Review: Backpacker Meals - Mountain House

How Good Can a Freeze Dried Meal Be?

Mac and Cheese - Our first meal on the trail

We stood in front of the meal options at REI for a long time before selecting the few to bring with out on our trek through the north woods. There were many brands and all of them offered plenty of meal and flavor options but we wanted to bring one brand to test on the trail. We read the back of most before agreeing on going with Mountain House - here are a few reasons why:

• Price / deals
• More flavors
• Ability to eat out of bag
• Servings
• Pro-Pak
• Taste

Price

The main course meals range from $7.00 - $10.00 which may seem high but these prices fluctuate with sales and promotions. We caught the anniversary sale at REI which put all the meals at 30% off. There are other places to buy these fantastic meals including any outdoor stores (Cabela's, Dick's, REI), Amazon, and even Walmart. We will admit that Amazon and Walmart boast the lowest prices on these meals which bumps the cost down to $4.00 - $6.50 per meal.

If you are ordering from Amazon you can receive free shipping on most and if ordering from Walmart you can ship to store for free and pick up at the closest one. They both carry a full range of flavors.

Another great option that Mountain House offers is the Just in Case - Classic Assortment among others. These huge cases are full of different meals including breakfast, lunch, and dinner options. These are wonderful for the through hiker who wants an assortment of flavors and these offer a cost effective way to try more than a few packs.

"Just in Case" pack with an assortment of flavors

More Flavors

The other brands have plenty of flavors as well but we went with mainly pasta dishes that we knew would fill us up. Here are some other flavors that we didn't end up purchasing that Mountain House offers:

• Beef Stroganoff with Noodles
• Chicken a la King with Noodles
• Sweet & Sour Pork with Rice
• Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
• Chicken Teriyaki with Rice
• Beef Stew
• Mexican Style Rice & Chicken
• Pasta Primavera
• Chicken and White Bean Chili
• + More

For the best selection we would suggest going to a outdoor store to see them yourself. 

Ability to Eat Out of Bag

This was a huge feature for us seeing as we didn't bring a large cook pot with. Our pot was only large enough to boil the water needed to fill these and if we had gone with another brand we would have had to bring a larger pot which equals more weight. We used a Stanley 24 oz cook pot that came with two stackable cups and a fold out handle to move when hot. We bought ours from Dick's on sale for $19.99 here.

Some other brands were made from a paper material that would be environmentally friendly to burn - these are not. You will have to pack them out in order to stay "Leave no Trace" friendly and they also come with a small preserver inside which you must remove before adding water. These also can't be burned.

In order for these to work you need to boil the amount of water on the instructions, usually two cups, and pour into the bag. They have a zip pouch at the top that you seal after the water is poured in and let it sit for 9 - 11 minutes. We always let them sit for 5 - 10 extra minutes to make sure the noodles were totally soft. We read a few complaints that the noodles were crunchy - make sure to bring water to a full boil and leaving it for a few extra minutes will eliminate this problem. 

Servings

These make enough for 2 people per package. The serving size on the back is fairly accurate. Now for us, that's perfect but if you are backpacking with a family you will need more than one pack. We didn't eat a lot of food per day finding our appetite less than we thought. When rolling into camp with only an hour left of sunlight a hot meal sounded perfect. 

Previous to our hike and our testing this brand Maurina was skeptical of this actually feeding both of us and feeling full after. We can both attest that these were the perfect amount of food for dinner. We had a few accompanying snacks to our meal including a small piece of cheese and a Dove chocolate but were otherwise happy and full from the meal.

They make about 2 full cups which is enough to split and the best end to a long day of hiking. A hot meal will make all the long miles melt away!

Pro-Pak

For anyone backpacking you know the importance of space in your pack. The Pro-Pak option is great - they essentially vacuum out the air to make it as small as possible. This gives anyone hiking more room as they easily fit into any open space or in-between bulky objects. These are light and space conscious compared to other brands.

