Backcountry Forum
Backpacking & Hiking Gear

Backcountry Forum
Our long-time Sponsor - the leading source for ultralite/lightweight outdoor gear
 
 
 

Amazon.com
Backpacking Forums
---- Our Gear Store ----
The Lightweight Gear Store
 
 WINTER CAMPING 

Shelters
Bivy Bags
Sleeping Bags
Sleeping Pads
Snow Sports
Winter Kitchen

 SNOWSPORTS 

Snowshoes
Avalanche Gear
Skins
Hats, Gloves, & Gaiters
Accessories

 ULTRA-LIGHT 

Ultralight Backpacks
Ultralight Bivy Sacks
Ultralight Shelters
Ultralight Tarps
Ultralight Tents
Ultralight Raingear
Ultralight Stoves & Cookware
Ultralight Down Sleeping Bags
Ultralight Synthetic Sleep Bags
Ultralight Apparel


the Titanium Page
WM Extremelite Sleeping Bags

 CAMPING & HIKING 

Backpacks
Tents
Sleeping Bags
Hydration
Kitchen
Accessories

 CLIMBING 

Ropes & Cordage
Protection & Hardware
Carabiners & Quickdraws
Climbing Packs & Bags
Big Wall
Rescue & Industrial

 MEN'S APPAREL 

Jackets
Shirts
Baselayer
Headwear
Gloves
Accessories

 WOMEN'S APPAREL 

Jackets
Shirts
Baselayer
Headwear
Gloves
Accessories

 FOOTWEAR 

Men's Footwear
Women's Footwear

 CLEARANCE 

Backpacks
Mens Apparel
Womens Apparel
Climbing
Footwear
Accessories

 BRANDS 

Black Diamond
Granite Gear
La Sportiva
Osprey
Smartwool

 WAYS TO SHOP 

Sale
Clearance
Top Brands
All Brands

 Backpacking Equipment 

Shelters
BackPacks
Sleeping Bags
Water Treatment
Kitchen
Hydration
Climbing


 Backcountry Gear Clearance

Page 1 of 2 1 2 >
Topic Options
Rate This Topic
#176226 - 04/05/13 02:48 PM Trip Leader Best Practices *****
BrianLe Offline
member

Registered: 02/26/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Washington State, King County
In my region we're building a new backpacking course, and as part of that we thought it would be helpful to assemble a sort of "best practices" document for both new and not-so-new trip leaders. The point here would be to aggregate ideas about LEADING trips, not just generic "how to do backpacking better" ideas.

We realize that the relatively few of us aren't going to think of all relevant trip-leading tips & tricks, so we hope that others will help (via this thread)!

I'll add a few, each as a separate entry, and hope to see other ideas here.

Thanks in advance!
_________________________
Brian Lewis
http://postholer.com/brianle

Top
#176227 - 04/05/13 02:49 PM Pervasive Map Use [Re: BrianLe]
BrianLe Offline
member

Registered: 02/26/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Washington State, King County
Keep your map handy. At an intersection and/or perhaps at a viewpoint where a decent compass arc of surrounding distant landscape can be viewed, pull out your map, and ask others to pull out their maps. If they don’t have them handy, encourage them to keep them handy (for example, in the cargo pocket of hiking pants). Have folks orient their maps, ask them to estimate where they might be. If distant terrain features can be seen, ask them to suggest what they’re looking at and how to use those or other features to help keep track of where they’re at.
Later that same or the next day, do it again. Try to get folks in the habit of tracking where they are, of taking personal responsibility for “staying found” rather than just relying on the leader.
_________________________
Brian Lewis
http://postholer.com/brianle

Top
#176228 - 04/05/13 02:51 PM Sustainable pace, rest step [Re: BrianLe]
BrianLe Offline
member

Registered: 02/26/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Washington State, King County
Another "teaching point" (the best teaching occurs in-context):

At a point where the trail is going relatively steeply uphill, talk about use of the rest step (some of us, at least, sort of unconsciously shift into a rest step when the pitch suggests that). This is then a good start to a more general discussion of setting and maintaining a long-term sustainable pace, the “changing gears on a bicycle” analogy.
_________________________
Brian Lewis
http://postholer.com/brianle

Top
#176229 - 04/05/13 02:52 PM Group review of a volunteer’s gear [Re: BrianLe]
BrianLe Offline
member

