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Hi all,

Noob here, and have put in for the lottery for a route in Glacier during July this year. Hope to get it. Starting to get gear, and come up with plans. My g/f and I are planning this trip, and we were thinking, would it make sense, to load one pack with gear/food, and the other pack with everything else? I have made many canoe trips to the BWCA, and we always have a food pack, equipment pack and personal pack. This trip will just be her and I, so does it make sense to have one personal pack for the both of us, and then a food/equipment pack? We'll have to hang out food for the night, so it would make sense to put most equipment in there as well? Just wondering how others pack, when going on a backcountry adventure with your g/f or wife?

Thanks,

While I cannot speak from experience, intuitively it would make sense for you both keep some bare necessities on your person. What happens if you get separated unexpectedly? There are people on this forum that have forgotten more than I will ever know about the backcountry and I am sure they will weight in, but that's my 2 cents...refunds are welcome...

Dylan, thanks for the reply. I think your right, that each of us would have some bare necessities tucked away in one of the outer compartments of our pack, (matches, buff, a little food, etc.), that would be needed in an emergency.

This is a new adventure and is exciting to learn the ins and outs.

In my opinion, you should each carry enough gear with you to survive should you get separated. At a minimum, you should each have a sleeping bag and some sort of rain shelter with you and preferably enough no-cook food or food and stove and water treatment to get you back to civilization. You should also each carry your own clothes. I guess what I'm getting at is that you split the food load and each carry your own gear. Getting separated is probably not too likely but is much more survivable if each member of the party is more or less self-sufficient. And, you should each have your own map and compass and know how to use them to navigate.

Have a great trip.

Thank Pika for the reply, and it makes total sense. If we packed everything separately, then it would make sense to have a small pack for food, that we could hang, instead of having to repack both of our packs every day/night.

If two people have a chance of, or plan to separate, while hiking, then each needs to pack as a solo backpacker. When my husband and I go, we go as a pair, and always stay within sight of each other while walking. We will go off fishing different directions once in camp. The big issue then is who take the dog? We have a set "come home" time, but do not panic if someone is an hour late. Another friend and I backpack together but pack entirely separate, even cook separately and each of us has a tent. We stick together while walking (she is directionally challenged) but sometimes actually camp about 100 feet from each other. We both like our "space". Regardless of method, it is good to come up with an emergency plan of what each will do IF you get separated or someone "goes missing". If I were going with kids, I would take walkie-talkies and make them check in regularly.

Like Daisy, I hike with my spouse and within visual contact on the trail. I take the food, water filter, and tent, she takes the stove and dishes. We each carry our own sleeping bag, clothes, water and snacks for the day...

And I usually carry about 25% more weight, because I am bigger, stronger, and faster.

When We hike with others we ask them to hike between us--so they don't wander off into problems...

Daisy and Bal,

Thank you so much for the insight. When I go canoe camping, it's not a big deal, since we are in a group, but I always have a enough supplies to stay alive if for some reason we got lost/capsized. This is our first long backpacking trip (3-4 nights), and we'll be in Glacier, so I don't forsee us getting lost or losing each other. I like the tip of each having enough supplies in an emergency situation.

If you pack this way, no matter what gets forgotten, it will be your fault.

I'm used to it. haha

My wife and I pack more for comfort and ability. She uses a smaller pack and it carries our sleeping gear and clothes. I carry tent, food and bear cannister, extra water, cookset . We each carry our own rain gear and snacks and enough liquid for the trail for that day. For a 3-4 day trip, on average I carry about 25-26 lbs. + extra water if needed, she carries about 14-15. I outweigh her by 70 lbs, and have about 5 inches in height. There's been a number of occasions on big uphills I've carried a considerably greater ratio. I've sized my pack accordingly.