Taste 

3 of the 4 Mountain House meals we ate were pasta dishes. Now I'm not saying it was comparable to a hot dish from Olive Garden but it came pretty close while sitting in a back country camp with nothing but mosquitos for company. We were very surprised how they had actual melty cheese and heavy meat sauce after only sitting for a few minutes.

We both had similar likings on all of these options and we'll give them each an average rating score.

Macaroni & Cheese

We had this on our first night because it sounded the best after a long hard hike. We couldn't believe how thick and creamy this dish was and how the sauce tasted homemade. We were surprised how full we felt after each eating a cup (Maurina having brought with way too much food). This one actually made closer to 3 cups so each of us got seconds. This was ready after 12 minutes which was the amount of time it took us to get a solid fire going. 

We would rate Macaroni & Cheese: 9 out of 10

Macaroni & Cheese

Rice & Chicken

This was Blake's favorite. This one took the least amount of time to cook through. It it a versatile dish that can be eaten right out of the bag, with tortillas, or mixed with any other dishes. We ate it in tortillas and it was delicious. The chicken chunks were large and the spices were pleasant. It was really filling and tasted good too! This meal made over 3 cups - we were very full after.

We would rate Rice & Chicken: 9 out of 10

Rice & Chicken

Lasagna with Meat Sauce

This was Maurina's favorite. These had large noodles and the meat sauce was incredible. We never thought it would taste so similar to a piping hot dish of lasagna right out of the oven! There was actual melty cheese that added a lot to the meal. It filled us up and tasted amazing. This one made a little under 3 cups but I felt just as full.

We would rate Lasagna with Meat Sauce: 9 out of 10

Lasagna with Meat Sauce

Chili Mac with Beef

It was down pouring in September in the depth of the north woods and Maurina went into the beginning stages of hypothermia. We set up the tent under some trees and got water boiling for a hot meal. This was spicy and warm with macaroni noodles and big chunks of beef. It was more soupy than thick but that was perfect for the cold weather. Maurina thought it was a tad spicy but she thinks ketchup is too much. Blake thought it was perfect. The only reason we rated it what we did is this wouldn't be as good in hot weather but is great for cold weather.

We would rate Chili Mac and Beef: 8 out of 10

Chili Mac with Beef

We loved all the dishes we tried. We're excited to try more flavors and see what we like best. The great thing about these is you won't overlap flavors in two weeks. This gives you tons of options and makes long days on the trails easier knowing you have a hot meal at the end of it.

These are also great for your home emergency kit. Their shelf life is around 7 years after purchase. 

See you on the trail!

Go breathe the wild air

-FCFP

Superior Hiking Trail: Our Plan

Planning is the Easy Part

Murphy's Law: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.

We don't like to think that way at FCFP but that said, being prepared is the best antidote to the law.

In this post we're going to outline what our set plan was for hiking from miles to campsites on the SHT. This is what we planned on completing and the method in which we did it. Remember tools are everything. Make sure you have at least an outline of a plan or goals which will help you if something goes astray.

The Hills Are Always Bigger Than They Look

The first and foremost thing we did was realistically figure out how many miles we could travel in a day. We test ran a few hikes building up our endurance at a state park that had similar terrain to the SHT. You can read about that here. 

After a few weekends of test running time, pack weight, weather, and distance we came to our conclusion that we could average 14 - 16 miles a day and still have time to spare at the campsite to read or enjoy the evening without the sun going down immediately. 

Each part matters in determining how far you can go. You also won't know a true time frame until you actually backpack. Factors include:

• How heavy your pack is
• How quickly you can pack up camp
• What time you leave camp
• How long breakfast takes
• What the weather is doing
• What the weather WILL be doing
• How far you're hiking
• How much water you have left
• How often you need to eat 
• How far apart campsites are
• How long do you have to be on the trail

We laid all of these factors out along with the knowledge of our average distance and started to devise a plan.

How to be Prepared

Materials

• Guide Book
• Maps
• Compass

Hopefully whatever trail you are traversing has a written guide book on that trail with details on water sources, campsites, trail conditions, mile markers, and terrain features. Most major trails have a book published within the last few years and are fairly up to date. If not, you will need to become comfortable in the usage of a compass and map to find your direction. Check out this REI post with video instruction on how to become an expert HERE.