Registered: 02/26/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Washington State, King County
Another "teaching point" (the best teaching occurs in-context):

Early beginner trips tend to have a fair bit of time available in the late afternoon and evening. For trips where one or more people haven’t purchased all of their gear yet, it can be both helpful and fun/interesting to ask for someone to volunteer to lay out their gear and gather around to discuss it. The point isn’t to critique their gear selections in a negative way (!), but just to foster discussion. For just a selection of gear items, ask why they selected a particular item, what trade-offs they considered. Ask if they have an idea of the weight & cost. Ask how they like it, and if they were starting again whether they would buy the same item.
Make sure this is a group discussion and not just you talking.
_________________________
Brian Lewis
http://postholer.com/brianle

Top
#176230 - 04/05/13 02:53 PM Bear Bagging [Re: BrianLe]
BrianLe Offline
member

Registered: 02/26/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Washington State, King County
Another "teaching point" (the best teaching occurs in-context):

There are of course variants on this, but assemble two groups of 2 or 3 people each, and each uses a different technique to bear bag --- perhaps one does PCT method and the other uses Counterbalance. You do the minimum to tell them how to do this, they use their own materials. Then get together afterwards to look at the results and --- in a friendly, supportive way --- “critique”. Ask which method they like best and why. Ask how bear proof they think the results really are (given that black bears can for the most part climb trees a lot better than we can), keeping the “8 feet up and 4 feet out” rule of thumb in mind (noting that some sources suggest even more distance either up or out from the tree trunk).
Finally, if this is something you can and are inclined to do, consider then properly deploying an Ursack plus odor proof bag to show how much faster and easier that is to do, even if it’s dark out, regardless of what sort of trees are available.
_________________________
Brian Lewis
http://postholer.com/brianle

Top
#176231 - 04/05/13 02:54 PM Walkie-Talkies for large groups [Re: BrianLe]
BrianLe Offline
member

Registered: 02/26/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Washington State, King County
For very full trips (perhaps 11 or 12 total), it can be helpful to bring along a pair of walkie-talkies. Ask for a volunteer or appoint a rear guard, someone that you think is likely to be conscientious about this. Position yourself near enough to the head of the long line of hikers that you can control things like ensuring everyone is together at an intersection, taking breaks, making sure you don’t pass water sources without considering whether folks might need some, dealing with any sort of trail hazards, etc. When the group is large enough, it’s just not possible to know if someone farther back needs to stop for some reason. Walkie-talkies can give you a degree of “peace of mind” while preventing potentially bad group splits.
_________________________
Brian Lewis
http://postholer.com/brianle

Top
#176232 - 04/05/13 02:55 PM Share Gear to Save Weight [Re: BrianLe]
BrianLe Offline
member

Registered: 02/26/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Washington State, King County
This one is so well known it perhaps doesn’t need to be listed here, but just in case …
either at the trailhead or ahead of time, suggest that folks might share certain gear items to save weight. A very common one is that one person brings a stove and the other a water filter or other treatment --- “you heat my water and I’ll treat yours”. In some cases it could make sense for certain group first aid items be shared among the group, and of course as the trip leader it’s possible you’ll have an item or two for group-wide use that you might rotate through who carries that (a more complete first aid kit with some extra discretionary items is the primary example).
Tents can be a particular benefit, for the group as a whole as well as for the individuals. If you think there might be very limited camping space for one or more nights along the way, it’s a good idea for you to try to arrange that folks share tents ahead of time (four 2-person tents can fit in a space that eight solo tents would not). If you leave this until the trailhead, there’s a good chance that folks won’t be sharing tents. Note also that you should suggest that earplugs be carried.
_________________________
Brian Lewis
http://postholer.com/brianle

Top
#176233 - 04/05/13 02:56 PM Dig Your Hole the Night Before [Re: BrianLe]
BrianLe Offline
member

Registered: 02/26/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Washington State, King County
Assuming your body is on a sufficiently regular “#2” schedule, it can be a good idea to dig your hole the night before. This is particularly true if you anticipate that in the morning it will be raining/snowing, particularly cold, or that mosquitos will be out in force. On buggy mornings in particular, having the hole already dug gives the bugs a lot less time to locate you and call in reinforcements.
This isn’t just about convenience & comfort; if you’re not in a rush, you can take your time to walk a decent distance away and dig a really good 6” deep hole. So this is also an LNT factor, and particularly so in a commonly/heavily used camping location. Heck, as trip leader with beginners, you could even go round the first evening and inspect the holes!
_________________________
Brian Lewis
http://postholer.com/brianle

