Adventist Youth Honors Answer Book/Recreation/Backpacking

1. Discuss with your instructor the meaning of the motto: "Take nothing but pictures and leave nothing but footprints."
"Take nothing but pictures, leave nothing but footprints" is a good summary of the more common 7 Leave No Trace Principles.


 * Plan ahead and prepare.
 * Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
 * Dispose of waste properly.
 * Leave what you find.
 * Minimize campfire impacts (be careful with fire).
 * leave a trace behind every journey.
 * Be considerate of other visitors.

2. Know the essentials of proper clothing, shoes, and rain gear to use in backpacking.
Rain Gear Be ready for bad weather on your backpacking trip by bringing along a poncho and rain pants. In a pinch, you can use a garbage bag as a raincoat by cutting a hole in th bottom, turning it over, and poking your head through the hole. A slit along each seam on the side will make arm holes. It will not cover your head like that, but it will keep the rest of you dry.

In some countries where you do not really experience consistent weather to divide this question into clothing for warm weather and cold weather is a bit pointless. You do not even plan to have a warm weather hike (tramp). Have your basic clothing planning for the worst the sky can throw at you, it most probably will even in Summer. If the sun comes out take off a layer or two and when you climb in altitude or a cold wind comes up put them on again with a rain coat as well.

The taking jeans on a tramp in these conditions is a decision for disaster. When they get wet they stay cold and chill your skin temperature towards hypothermia. When wet/or if you are sweaty from the heat, they will chafe your inner upper legs and cause severe rub rash. Most NZers tramping in New Zealand wear shorts with thermal leggings under, thermal or woolen singlet with a shirt (or Bush shirt) and then a polly prop top. This is what I would take all year round.

3. Know the principles in selecting a good quality backpack. In an emergency, what might be used in place of a backpack?
A backpack suited for backpacking will have a hip strap on it that fastens around the hips. The shoulder straps will carry a small percentage of the weight as well, but they are really intended to keep the backpack from tipping off.

Backpacking backpacks come in two basic designs: the Internal Frame backpack, and the External Frame backpack.

The external frame backpack (or EF backpack) has a rigid frame made from aluminum, plastic, or both. The pack itself attaches to the frame, and the frame is attached to the body via shoulder and hip straps. The frame holds the pack away from the back so that air may circulate back there, making an EF backpack cooler to carry. The downside to an EF is that the body tends to twist and flex as a hiker moves, and the frame resists this. Some EF packs take this into account, and provide a frame that will flex. The main measure of comfort on an EF backpack is the degree to which it flexes.

The internal frame backpack (IF backpack) drapes over the back. It gets its structure from the gear placed inside it. This allows the IF backpack to flex and move as the body does, making it generally more comfortable to carry. Furthermore, the IF pack lies against the hikers back. This allows it to distribute its weight over a greater area, but it also prevents air circulation, making it hotter to wear. The IF pack uses foam in the straps to add even more comfort. There are two basic types of foam: open-cell foam, and closed-cell foam. Open cell foam is highly compressible. While this may add comfort in some places, it should not be used in the straps. In the straps, the foam compresses too much, leaving the webbing to dig into the shoulders. Closed cell foam compresses much less than open-cell foam, and is therefore preferred in the straps. You can easily tell the difference by squeezing the padding. If it compresses to about a quarter its original thickness, it is open-cell foam.

In an emergency, you can toss your gear into a blanket, gather the corners, and throw it over your shoulders. Another option would be to stuff your gear into a closed sleeping bag and sling that over your shoulders. Either of these solutions are obviously going to be far inferior to even the least adequate backpack though, so this substitution should be reserved for only emergencies.