The guide book we used for the Superior Hiking Trail was the Seventh Edition Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail compiled by the Superior Hiking Trail Association 2013

It can be purchased from the store here!

This guide is phenomenal with almost mile by mile descriptions and easy to follow directions. The Association has created excellent campsites along the trail that all include a fire ring, benches around the fire ring, stamped down tent pads, and a backwoods latrine. The guide book gives you exact mileage to the next campsite and also gives descriptive features as well as a water source location. A fantastic and well versed guide for any level hiker. Read our review on the trail guide here.

Maps: You can purchase maps of the trail or area online or from most outdoor stores. If searching online you can find ones that have a finish on them making it water resistant. Our maps were purchased from the trail head store and included 6 maps of the entire trail. Each one shows campsites, elevation gain and drops, and trail head parking/amenities.  

Compass: Our compass was purchased from a local outdoors shop for $10.00 - it's a basic model but easily used with a map. Blake was responsible for using this because Maurina can get lost in a parking lot.

Our plan was to fit in as many miles as we could between campsites and with the easily laid out guide it made our decisions for us. On this trail it is very discouraged to camp off trail sites so we set our miles by the doable distance between campsites.

Pick Your Miles

The real deciding factor was what days we wanted to go longer distances. There were sections of the trail that varied by difficulty level so we wanted to make those our shorter days and keep our long days to the lower elevation. Any map or guide book should show you elevation gains and drops. This will also determine how far/fast you go in a day.

Breakdown

Day 1 - Tuesday

Castle Danger to Gooseberry Falls State Park
9.1 Miles

Gooseberry Falls to Split Rock River Wayside
(Camped part way there)
2.8 Miles

Camped at Blueberry Hill Campsite
No water sources near campsite - fill up from drinking fountains at Gooseberry Falls State Park

Total day miles = 11.9

Day 1 was a killer - we left St. Paul, MN at 6:00 AM and drove the 4 hours to the SHT store in Two Harbors to pick up maps and talk trail conditions. We didn't get on the trail until 12:00 p.m.

We had great weather and beautiful views as we passed through Gooseberry Falls. We lost a lot of time taking pictures of the waterfalls and talking to other hikers - we learned pretty quick how that can cut into your mileage time!

We were losing daylight by the time we found our way into camp and had to rush to get our tent up and a fire started. Good wood made for a better fire that crackled into the night. Rain started up around midnight and went through most of the night.

Gooseberry Falls State Park

Day 2 - Wednesday

Gooseberry Falls to Split Rock River Wayside
(Finished this section)
3.2 Miles

(We skipped the 5 mile Split Rock Loop)

Split Rock River Wayside to Beaver Bay
11.3 Miles

Beaver Bay to Silver Bay
(Camped part way there)
1 Miles

Camped at North Beaver River Campsite
This was our favorite camp site and was literally 10 feet from the river. It was an awesome water source and you could shower here if you needed to.

Total day miles = 15.5

We started to feel those up and downs gaining and dropping through the cliffs that edged along Lake Superior. We passed through mosquito valley and actually ran part of it because of the thick swarm that attacked. We pushed on to Split Rock and got some stellar views of the light house from above on the trail.

We went over some huge hills and open faced cliffs to get to our campsite - we only got lost for a few minutes when signage was not clear and the maps didn't show enough detail. We got in pretty late again and had to set up our tent in the almost dark.

The stars were brilliant and there were rocks you could sit on in the middle of the river. Fantastic spot.

Awesome views to Lake Superior on this high climb

North Beaver River Camp Site

Day 3 - Thursday

Beaver Bay to Silver Bay
(Finished this section)
3.7 Miles

Silver Bay to Tettegouche State Park and Highway 1
(Camped part way there)
9.4 Miles

Camped at East Palisade Creek
Was by a good water source but had to go up/down stairs to get there. Many tent pads here.