Top
#176234 - 04/05/13 02:57 PM Communal Wash time/locati [Re: BrianLe]
BrianLe Offline
member

Registered: 02/26/07
Posts: 1149
Loc: Washington State, King County
This is sort of both a teaching point but also just generally useful. If you’re on a several-day trip and you sense that at some point folks might like to wash bodies and/or clothing, arrange to stop mid-day or to just camp at a location where this works well. Do this as a group, and exchange notes on how to do so in a LNT, eco-friendly way. Minimal or no soap, certainly no soap near flowing water, dealing with waste water properly, etc.
A good trick for putting up a clothesline is to double your cord, tie off one, end, twist the cord a great deal, then tie off the other end. You can then pry open the twisted cord at any point and shove a bit of clothing in to act as ad hoc “clothes pins”.
If you stand a blue ccf foam pad on end (perhaps two of them to be stiffer) somewhat loosely it can be possible to then drape something like a poncho over the opening, pour water in it, and use that as a wash basin.
Alternatively or in addition, you could mention that some folks just don’t wash at all on trail and seem to do fine with that. How (or if) you present this sort of point of viewpoint is of course up to you, just be aware that as in many aspects of backpacking, there isn’t just one single “right” way that everyone agrees is best.
_________________________
Brian Lewis
http://postholer.com/brianle

Top
#176242 - 04/05/13 09:16 PM Re: Communal Wash time/locati [Re: BrianLe]
Infamous Offline
member

Registered: 02/12/08
Posts: 21
Loc: So Cal
I would also suggest some basic leadership skills, which are things you could get a sense of from just about any writings on leadership. Things like, having a good plan, being prepared, maintaining calm confidence/composure in all situations, effective communications, listening, etc. Those types of leadership competencies are completely independent of technical knowldge and skills, but make all the difference in the world.


Edited by Infamous (04/05/13 09:17 PM)
_________________________
You can't fight in here, this is the War Room!

Top
#176243 - 04/05/13 09:34 PM Re: Trip Leader Best Practices [Re: BrianLe]
dkramalc Offline
member

Registered: 09/19/03
Posts: 1070
Loc: California
Things I observed hiking with old experienced Sierra Club leaders:

As mentioned before, have a front and rear "leader".

Trip members (and often leaders) wait for the person behind them at trail junctions and water crossings, to make sure nobody goes off the wrong way or needs help, i.e. someone is always waiting ahead of you to direct or assist you at those spots. These are good spots to regroup, if the group is getting very spread out.

If you stop to go to the bathroom off trail, you leave your pack alongside the trail, on the side of the direction you walked in (in the rare event someone gets lost off trail searching for a bathroom spot, leaders will know approximately where they started from and in what direction). If rear leader comes across trip member's pack next to trail, leader waits for their return before proceeding.
_________________________
dk

Top
#176284 - 04/07/13 05:35 PM Re: Trip Leader Best Practices [Re: dkramalc]
balzaccom Offline
member

Registered: 04/06/09
Posts: 2232
Loc: Napa, CA
I would start with something much earlier: choose your group carefully, and define their expectations effectively. Most of the issues I've seen on group hikes come from the fact that the leader didn't do a good job on one or the other of these.

If you are clear in your communication at the beginning, you'll find a lot fewer problems during the hike!
_________________________
Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/

Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-Rocks-Paul-Wagner/dp/0984884963

Top
#176285 - 04/07/13 05:37 PM Re: Trip Leader Best Practices [Re: balzaccom]
balzaccom Offline
member

Registered: 04/06/09
Posts: 2232
Loc: Napa, CA
One other technique I've used is to give the group choices. Don't make everyone in the group hike the same hike. WIth two leaders, one can take the high (and more strenuous) road, the other leader and group can take the easier route.
_________________________
Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/

Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-Rocks-Paul-Wagner/dp/0984884963

Top
#176294 - 04/08/13 10:12 AM Re: Communal Wash time/locati [Re: BrianLe]
finallyME Offline
member

Registered: 09/24/07
Posts: 2710
Loc: Utah
Brian, you said so much, it is hard to add.
_________________________
I've taken a vow of poverty. To annoy me, send money.