4. Know the essential items to be taken on a backpack trip.

 * Map of the area
 * Compass
 * Knife
 * Flashlight
 * Water
 * Food
 * Water and Food equipment
 * First aid kit
 * Rain gear
 * Backpack
 * Firelighting equipment
 * Sleeping bag/pad
 * Extra clothes
 * Hiking boots or hiking shoes
 * Backpacking stove and fuel
 * Tent or tarp
 * Toiletries (toothbrush, toilet paper, soap, etc.)
 * Compact shovel

6. Know how to pack a backpack properly.

 * 1) Lay out all your gear where you can see it, next to your pack.
 * 2) Look for empty spaces in your gear - for instance, there may be room inside your cooking pot. Put any small items that will fit inside that to conserve space.  Look for other "hidden" space as well.
 * 3) For an internal frame backpack, put the sleeping bag in first, at the bottom. For an external frame, tie it underneath the pack.
 * 4) Load the heavy items next, placing them as close to your back as you can. This will shift the center of gravity forward which will help your balance and improve comfort.  Be sure nothing is going to poke you in the back though.
 * 5) Put the lighter items such as clothing in towards the outside of the pack.
 * 6) Put the things you'll need on the trail (like water, trail mix, compass, map, etc.) in the outer pockets where you can get to them. If they're hard to get to, you'll be unlikely to use them.  And if you don't use them, why bring them at all?

7. What types of food are best for backpacking? Visit a grocery store and list the foods found there that are suitable for backpacking. With your instructor
The best type of food to take backpacking is dehydrated food, as it is very lightweight, compact, and nutritious. You can buy food pre-packaged or you can dehydrate it yourself. For details on dehydrating your own food, see the Food Drying honor in the Household Arts section of this book.

a. Prepare a menu for a weekend backpack trip using foods obtained from a grocery store.
Although you can buy prepared dehydrated foods for backpacking at an outdoor outfitter, getting your food this way can be fairly expensive. Instead, try getting dehydrated food at a regular grocery store. Here's a short list of possibilities:
 * Instant mashed potatoes
 * Instant oatmeal
 * Quick-cooking rice
 * Powdered milk
 * Powdered eggs
 * Pasta
 * Nuts and peanuts
 * Dry soup mixes
 * Dry beans, lentils, peas
 * Granola
 * Dried fruits (apricots, apples, and banana chips)
 * Flour, mixed with other dry ingredients to make pancakes or biscuits

b. Learn the techniques of measuring, packaging, and labeling backpack foods for your trip.
Once you've bought the food you plan to eat on your backpacking trip, the last thing you will want to do is toss it unthoughtfully into your backpack in its original packaging. Food packaging is designed to catch your eye at the grocery store, and to do this, it does not come in space-efficient sizes. Empty all of your food and repack it into sealable plastic bags (such as Ziplock bags). Make up a menu before you do this, and pack each meal into a separate bag. Then clearly label the bag with a permanent marker or a mailing label. The label should be legible even in dim light - you never know when you'll have to cook your food in the dark. This is a lot of trouble to go through, but it is well worth it during the trip.

If you wish to make pancakes, first determine how many pancake meals your party will eat, and mix it all up at once. It is a lot easier to accurately measure large amounts of flour, salt, and baking powder than it is to measure small amounts of the same. Mix it all together thoroughly, and when it is well mixed, scoop out enough to make one serving and place it in a baggie. Make as many single-serving baggies of pancake mix as you'll use. You can use the same technique for making soup mixes and other delectables. Just keep all the ingredients dry and be prepared to add water at the campsite.

c. Make a trail snack.
There are millions of recipes for trail mix, and every seasoned backpacker has a favorite. "Gorp" is a perennial favorite - the name tells its ingredients: Good old raisins and peanuts. Choose half a dozen (or more! or less!) of items such as these, mix them together, and put them in a baggie:
 * Raisins
 * Peanuts
 * Chex cereal
 * Frosted Flakes or other sweetened cereal
 * Pretzels
 * M & M's
 * Chocolate chips
 * Dried fruit
 * Shelled sunflower seeds

Put the baggie in an easy to reach place in your pack so you can nibble on it while you hike. Don't worry about getting low-fat items. You'll be doing enough walking (and carrying a heavy pack) to burn a lot of calories - you'll need the fat.

9. Have a first aid kit in your pack and know how to use it.
Compact, lightweight firsts aid kits are available at many retailers and outdoor outfitters. But don't just go out, buy one, and toss it in you pack without another thought. It is important for you to open it up and examine every item. Then review the answers for the First Aid honor, so that you know how to use each item.

10. According to your weight, what is the maximum number of pounds you should be allowed to carry?
An adult should carry no more than a fifth to a third of his or her body weight in a backpack, depending on the level of fitness. A kid should not carry more than a quarter his body weight.

