Try to hang it like a bear bag, about 10 feet in a tree if possible. This will save you the trouble of having to pick up all your trash off the ground in the morning. 

If you don’t have a cooler with you or didn’t drive to the campsite, you will want to store your food safely. As a backpacker, I hang it in a bear bag in a tree so the animals don’t get to it. You can do the same thing by putting your food in a medium to small sized bag and hang it about 10 feet in the tree. You can also get bear canisters that seal and keep the smell in and bears out. If you have a cooler, you can just store your food in there without having to worry. Although, if you’re in bear country, make sure it latches so the bear can’t open it and store it away from your camp. If you drove to the campsite, your best bet is to just leave the food in the car. If you keep it in your pack or tent, you have risk of animals and bugs invading you in the night to get the food. 

You should be pretty well set for your first camp. I hope this post has helped and if you have any questions or anything to add, please comment.

 

Planning

When getting ready to go on a trek, it's vital to preplan the trip. Even small, local day hikes must be planned out. Not planning can result in many consequences such as running out of food or ending up soaking wet. When looking at planning, there are several factors to consider but I will go over the top five. 

Location 

You obviously need to know where you're going. You pick out the area you will be hiking in and maybe even the trails. When you know for sure where you're going and how long you will be there, you really should tell someone so if anything is to happen, you can be found. A part of planning the trip is knowing what routes to take and determining how long you will be gone. If you are wilderness hiking where all your directions are based on navigational skills and use of a topo map, you need to determine the best routes to fit the level of difficulty you want. Also take into consideration of the xperience of the other hikers in your party. Try to plan the route that is most appropriate for the level of the least experienced person. 

Food

When you determine how far you are going to trek and how long you will be gone, it's time to plan your food accordingly. Take into consideration how much food you normally eat for each meal then add up how many meals you will have. You can also take the easier route of having dehydrated dinners for each meal. Decide what kind of food you want to bring and make sure you have the means to prepare it. 

While determining the length of the trip, also consider the route and how many water sources are along the way. If there won't be many water sources, bring extra water. If you know there will be plenty of water sources, you may only bring the amount of water you need for hiking. Also remember that when winter hiking, you can melt snow. 

Clothing

As you begin to plan the trip, start looking at the forecast and what the weather will be like. If it will be damp or rainy, you may want your good rain jacket and pack cover with a spare poncho. If it will be cold or snowy, you will want your warm clothes. Also take into affect, the weather at night. Do you need the 30 degree sleeping bag or the -10. If you like to sit around the fire at night, you may need an extra sweatshirt. Make sure to have clothing appropriate to the climate and temperature. Even if the forecast looks good, you may want to bring a little extra if you will be in an area with a certain climate. For example, you trek in Alaska and the forecast shows sunny and clear, but you know that it tends to get cold and rain a lot, so you take light rain gear and extra insulation. 

Camping

If you are hiking a trail at a state or national forest, there will more than likely be campsites along the trail that are already made up. However, if wilderness camping or camping where there's no premade campsite, you should plan your set up. Take into consideration how long it takes you to set up shelter, dig a latrine, dig a fire pit, make or set up chairs, and so on. Think about how long it takes to fix your meals and if you want to day hike a little after getting to camp, factor that time in. When you determine how much time it will take to set up camp, you can figure how far and long you should hike before stopping to set up. 

You also need to decide what kind of shelter you want to bring. Most people go with tents, but you may want to just sleep under the stars. You may want the hammock, snow shelter, or just tarp camp. Your shelter will be relative based on your preference and type of weather and terrain. 

Travel party

Probably the first thing you may have planned is your traveling party. How many people will be going with you? After you decide, you really should work together to even out the load. Maybe someone can haul the tent while someone hauls food and the other carries cookware. The trip will be much more pleasant if everyone shares the load. You may also want to determine everyone's roles. You saw in one of my last posts that the trek can be much easier if everyone splits up responsibilities. Someone is the medic while someone is the navigator. Generally, the one planning and coordinating the trip ends up being the leader. 

Make sure to plan your trip well. The better you plan the trek, the less "bugs" you will have and the experience can be much more fun. If you will be hiking with more than just yourself, try to involve the others in the planning process. Comment below what you think. 

My gear list for backpacking

If you search the internet, you can find hundreds of gear lists and videos on gear lists. I recommend eventually making your own gear list and as you gain experience, you will learn what you will and won't use. This list is to get you started and I will give you the essentials that you should absolutely have. Your gear list will vary depending on the type of hike your doing, how long the hike is, the climate and weather. This post will be in conjunction with my next post on how to pack your backpack. 

Shelter

It's pretty important to have some sort of shelter. Whether it be a tent, tarp, hammock, or simply a large poncho. It's always nice to sometimes sleep under the stars with no shelter or sleep in a snow hut, but you should always have some sort of shelter to fall back on. I even carry something that can double as a backup shelter such as tarp or poncho. 

