Bring It or Leave It?
I have been camping and backpacking for years. I don’t usually carry a basket, but that doesn’t mean everything I usually carry is completely appropriate for a long solo trek.
Most of my trips are leading youth groups. I joke with the parents that it is still an “A” if I return with 90% of the youth I started with. But, in reality, I take extra precautions to ensure that all the youth are safe and that we really do return with all of them. That translates to, “If it might be important, then it probably ends up in my pack.” And doing things as a group often means different equipment. For example, group cooking typically means a couple larger pots and stove like a whisperlite that can accommodate them. Those things can be split among group members to keep each person’s weight low. Using things like smaller pots, that can still work for shorter solo trips, but would put a lot of strain on my legs over 2650 miles.
Continue reading to learn more about what to pack for solo trips, written by John W.
May 6, 2025
John W
Hi everybody! I’m John. With some time on my hands over the winter, friends suggested I go on a longer backpacking trip. With my kids grown and my body still mostly functional, that idea evolved into my plans to attempt a NoBo PCT thru-hike in April. I’ve never backpacked more than two weeks at a time, but I’m curious to see how my years of experience hiking, camping, trail running, and backpacking (leading outdoor youth groups) translates to a thru-hike. When not outdoors, I’ve spent my M-F life as a computer software engineer, working on things like the Hubble Space Telescope and teaching forklifts to drive themselves. I look forward to my journey into the woods and sharing it with you.
Chunguza Maudhui Zaidi
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