Backpacking and camping

On the dry, or land, side of the camping picture is the backpacker, the man who simply has to get away from civilization for a few weeks and depends on shanks' mare to do it. Besides a desire for solitude, reasons for backpacking include the fact that some of the best fishing spots in the country are available only to the hiker-camper who carries his gear and food to the spot he wants to fish. In the remote north country, even the float plane can't get him into the tiny, fish-filled waters that have scarcely, if ever, wet an angler's line. In northern Maine there are lakes and streams that haven't been fished since the Indians died out or moved away. Many fine hunting areas are still so wild that the deer have never seen a man.

Packing on foot is specialized camping. Since the entire outfit must be carried, both experience and woodsmanship go into its selection. Unlike the car camper, a backpacker must weigh everything carefully before including it on his list.

The pack

Most beginners overrate their ability to carry a heavy load for an appreciable distance. A man of average weight and strength can start off with a 75-pound load, but after the first mile on a summer day it will seem like 200 pounds. He will spend more time taking breaks than hiking. A full pack of not more than 40 pounds is enough for a good day's hike in level country and still less for mountain trails.

On a two-man trip it is possible to reduce weight considerably by eliminating duplication. For example, one two-man tent will do, or the tent can be sacrificed entirely and a light nylon tarpaulin substituted for shelter. One first-aid kit is enough; cooking equipment can be cut down. By exercising a little ingenuity, two men should be able to make a trip carrying not more than 30 pounds a piece.

Many car campers combine backpacking with ordinary camping by using a public camp site as a base from which to take short trips into the hinterland. Mother and the younger children hold the fort at the permanent site while the rest of the family goes off to explore the interior.