Sleep system

You always need some sort of sleeping bag or blanket. Even summer nights can get cold and it's always nice to have a little extra under you. It is vital that your sleep system is appropriate to the weather. You aren't going to use a 40 degree sleeping bag in freezing temperatures and probably don't want to use a -20 bag for summer. One of my previous posts will help you in determining your sleeping bag. 

Water

Water is the most important thing in any hike. It's always better to have too much than not enough. I personally carry 2 Nalgene bottles. In the warm weather I also carry a camelback and a smaller aluminum bottle. Water does add a lot of weight, so it's important to also have some form to purify water if you go on any extended trip. I have a Cohglan water filter and purification tablets. In winter you can melt snow and don't really need a filter. Plan your trip well. If you know there's going to be plenty of water sources, carry less water and have a filter. If water will be scarce on the trail, carry more. I will post a bit later on how to find and carry water. 

Food

Food is next to water in importance. Your food is all up to you. Your preference in food choices and the length of trip will determine how much and what kinds of food you will bring. There are dehydrated foods out there that you can just add water to. You can always get MREs or carry something like rice or noodles. Just remember that the more you bring, the heavier your pack will be. If you don't pack your food right, you will take up valuable space in your pack. I have been taking ramen noodles and rice in zip lock bags. I carry my food in a stuff sack, but a lot of people prefer to put each meal in its own zip lock bag. I like everything in the stuff sack because when I go to hang my bear bag, I just need to hang my one stuff sack. I will post some recipes for over the fire in a later post. If you bring things that need cooked, you need some type of stove, whether it be an alcohol, gas, or wood. You also need a cook set. I have a larger one for hiking with multiple people and for winter, and a smaller one for hiking alone. Bear in mind, you need something to melt snow in if you're hiking in winter. 

Clothing

You should bring some kind of jacket along, no matter how warm it is outside. The nights may get chilly and you may get an unexpected rain. It's essential to bring extra socks. Depending on how hard you hike, the temperature, and weather, you may have to change socks during the day. When hiking hard in wet or hot weather, you should change your socks 1-2 times a day. Factor in additional clothing that has a potential to get wet or sweaty. It's also vital that you bring some type of hat. In the warm months, you need to keep the sun off your face and neck. In cold, you need to keep your head warm. Your head is very vascular, making most of your heat escaping through your head. When protecting from the rain, I recommend a small, spare poncho because you can keep the rain off as well as have a spare shelter. 

Navigation

I prefer to use maps, I'm a little old fashioned but whether you use maps or GPS, you need something. You never know when you might lose track of where you are and may need to regain your bearings and get back on the trail. I carry a map in a waterproof map case, protractor, pencil, and orienteering compass. Not only should you have them, you should know how to use it. Take a small course or stay tuned for a later post I will put up on how to navigate. GPS is becoming very popular. If you bring GPS, make sure to have spare batteries or a way of charging it like a solar charger. In fact, you should have spare batteries for all electronics. You should also know how to use your GPS before setting out. If you do bring GPS, bring a map as well. You never know when the GPS will quit working or die and it's always good to have a map. 

Pack

In my opinion, a backpack is important. I have never seen someone hike several days without one. The type and brand of pack you get 100% depends on what you like. I have a Teton sport explorer 4000. It's the right size for me and has plenty of room for all my gear. Every pack is different: some have lots of external pockets, some have none. There are several different sizes and styles. Do you want external or internal frame? Do you need some way to hold a water bladder? Do you want a built in pack cover or liner? Before spending a lot of money, determine what you need. 

Tools

I highly recommend a multi tool like a letherman. These can be used for just about anything. I also like to carry a pocket knife. You should consider a small shovel to dig a latrine. I also have a folding saw to cut firewood and a collapsible snow shovel if I'm hiking in deep snow. 

Light

I carry just a small LED flashlight. It fits into small places in my pack and is bright. I highly HIGHlY recommend a headlamp. If you end up setting up in the dark, it's nice to have a headlamp so you can work with both hands. 

First aid

First aid kit is essential on the trail. Being how I'm a paramedic, I tend to go overboard with medical supplies. I recently condensed it down to the essentials: gauze pads, gauze rolls, alcohol pads, bandaids, moleskin, medical gloves, and antibiotic ointment. I also carry ibuprofen and Benadryl. Benadryl is great for allergic reactions. I carry my first aid supplies in a zip lock bag because it can compress more that way. 

Everything else 

Everything else you carry is based on your preference and type of hike. I will, later on, give you a guide on packing for winter trips, desert trips, and ultralight. The following are things you may want to also bring:

Lighter or fire striker

Some kind of tinder

Cord or rope (needed for bear bag)

Duct tape

Repair kits

Sleeping pad or air matress

Camera

Pillow

Space blanket

Survival kit

Gloves 

Hand sanitizer

Backup stove

Bandanna

Carabiner

Fishing kit

Trekking poles

This will be a good start, but alter it to fit you. You may not use some stuff and you may have some stuff that you will use that I didn't mention. Feel free to comment about other things you carry.