Top
#176297 - 04/08/13 11:24 AM Re: Communal Wash time/locati [Re: finallyME]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
It sounds like you are teaching. Leading a group is not necessarily teaching.

There is an excellent chapter in Mountaineering : freedom of the hills that talks about leading, not teaching, on mountaineering or backpacking outings.
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

http://hikeandbackpack.com

Top
#176298 - 04/08/13 11:45 AM Re: Pervasive Map Use [Re: BrianLe]
billstephenson Offline
Moderator

Registered: 02/07/07
Posts: 3917
Loc: Ozark Mountains in SW Missouri
OM and I have mentioned on occasion how important it is to stop and turn around and take a good look behind you so you can remember what the view looks like on your way back. I think it's also important to note smaller features you'll see on the trail back too.

I try to commit to memory things like unique rock formations, boulders, trees that stand out in some unique way, like big, or fallen, or broken trees, and even bits of trash along a trail. I can pick up bits of trash on the way out, but I generally do not on the way in if I'm coming out on the same path.

So, when leading a hike with newbies I make it a point to stop the group and tell them to remember the view for the hike back. It's obviously best to do this where there is something memorable in view. I also just casually point out things along the way: "Hey, check out that huge Cedar growing in the crack of that cliff face over there". On the way back I casually mention it again, "There's that big Cedar tree, I'm always amazed that they can hang on the side of a cliff like that."

I find these little routines and comments stick with group members and greatly ease their worries that I don't know where I'm at and we're all lost and in danger. and it demonstrates, without instruction, how and why I know where we are.

I also think it's fun, and good exercise, to stop at trail intersections and ask the group which way we should go. If they've been keeping track of our progress and paying attention to their maps they should be able to figure it out, but if they can't it's the perfect opportunity to show them how. I'll do this when it's time to head back too. After everyone is ready to head out I'll ask "Okay, which way do we go?

This is fun for me because I generally find that at least some people in a group setting are very much expecting they don't have to think about that, but as a group leader I know they do. There's generally at least someone along who's been paying attention and knows right off the bat, but there's also generally one or a few, or even most or all, that haven't a clue and that provides the perfect opportunity to ask "What would you do if a rhinoceros ate me last night?"

After asking, I wait for an answer. I basically force them to make a decision on which way to go. If they choose wrong I tell them, "You're officially lost". Then I take off my pack and pull out the map and compass and show them how to figure it out.

The main point of all of these exercises is to impress upon the group how being aware of your location is a conscious effort that should become habitual, kind of like looking for street names and stop signs while driving.
_________________________
--

"You want to go where?"



Top
#176301 - 04/08/13 12:54 PM Re: Pervasive Map Use [Re: billstephenson]
Glenn Roberts Offline
Moderator

Registered: 12/23/08
Posts: 2208
Loc: Southwest Ohio
So what good does looking back do if it's a loop hike, and you're not coming back that way?

Actually, it's still useful. You'll always have a picture of what the trail (or at least the last segment of it you remember) looks like - which might come in handy when you realize it's been half an hour since you last saw a blaze, or that landmark that should be on your right is unaccountably on your left. At that point, when it's obvious you've strayed from the trail, you'll need to backtrack, and knowing what the way back looks like can be the difference between having strayed from the trail and having gotten lost. I still follow this practice even on the well-marked, well-worn trails of Ohio and Kentucky.

Top
#176302 - 04/08/13 01:20 PM Re: Communal Wash time/locati [Re: lori]
skcreidc Offline
member

Registered: 08/16/10
Posts: 1590
Loc: San Diego CA
I think I agree with Lori here. Although you need these skill to lead, it sounds more like you are teaching "How to backpack in a group", not so much leadership skills. And I also think Lori's idea of pulling out some pages on leadership from mountaineering books is an excellent idea. The whole concept of risk evaluation/assessment needs to be addressed as well. Various risks could include weather, animals, terrain, altitude, and possibly people. To lead when everything is going smoothly is (usually) easy, it's when stuff starts to go down the tubes that it can get hard. Being able to assess potential risks as the trip continues and things are developing is a critical skill.

