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jubea
For my outdoor education class, I need to know basic facts about a day of backpacking. How far did you go in one day? How long did you sleep? When did you cook? That sort of thing. Thanks!
Answer
As others have mentioned how far you go in a day depends on the group, the terrain and the amount of gear you are carrying. In my experience, unless it is a very good trail over even ground, anything over 8 miles is a pretty good distance in day and anything over 15 is really pushing it. Heck, 20 miles in one day is a pretty hard day hike without a pack (basically a fast walking pace non-stop for 10 straight hours).
Typically, I aim for 6 to 12 miles a day depending on the area. Presumably you are hiking through a pretty and enjoyable place and will want to stop along the way to take pictures and enjoy it rather than troop through at full speed without stopping. Outdoor exercise experts also recommend that you stop at least once every 1-2 hours and elevate your feet for 10-15 minutes to improve circulation and clear out lactic acids that build up in the legs and feet.
A typical day goes as follows:
Get up around sunrise. Breakfast, bathroom activities and repacking at a relaxed pace usually takes about an hour and a half.
Hit the trail for about 3-4 hours, with maybe one 15 minute break along the way. Find a nice spot for lunch and just hang out and relax a bit for an hour or more. Hit the trail again for 3-4 hours, with at least one 15 minute break.
I try to reach camp a good two hours before sunset to allow plenty of time to check out the area and setup (plus it is nice to be done with everything and relax during sunset). Finding the nearest water source and filtering enough water (hand-pump filter) to last to the next camp is a high priority.
If fires are allowed at the camp, than gathering firewood is a top priority while there is day light, but I usually won't start the fire until I need it for light or cooking. I like to do my cooking right after enjoying the sunset (or the days are long, cook right before sunset and find a good sunset spot to eat at). In the last few years, I have become a fan of the dehydrated meals (Mountain House, etc) which are light, calorie packed and not bad tasting. I don't need to bring pots, separated ingredients, etc and can eat right out of the package. The new JetBoils are great for quickly boiling water with minimum weight and fuel.
I am normally a night owl, but after a day or two of backpacking I usually get into a natural rytheme with the daylight and find myself happily going to bed and waking up earlier than I would at home. Hitting the tent by 9PM and sleeping a good 8-9 hours is not uncommon.
The above is pretty typical, but no two days are exactly the same. Some days you don't to camp until after dark and others you may only go an easy 4 or 5 miles between camps. For extended trips (over 4-5 days) I often like to find a nice spot to hold over 2 nights (a dead day) to really relax and explore a bit without having to constantly get up and go each morning.
Where you are going makes a big difference too. I do most of my backpacking in the southwest where water sources are few and far between and so you often have to carry more water (heavy!) on you than at other places. On the other hand, we have much fewer mosquitos, fleas, and ticks so I usually never have to bother with bug spray.
As others have mentioned how far you go in a day depends on the group, the terrain and the amount of gear you are carrying. In my experience, unless it is a very good trail over even ground, anything over 8 miles is a pretty good distance in day and anything over 15 is really pushing it. Heck, 20 miles in one day is a pretty hard day hike without a pack (basically a fast walking pace non-stop for 10 straight hours).
Typically, I aim for 6 to 12 miles a day depending on the area. Presumably you are hiking through a pretty and enjoyable place and will want to stop along the way to take pictures and enjoy it rather than troop through at full speed without stopping. Outdoor exercise experts also recommend that you stop at least once every 1-2 hours and elevate your feet for 10-15 minutes to improve circulation and clear out lactic acids that build up in the legs and feet.
A typical day goes as follows:
Get up around sunrise. Breakfast, bathroom activities and repacking at a relaxed pace usually takes about an hour and a half.
Hit the trail for about 3-4 hours, with maybe one 15 minute break along the way. Find a nice spot for lunch and just hang out and relax a bit for an hour or more. Hit the trail again for 3-4 hours, with at least one 15 minute break.
I try to reach camp a good two hours before sunset to allow plenty of time to check out the area and setup (plus it is nice to be done with everything and relax during sunset). Finding the nearest water source and filtering enough water (hand-pump filter) to last to the next camp is a high priority.
If fires are allowed at the camp, than gathering firewood is a top priority while there is day light, but I usually won't start the fire until I need it for light or cooking. I like to do my cooking right after enjoying the sunset (or the days are long, cook right before sunset and find a good sunset spot to eat at). In the last few years, I have become a fan of the dehydrated meals (Mountain House, etc) which are light, calorie packed and not bad tasting. I don't need to bring pots, separated ingredients, etc and can eat right out of the package. The new JetBoils are great for quickly boiling water with minimum weight and fuel.
I am normally a night owl, but after a day or two of backpacking I usually get into a natural rytheme with the daylight and find myself happily going to bed and waking up earlier than I would at home. Hitting the tent by 9PM and sleeping a good 8-9 hours is not uncommon.
The above is pretty typical, but no two days are exactly the same. Some days you don't to camp until after dark and others you may only go an easy 4 or 5 miles between camps. For extended trips (over 4-5 days) I often like to find a nice spot to hold over 2 nights (a dead day) to really relax and explore a bit without having to constantly get up and go each morning.
Where you are going makes a big difference too. I do most of my backpacking in the southwest where water sources are few and far between and so you often have to carry more water (heavy!) on you than at other places. On the other hand, we have much fewer mosquitos, fleas, and ticks so I usually never have to bother with bug spray.
What is a good "ideal" weight for fully loaded backpack when backpack camping?
ltkenbo
I am 5'7" and about 160 pounds. My current bag setup weighs about 35 pounds fully loaded (includes food, tent, sleeping bag etc.). Is this a reasonable weight for backpacking?
Answer
Light is great as long as you bring what you need. You have very good weight, it really depends on the person, the average all around weight for myself has been between 72 and 75 lbs but I'm comfortable with it.
Light is great as long as you bring what you need. You have very good weight, it really depends on the person, the average all around weight for myself has been between 72 and 75 lbs but I'm comfortable with it.
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Title Post: What is a typical day of backpacking like?
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