Total day miles = 13.1

This was our favorite section with breathtaking views of Bean and Bear Lakes. This section was tough with very large climbs and quick drops but still came out as our number one. We crossed a lot of day hikers here and trail runners.

We stopped and spent a lot of time viewing the lakes and taking everything in. We weren't worried about miles this day.

Camp was great until it started pouring around 4 a.m. and continued indefinitely.

Bean Lake

Bear Lake

Day 4 - Friday

(The hurricane)

Silver Bay to Tettegouche State Park and Highway 1

(Finished this section)

6.3 Miles

We woke up in an absolute downpour. Lake effect rain in the north woods isn't like rain anywhere else. It's like you're standing under a fire hose for hours. We packed up the tent (Blake was thankful I insisted on bringing a tarp since our rain fly was unreliable) and we started moving. It was freezing and we were soaked in a matter of a few minutes. We had to climb Mt. Trudee and still had 6 miles to go in the rain until we would be around civilization.

We had fun and sang in the rain while we kicked up our speed. No views on the trail due to the thick fog and clouds so we didn't stop for much. We descended the drainpipe in the downpour and didn't fall (can't say the same for the people ahead of us). As we climbed one last cliff the water was rushing so hard through the trail that it was hard not to slip. 

We took stock of our gear (soaked) and ourselves (more soaked) and decided we wouldn't make the miles to our next campsite in time. We were standing on the edge of Highway 1 - a pick up stop for the SHT shuttle and we decided to get off the trail.

Total SHT miles = 46.8

_______________________________________________________________

Puny compared to thru hikes but we were just getting our feet wet, literally. We were unprepared for that type of rain - constant choking heavy downpour. We learned a lot about what the north shore can dish out and we're ready to tackle some bigger miles next time while wearing better gear. We cut out about 20 miles off what we planned to do and were pretty upset over it.

We were picked up by the shuttle and headed back to our car. We were glad we got off the trail after looking at the intense thunderstorms and pure rain that was forecasted for the next 6 days. You can find this anywhere but if you have the proper gear and time - rain won't matter.

We had a blast and can't wait to dive into the details of each section we hiked. We've already upgraded gear and will be cutting about half our pack weight in unnecessary items we brought with. This was a test run hike to our larger Colorado adventure planned for this summer.

See you on the trail!

Go Breathe the Wild Air

-FCFP

Hiking Tip: Reduce Excess Straps

Quick Fix

Often with a bag that is very adjustable comes extra strap material that can get in the way, become caught, or otherwise look obnoxious.

This is an easy way to tighten up your pack without cutting or sewing the straps.

Directions: 

1. Take your pack and fill it with a moderate amount of clothes and see where the straps will expand to regularly. 
2. Then, fold the strap at a reasonable length that isn’t likely to snag or be too short causing you to roll the strap too much.
3. Count how many times you rolled the strap on one side to transfer it to the next
4. Tape the strap using electrical tape or another durable and weather resistant tape
5. Continue on all loose straps.

Fold strap over and use electrical tape to reduce straps

Pack with straps taped

This may be a small tip but it will look great and keep straps out of the way, and lessen the chance of straps getting caught, ripped, or in the way.

See you on the trail!

Go breathe the wild air

-FCFP

Guide Review: Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail

Over Mt. Trudee and Through the Woods

Pair this guide book with separate fold out maps and you have an easy navigational system at your fingertips.

We purchased this guide book and maps from the Superior Hiking Trail Association (SHTA) from their online store. You can purchase your own guide book or a set with maps included here. The guide book is put together by the SHTA with an astounding amount of information.

This book covers massive amount of information on all aspects of the trail. Interesting and beneficial sections include: description of trail (maps, shuttles, dogs, trail markings, permits), history of the trail, geology and scenery, habitats, birds of Lake Superior,  animals along the trail, North Shore history, all information for backpackers, and a guide to low impact camping.

All of this can be found in the front of the book. The majority of the book is the trail guide. This guide is a must have to go on your excursion through the trail! Very detailed and helpful talking points made reading the book at night fun and informative for the next day.