A couple of other notes;

Most of your points are things that are easy to pick up and develop habits for, such as sharing gear and the rest step. I assume that the classes will be practicing these skills in field as opposed to just on the chalk board. These skills will come naturally with a little thought and practice, although putting them all together so that they will become a habit for each person may be a little harder. These are all good group backpacking skills, not necessarily just leadership skills. Map reading is generally NOT one of these easy to pick up skills.

Pervasive map use. When I go into a new area, this method is exactly what I use to keep track of where I am and get a feel for the scale of the landscape. I find that most people don't refer to their maps often because they can't really read the things, and they assume the trail will get them where they want to go anyway. I'm sure I will come across as annoying, but I HAVE MET RELATIVELY FEW PEOPLE WHO ARE CONSISTENTLY PROFCIENT AT TOPOGRAPHIC MAP READING. Even among geologists who are supposed to be good at this, there are quite a few who never really get it. I just think it takes more practice than the other items you have mentioned, and as such is more like wilderness first aid. In other words, it needs to be practiced rigorously. It seems to me that a leader should be able to read the map under stressful conditions, because that is when it will be the most critical. Too many classes just slide people through on this. So I would suggest some minimum performance standard be set.

The rest of your list will be driven by group dynamics if you ask me, and having the flexibility to handle that is a whole different skill set as well. Balzaccom kind of hinted at this, but Group dynamics and delegating tasks should be added to your list.

Anyway, that's my .02 for what it's worth.

Chris



Top
#176305 - 04/08/13 02:40 PM Re: Communal Wash time/locati [Re: lori]
TreeLady Offline
newbie

Registered: 04/08/13
Posts: 3
We'll have a lot of beginner backpackers on our trips so hoping to impart some teaching skills to our leaders as well as leadership skills per se. Of course the teaching level needs to be appropriate to the group so that it's not wasting the time of people who already know what you're conveying. But I view some of my best group backpack trips as times when I've been 'taught' in some manner of speaking by the leader or other travelers.

Top
#176306 - 04/08/13 02:46 PM Re: Trip Leader Best Practices [Re: BrianLe]
TreeLady Offline
newbie

Registered: 04/08/13
Posts: 3
I find that it's very helpful as a group leader to stop at every easily-accessed water source to ask who in the group might need to gather and treat some water. This is especially important when water sources could be an hour or more apart. On my trips I've been encouraging my groups to carry just what they need to get from water source to water source (of course, only where feasible, and building in some conservatism)so that they're not lugging 3L of water with them when they don't need to. But people won't always check or speak up, until they're all out of water and you've passed the last water for 5 miles, 10 minutes back. Best of all is to try to coordinate so that multiple people are filling up at the same times. These become natural rest breaks.


Edited by TreeLady (04/08/13 02:47 PM)

Top
#176307 - 04/08/13 02:56 PM Re: Bear Bagging [Re: BrianLe]
TreeLady Offline
newbie

Registered: 04/08/13
Posts: 3
On this general subject, it's also very important for the leader to teach and role model good camp hygiene especially when there are predators known to be in the area (but even when not). The leader can designate a food prep, eating and food hanging area away from the tents. They should be clear about expectations for cleaning up trash, washing dishes, not throwing grey water in the lake, storing food properly, etc. In a group, the group is only as safe as the camp hygiene and food storage behaviors of the other participants allow, so though some people may resent rules, the leader is ultimately responsible for their group's behavior and the outcomes.

This is something the leader should be clear about in their pre-trip communications. If someone doesn't want to adhere to these practices they can drop out of the group. But at least there are then no surprises. I treat bonfires the same way - we aren't going to have 'em.


Edited by TreeLady (04/08/13 02:56 PM)

Top
#176315 - 04/08/13 08:59 PM Re: Communal Wash time/locati [Re: lori]
balzaccom Offline
member

Registered: 04/06/09
Posts: 2232
Loc: Napa, CA
My brother is an expert in education. One of the things he likes to say is that a teacher's job isn't to cover the material, but to uncover the material!
_________________________
Check our our website: http://www.backpackthesierra.com/

Or just read a good mystery novel set in the Sierra; https://www.amazon.com/Danger-Falling-Rocks-Paul-Wagner/dp/0984884963

Top
#176318 - 04/08/13 09:48 PM Re: Communal Wash time/locati [Re: balzaccom]
Glenn Roberts Offline
Moderator

Registered: 12/23/08
Posts: 2208
Loc: Southwest Ohio
I always figured that, as the instructor, it wasn't my job to show them how much I knew, but to make sure they knew more when we were done than they did when we started.