Your aim should not be to load your pack until you hit the maximum, but rather, to bring as little as you can get by with. But don't carry anything you aren't going to need. When it comes to backpacking, less is more! Don't kill yourself. Evaluate every item you put into your backpack. Little things add up quickly, so try not to duplicate functionality. For instance, if you're brining a pocket knife, you can probably leave the butter knife behind. Bring a spork rather than a spoon and a fork. Use parachute cord for a clothesline - it's very strong and can be used as rope. Distribute "group" gear among the group. Take the tent apart and have one person carry the fly, another the canopy, and a third the poles. Instead of bringing a pillow, stuff tomorrow's clothes into a sack and use that.

Southern hemisphere instructions
Southern Cross to find south at night

With the lack of a significant pole star in the southern sky (Sigma Octantis is closest to the pole, but is too faint to be useful for the purpose), two of the stars of Crux (Alpha and Gamma, Acrux and Gacrux respectively) are commonly used to mark south. Following the line defined by the two stars for approximately 4.5 times the distance between them leads to a point close to the Southern Celestial Pole.

Alternatively, if a line is constructed perpendicularly between Alpha Centauri and Beta Centauri, the point where the above line and this line intersect marks the Southern Celestial Pole. The two stars are often referred to as the "Pointer Stars" or "White Pointers", allowing people to easily find the top of Crux.

The junction of these two lines is the SCP Southern Celestial Pole. If you were at the South Pole this would be directly above you. This is the point where the night sky revolves around. Point to this spot then lower your arm to the horizon. Where you are pointing is South.

Watch method

Southern Hemisphere method only.Point the 12 to the sun. Halfway between the hour hand and the 12 is North. You still have to use your intelligence for this as early morning time and evening time care must be taken as to which half you use. E.g. 8am sun is rising in the East; point 12 to the sun North is halfway between the 8 and the 12 at the 10. BUT late evening the sun is heading to set in the west say time is 8pm you point the 12 at the sun. North is halfway between the 8 and the 12 at the other side of watch at the 4. This should be used only as a guide as in some countries the real time has been adjusted and sometimes there is daylight saving time etc.

Stick method

This method is a waste of time. We all know the sun rises in the East and sets in the West. The stick shadow shows you this. Also when the sun is at its zenith the highest it gets in the Southern Hemi look at the sun and it is towards the North the opposite in the Northern Hemi. So we learn that at mid day is the best time to find North (or South).

But if you must... place a stick in the ground on an open area. Mark the shadows at times throughout the day. From this you can find North or South (depending what side of the equator you are on) from the shortest shadow and also East and West by drawing a line from the ends of the longest shadows assuming you had an early morning and late evening marking with equal time from mid-day. But for this you have to be lucky to have sunshine for most of the day, which usually is not the case if you are lost. Anyhow it is something to know if you do not have a watch to know when mid-day is.

12. Show the proper way to put on and take off a backpack alone and with a partner.

 * Alone: Set the backpack on a table (or a large rock), put your arms through the straps (loosened off), and lift with your legs. You can also set it on a rock or a log and sit down in front of it.  Again, lift with your legs, not with your back. If there is nothing available to set your pack on; stand with your feet apart, one leg ahead of the other, knee bent enough to set your pack on it.  With shoulder straps loosened off, slip one arm through the shoulder strap, lean into your pack and slightly downward, and roll it up onto your back.  Once in place, slide your other arm through the shoulder strap.  Always tighten your hip belt first, shoulder straps next and lastly your chest strap.  Reverse this procedure for removing your pack.


 * With a Partner: Have your partner lift your pack and hold it while you slip your arms into the straps. If you have to stoop, bend your knees.  Remember to lift with your legs!

13. Participate in a weekend backpack trip of at least five miles (8 km) to a site not accessible by a vehicle and cook your own meals.
Five miles is a good backpacking trip for a beginner. Find a trail near you by visiting your local outdoor outfitter. These stores are most often staffed by people who enjoy backpacking and can provide you with valuable advice on destinations. Once you've got a 5-mile trip under your belt, why not look at the Pioneering honor and make your next trip a 15-miler?