Articles (2020)

The Massanutten Ridges of Virginia

Just a stones throw form the DC metropolitan area, the Massanutten Trail offers outstanding views and challenges for new and experienced backpackers alike.

A Note From the Author

For my crew of lightweight and ultra-light backpackers at D.C. UL Backpacking, this 67.4-mile loop along the ridges of Massanutten Mountain, Virginia, occupies a special place in the lore we pass along around the campfire. Five years ago, when many of us were going light, Evan McCarthy, who founded our group, first dreamt it up as a long weekend trip. At the time, 67.4 miles in a weekend seemed almost a superhuman accomplishment! Now, our yearly walk-around has become a springtime ritual, a rite of passage to new backpackers, a way to fend off our mortality, a demonstration that we’ve not gotten too sluggish over the winter, and a fine test of our backpacking skills. It never ceases to astonish me that a loop of this quality is about an hour away from the crowded suburbs of the D.C. Metropolitan area.

Over the years, the mountain has thrown practically everything our way. One hot Memorial Day weekend, the long dry ridges took their toll, and several backpackers bowed out near Edinburgh Gap. Another year, a day-long deluge resulted in a catastrophic kilt failure. A year ago, we somehow convinced ourselves that a hang-gliding spot would make a great campground. We ended up cowboy-camped on the rocky footpath, staring up a preternaturally full moon. Recently, winter hung around for our springtime ritual. It was 10 degrees Fahrenheit on the first night in Veach Gap, then it blew snow on the treacherous descent off Signal Knob. We joked that it looked like we were on the Matterhorn. That was March 30th!

One of the reasons men and woman cherish mountains is because of the tales they tell about their adventures on them. For me, Massanutten Mountain is especially rich in these tales. It’s a place that I can’t help but be excited about, that I can’t help but dream of doing again.

I am very happy to share this route with the Backpacking Light community.  My hope is that next time I am out following the orange blazes of the Massanutten Trail, I’ll meet a few backpackers who have been inspired to walk these ridges with me.

And if you would like to hit the trails with us, check out our Meetup group.

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What a view! (Photo Credit: Michael Korin)

The Massanutten Mountains: I Like Big Ridges and I Cannot Lie

Location: George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, Virginia

Highlights: Signal Knob, Kennedy Peak, ridge walking Massanutten Mountain

Distance: 67.4 miles round-trip

Total Elevation Gain/Loss: 11,868 feet gain/11,868 feet loss

Trip Length: 3–7 days

Difficulty: epic

Recommended Maps and Other Resources:

  • Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, Map G, Trails in the Massanutten Mountain-North Half, Signal Knob to New Market Gap, George Washington National Forest, Lee Ranger District, Virginia.
  • Potomac Appalachian Trail Club, Guide to Massanutten Mountain Hiking Trails. 5th ed. Vienna, VA: Potomac Appalachian Trail club, 2008.
  • USGS Quads: Toms Brook, Rileyville, Strasburg, Hamburg, and Edinburg.

Just a few miles past Shenandoah National Park and Skyline Drive-but a world apart in terms of the crowds-you’ll find Massanutten Mountain, a long series of ridges running parallel to the Blue Ridge. Walking these ridges will offer you the distilled essence of the Virginia ridge ramble. Marvel at the wide open views of the North and South Forks of Shenandoah River below, the Blue Ridge to the east, the Alleghenies to the west, and-most of all-the solitude all around.

HIKE OVERVIEW

From where Massanutten Trail (MT) descends off Signal Knob and reaches VA 678 in Fort Valley, you’ll walk a long, flat ellipse, hiking about 32.4 miles south to the Duncan and Strickler Knob area. Just a few miles north of US 211, you’ll climb Waterfall Mountain, turn north, and return via the western ridge of Massanutten. Signal Knob-a prominence that dominates the area and was used by both sides in the civil War-is your final highpoint and the sign that you are nearly home. While there is a fair amount of climbing and descending on this trail, the long ridges mean that there is also quite a bit of flat, if sometimes rugged, walking.

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Part of the appeal of walking such a big trip on Massanutten Mountain is the sense that few have preceded you. That also means, however, that the path is not always as well trod and docile as more popular trails. Even by Mid-Atlantic standards, MT is a notoriously rocky trail. Kerns Mountain, Short Mountain, Three Top Mountain, and the descent from Signal Knob will all test your ability to move over asteroid fields of jagged, uneven ground. The long north-south ridges, however, may be the purest expressions of the Virginia ridge walk and offer great rewards, with their big vistas of the Blue Ridge, the North and South Forks of the Shenandoah River, and Fort Valley itself. The ridges are narrow enough so that you’ll often be enjoying views in several directions.

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Rocky trails and spectacular views. (Photo Credit: Miles Barger)

Besides the rough terrain, there are a few disadvantages to the trip. Water can be quite scarce for many miles, and you will be exposed to the elements, especially the sun. Plan to walk this trip in spring or fall, when the temperatures are cooler and there is water on the mountain. If you do go during a warmer season, plan your water carefully. You may very well need to cache water at key points. Always carry capacity for 4-5 liters (or more, dependent on your needs), as a dry campsite may very well be in your future.

HOW TO REACH THE TRAILHEAD

From I-66, take Exit 6 in Front Royal, Virginia, and head south on US 522 for about 1 mile. Turn right on VA 55 and drive west for about 5 miles, then turn left onto SR 678/Fort Valley Road. Enter the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests, and scope out Buzzard Rocks above you on the left. The parking lot for Signal Knob is the second lot on the right (38° 56.0388′ N, 78°19.2255′ W), just as you reach the group campground.

OVERNIGHT OPTIONS

Backcountry camping is allowed through the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests. However, many of the ridgelines that characterize this route are also narrow, rocky, and quite unsuitable for camping. Almost anywhere a spot widens out, you can count on finding a small impromptu site with a fire ring, often with impressive views. Trail junctions usually have small, serviceable sites, and there are often sites near road crossings. Given the water issues that characterize this route, you’ll have ample opportunities to exercise your inventiveness when it comes to planning and sequencing your campsites.

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Sitting around the campfire. (Photo Credit: Michael Korin)

Little Crease Shelter (8.7/1,190/38° 52.175′ N, 78° 21.569′ W). This well-kept three-sided shelter in Veach Gap is located near water and features a privy, tent sites, and large fire pit. Two bunk beds in the shelter accommodate about eight backpackers.