Top
#176324 - 04/09/13 07:48 AM Re: Trip Leader Best Practices [Re: BrianLe]
Gershon Offline
member

Registered: 07/08/11
Posts: 1110
Loc: Colorado
Brian,
I would include that the two most common causes of injuries and fatalities are water and falling injuries do to "easy" climbing.

I have a very poor sense of direction and can easily get lost in WalMart. One thing I do at a trail intersection is make a very small cairn (3 golfball size rocks) 10 feet before the intersection on what would be the left side of the trail when I come back. I put it where it can't be seen from the trail and remove it when I come back.

Except for tourist trails I carry enough gear to spend a couple nights out, even on a day hike. It's not unusual to hike a whole day here without seeing anyone.

I've never seen a person with a map decide where they should be based on time before figuring out where they are. I've also never seen a person take a bearing at a trailhead to see if they are starting on the right trail.

In NOLS wilderness navigation (I think) they recommend identifying your position in 5 (I think) different ways.

The leader should call the controllng agency before going on the trip to see if there are any problems with the trail. Last year, we had a lot of blowdowns and many trails were impassible. The year before I found a trail was closed due to a plane crash at the trailhead that started a forest fire.

Loop trails aren't a good idea because you can't let a person with a blister wait for you to come back the same direction. Never leave an inexperienced hiker alone to wait for the group to come back.

Don't go on a trail that starts out downhill. It takes at least twice as long to come back up the hill. There aren't many of these, so they are easy to avoid.

Ask permission before putting anyone's picture on YouTube or a Meetup site.

That's all I could think of. I hope you get one idea from it.
_________________________
http://48statehike.blogspot.com/

Top
#176326 - 04/09/13 10:16 AM Re: Trip Leader Best Practices [Re: Gershon]
lori Offline
member

Registered: 01/22/08
Posts: 2801
I organize trips with friends. The process is different than teaching - you make decisions mostly before the trip - that determines the outcome as much as what you do on the trip. Who you take with you makes a huge difference.

Social trips need leadership, too. Not the kind you have with a class of people tho. People who have less experience sometimes can't figure out the subtle skill of backpacking to the point that they are able to self monitor and often want to not slow the group up. Even when I do the pre-trip briefing on how to NOT be polite (not complaining vs. identifying and alerting the group to situations or conditions that may have an impact on the trip or the person's safety) I still have people who can't bring themselves to speak up when they have blisters or feel slightly ill.

And with a hiking group formed by some outside "glue" (the sierra club, or any group run through meet up, or some other group website - facebook groups count) it's hard to get the screening or the leadership on the trip that a backpack trip needs to be successful.
_________________________
"In the beginner's mind there are many possibilities. In the expert's mind there are few." Shunryu Suzuki

http://hikeandbackpack.com

Top
Page 1 of 2 1 2 >

Shout Box

Highest Quality Lightweight Down Sleeping Bags
 
Western Mountaineering Sleeping Bags
 
Lite Gear Talk - Featured Topics
Backcountry Discussion - Featured Topics
Make Your Own Gear - Featured Topics
Featured Photos
Spiderco Chaparral Pocketknife
David & Goliath
Also Testing
Trip Report with Photos
Seven Devils, Idaho
Oat Hill Mine Trail 2012
Dark Canyon - Utah
Who's Online
0 registered (), 257 Guests and 0 Spiders online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Newest Members
Noodles, McCrary, DanyBacky, Rashy Willia, WanderBison
13240 Registered Users
Forum Links
Disclaimer
Policies
Site Links
Backpacking.net
Lightweight Gear Store
Backpacking Book Store
Lightweight Zone
Hiking Essentials

Our long-time Sponsor, BackcountryGear.com - The leading source for ultralite/lightweight outdoor gear:

Backcountry Forum
 

Affiliate Disclaimer: This forum is an affiliate of BackcountryGear.com, Amazon.com, R.E.I. and others. The product links herein are linked to their sites. If you follow these links to make a purchase, we may get a small commission. This is our only source of support for these forums. Thanks.!
 
 

Since 1996 - the Original Backcountry Forum
Copyright © The Lightweight Backpacker & BackcountryForum