I took these photos while I packed for my next trip. The trip required 8 days of food, a bear canister, wading shoes, near freezing night temperatures, but no tent. I am going to “brave it” with a bivy sack and head net. (More later on what to do if I had to take a tent).

First step is to make a list and lay out the gear. The clothing I wear and trekking poles do not have to go into the pack, however I leave some room in the pack if I want to zip off the legs of my hiking pants. My total pack weight shown in the pack below is 28 pounds. I am not an ultra-light hiker – I take a 10-degree down bag! The bear canister is shown later in the packing sequence. I use a Bear-i-Kade Weekender and for this trip it is full of food.



Clothing and sleeping bag.


Cook gear.



Personal gear and first aid.

Second step is to consolidate and minimize the bulk of what you will have to put in your pack. I use Granite-Gear and REI very light weight compression sacks. This needs to be done without using a lot of stuff sacks – the weight of stuff sacks really adds up. I simply roll up my bivy sack and tie with a cord. The stove, cup and solo pot nest. Whenever possible I try to get the cook pots in the bear canister. This time I could not. Clothes are also good to put in a compression sack. But leave out the rain gear!




Get the air out of the Therm-a-rest and fold up the bivy sack.



Everything ready to put in the pack.


Third step is to get everything in the pack. Even though my pack has lots of outside pockets, I only use them for my water bottle and wading shoes (which are most often wet so I do not want them in the pack). The concept is to get the heavier stuff near your center of gravity (your back) and put the lighter stuff on the outside (farthest from your back). Also, try to keep the side-to-side weight well balanced. Water is heavy, so some people actually take two smaller water bottles and put one in each side pocket.


Sleeping bag 2#14oz. (compression sack inside a very light waterproof stuff sack – or wrap in a garbage bag) goes on the bottom with my sleeping pad (12 oz) on the outside. By "back of pack" I mean the side of the pack that is next to your back. This is probably not a good label! Sorry.



Next, the bear canister (Heavy!!) sits on the sleeping bag. The sleeping pad keeps it snuggly near my back.



Next, stuff items on each side of the bear canister. The bivy (1#6oz) goes on one side with a collapsible water bottle. Gas canister, cup with nested stove, and rain gear on the other side. When I take a tent, I stuff the tent on one side and the fly and poles on the other. With a tent I cannot fit my zip bag of personal stuff in the main compartment – it has to go in the lid pocket.



Now the clothing in the compression sack goes on top. In this case, I had to put the solo pot on the back-side (along with the head net) and this makes the pack look a bit bulging, but after a few days the pot will fit in the bear canister. The pot, although bulky is quite light.



My pack has a zip-compartment on the inside of the lid – here is where I put maps, pencil, and a book if I take one. It also has a key keeper (very nice!).

Now cinch up the main compartment. Be sure to properly attach and use all the compression straps that are available on your pack. Particularly try to get everything cinched down for a low front-to-back profile.



In the lid top pocket, put stuff you will need during the day – lunch, sunscreen, TP etc. Leave a little room for any clothing you may take off during the day. If I expect rain, I will put my rain parka up here. It does not rain a lot in the Sierra, so I usually put my rain parka inside the pack, but easy to get to.

Anything on the outside of the pack is vulnerable to loss. Even though my wading shoes are inside the mesh pockets, I still tie the shoe strings to something solidly attached to the pack. I once ended up in camp after bushwhacking, with one shoe! Also tuck in all the “danglers” – those extra lengths of strings and straps.

The next photos show the pack – front-to-back and side-to-side. It is not the most aesthetic pack I have put together! The solo cook cup makes it look a bit thick at the top and lumpy.

Thanks Daisy <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Thats a cool job. I appreciate all the labels... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />
Comment - you actually carry strike anywhere matches rather than 2 BICs - why? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" /> BICs are pretty fool proof, last forever, and 2 weigh 1.4 oz and provide sure fire for a long time. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
Other comment - just my preference but Within the realm of my Sierra experience, I would be carrying a 20 or 30 degre bag, a heavier down jacket and fleece pants. You can always wear them in your sleeping bag, or pull the jacket over your sleeping bag, and if it warmer you won't die in a winter down bag.
Have a great time, wish I could join you.
Jim <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Yes, I am very low-tech with matches! I always burn my finger when I use a lighter. I also carry a packet of REI emergency matches - the ones that burn like candles!

I happen to have a 10-degree bag. The bloody thing cost over $450! It weighs 2#14 oz - same weight as a lot of 30 degree bags. My only other bag is a 45-degree bag. If I were climbing, using clothes to supplement a lighter bag would be great. However, when I solo backpack I am either walking or camping, in which case pound for pound, the heavier sleeping bag is the most efficient. I am also a weather whimp! I simply stay put when the weather turns sour.

Daisy,

I am a former smoker and my choice is book matches. Those BIC lighters are a sure way to burn the hair of your knuckles.

Yes, I also carry the burn underwater emergency matches. But the matches I use are the book matches.

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience. It would be nice if there were a book with good information like that. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Good post, thanks!

A chapter with extremely helpful info with illustrations like these would fit quite nicely in one (or all) of your guidebooks, WD.

WD - fantastic... your efforts are appreciated more than you know! I agree with others that these illustrations (this and the bear can) should go into your guide books.

Jim - I'm lighter impaired, so I only carry matches too. I have never been able to work the striking mechanism on a Bic. For all their benefits, I'm afraid I'd be up a creek if that was all I had to start fires with.

MNS

Don't worry about being up a creek when you start a fire - only creek I ever heard of anyone being able to ignite was the Cuyahoga River here in Ohio. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Hi Wandering Daisy,
Thanks for the great pics on packing! We are getting ready to go to the Sawtooths next month for our first big trip and I've been experimenting with different ways to pack as we go for walks every morning now with our loaded packs. I just wish I'd bought a lighter cook pot.. ours are the 1.5 and 2qt. stainless steel ones from MSR and they're kind of bulky. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

MNS,
I can't use a lighter to save my life. Last time I tried, the thing actually flew out of my hand. Never referred to it as "lighter impaired" though. Funny!

Very nice instructions. I will keep this and use on my next trip. My pack weight is around the same as yours and I consider it light compared to what I used to carry. What is the capacity of your pack? In ci.

2900 ci capacity. the pack is a Mountainsmith Muse.

Lighters: good for burning your knuckles, not for starting a pile of tinder.

Matches: good to get the bottom center of a tinder pile burning.