Duncan Hollow (27.0/1,814/38° 41.576′ N, 78° 32.881′ W). By the time you cross VA 675 and reach Duncan Hollow, your bottles will likely be empty, so you’ll be glad to hear water running in the hollow. There are several attractive tenting sites on the left near the intersection with blue-blazed Peach Orchard Gap Trail.

Scothorn Gap (30.0/2,460/38° 41.183′ N, 78° 34.253′ W). About 3 miles farther along MT from Duncan Hollow, you’ll reach the intersection with Scothorn Gap Trail. Continue straight (west) on this yellow-blazed trail and pass a pond to see a campsite on your right. If you’re worried about the pond water, descend a little along Big Run on MT and you’ll have ample running water.

Edinburgh Gap (46.2/1,841/38° 47.390′ N, 78° 31.800′ W). As MT descends into Edinburgh Gap, there is a white blaze marking a tenting site. The nearby creek is seasonal, but there is a reliable piped spring about 0.5 mile east along VA 675. If you were going to cache supplies somewhere along MT, Edinburgh Gap might be the spot.

Little Fort Recreation Area (54.2/1,825/38° 52.291′ N, 78° 26.903′ W). If you reach Woodstock Gap and are in need of a place to spend the night, there is a small campsite nearby. From the pink-blazed trail that services Woodstock Tower, descend on the white-blazed trail to reach the campground, which has eleven sites open year-round (38° 52.026′ N, 78° 26.666′ W). There is no fee and no drinking water, but Peters Mill Run is nearby.

Little Passage Creek (59.3/1,240/38° 55.417′ N, 78° 22.712′ W). After you wave good-bye to Tuscarora Trail on Three Top Mountain, descend to Mudhole Gap, where campsites abound along Little Passage Creek.

Signal Knob (64.2/2,239/38° 57.148′ N, 78° 19.737′ W). As you walk eastward from Signal Knob Overlook, pass the turnoff for white-blazed Meneka Peak Trail. Beyond it, you’ll soon spot a few small campsites. They’re dry, but the views are remarkable.

HIKE DESCRIPTION

Locate the spur trail at the south end of the parking lot. It joins up with the orange-blazed MT, which has bypassed the lot to the west. Walk south for about 0.5 mile, skirting VA 678 on the left. The trail will intersect with blue-blazed Tuscarora Trail, which heads right to West Virginia (0.5/883). You’ll turn left onto a combined blue-and-orange-blazed trail that descends quickly, crosses VA 678, and cuts through the Elizabeth Furnace Campground (1.0/746).

For a spell, MT coincides with Pig Iron and Charcoal interpretive trails, but very soon the path steepens and begins the long and sometimes steep climb to Shawl Gap, the first of many such gaps you’ll pass as you proceed south along the palisades of Massanutten Mountain (3.35/1,686). At the white-blazed trail from Buzzard Rocks that comes in on your left, turn right, following the blue-and-orange-blazed trail as it climbs an additional few hundred feet before topping out on the ridgeline. About 2 miles of ridge walking will take you to Sherman Gap (5.5/1,934), where a pink-blazed trail intersects from the right, combines for a stretch (yes, pink, orange, and blue blazes!), and then exits left. Continue south.

Climb about 300 feet past Sherman Gap, where you’ll enjoy some big views of the Shenandoah. After a sharp right turn (6.7/1,783), the trail begins a steady descent into Veach Gap, with an unreliable creek on your left. Eventually, you’ll hear water, and MT intersects with yellow-blazed Veach Gap Trail on the right. Continue straight, rock-hopping over Mill Run to find the Little Crease Shelter (8.7/1,190). Fill your bottles here, as this is the last reliable source of water for about 16 miles, until you reach Duncan Hollow.

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A good spot to rest, refuel, and check the map. (Photo Credit: Miles Barger)

When you’re ready to walk on, climb about 600 feet to rejoin the ridgeline along a very old road bed. This road was constructed during the Revolutionary War, when General Washington feared that the Continental Army might be forced to retreat to Fort Valley. Once you reach the top of the ridge, the Tuscarora Trail bears east and descends the road grade, heading toward the Appalachian Trail atop the Blue Ridge (9.7/1,856).

Your route takes you south on a path that is now orange-blazed only, and you’ll cover the miles swiftly as the trail makes a beeline for Kennedy Peak. Before it reaches Milford Gap, the trail splits in two, with the official blazed branch sidehilling along the eastern flank of the mountain. Big views to the east and the west ensue as you reach Milford Gap (12.8/1,756), Indian Grave Trail (14.5/1,926), Habron Gap (18.2/2,113), and Jacks Notch, each with trails leading off the ridge. Don’t be distracted; Kennedy Peak looms before you. When MT bends right to go around it, instead climb the white-blazed spur trail to reach the observation tower and sweeping views of the Shenandoah river valleys (20.8/2,540/38° 44.5171′ N, 78° 29.2607′ W).

Once you rejoin MT, the walk down from Kennedy Peak is relaxed; coinciding with a road that is open to ATV traffic (you’ll spot some passable campsites if you don’t intend to reach Duncan Hollow right away). Soon the trail meets up with VA 675 at Edith Gap (23.4/1,849). To the left is an opening where hang gliders sometimes fly. Turn sharply right on the road, locate the next orange blaze, and leave the road to the right. MT descends gently through the forest, crossing a couple of power line cuts until it reaches a few outbuildings and VA 675 again (24.3/1,334). The Camp Roosevelt picnic area is just to the west along VA 675 and, in summer, you’ll be able to fill your bottles there.

After you cross VA 675, you’ll be in Duncan Hollow. MT soon winds its way south and eventually leads you across a very reliable creek. For the next 3 miles, MT ascends along the right side of this creek, and you’ll have ample opportunity to rehydrate and fill your bottles. At the intersection with Peach Orchard Gap Trail (27.0/1,814)-if you have the time-consider leaving MT to ascend to the saddle, adding an extra 2 miles round-trip. The scramble up to the summit of Duncan Knob offers memorable views, and you can camp below the knob.

After this intersection, MT continues south, climbing more steeply and eventually switching back over the crest of Middle Mountain. (Again, if time permits, consider bushwhacking out and back to Strickler Knob, which offers views to the south; this out-and-back would add about 1.5 miles to your trip.) MT quickly drops down to Scothorn Gap and Scothorn Gap Trail (30.0/2,460), where it turns left and descends Big Run southerly. Camping is straight ahead on the Scothorn Run Trail.