 

0 to 296 Miles

The best and purchase worthy section of this book is the trail descriptions. Each segment of trail from trailhead to trailhead is meticulously written out with mile by mile descriptions of what you will encounter along with exact mileage of distance to next feature. It is also accompanied by a detailed map showing parking lots, trailheads, campsites, and surrounding streets and cities.

Each section is written with easy to navigate directions to the parking lots at the trailhead and facilities you will encounter at each specific trailhead including bathrooms, water, or stores.

Also notable are the mileage markers next to each description. The first mileage, 0.0 is the distance traveled on this section. The second mileage, 9.1, next to the description is the miles to go to the next trailhead.

There's a lot of information inside each section. Pulling apart this information will help you plan your hike down to the last 1/10 of a mile.

Breakdown

This is how each section reads from Trailhead to Trailhead inside the Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail version 2013. We will be showing a clip of the first section we hiked.

___________________________________________________________________

Castle Danger to Gooseberry Falls State Park

9.1 Miles

Section description: Lake Co. Rd. 106/Silver Creek Township Rd. (West Castle Danger Rd.) to Gooseberry Falls State Park Visitor Center

Access and parking: Directions to beginning trailhead: at Hwy. 61 miles post 36.6 turn left on Lake Co. Rd. 106/Silver Creek Township Rd. 617 (West Castle Danger Rd.) and go 2.4 miles to trailhead parking lot on right. Overnight parking okay.

Facilities at starting trailhead: none

Designated campsites on this section: five

Synopsis: This section starts with a short but steep climb to the ridge line and Wolf Rock. It is the quickest way on any section of the trail to get to outstanding ridge line views. After descending from the ridge line and going through mixed forest, the trail ascends once more to Mike's Rock with more scenic vistas. The true highlight of the section is four miles of trail along the Gooseberry River, with its meandering course and a series of dramatic waterfalls.

____________________________________________________________

Mile-by-Mile Description

0.0 (9.1) Silver Creek Township Road 617 Parking lot

SHT departs right side of parking lot and climbs steeply through cliffs. This is one of the most dramatic first half-miles of the SHT as the trail winds up to top of Wolf Rock with its pine-clad rock outcrops.

0.5 (8.6) Wolf Rock

Great views at 1,200 feet of Lake Superior, Crow Creek Valley, forests, etc. On ridge, SHT passes through mile of private land. Trail turns away from the valley as the woods alternate from open understory to dense growth. decomposed lava looks like gravel on trail bed.

           ▲ Crow Creek Valley Campsite

           ---------------------------------------

           Tent Pads: 5

           Water: From small stream, unreliable in dry conditions

           Setting: In maple woods on small tributary of Crow Creek

           Next campsite: 3.4 Miles

____________________________________________________________

For the rest of the description please purchase the Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail HERE

*We do not own any of the above text. It is referenced from the Guide to the Superior Hiking Trail 2013 for review purposes only. Please purchase your own copy. No copyright infringement intended*

Full Confidence Minus One Thing

Our only drawback to the guide book is that they leave some things to common sense when it comes to intersecting trails. Many times the book would start and stop their comments about the trail at the sections without being precise on how to link up with the SHT. Again, we say common sense was our best friend, but when you’re tired and new to a trail you don’t want to be playing ‘guess which trail is yours!’ The book uses references like across, continue, or crosses trail which can be misleading with signs pointing in multiple directions. The easiest fix is to use your compass on the map if you're questioning which direction to move in.

We only encountered this a handful of times within our 60 miles but a few too many of them were in the pouring rain where our book wasn't exactly accessible!

 

Synopsis:

Rating: 9 out of 10 
Would I recommend these to a friend: YES

The guide was one of the best We've seen in terms of ease, detail, and descriptions. It gives serious detail that was correct in all cases including trail description, campsite description, and major features to check out.

We thoroughly enjoyed hiking from Castle Danger to Highway 1 and can't wait to hike the SHT again next summer from Canada to Grand Marais!

See you on the trail!

