IMPORTANT HIKING QUESTION?

Question

Hi, I am planning on an overnight trip to mount chocorua in New Hampshire. I was wondering if anyone can help me out and see if I am missing anything in this list! 10 POINTS TO BEST ANSWER! Also, I cannot afford a water filter but are the water purfication tablets still safe to use? my list is: sleeping bag with sleeping pad, extra cloths, exta food, water water and more water, MRE's with propane stove and a lot of extra food, flashlights with extra batteries, extra cloths, and thats all i have. If anyone can add to that i will greatly appreciate it!!

Answer 1

I agree with most of the comments -- you don't need that much food and you should chuck the stove. For an overnight in mild weather I don't bother to cook -- why bring a stove if you don't need it?. In fact some pita bread, cheese, hard salami, apples, and a couple of peanut butter sandwiches and some trail mix fruit bars would be more than enough. Some hard candies are good to have to suck on while you hike -- helps keep the thirst down.



And you only need one change of clothes and maybe an extra pair of sox, a fleece jacket for warmth and a rain jacket and pants, plus a broad brimmed hat to protect against strong sun or falling rain. One major item missing is a tent or bivouac bag. The mosquitos are biting this time of year and there is also a strong chance of rain -- what are you planning to sleep under for shelter? Weather can turn really nasty quickly up there. Do you have a reservation at either of the two shelters? There are only accommodations for less than 20 people total and no camping is allowed except at those locations. See this link on the area restrictions.



http://www.fs.fed.us/r9/forests/white_mountain/recreation/hiking/chocorua.pdf



You don't mention sanitary items either -- you need a plastic trowel to dig a toilet hole, toilet tissue and a small bottle of waterless hand cleaner. Far as I know there are no porto-sans on the hike. A basic first aid kit with bandaids, tweezers, alcohol wipes and something for insect bites would be a good idea. Oh, and sunglasses and a watch (so you can keep track of your pace and get back down to the camping area before dark.)



You should have a sturdy internal frame medium sized backpack to carry this in. Try to keep your total load under 20 lbs. A water filter is a good idea and will save weight, but don't count on there being sources at regular intervals -- check on that with the park service before you start. The biggest concern in that area for water contamination is Giardia (carried by humans and beavers) -- I believe both the Brita and Pur portable bottle filters remove that and cryptosporidium. They are reasonably priced at discount and drug stores.



And you probably will want to take a camera. The White Mountain scenery is well worth remembering!

Answer 2

I agree with Chris, you are missing quite few items. Check out the 10 essentials. You will also want to lighten up your load. No need to take lots of extra food for an overnight. Maybe one extra day's worth at the most. You can live several weeks without food, and you most likely won't get stuck for more than a few days in even the worst scenarios in New Hampshire. Also, you should invest in a water filter. You don't want to have to take 2 gallons of water with you...I only carry a couple liters at most. MREs are heavy, but ok...however, if you are taking them, there is no need for any stove, let alone a heavy propane stove. Just use the heating kits that come with the MREs. Or you could lose the big heavy propane stove and switch to a white gas or cylinder backpacking model and take dehydrated meals or some lightweight meals you piece together at the grocery store. No need for extra clothes...maybe an additional layer or two like a fleece and a jacket. Make sure you take rain gear. You should have a map and compass at minimum.

Answer 3

Your missing quite a few items here is a check list

http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/articles/backpacking+checklist.html



Water purification tablets only kill whats in the water they don't remove harmful chemicals or the bad taste like to much sulfur. At the minimum make a filter from a bandanna to get out the big stuff add the tablets and boil. Rob steal beg or borrow but get your self a good water filter I have a first need their are other more affordable models here is a link to find some read the reviews,

http://www.rei.com/search?query=water+filters&button.x=72&button.y=31

Answer 4

In contrast to the other experts, I started by looking at the weather forecast. If you are going camping this week, you need to be prepared for rain: waterproof pants and jacket along with a tent, which you did not mention. Your temperature range will be 60-90 degrees, which is warmer than in the mountains even during August. You will not need a very heavy sleeping bag if you stay dry. You did not discuss how far you will be carrying your supplies to a campsite. If you are backpacking to a campsite, then eventually you will want to buy a lightweight down sleeping bag and an expensive tent weighing no more than four pounds. However, you did not mention a backpack, so weight of all supplies may not be an important factor for you. There is no point to carrying water, then buying dried foods. If you buy a cheap water filter, then you treat water as you go. There is a trade-off: the water filter may weigh as much as one quart bottle of pure water. You are likely to need 8 quarts of water if you are hiking during the day. You did not discuss where potable water is available. Furthermore, you did not discuss whether a car will be parked somewhere to stash an ice chest with extra bottles of water or other drinks. Since you seem to be planning about a six-mile to nine-mile day hike, you will want to start out fully-hydrated and return to extra water at the end of your hike. Pack a few liters of frozen water, so it is refreshingly cool as it melts during the day. You are not likely to be lost because the trail is well-traveled. If you start early or end late, then you will not be over-whelmed by mid-day heat at the summit. If your mountains are like my mountains, you may be exposed to lightning from afternoon thunderstorms. You only have 3,000 feet of elevation to overcome, which I knock-out at a rate of 1,000 feet per hour at 9,000-12,000 feet of altitude out here, so you should be able to average 2 miles an hour on the round-trip. Be conservative and plan for six hours of hiking. Look over the backpacking checklists and modify according to your needs. In remote areas, I do pay attention to the "Ten Essentials." I get tired of reading rescue reports for day hikers who go completely unprepared into the forest. I am glad that you are planning ahead. Stay on established trails and you should have no problems.

Answer 5

It's only an overnight... no need to build a cabin and kitchen up there. Sounds like you're prepared to me.



Sure, you can stuff your pack full of things in case of any little glitch in the plan, but it's up to each individual to decide how much risk they are willing to take. You don't NEED this or NEED that. The outdoors are a place for you to discover what you need yourself. Only after much adventuring and experience will you accumulate lots of useful gear. There's no point in preparing to be lost and attacked by ninja bears, especially if you're a beginner without the knowledge to properly use all of this stuff. Odds are you'd survive your ursine assassins and realize "hey I had a compass in here the whole time, darn"



Don't forget a positive attitude and a bag full of fun! Some people take it too seriously. I don't necessarily agree with this 10 essentials stuff, especially if it's just one night or two in the summer

Answer 6

just a thought but if you have regular mre than all you need to heat them is a pot of boiling water and you can use your camp fire for that. Plan your cloths in layers. a headlamp is nice to have also. Read up on water purification for your self because a mistake can ruin your hole trip.

Answer 7

man you need some help, over night only so loose the stove MRE's have the food heaters in them, one mre. your missing things like map, compass, small knife, first aid kit for just a few. Water purification i would suggest Polar Pure Water Disinfectant with Iodine Crystals system will link below.I hope you have good broke in hiking boots,