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Mystifying trees may surround you. (Photo Credit: Miles Barger)

The descent of Big Run is rocky and watery, as MT alternately sidehills up high above the creek and then dives down for a crossing. At the bottom, MT meets white-blazed Massanutten Connector Trail coming in from US 211 to the south (32.4/1,617). Pause to shed a few layers and make sure your bottles are topped off, and then turn right and begin the toughest ascent on the trip: the 800 feet up Waterfall Mountain. Though stout, the ascent is blissfully direct, and the trail crests the mountain along open and flat land before crossing Crisman Road (32.5/2,322).

Just past the road, MT turns north and begins traversing the long westward ridges heading back to Signal Knob. For the first 4 miles, walk along Kerns Mountain where the trail continually flirts with the ridgeline over some exceptionally broken ground. Then at the four-way intersection at Jawbone Gap (37.7/2,402), drop your pack and clamber an extra 0.1 mile up to the rocky promontory for the view. From there, the descent to Moreland Gap Road is gentle (39.2/1,907). After crossing Moreland Gap Road, the trail shadows Edinburgh Gap Road through the woods on the right, crosses it, and then climbs steeply to the crest of Short Mountain (40.9/2,747).

The next few miles are treacherous walking before the trail begins a circuitous descent into Edinburgh Gap (46.2/1,841). In the gap, turn left onto VA 374 very briefly, pass the ATV parking on the right, and cross VA 675 (46.5/1,709). On the other side of the road, begin the climb up Waonaze Peak, but before you leave this gap, consider carefully if you need to detour to the spring about 0.5 mile east on VA 675. The next reliable water on the trail is 13 miles ahead, at Little Passage Creek.

Once you summit Waonaze Peak (48.1/2,705), you’ll enjoy about 6 miles of fairly flat ridge walking along Powell Mountain. This stretch is one of the most pleasant of the trip, with many views of the mountains to the west. Pass Bear Trap Trail, 7-Bar None Trail, and Lupton Trail on the right, and soon arrive at Woodstock Gap and the observation tower (54.2/1,825).

Easy miles follow Woodstock Gap as the trail continues north along the ridge of Three Top Mountain. MT passes Mine Gap Trail, intersects briefly with Tuscarora Trail (58.6/1,712), and then descends to Mudhole Gap (59.4/1,204), where it turns north for about 4 miles along a service road that parallels Little Passage Creek. The road ascends gently past an artificially constructed pond, passes yet another intersection with Tuscarora Trail, and grows steep as it climbs to the summit of Signal Knob (63.3/2106), the northernmost point on Massanutten Mountain and one of the best viewpoints in the area.

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Nice views are common on the MT trail. (Photo Credit: Michael Korin)

Once you’ve drunk your fill of this view, descend 4 miles to the end of the trip, passing Meneka Peak Trail and then overlooks of Fort Valley (65.4/1,794) and Buzzard Rocks (66.0/1,518). Unfortunately, this descent crosses a number of rock fall areas, which offer very treacherous footing. Once you have passed the Buzzard Rocks viewpoint, the trail approaches the level of the road, and eventually turns left to follow a gully. The Signal Knob parking lot is a few tenths of a mile beyond (67.4/756).

OTHER OPTIONS

You probably won’t want to add miles to this epic, but if you’re looking to change things up, consider starting and finishing at the Buzzard Rocks parking lot on VA 619. This would add a few miles to your route and allow you to visit the knife’s edge ridge of the rocks themselves. If you’re interested in cutting this long trip down to size, section-hike the eastern and western ridges independently, parking a shuttle vehicle at US 211 and the Signal Knob parking lot. Each of these ridges can effectively be cut in half by using Milford Gap Trail on the east side or Edinburgh Gap on the west. Another option is backpacking a fine loop in the south by walking north from US 211 on white-blazed Massanutten Connector Trail and then exploring the Duncan Knob and Strickler Knob area. A number of connector trails facilitate trips in this area, and the knobs both feature great views and some rock scrambling.

NEARBY

The Signal Knob trailhead is just a few miles outside both Strasburg and Front Royal, Virginia, where there are the usual array of businesses serving travelers along the interstates and a number of independent restaurants as well. If you happen to be using the trailheads on US 211, there are several local restaurants nearby, and New Market, Virginia, is not far.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

For additional information, contact the Lee Ranger District of the George Washington and Jefferson National Forests at 540-984-4101 or visit their website.

Author Bio

Michael R. Martin is a lifelong backpacker and outdoorsman with experience on trails near and far, including the American Southwest, Sweden, France, Iceland, Nepal, Peru, and, more recently, thousands of miles (and counting) in the Mid-Atlantic region. Martin leads, organizes, and teaches for the D.C. Ultralight Backpacking group. He lives in Alexandria, Virginia.

Buy the Book

This article is excerpted from Best Backpacking in the Mid-Atlantic, reprinted with permission from the Appalachian Mountain Club. Visit AMC online at outdoors.org.

An Introduction to Simple Fly Fishing

“The lesson that we learn from fishing with a tenkara rod is that we shouldn’t fear that a simpler life will be an impoverished life. Rather, simplicity leads to a richer and more satisfying way of fishing – and more importantly, living.” – Yvon Choiunard

Editor’s Note

Tenkara fly fishing is to fly fishing as ultralight backpacking is to backpacking.

In the next 2,000 words, Yvon Chouinard will eloquently spell out the tremendous freedom that comes from disengaging from gear (and specifically, the number of pieces of gear) in order to achieve an experience unburdened by complexity.

As a fishing guide, I find tenkara to be totally exhilirating – I no longer have to spend time teaching clients how to cast, how to select tippet, how to build leaders, or the fine nuances of every individual fly. If you are interested in hiring a so-called “tenkara” guide, be wary of the guide who claims that he can teach you (much) about tenkara gear. They may just add complexity to your experience!

I can therefore focus on helping my clients see the natural world – how to spot fish under the water’s surface, how to notice that a hatch is “on”, how to chase a big fish down a small-stream cattle chute without breaking an ankle (!), how to treat your fly like moving food, instead of incessant line mending exercises, how to see the difference between an osprey and an eagle, or how to build a no-trace fire for a streamside lunch.