Review: Merrell Men's Moab Mid Waterproof

Through the Ups and Downs

     When it comes to footwear and hiking there can be no substitutions. Being a former Marine I cannot stress enough the importance of maintaining proper foot care and making sure you are comfortable from the ground up. The Vibram sole and Merrell’s claim to waterproof shoes was a great start for me. I purchased the Merrell Moab Mids for the retail $119.99 from Dick's Sporting Goods and felt that I received a good shoe for the money.

    I hiked 75 miles in three weeks doing three long day hikes and a many 5k walks during the week. Between streets and paths, hills and flats these shoes held up great and were very comfortable. The cushion in the shoes feels great and offers a lot of support, even after long miles when you can feel the pain in your feet starting.

    The overall wear on the outside of the shoe was very minimal and the soles look as new as the day I bought them.

     After hiking another 60 miles on the Superior Hiking Trail for a total of over 135 miles my feelings toward these shoes hasn’t differed! The wear on them is minimal, the comfort is snug and plush, all the while offering great support because of it’s mid-size ankle support.

    The one major drawback to these shoes, and hiking in general, is blisters. I had quarter size blisters on the inside heel of each shoe. Is this my own walk? possibly, but I’ve had many shoes and only a few have given me blisters. The thing that I found to be a saving grace was after popping the blisters and cleaning them the next two days of hiking (over 15 miles each day) there was no pain or irritation at the site of the blisters.

    These shoes were tested over class 5 paths, city streets, prairie grasslands, rocky hills, root-covered forest floors, and, my personal favorite, 1700 ft worth of elevation changes of drastic switchbacks.

Define Waterproof 

    Now for the issue of waterproofing: it is always a wonky topic so I will elaborate by examples. I filled an Igloo cooler with water and stepped in…no water in the shoes. Waited…still no leakage. After this I felt very confident to take them out on a week long hiking trip on the Superior hiking Trail. The test: 10 hours of torrential downpour. Not exactly standard or fair, but nonetheless that was what they received. I stepped into the pouring rain and walked for several hours. It wasn’t until I had to walk riverside to fill my Nalgene that the shoes became saturated.

    The shoes, I noticed, were still offering the cushion and snug feeling…just filled with water. I was very impressed by this, although, not happy that my shoes were sopping wet. I would give these shoes an 8 out of 10 for staying waterproof for several hours, offering support, very comfortable, and losing points for blisters but not many because of the minimal irritation caused afterward.

Synopsis:

Rating: 8 out of 10   
Would I recommend these to a friend: YES

You can purchase these shoes here

We're always looking to try new product and see how it holds up being used as it was intended on the trail. If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions please let us know!

See you on the trail!

Go breathe the wild air!

-FCFP

How to Grade Gear

Sifting Through Opinions

  
 With all of the reviews out there help is never very far away or, conversely, there is never more murky advice to sift through as you make a decision that could leave you out in the cold, literally.

    Here at Flowing Creeks to Frozen Peaks (FCFP), Blake and Maurina will give a man and woman's perspective while including an elaborate list of functional and practical uses for the products. All of this will culminate into a realistic rating of the fail-safe 1-10 scale, 1 being the worst and 10 equaling the best, most recommended.

    FCFP always gives the benefit of doubt to the manufacturer that they want to make a quality product; however, we know that this does not mean a quality product was made. Blake and Maurina will scrupulously look at the affordability, warranty, practicality, weight consideration (for backpacking gear especially), and never forgetting the most important, durability.
   
    All of these factors will be brought into mind and applied to the CLAIMS OF THE PRODUCT. I cannot stress this last point enough. We here at Flowing Creeks to Frozen Peaks are not here to trash any products or company, rather we are here to keep products and companies honest to their claims. Therefore we will test and report back our impartial feedback of how the products did in their test trials and how they did in our expectations. We hope you gain the proper knowledge about the products from us and make an educated purchase.

See you on the trail! 

Go breathe the wild air!

-FCFP

What's in Our Packs: Backpacking the Superior Hiking Trail

Where to Start?

