GPS receivers to pinpoint our exact location and tell us how to hike to our next campsite. At the same time, backpackers face new challenges today. The growth of outdoor recreational sports has put millions of more people on the land. Leave No Trace practices and wilderness conservation have become increasingly important to safeguard the wild lands we all love.
With all our advances in technology, there still exists a set of core skills that people need to travel in the outdoors. We seem to forget that the earliest “backpackers,” in the United States and Canada, from native peoples to wildnerness explorers like Lewis and Clark, didn’t have Gore-Tex, polypropylene ultralight tents, and a gas stove. They survived the harshest conditions with wool, leather, canvas, and yes, even cotton, through their deep knowledge of how to take care of their own needs in the outdoors.
With all these changes it was time to write a new edition of this book. I’ve used the first edition as our main textbook for teaching new outdoor leaders at Princeton University. Other schools and outdoor programs across the country use it as a textbook for backpacking and outdoor recreation courses and as a staff field manual. The first version of this book was a twenty-page manual written for our trip leader back in 1985. The manual continued to grow each year until 1996, when I began working with Random House to produce a book-length version. This new edition brings the book up to date with changes in backpacking and expands the book to cover more aspects of outdoor leadership and education. It’s a great book for beginners who need comprehensive instruction for planning and running their own outdoor trips. For experienced hikers it’s a solid reference manual and refresher for your next trip. There are lots of good backpacking books out there, and I reference a lot of them in the Bibliography. Unlike any other book on the market, Collins Camping and Hiking Manual is designed not only to be something to read on the couch at home when you are planning your trip but also to be a manual you take with you in the field. Every part of the book is designed to allow you to get the information you need as quickly as possible.
DISCLAIMER
As a risk-management expert I know that traveling in the wilderness can be hazardous. I’ve dealt with group emergencies on the trail and had my own share of close calls. By balancing your skills, experience, and gear with the right trip you can have enjoyable and safe experiences. This book is designed to be a resource to help you on your way. It can’t be a replacement for personal experience and professional training in specialized skills such as first aid and CPR. The author, HarperCollins, and Princeton University assume no liability for any personal injury, illness, or property damage or loss that may arise out of use of this material.
Specific equipment, such as stoves and water filters, is discussed in this book. There are many other products that could have been included but were not due to space considerations. The inclusion of these items does not imply any endorsement of these products.
Planning a trip requires more than simply deciding where to go and when. Whether it’s a weekend trip with friends, a formal outdoor program, or a major expedition, you need to evaluate your trip across a number of categories and develop a solid plan. One or two people may take on the role of planner, or the process of planning can be spread out among the entire group. After planning and running trips for thousands of people both around the United States and around the world, I can tell you that these are the elements you should keep in mind when planning any trip.
Whenever you’re planning a trip, you need to determine if the route should fit the group or the group fit the route. The group may have a range of experience levels, physical conditions, and goals, in which case, your goal should be to plan a trip that is appropriate for everyone. Other times, you may have a specific trip you want to do that may be challenging or require special skills. For this kind of trip, you need to select a group that has the right qualifications to participate. Here’s a checklist of questions to ask when planning a group trip:
What kind of group