There are many lessons to be learned by ultralight backpackers from other disciplines, whether single-speed biking, the one-pot chef, or the tenkara angler. I’m honored to offer Mr. Chouinard’s insight here at BPL, and hope you find some useful philosophy from his article. I also hope you’ll find some inspiration to throw a tenkara rod in your backpack so you can enjoy high country angling on your next ultralight adventure!

– Ryan Jordan

Introduction

“DESPITE RUMORS TO THE CONTRARY, THE PARAMOUNT OBJECTIVE IS: TO CATCH FISH . . . .” – Sheridan Anderson, The Curtis Creek Manifesto

Since the fifteenth century, every nuance of fly fishing has been written about in the utmost detail, leaving us to endlessly reinvent what has already been discovered. A tiny change on a classic fly and the ‘inventor” gets to name it after himself and collect a dime for each one sold. Many of the books on technique are like business books where a minor theory is spread out over three hundred pages, when all it really merits is a magazine article.

Heaven knows we fly fishers are suckers for every new gizmo we think will give us a leg up on catching fish. We wear vests with twenty pockets and waders with even more storage. And as if that isn’t enough, we have lanyards, waist packs, and backpacks to carry even more impedimenta. Hundreds of fly lines are now available to us, yet I seriously doubt you will catch one more trout with a line fine-tuned to the conditions than with a classic double taper. The no-nonsense fly fisher Rob Brown, from Terrace, British Columbia, looking over a steelheader’s array of fly boxes filled with hundreds of garish flies, said it best when he asked, “When did the green-butt stop working for you?”

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Daniela Prestifillippo catches her first fish ever after a few minutes of tenkara lessons with Yvon Chouinard. Cottonwood Creek, Wyoming. Photo: Mauro Mazzo.

I would offer that this proliferation of gear is supported by busy people who lack for nothing in their lives except time. Our “time-saving” communication devices, like tablets and smartphones, make slaves of their owners. We are unwilling, or unable, to put in the 10,000 hours needed to become a master fisher, hunter, or mountain climber. Instead, we load up with all the latest stuff and hire guides to do everything for us – including tying on the fly and releasing the fish. The guides have become enablers rather than teachers. How many bonefish would average anglers catch if they had to work out the tides and wade and spot fish themselves instead of waiting for a guide to bark, “ten o’clock, forty-foot cast now! Wait . . . strip . . . strip”? The guides leave clients so unsure of themselves that they think there must be some secret, unattainable knowledge that only the guide possesses.

As author Sheridan Anderson says in The Curtis Creek Manifesto, the objective of fishing is to catch fish, but in the pursuit of the catch you will gain so much more. The higher purpose of practicing a sport such as fly fishing, hunting or mountain climbing is to affect a spiritual and physical gain. But if the process is compromised, there is no transformation.

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Golden Trout. Painted by James Prosek.

Fishing with a fly can be such an incredibly complex and passionate sport that no one can fully master all the different disciplines in one lifetime. Some anglers prefer to limit themselves to only fishing with dry flies, while others specialize in perfecting their casting, fly tying, or even learning the Latin names and life history of all the insects. These can be legitimate endeavors in themselves, and there are untold books written about these subjects. This book is not one of them.

“Simple Fly Fishing” is for the young person who wants to learn but feels intimidated by the complexity, elitism, and expense of the sport. He sees his father who owns multiple thousand-dollar rods and reels, fishes only with guides at five hundred plus dollars a day (plus mandatory tips), and flies all over the world to stay at luxury lodges. And the son thinks, “This is not for me.”

It is also for the woman and her daughter who are put off by the image of the testosterone-fueled “rip-some-lips,” good-old-boy, bass and trout fisherman who has turned the contemplative pastime” into a competitive combat sport.

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After a five-minute lesson, nine-year-old Lola proceeded to land seventeen rainbows in a day and a half. Fall River, Idaho. Photo: Jeremy Koreski.

“Simple Fly Fishing” is also for the experienced angler who has all the gadgets and gizmos and discovers he or she wants to replace all that stuff with skill, knowledge, and simplicity. It is for the person who believes that a design or a piece of art or a sporting endeavor is finalized and mastered “not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to take away,” as Antoine de Saint-Exupery advocated.

It’s for the person who thinks maybe it’s time to look at the raked Zen sand garden with its three stones and see if he or she can convey the same powerful, evocative image of space and balance with only two rocks or even one.

Most anglers soon discover simple fly fishing helps preserve our capacity for wonder. It can teach us to see, smell, and feel the miracles of stream life-with the beauty of nature and serenity all around-as we pursue wild fish.

Aside: The Day I Learned to Kayak

The Gros Ventre River below Slide Lake falls over one hundred feet per mile, and in the spring runoff has few eddies to pull out and rest in. If you bail out of your boat, you can only hope to find it miles downstream where the current slows as it enters the Snake River.

I had just learned to do an Eskimo roll using only my hands and got a wild hair to run the river solo and without a paddle. A kayak paddle is a powerful tool. You can use it to slow down, speed up, or brace to keep from tipping over. And at the last second, you can do a quick sweep or Duffek stroke to avoid a rock or a suck hole.

Without a paddle, I had to sit low in the boat with my hands in the water. Whenever I went over a steep drop, I had to resist the tendency to lean back. I turned by putting the boat on its side and pressing the nose down just like carving with skis. I had to look far ahead to plan my line. It was pointless to fight the current; I had to let the river tell me where to go. That was the day I really learned to kayak.

The Tenkara Rod

Many of us of a certain age remember our first fishing pole. We would go to the local sporting goods store and buy a long bamboo pole-what was then called a Calcutta. A line, with a worm or fly on the end, was attached to the tip. For centuries, perhaps even before the time of Christ, this is the way people all over the world learned to fish-and still do.

Twenty-five years ago, a Japanese friend gave me a telescoping fiberglass road with no reel seat. It was a beautiful, precious gift, light, sensitive, and elegant. When I received this rod, I didn’t really understand what I was getting, and I stored it on a shelf in my cabin for fifteen years. I have since learned that it is called a tenkara rod, which means “from the heavens” and is used in Japan to fish for yamame, amago, and iwana trout in small mountain streams.

Some years later, I fished the Sesia River in Italy with Mauro Mazzo. He mentioned that the traditional way to fish the Sesia is to use an eleven- to sixteen-foot-long rod with no reel and just a horsehair line tied to the tip. The lines, which are about one or one and a half times the length of the rod, are twisted from the tail of a white stallion, starting with fourteen or sixteen hairs and tapering down to three at the tippet end. A short, nylon tippet is added and one to five soft-hackle flies are tied onto the tippet one foot apart. Casting is done using various overhead, roll, and Spey casts. It’s particularly effective in winter with a size 22 purple-body soft hackle for wary and selective grayling. The hackles, made from the very soft feathers of a bird called ciuffolotto, maintain their lifelike action in the river. There are still about twenty practitioners of this technique in Italy, of which ten make their own lines.