Your pack will be considered your home and life source while on the trail. If you're like me I wish I could bring 30 pairs of clothes and 10 extra meals since I'm stuck in the "just in case" mentality. It's so important to cut back to the bare minimum essentials. As Blake says, "Ounces equals pounds. Pounds equal pain."

The more weight you bear the more sore and miserable you will be. The goal is to find out what you can't live without while on the trail. When it comes to packing there are a million ways you could go about it. Each person has different items of importance to them and rank them differently than the next.

The best and true tested way to find out what you can't live without is doing a dry run hike. Find a terrain similar to what you will be hiking and match the average miles you will be putting in a day. At the end of your hike set up camp somewhere out of the way and see what you actually use. If you didn't use it the entire day - chances are you won't need it on the trail.

As mentioned before all items may have higher importance to others so make sure to pack to what you truly feel you need. We would never want someone to leave something behind just because it wasn't listed on a packing must-haves.

Also, it's vital to clearly list, label, and pack in a way that's easy to find what you need inside your backpack. The more compact and size conscious items you have, the easier it will be to organize.

Everything spread out on our dining room table

What to Bring?

Another huge factor into what you pack will be where you're hiking. We're not about to bring long underwear or an ice ax into the north woods in summer nor would we need our waterproof coverings for traveling in the dessert. The list you will be reading is in line with average summer hiking through deciduous forest in the Midwest and northern regions. If you're looking to hike/camp in the dessert or high mountains you can modify the list to fit your needs. 

*Note* This list was our original draft. We'll be talking about what we decided to leave behind after.

The List:

Navigation

• Map and Guidebook
• Compass
• Phones or GPS

Sun Protection

• Sunscreen 
• Lip Balm
• Sunglasses
• Hat
• Aloe

Illumination

• Headlamps
• Lantern
• Small Flashlight
• Extra Batteries

First Aid/Safety

• First Aid Kit: Band-aids, Blister Care, Bandages, Antiseptic, Mosquito After bite, Advil, Moleskin for Blisters
• Bear Whistle
• Glow Stick

Fire

• Cigarette Lighter
• Flint Starter
• Cotton Balls w/ Vaseline in a Waterproof Case (These burn like a candle)

Tools

• Trowel 
• Knife
• Small Saw or Hatchet 
• Duct Tape
• Solar Phone Charger
• Bear Hanging Bag + Nylon Cord 
• Extra Rope

Nutrition

• Meals + One Extra Full Days Worth of Food
• Snacks - 2 Per Day

Cooking

• Stove
• Fuel
• Cook Pot
• Bowls
• Cup
• Silverware (Spork)
• Paper towels 

Hydration

• Shatterproof Water Bottle
• Hydration Bag 
• Filtration System
• Iodine for Back Up

Shelter

• Tent
• Tarp
• Sleeping Bag
• Stuff Sack or Pillow
• Stakes and Guylines for Tent
• Sleeping Pad
• Waterproof Pack Cover

Clothing

• Wicking T-shirt (one per day)
• Underwear (one per day + one extra)
• Shorts ( One per every 2 -3 days)
• One Long Sleeve Shirt
• One Fleece or Warm Up Shirt
• Jacket
• Rain Gear (pants and poncho)
• Swimsuit
• Hat 
• Towel to Wipe Sweat
• Bandanna 
• Boots
• Sandals for in Camp

Personal Items

• Camera + Memory Card + Extra Batteries
•  Binoculars
• Star Identifier Book
• Notebook and Pencil
• Credit Card, Cash, ID, Car Keys
• Toilet Paper
• Body Wipes
• Hand Sanitizer
• Bug Spray + a back up 100% Deet Mini Spray
• Toothbrush/Toiletry Kit with Deodorant
• Biodegradable Soap 
• Baby Powder
• Quick Dry Towel 
• Watch
• Day Pack
• Book for Down Time

After Hike

• Bag with Water, Towel, Extra Clothes, Food, and Phone Chargers inside car. Make sure to lock this in the trunk so car thieves won't be tempted.

