The Essential Backpacker: A Complete Guide for the Foot Traveler

The "Essential Series" are your trusted guides. As a self-sufficient backpacker, you can go wherever your feet will take you - to a wildflower meadow, a mountain summit, or the shore of a moonlit lake. "The Essential Backpacker" provides a clear and thorough education in backpacking, guiding you through hiking skills, what to take and how to carry it, and how to deal with the challenges of the trail.Other features include: planning a weekend or long-distance hike; backpacking solo or with companions - including children and dogs; route-finding skills and safety techniques; and tips on equipment, camping, food preparation, and minimizing your environmental impact. Featuring veteran hiker Adrienne Hall's fusion of expert advice, confidence-building anecdotes, and insider information, "The Essential Backpacker" is the ideal guide for anyone planning to hit the hiking trail for the first time. This straightforward handbook focuses on the basics while providing a taste of advanced backpacking techniques. And it's packed with the resources hikers need to progress comfortably from day hikes to long-distance treks.