The next summer, Mauro and I decided to try the tenkara rod on a willow-lined meadow creek in the Wyoming Range. It was a very windy day in August, and grasshoppers were being blown about, so we put on a muddler and fished it upstream as a hopper and downstream as a sculpin. The thin, heavy horsehair line cut through the wind far better than a floating fly line. Every bend of the creek had a pool, and we moved from pool to pool without having to reel in line and let it out again. We caught fish in every pool: nice cutthroats up to sixteen inches.

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At eighty-three years old, Arturo Pugno, the master, needs no polarized glasses to spot fish. Sesia River, Italy. Photo: Mauro Mazzo.

Mauro’s girlfriend, Daniela, who had never fished a day in her life, picked up the rod and in less than five minutes landed the biggest cutthroat of the day. “Easy,” she said. “What’s the big deal?”

I think this centuries-old technique was perfect for fly fishing that day and more effective than anything that has come out of our high-tech fly fishing industry. In fact, this is the same gear and technique traditionally used by French and Japanese market fishers. When your living depends on supplying restaurants and hotels with trout, you’re not going to waste money on seven-hundred-dollar rods, five-hundred-dollar reels, and three-dollar flies.

Learning to fish with a tenkara road and a short line is the easiest way to learn to fly-fish. It can be taught to an eight-year-old in minutes. Put her on a riffle with an old-fashioned soft-hackle fly, and she can out fish dad on the first day. Catching fish right from the start is the way to catch an angler for life. And dad can become a better fisher by applying the lessons learned from this ultimately simple method to fishing with his regular gear.

Other than learning to fish where the fish are, the most important thing an angler can do to catch fish is to control the action of the fly. It’s more important than the color or size of the fly, the time of day, or getting off a perfect cast. Why is a worm so effective? Because it is always moving. Why have soft baits replaced hard spoons and lures? Because they bend and flex in enticing ways.

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Too many fly fishers are so fixated on launching long casts that they end up putting the fly beyond where the fish are. And with those long casts, they cannot control what the fly is doing.

This is especially true of steel headers and their long Spey rods: Most steelhead are close to the bank, not in the middle of the river. I once watched the great steel header Harry Lemire fish behind a friend of mine. Lemire was walking the bank, making short casts with a floating line and making his signature fly, the Steelhead Caddis, wake, swim, twitch and flit around on the surface. He was hooking fish just behind my friend who was wading deep, casting long, and not catching anything. Control is everything.

“Simple Fly Fishing” uses the simplest of all fly fishing methods, a pole with a line on the end, to illustrate how to control the fly without the complexity of modern equipment getting in the way. Getting the fly to the depth where the fish are feeding and imparting motion to the fly is critical. This is where the tenkara excels. You will catch fish using simple methods and knowledge, in an elegant and artful way. This is fly fishing at its most basic, and like kayaking without a paddle, it brings you closer to the simple truths of the sport. When you pick up (or go back to) a rod and reel, you will be a more complete angler. I believe you will also enjoy your time on the water more and, to Mr. Anderson’s point, catch more fish.

Simple Fly Fishing: The Book

Excerpted from Simple Fly Fishing, which includes more chapters about trout and their food, fly fishing with wet flies, streamers, nymphs, and dry flies, as well as a summary of a variety of fishing situations of interest to the tenkara angler.

Simple Fly Fishing, by Yvon Chouinard, Craig Matthews, and Mauro Mazzo (Patagonia Books, 2014).

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Freestanding Double Wall Tents – A Cursory Review of 1P/2P Offerings from Mountain Hardwear, The North Face, and Nemo

Ultralight tents are becoming more lightweight and durable. This is good news for ultralighters.

Introduction

A few months ago I contacted Backpacking Light about doing a tent review. I wanted to see how tents have evolved since I stopped designing them in 2010. I was delighted that they said yes! I should tell you a bit about myself: I am a seasoned outdoor industry designer; I worked at Mountain Hardwear from 2000-2010, TRX Head designer, 2011-2012, Header Designer at Trinity Design Collaborative, 2012-2103. I have also been a pro level 24 Solo Mountain Bike racer and Ultra Marathoner for years. My ethos is to try and work hard, get past the marketing gimmicks and hype – get to the science of the product being an improvement or not. I have been fortunate to learn from some super smart people over the years. I have been afforded the opportunity to design fabrics, injection molded parts, tents, sleeping bags, suspension trainers and a lot more. Currently, I specialize in helping start ups refine their designs and bring their product to market.

The purpose of this article is to test and review tents in both the one-person and the two-person variety. For the past few weeks I have been testing the following tents:

  • Mountain Hardwear Mega UL 1
  • Mountain Hardwear Mega UL 2
  • The North Face Mica FL 1
  • The North Face Mica FL 2
  • Nemo Equipment Obi 2P

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Left to right: Nemo Equipment Obi 2, North Face Mica FL 2, North Face Mica FL 1, Mountain Hardwear Mega UL 2, and Mountain Hardwear Mega UL 1.

The tents were tested over several weeks in the mountains of southern California during several storms that varied from heavy gusting rains to heavy wet snow. The tents were also tested in the desert environment of Red Rocks Nevada. The following is my review of the tents after using each of them over the course of several nights.

Mountain Hardwear Mega UL 1

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Mountain Hardwear Mega UL 1 in snowy conditions.

A one-person superlight freestanding tent made with DAC NSL poles and some really light fabrics; 30 Denier floor and 10 Denier fly. Both of those fabric choices are really light and are pushing the limits of durability and functionality. 1 lb 13 oz, $350.

Poles

Positive: Super light DAC NSL poles with custom 7000 series aluminum with larger diameter joints with an injection molded hub the tent bodies can clip directly to. The poles are nice, strong and light and are an ease to setup and take down. Negative: Nothing negative here, the poles just seem great in everyway.

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Pole system.

Fly

Positive: The flysheet is made with a Denier Nylon rip-stop, fully taped seams. Nice details include: super cool nearly shear 10 Denier rip-stop fly, bias bound finished zipper flap. Negative: No window.

