Technology has revolutionized the way I backpack. Gear has changed to be more compact and lightweight, radically changing how I pack for a multi-day backpacking trip. This August 2015, I am heading to the Yukon Territory, Canada to attempt the Donjek Glacier Route in Kluane National Park with 5 friends. The route is approximately 120km in length, crosses 2 mountain passes and numerous creeks. It's a route rather than a trail, with no designated campsites. Daytime temperatures are expected to be in the 18-22 degree celsius range and the nightime temperatures should be around 6-8 degrees. We have booked just a little less than 9 days for this trip.
Kluane National Park rules state that we have to carry all our food in an approved bear barrel. For a 9 day trip, we got the biggest ones we could find: The Counter Assault Bear Keg. This makes food packing challenging, and adds 3.5lbs to our over all base weight. Some of the decisions on camp kitchen gear reflect this added challenge. I primarily eat a lot of dehydrated meals on backpacking trips and love eating out of the packaging creating little mess and no clean-up. It's physically impossible to fit all the meals you need in the barrel, so we have to take them out and re-package them. To, rehydrate, we will be using a GSI Fair Share Mug with lid, but at just over 7 ounces, is lighter than carrying around all the packaging from the meals (an empty bag weighs in around 2 ounces). The trade off is that we have to clean dishes instead of packing out packaging.
Here is what I'm carrying on my back:
1. Osprey Ariel Women's Backpack 75L size small (4lbs 14oz/ 2.1kg)
2. Osprey pack rain cover size large (3oz/ 0.9 kg)
3. Western Mountaineering Summerlite sleeping bag (1lb,7oz/525g)
4. Chinook compression sack for sleeping bag
5. Jetboil Flash stove (14oz/397g)
6. Two large fuel cans for stove (12.5oz/356g each)
7. MSR Miniworks water filter (16.1oz/456g)
8. GSI Fair Share Mug (Bowl) with lid (7.5oz/188g)
9. Sea to summit collapsable mug (2.4oz)
10. MSR foldable spork (0.35/10g)
11. Lighter
12. Small container with Campsoap, J-cloth
13. SPOT Generation 2 emergency beacon (7.4oz/209g)
14. Group First Aid Kit (blister, athletic tape, medications, bandages, etc)
15. Toque (2.5oz)
16. OR Base Sensor gloves (1.2oz, 35g) and Marmot waterproof over gloves (4oz)
17. Toiletry Kit: toothpaste, toothbrush, lip chap, ear plugs, etc.
18. OR dry stuff sack for clothes
19. Marmot Minimalist Goretex Paclite rain shell (14.4oz)
20. Mountain Hardwear Dry Q elite full zip rain pants (8oz)
21. Big Agnes Air Core Sleeping Pad (21oz)
22. MEC backpacker's pillow (5.3oz/150g)
23. Garbage Bags x 3 (for lining pack, wrapping a wet tent in, etc)
24. Bear Keg plus food (8 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 8 dinners) (14lbs)
25. Black Diamond SPOT headlamp (3.1/90g)
26. Canon Powershot camera, extra battery and SD card (5 oz)
27. Iphone 5S for nighttime reading and possibly useful in emergencies (5.1oz)
28. Toilet Paper and Hand Sanitizer
29. Sunscreen (0.63oz)
30. Bug jacket (4.5oz)
31. Crocs (7oz)
32. OR Women's Crocodile Gaiters (8.9oz,/252g)
33. Bearspray (7.9oz, 225g)
34. Buff (1.1oz)
35. Swiss Army Hiker knife (3.3oz/94g)
36. Nalgene Bottle, 1L (6.2oz, 175g)
37. Platypus Bladder, 1L (1.2oz, 35g)
38. Clothes: Mont Bell Ultra Light Down Jacket (7.7oz), MEC T3 fleece base layer top (6.3oz) and bottoms (4.8oz) , OR Ferrosi Hoody (11.5oz), extra OR Echo Tee-Shirt (2.3oz), Wigwam light hiking socks (2.5oz), LIFA longsleeve shirt (5oz)
I will be wearing the Women's Marmot Lobo convertible pant (9.1oz), OR Echo Tee (2.3oz), The North Face ball cap, Smartwool PHd Outdoor Light Cushion socks, Patagonia active briefs and Sugoi sportsbra. I will also be using Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork Trekking Poles, Arcteryx Bora Mid GTX hiking boots, and Smith Pivlock V90 sunglasses.
My husband is carrying our MSR Hubba Hubba Tent while I carry the stove, fuel, and water filter. Other group members are carrying other group gear like: GPS, batteries, rope, siltarps, compass, map, etc. My group gear portion is the first aid kit and SPOT beacon.