Close up of our food - Dried food, Cliff Bars, Bear Naked Bars, Trail Mix, Tuna Packs, Tortillas, Oatmeal, Simply Sides (for extra salt), ending with a few Dove Chocolates

 What Can You Cut?

That seems like a hefty load to split between two people right? We agree. This list was one we found on a backpacker site and understand the need for everything listed however, we found some things less important than others. Here's what got voted off the island.

Sunscreen/Aloe
Some of you would scoff at our choice but let us explain! We're hiking through dense forest with a few passing miles of sun exposure. The effort to put sunscreen on our sweaty faces doesn't seem appealing to us. We decided to nix the aloe as well due to our hat wearing shade. If we burn, it won't be our faces.

First Aid Kit
For most this is a necessary must. We kept the bare minimum but dumped the rest. Unless you're planning on losing a leg via cliff diving or getting caught in a rock slide most of what you're packing will be useless. A few band aids and some extra moleskin is all you will need. Save the space. 

Flint Starter
We purchased, practiced, and laughed at our embarrassing thoughts behind our investment. A mini cigarette lighter is not only much faster and more useful but it's lighter in weight and gets the job done better. Pack two if you're worried - but you'll be just fine.

Saw
We had a lightweight saw and cover with the intentions of cutting firewood but after a dry run hike we noticed how it got in the way and wasn't the tool of choice. The hatchet took the lead in splitting wood and using the back side as a hammer to get our tent steaks in the ground. Leave the saw and opt for a multi-use hatchet.

Clothes
This is where your space planning will matter to you. Once you pack all of your items in your backpack you will quickly realize how heavy and stuffed it is. Clothing is the fastest way to drop space and weight. Sure you may not wear the same pair of shorts two days in a row in the real world but while on the trail no one is judging. Pick as many things that can cross use and are light in space. Switch the fleece for a double layered warm up jacket and think light while picking shirt materials. The bears don't care what you wear.

Binoculars
To us, these seemed like extra unnecessary weight. We have a nice enough camera that allows for some pretty serious zooming. If needed, we can just look through our camera lens.

Day Pack
In the terrain we will be traversing we won't be leaving our large packs anywhere. A day pack would go unused and waste space. If you will be leaving camp to go somewhere a simple mesh bag would be light and compact option.

Combine Quick Dry Towel and Sweat Towel
Ewww - right? Not if you have the proper quick dry material! You can soak these towels to the bottom of a stream to wash them out and let air dry. Give it the time it takes to set up your tent and it will be completely dry. No need to bring heavy towels for drying off. 

Silverware
Instead of bringing one of each we decided for a lightweight but heavy duty plastic spork to eat our meals. If we need to cut something we have our hunting knives. There's no need for multiple utensils on the trail! 

Food
As mentioned I over pack. Food being my downfall. Plan out your meals and only bring enough for one extra day. If you're hiking some serious off the beaten path trails then plan for two days. If you plan your meals that's all you'll eat. Again try your dry run hike and see how much you actually have. You will be surprised that it's not as much as your head thinks you'll need.
  
Water
We hiked multiple times with a full extra days worth of water in our camel back which equaled 5 pounds. We decided to bring the bag with but to leave it empty. We'll be crossing enough water sources that we can fill up when we're getting close to camp. That way we'll have enough for cooking, refilling our bottles, and even enough to put out a fire. If you are near water don't carry more than you'll need. It's extra weight you'll regret.

Cook Ware - Stove, Fuel, Cup, Measuring Cup, Cook Pot, Water Bottles, Hydration Pack, and Filtration System

Pick and Choose

If you're willing to carry some extra "luxuries" many miles than that's up to you. We're happy to have as light of packs as possible. We feel we can move faster and feel less aches in the morning because of it. Our list is based completely on our own experiences and the terrain we're hiking. 

Let us know your must haves! I bring a small Dove chocolate for each of us for after dinner. That sweet little something helps me get through the hard cliffs and steep terrain. What can you not hike without?

Thanks for reading! Leave your comments below.

Go breathe the wild air!