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DAC swivel hub system.

Body

Positive: 3O Denier nylon rip-stop floor with reinforced bathtub construction that felt and tested much more durable then what I expected. Negative: The ripstop floor goes against what Mountain Hardwear has said for years: Taffetta floors wear better than rip-stop floors because of the smoother surface and thus more consistent coating thickness and durability.

Small Parts

Positive: The mostly custom small parts it comes with are functional and light. Tent clips, molded grommet tabs are superlight but not too small and work well. The DAC hub clip also works well as well as the tent pole ball end interface clip. Negative: The fly clips to the molded grommet tab via a small molded rod. It was difficult to shove the rod through the grommet tab hole. It’s like they don’t really go together. The guy-lines and fly adjustment is done with 2 mm cord that is pushing the envelope are durability, at least to abrasion. Had one guy-line snap during the night from rubbing on a rock.

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Looks like the tent may need one more clip.

Overall Rating: 5

The Mountain Hardwear Mega UL 1 is a great tent, it’s big enough, functional, waterproof and has some sharply designed small parts. It is not luxurious in size but excels as a freestanding superlight-backpacking tent.

Mountain Hardwear Mega UL2

A two-person superlight freestanding tent made with DAC NSL poles and some really light fabrics; 30 Denier floor and 10 Denier fly. Both of those fabric choices are really light and are pushing the limits of durability and functionality. 2 lbs 2 oz. $450.

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Mountain Hardwear Mega UL 2.

Poles

Positive: Super light DAC NSL poles with custom 7000 series aluminum with larger diameter joints with an injection molded hub the tent bodies can clip directly to. The poles are nice, strong and light and are an ease to setup and take down. Negative: Nothing negative here, the poles just seem great in everyway.

Fly

Positive: The flysheet is made with a Denier Nylon rip-stop, fully taped seams. Nice details include: super cool nearly shear 10 Denier rip-stop fly, bias bound finished zipper flap. Negative: No window.

Body

Positive: 3O Denier nylon rip-stop floor with reinforced bathtub construction that felt and tested much more durable then what I expected. Construction was identical to the 1-person. Negative: The rip-stop floor goes against what Mountain Hardwear has said for years: Taffeta floors wear better than rip-stop floors because they are a smoother surface and thus have a more consistent coating thickness and durability. I have never seen abrasion test results that back that theory though.

Small Parts

Positive: The mostly custom small parts it comes with are functional and light. Tent clips, molded grommet tabs are superlight but not too small and work well. The DAC hub clip also works well as well as the tent pole ball end interface clip. Negative: The fly clips to the molded grommet tab via a small molded rod. It was difficult to shove the rod through the grommet tab hole. It’s like don’t really go together. The guy-lines and fly adjustment is done with 2 mm cord that is pushing the envelope for durability, at least to abrasion. Had one guy-line snap during the night from rubbing on a rock.

Overall Rating: 5

The Mountain Hardwear Mega UL 2 is a great tent, it is tight for 2 adults but not badly so. It is functional, waterproof and has some sharply designed small parts. It is not luxurious in size but excels as a freestanding superlight-backpacking tent.

The North Face Mica FL 1

A one-person superlight semi-freestanding tent made with DAC NSL 8.5 mm poles and coated nylon rip-stop. 2 lbs 12 oz, $319.

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North Face Mica FL 1.

Poles

Positive: Super light DAC 8.5 mm NSL poles with custom 7000 series aluminum with larger diameter joints with one aluminum hub and one DAC “Swivel” polycarbonate hub. Negative: The semi freestanding nature of the foot end of the tent makes set up, especially in high wind a little challenging.

Fly

Positive: The flysheet is a “lightweight coated rip-stop”. They don’t advertise it’s denier, but it think it is a 40 D nylon 6 rip-stop with a slight silicone finish, 1200 mm. Floor appears to be a 70 D nylon 6 taffeta 3000 mm.

Body

Positive: 70D bathtub floor. Negative: 70D floor is a bit heavy for a superlight tent.

Small Parts

Positive: The usual trusted DAC parts, polycarbonate “twist clips” and “ball caps” for the strut pole which has a polycarbonate “swivel” hub. Negative: There are stronger material options than polycarbonate available such as nylon or acetyl.

Overall Rating: 4

The North Face Mica FL 1 is a great tent at a good price. Not a drop leaked into the tent over several days of storming. It was however a little unstable in the high wind. Probably because of overall size and interior volume. The weight comes in at 2 lbs 5 oz, which is great considering the durability of the fabrics. That is what good design is!

The North Face Mica FL 2

A two-person superlight semi-freestanding tent made with DAC NSL 8.5 mm poles and coated nylon rip-stop. 3 lbs 2oz, $379.

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North Face Mica FL 2.

Poles

Positive: Super light DAC 8.5mm NSL poles with custom 7000 series aluminum with larger diameter joints with one aluminum hub and one DAC “Swivel” polycarbonate hub. Negative: The semi freestanding nature of the foot end of the tent makes set up, especially in high wind a bit challenging.

Fly

Positive: The flysheet is a “lightweight coated ripstop. They don’t advertise it’s denier, but it think it is a 40 D nylon 6 ripstop with a slight silicone finish, 1200 mm. Floor appears to be a 70 D nylon 6 taffeta 3000 mm.

Body

Positive: 70D bathtub floor. Negative: 70D floor is a bit heavy for a superlight tent.

Small Parts

Positive: The usual trusted DAC parts, polycarbonate “twist clips” and “ball caps” for the strut pole which has a polycarbonate “swivel” hub.

Overall Rating:

The North Face Mica FL2 is a great little tent but the semi freestanding nature of it makes it a bit unstable in high winds, especially during setup. It is however roomy for this category.

Nemo Equipment Obi 1

A one-person freestanding tent with light weight fabrics and DAC NSL poles. 2 door, 2 vestibules. 1 lbs 15 oz, $319.95.

Poles

Positive: The 8.5 mm DAC NSL poles come with an aluminum hub but with no strut pole.

Fly

Positive: The 20 D nylon rip-stop fly feels substantial, Nemo doesn’t list the mm rating but it feels like 2000 mm.

Body

Positive: 30D nylon rip-stop bathtub floor. Nemo doesn’t list the mm rating for the floor but I suspect it is 3000 mm. Negative: Heavier coating on light weight floor can reduce the tear strength… The overall tent size is great, just a bit of wasted interior space due to the lack of a strut pole.