Approximate weight: 38lbs
Kluane National Park rules state that we have to carry all our food in an approved bear barrel. For a 9 day trip, we got the biggest ones we could find: The Counter Assault Bear Keg. This makes food packing challenging, and adds 3.5lbs to our over all base weight. Some of the decisions on camp kitchen gear reflect this added challenge. I primarily eat a lot of dehydrated meals on backpacking trips and love eating out of the packaging creating little mess and no clean-up. It's physically impossible to fit all the meals you need in the barrel, so we have to take them out and re-package them. To, rehydrate, we will be using a GSI Fair Share Mug with lid, but at just over 7 ounces, is lighter than carrying around all the packaging from the meals (an empty bag weighs in around 2 ounces). The trade off is that we have to clean dishes instead of packing out packaging.
Here is what I'm carrying on my back:
1. Osprey Ariel Women's Backpack 75L size small (4lbs 14oz/ 2.1kg)
2. Osprey pack rain cover size large (3oz/ 0.9 kg)
3. Western Mountaineering Summerlite sleeping bag (1lb,7oz/525g)
4. Chinook compression sack for sleeping bag
5. Jetboil Flash stove (14oz/397g)
6. Two large fuel cans for stove (12.5oz/356g each)
7. MSR Miniworks water filter (16.1oz/456g)
8. GSI Fair Share Mug (Bowl) with lid (7.5oz/188g)
9. Sea to summit collapsable mug (2.4oz)
10. MSR foldable spork (0.35/10g)
11. Lighter
12. Small container with Campsoap, J-cloth
13. SPOT Generation 2 emergency beacon (7.4oz/209g)
14. Group First Aid Kit (blister, athletic tape, medications, bandages, etc)
15. Toque (2.5oz)
16. OR Base Sensor gloves (1.2oz, 35g) and Marmot waterproof over gloves (4oz)
17. Toiletry Kit: toothpaste, toothbrush, lip chap, ear plugs, etc.
18. OR dry stuff sack for clothes
19. Marmot Minimalist Goretex Paclite rain shell (14.4oz)
20. Mountain Hardwear Dry Q elite full zip rain pants (8oz)
21. Big Agnes Air Core Sleeping Pad (21oz)
22. MEC backpacker's pillow (5.3oz/150g)
23. Garbage Bags x 3 (for lining pack, wrapping a wet tent in, etc)
24. Bear Keg plus food (8 breakfasts, 9 lunches, 8 dinners) (14lbs)
25. Black Diamond SPOT headlamp (3.1/90g)
26. Canon Powershot camera, extra battery and SD card (5 oz)
27. Iphone 5S for nighttime reading and possibly useful in emergencies (5.1oz)
28. Toilet Paper and Hand Sanitizer
29. Sunscreen (0.63oz)
30. Bug jacket (4.5oz)
31. Crocs (7oz)
32. OR Women's Crocodile Gaiters (8.9oz,/252g)
33. Bearspray (7.9oz, 225g)
34. Buff (1.1oz)
35. Swiss Army Hiker knife (3.3oz/94g)
36. Nalgene Bottle, 1L (6.2oz, 175g)
37. Platypus Bladder, 1L (1.2oz, 35g)
38. Clothes: Mont Bell Ultra Light Down Jacket (7.7oz), MEC T3 fleece base layer top (6.3oz) and bottoms (4.8oz) , OR Ferrosi Hoody (11.5oz), extra OR Echo Tee-Shirt (2.3oz), Wigwam light hiking socks (2.5oz), LIFA longsleeve shirt (5oz)
I will be wearing the Women's Marmot Lobo convertible pant (9.1oz), OR Echo Tee (2.3oz), The North Face ball cap, Smartwool PHd Outdoor Light Cushion socks, Patagonia active briefs and Sugoi sportsbra. I will also be using Black Diamond Alpine Carbon Cork Trekking Poles, Arcteryx Bora Mid GTX hiking boots, and Smith Pivlock V90 sunglasses.
My husband is carrying our MSR Hubba Hubba Tent while I carry the stove, fuel, and water filter. Other group members are carrying other group gear like: GPS, batteries, rope, siltarps, compass, map, etc. My group gear portion is the first aid kit and SPOT beacon.
Approximate weight: 38lbs
POST TRIP: I used almost all of my gear except my bug jacket (yahoo!), and most of my first aid kit (yahoo again!), and extra SD card. I would make some changes to my list after being on this trip. I should have brought my Western Mountaineering Ultralite -7C sleeping bag instead of my Summerlite as I found the Summerlite was at it's limit on about half of the nights on the trip. I might have also found another insulating layer or thicker down jacket useful as well. The nights were cold (often around freezing) and the days were warm (felt like 30 C). I ate all my food except for a few extra bars and 2 cups of soup. Our second fuel canister was almost completely full. I have learned that a medium size can lasts 2 people one week while backpacking. Barrels should be turned upside down at night to prevent rain from seeping through the cracks. All in all, I feel my packing was adequate in most regards.
Check out my trip report on the Donjek Glacier Backpacking trip here.
Check out my trip report on the Donjek Glacier Backpacking trip here.
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