I’d been backpacking a few times before I even started to understand what I was doing, and what I was doing wrong. The lessons were tough ― not drinking enough water on a hot day and crumbling under the pain of a dehydration headache; wearing the wrong socks and rubbing both heels bloody and raw; eating a freeze-dried pack of beef stroganoff and almost hurling; etc.
Luckily, pain is a good teacher, and so is my good buddy Sam. Over the past year, when COVID cabin fever got the best of us, Sam and I took a handful of trips into Santa Barbara’s backcountry. Not very far, but far enough to make cell phones and chores and the news feel like distant memories. He imparted some of his lifelong outdoorsy wisdom, and I picked my own tips and tricks.
So, if your need to be in nature is very real and you’re looking for more adventure and solitude than car camping can offer ― but you’re a relative rookie to backpacking like me ― here’s a bit of advice. This is by no means a comprehensive list of dos and don’ts, but it should save you from learning a couple of things the hard way.