Small Parts

Positive: Brand name small parts from DAC. Negative: As with most manufacturers, they get their small parts; clips, fly attachment pieces and such from DAC, their pole supplier. I am general impressed with Jake’s work, but I found Jake’s Foot fly attachment system to be clumsy, you can’t clip in from multiple angles. I just think the concept of molded corner pieces of the tent is good; I just don’t the execution and ergonomics of the Jake’s foot. Also I don’t understand why the DAC “twist clips” are semi twisted looking and have a little fin on the interior.

Overall Rating: 3

Nemo Obi 1P is a good little tent, light weight, functional, nothing terrible but nothing either that really shines in a market place crowded with other choices. I did somewhat like the fact that the tent and fly are packaged separate from than the pole sack in a way that allows you to easily split the weight. $319.95, 2 lbs 8 oz are competitive specs for a 1 person freestanding tent. It was rock solid and dry through several storms. The biggest drawback was the short 84 inch length.

Nemo Equipment Obi 2

A two person simple free-standing tent with light weight fabrics and DAC NSL poles. 2 door, 2 vestibules. 2 lbs 4 oz, $369.

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Nemo Equipment Obi 2.

Poles

Positive: The 8.5 mm DAC NSL poles come with an aluminum hub but with no strut pole.

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Large gap between the tent and poles.

Fly

Positive: The 20 D nylon rip-stop fly feels substantial, Nemo doesn’t list the mm rating but it feels like 2,000 mm.

Body

Positive: 30D nylon rip-stop bathtub floor. Nemo doesn’t list the mm rating for the floor but I suspect it is 3,000 mm. Negative: Heavier coating on light-weight floor can reduce the tear strength… The overall tent size is great, just a bit of wasted interior space due to the lack of a strut pole.

Small Parts

Positive: Brand name small parts from DAC. Negative: As with most manufacturers, they get their small parts; clips, fly attachment pieces and such from DAC, their pole supplier. I am general impressed with Jake’s work, but I found Jake’s Foot fly attachment system to be clumsy, you can’t clip in from multiple angles. I just think the concept of molded corner pieces of the tent is good; I just don’t like the execution and ergonomics of the Jake’s foot. Also I don’t understand why the DAC “twist clips” are semi twisted looking and have a little fin on the interior. It seems like a waste of material.

Overall Rating: 3

Nemo Obi 2P is a great tent, light weight, functional, nothing terrible but nothing either that really shines in a market place crowded with other choices. I did somewhat like the fact that the tent and fly are packaged separate than the pole sack in a way that allows you to easily split the weight. $369.95, 3 lbs even, are competitive specs for a 2 person 2 door freestanding tent. It was rock solid and dry through several storms. Just like the Obi 1P, the Obi 2p is just too short at 84 in.

Summary

All the tents did great through several storms that varied from rain, to sleet, to snow. There was not a bad tent in the bunch. I felt as though the Mountain Hardwear Super Mega UL series got a rating of 5 because it brought the most new technology with some really nice fabrics and proprietary parts. The North Face Mica series was next best with the best design for solving the balance of price, weight and durability. They felt super spacious. The Nemo Obi series was probably the strongest of all of them but was also the shortest. Which tent would I want? Probably the Mountain Hardwear super mega but I am a bit of nerd.

Learning to Packraft: Ten First Steps for Backcountry Travelers

This article identifies the first steps on a path to packrafting competence for those specifically interested in actually carrying their raft on their back into remote environments!

Introduction

I discovered little rubber boats as a wilderness tool in the 1980s (we didn’t call it “packrafting” then) as a mountain exit strategy: a way to relieve tired and battered feet that spent too much time in mountain boots on glacier climbs in the Olympics and Cascades.

My first packrafting trip down a glacial river in the Washington Olympics was an absolute disaster involving wood-shredded PVC, logjam drama, hypothermic whitewater swims sans life jackets or helmets, and dime-store boats with freeboard measured in centimeters.

We were young, stupid, ignorant, and arrogant.

But we lived. Barely. And at the time, we thought it was awesome. Looking back, I think I would have preferred a different path in learning how to paddle in the wilds.

There are many different reasons people want to learn how to packraft. Some people have zero interest in wilderness boat travel and simply want to try packrafting as a roadside activity. Some people are whitewater enthusiasts looking for a different type of thrill than that found in a larger raft, kayak, or river canoe. Still others see packrafting as a way to enjoy stillwater boating without the hassle, weight, and expenses of hard boats, boat trailers, car toppers, and tie-down straps.

For many of us here at BPL, however, we do see packrafting as a tool for wilderness travel – either as a means to paddle alpine lakes as a recreation activity (perhaps combined with photography, fishing, beach camp hopping, etc.), to paddle rivers as a mode of wilderness transport, or to cross larger rivers that we might not be comfortable swimming or wading.

Thus, this article focuses on a path to packrafting competence for those specifically interested in actually carrying their raft on their back into remote environments!

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For many of us, the packraft is a tool for wilderness travel. Here, the author arrives at a potential camp on the North Fork of the Sun River in the Bob Marshall Wilderness.

Step 1: Rent or borrow a boat.

Before you shell out (no small amount of) cash on a packrafting setup, rent a boat. There now exists a number of packraft rental companies that provide a variety of models that can be tested. I wish that this option was available 10 years ago – it would have saved people a lot of heartache in their decision-making. Rent for a bit, and avoid some buyer’s regret (e.g., “The boat I bought was too heavy/expensive for what I needed…” or “I wished that I had purchased a more durable boat…”).

As a starting point, I recommend renting a boat from Amy Hatch in Victor, ID (Jackson Hole Packraft and Packraft Rentals Anywhere). Amy is an experienced packrafter, rents out multiple model types, has lots of previous experience in renting packrafts and serving rental clients, and has her rental process dialed in.

Step 2: Practice on a frontcountry pond.

Once you get your rental, become one with your boat at the local pond. Paddle it gently, paddle it aggressively, learn how much force is required to make it turn. Practice getting in and out of your boat. Flip it. Swim with it. Try to get back into it from deep water. Paddle into a headwind, parallel to a crosswind, paddle donuts in the wind. The bottom line: do everything you can to learn how your boat responds to you and your paddle.

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Scouts learning to packraft on a reservoir as part of the Montana High Adventure Base Wilderness Packrafting high adventure program.

