Your questions needed for new BPL column

This BPL site is a great one because it has such a range of topics and experience levels. If it were not for the BPL site the Arctic 1000 would likely never have happened, for instance.

BPL is a great place to get basic, intro stuff — but the reason I keep coming back to it is to see what the experienced are saying and doing.

It is also very well organized and seems to have a good bunch of people contributing.

In some ways it’s easier for me to read a few comments by the likes of Skurka and Dr. J to postings than to read long winded articles.

Just an opinion……

quote”I have not received many questions about food. Should I take this to be a sign of lacking interest, or does anyone want to know about this subject?”

Problem I think about food is it is a highly personal area-one long distance hiker might survive on eating Powerbars for 3 weeks staright, another on nuts and protien shakes. Yet another eats pouched chicken and mayo for a couple weeks. Everyone has ideas about what works for them.
Some people cook, others just boil water, and others swear going without a stove works wonders.
You could cover new concepts, foods, supplements, etc-that might be favorably looked upon.

Andrew,

One question I’d really like to see answered is “How in #$%^&* did you manage to get down the Drain Pipe in winter?

(Tettegouche Park on the SHT)

What’s so funny is that at the immediate moment I am planning my next hike — a January trip along the SHT and Boundary Waters. That means I’ll have to be dealing with the drain pipe again — Yahoo!

I remember it being difficult, but not epic. It’s short, but steep, and I think there was enough snow in there that I could take hold with the crampons on my snowshoes.

Andy, I bet if you were to wander along that ridge aways you could possibly find an alternate route around the “Drain Pipe”, or if you back-tracked far enough.

Of course since it’s as short as it is maybe you could just slide down it. Of course this is assuming you’re going NoBo. If you’re goin SoBo then you’re definetely going to need some serious “stick” to get up that bugger, for it maybe short but it’s certainly steep!

I would do a beginners course in weight v. safety, especially in winter, snow, freezing, storm conditions. And, how to handle, manage more fragile gear.

I’d really like to see a “Lessons Learned” column fr/Mr. Skurka.

I try to be as theoretical as the next guy, probably more so – it’s my techno-geek nature. I figure if i understand the theory intimately, i can apply it to ever changing and new situations. It’s the old “teach a man to fish…” kind of thing (i trust y’all know what i’m referring to).

However, having said that, i recognize that THERE IS NO SUBSTITUTE FOR EXPERIENCE (“practice” is a distant second).

That’s where individuals like Messrs. Skurka and Dial come in.

Given the choice b/t learning from the most theoretical guide and the most experienced guide, i’m going w/the most experienced. [Note: that’s why i also appreciate guys like Jordan, and Caffin so much = indepth_theory+practical_real_world_experience]

“Lessons Learned from my Thru-Hikes” by A. Skurka, published in columns in BPL (on-line and/or print) will be highly valued. I’d probably re-activate my lapsed print subscription if such were published there. I’m sure that there must be some things that changed (gear, training, techniques, diet, etc., etc., etc.) over the course of your Thru-Hikes – sometimes just due to personal preference for no other reason, sometimes applying sound UL philosophy in a [new and] different way, sometimes changes in priorities of the various principles of UL trekking applied to very long Thru-Hikes.

I’m also really interested in the mental and emotional aspects of sustaining a Thru-Hike, especially putting injuries and other set-backs in perspective (trail conditions, weather, re-supply problems, water sources unavailable, etc., etc., etc.) so as not to not give in to the desire to bail before completion. I’m guessing lessons learned military training and fr/pusing oneself in training and competing in athletics can be very helpful in this regard.

[Note: These columns could also form the foundation of a book, making it easier to be “written” later on.]

Please think about it. Let us all learn from your experience as well as fr/any(???) mistakes you may have made along the way.

Ditto to what pj posted on experienced persons providing insights based on experience.

Also, a summary of the "10 essentials" modified or put into a UL context, with recommendations on where to start for beginners like me when they first wonder what to take and why. (Maybe for UL its 8 essentials, maybe it depends on weather/trail conditions, maybe it depends on whether its a thru hike or an overnighter, etc.)

+ .. it would be great to have a primer, even just on the web site on how to pitch a taut tarptent/tarp, choose a tent site and prepare it, if at all, in the snow … or on the ground, although that is a whole lot easier … :)