Once you’ve become familiar with your boat, it’s time to practice paddling efficiency. One of the most valuable exercises you can do at this point is to simply paddle forward in a “straight” line for a long ways (several hundred yards at a time is ideal). This will allow you to dial in a paddle stroke that is reasonably efficient – one that doesn’t involve a lot of side to side bow pivoting, results in good forward tracking, and expends as little energy as possible.

Step 3: Find a calm river.

The ideal river for your next set of practice routines is “medium-sized” (I call a medium sized river one where I can throw a rock across and barely reach the opposite shore), and calm flow (Class 1 only at this point!) with no major eddies, waves, obstructions, or bankside brush.

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The Madison River near Three Forks, Montana is an ideal venue for safe packrafting practice. Flat, Class 1 water provides enough river current to learn packrafting maneuvers without the risk of running into dangerous obstructions.

Step 4: Cross your first river current.

Once you venture out into moving water, the need for safety precautions becomes more serious (see below, Safety Considerations).

Find a calm spot to enter your boat, paddle into a gentle river current, then paddle back to the calm spot. Repeat this several times, changing orientations: try forward paddling across the current, backward paddling across the current, spinning your boat across the current, and just hanging out at the current edge.

Don’t try this at a strong eddy line – where fast moving current is edged against an eddy with opposite-moving flow. These types of crossings sometimes require special paddling techniques to avoid a boat flip.

Step 5: Cross the river.

Get in your boat at a calm spot, paddle away from shore, and face upstream at a quartering angle. Then, forward paddle all the way across the river. Depending on the strength of the river current, paddle hard enough so that you reach the other side at about the same location as your take-off point from the opposite shore. In other words, try not to paddle so hard that you are traveling upstream, but try to paddle hard enough so that you haven’t traveled downstream a significant distance.

You just completed your first controlled forward ferry.

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A medium sized, Class 1 river is the perfect venue to start practicing ferrying (crossing river currents) in a packraft. Madison River, southwest Montana.

Now, do the same thing back to the other shore, but face downstream and paddle backwards. This is the backward ferry.

Get comfortable with both forward and backward ferry crossings in a variety of currents.

Step 6: Find an obstacle and learn to avoid it.

The ideal obstacle in a Class 1 river is a large rock out in the middle of the river current. In the absence of large rocks, you may have to invoke your imagination and pick a recognizable spot marked by a weedbed, protruding log, underwater rock, etc.

Start far upstream of the obstacle, and backpaddle facing downstream. Use backpaddling techniques to ferry from left to right, avoiding the obstacle. Practice this on a variety of obstacles. You are learning the art of backpaddling to control your boat. It’s a critical, foundational skill in river packrafting.

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Here’s a captain’s view of just minor chaos in a Class 2 river. Here, the paddler is backpaddling with a strong left back stroke to swing the stern (rear) of the boat to the right, allowing the current to propel the packraft to the right of the rocks in the foreground. Avoiding obstacles is such a critical skill in packrafting that it’s well worth practicing in low-risk environments of a Class 1 river where the consequences of a swim are low.

Step 7: Repeat Step 2 at your calm river spot.

The idea here is that you want to experiment with as many different maneuvering scenarios as possible so that you understand how your boat is going to respond to a variety of paddle strokes – but now, in the presence of a river current.

Step 8: Paddle your first point-to-point float.

You are now ready for your first point-to-point float on a Class 1 river. Pick a section about three miles in length that you know is free from dangerous obstructions (talk to local paddling shops to let them know what you are looking for, and they can point you in the right direction). Repeat that section a few times until you become familiar with it.

Step 9: Repeat Steps 2-8 with a pack.

Now, load up a backpack with your normal wilderness hiking gear. It’s probably in the range of 20 to 40 pounds. Strap it to the front of your boat’s tie-down points, and repeat Steps 2-8 above with the pack strapped to your boat. You’ll find that your boat is less responsive, and that more effort will be required for you to complete these practice skills effectively and efficiently.

Take it one step further and complete a Class 1 float (Step 8) with your overnight gear, with a camp in the middle, so you can get a feel for the tempo, joys, and challenges of river camping.

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Don’t negate the need to practice the art of packraft camping. Packrafting introduces unique challenges to wilderness camping that may surprise you if you wait until you encounter them in a remote wilderness! Grande Ronde River, SE Washington State.

Step 10: Start planning your packrafting future.

You just completed a crash course in packrafting with your rental boat. Now, you’re ready for next steps: boat shopping, trip planning, and skills development.

At this point, consider partnering with a mentor who is an experienced packrafter to take you to the next level. Class 2 rivers, rivers in wilderness environments, and expedition-length packrafting trips bring complicated challenges and risks that aren’t worth taking if you don’t have boating experience. A mentor will help you adequately prepare for those challenges and identify those risks, so you can return again to paddle another day while maintaining a high fun factor.

Take a packrafting course in Montana.

If you’ve never packrafted before, or you have reached the limit of your current skills, consider enrolling in one of Backpacking Light’s Packrafting Courses. Our instructors will teach you a solid foundation of skills, expedition travel, safety, and risk management, while paddling the majestic and beautiful rivers of southwest Montana.

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The camaraderie of a shared experience and solid skills instruction combined with stunning scenery and just plain fun, are the hallmarks of Backpacking Light’s Wilderness Packrafting programs.

Safety Considerations

You’ll have to make your own judgment calls based on your confidence, ability, and level of fitness, but in the absence of experience, please consider the following as you are learning how to packraft:

  • Wear a USGS-approved Class III personal flotation device (“PFD”). In most jurisdictions, this is law. There’s a reason for the law. Even the most experienced boaters drown.
  • Paddle with a buddy, preferably someone who has more experience than you.
  • Practice in warm weather and water conditions, so hypothermia risk doesn’t complicate your learning.
  • Be a strong swimmer. If you’re not a strong swimmer, take a swimming class first.

What’s Next?

As you gain skills, confidence, judgment, and experience, a wide open world of wilderness travel awaits the competent packrafter!

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Intermediate packrafting: navigating logjam complexity, Fish Creek, Montana.

Overboots as Mukluks: Basecamp Footwear for Ski Mountaineers

Hardshell double boots, common amongst ski mountaineers using modern alpine touring or telemark equipment, make for miserable discomfort during extended stays in camp. Adding a pair of thin neoprene overboots at less than a pound allows one to kick off the plastics and enjoy basecamp slippers while keeping feet warm and dry in the coldest weather.

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