Sister companies Mountain Hardwear, Inc. and Montrail® are pleased to announce the 2010 recipients their respective Gives Back Grant programs. For 2010, the Gives Back Board of Directors, all employees of the two companies, worked to narrow the focus of both Gives Back programs.

Mountain Hardwear Gives Back: Getting youth outdoors and fresh water.
Mountain Hardwear’s primary focus for the first half of the year is Helping to Create the Next Generation of Outdoor Enthusiasts. In the second half of the year, the focus will shift to supporting research about the fresh water crises occurring in mountainous regions of the world. Stay tuned…

For the first half of the year, Mountain Hardwear will once again focus on funding and raising awareness about organizations that provide opportunities for underprivileged youth to attend an outdoor camp. Ten camps across the country where chosen to be part of the program. In addition to receiving funds, the camps benefit from added traffic to their websites driven by Mountain Hardwear’s outreach and social media efforts. For every visitor to the Gives Back landing page and clicks on the Send a Kid to Camp button between now and April 15, 2010, Mountain Hardwear will donate one dollar towards the cost of camp for a youngster who would not normally have that opportunity, up to $40,000 total.

The following programs are part of the 2010 Send a Kid to Camp program:
Big City Mountaineers – Denver, Colorado
City Wild – Denver, Colorado
Girl Ventures – San Francisco, California
Kismet Rock Foundation – North Conway, New Hampshire
Outdoor Outreach – San Diego, California
San Jose Inner City Outings, Sierra Club – San Jose, California
St. Louis Inner City Outings, Sierra Club – St. Louis, Missouri
SOS Outreach – Avon, Colorado
Summer Search – New York, New York
Youth Enrichment Strategies (YES) – Richmond, California
Additional Mountain Hardwear Gives Back grants for 2010 are awarded to the following organizations:

Access Fund
American Alpine Club
American Mountain Guides Association
American Hiking Society
Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies
Conservation Alliance
Leave No Trace
Outdoor Industry Women’s Coalition
The Outdoor Foundation

More information about the Mountain Hardwear Gives Back program can be found at http://www.mountainhardwear.com/GivesBack.aspx

Montrail Gives Back: Healthy Lifestyles and Healthy Trails.
Montrail’s primary focus has been narrowed to support trail running as a healthy lifestyle choice. For 2010, the board recognizes a local need for support of community races and school running programs in Montrail’s backyard of the San Francisco Bay Area. Programs supported by Montrail for 2010 include:
Richmond YMCA Bayfront Run
Berkeley Athletic Fund
Richmond/Oakland area middle school running programs
Conservation Alliance
HERA Climb4Life Run

Montrail’s secondary focus on maintaining and preserving healthy trails was supported with a fundraiser at the Winter Outdoor Retailer show in Salt Lake City, Utah in January. Montrail sold the Sabino Trail shoe to raise funds and awareness for wilderness designation of the Hardrock 100 Trail in Southern Colorado.

About Mountain Hardwear:
Mountain Hardwear, Inc. makes cutting edge mountaineering and outdoor equipment, apparel and accessories for ultimate performance in extreme conditions. Established in 1993 by a group of outdoor industry veterans, Mountain Hardwear is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Columbia Sportswear Company based in Richmond, Calif. Mountain Hardwear distributes its products through specialty outdoor and sporting goods retailers throughout the United States and over 40 countries worldwide. Mountain Hardwear has won numerous product and customer service awards since its inception, reflecting the company’s commitment and passion toward innovation. It’s our relentless drive to create the absolute best that makes us who we are. Mountain Hardwear. PERFORMANCE ELEVATED™. www.mountainhardwear.com
About Montrail:
Established in 1993, Montrail is a premium outdoor footwear brand known for its technical, high performance trail running and hiking footwear for outdoor enthusiasts. Montrail sells footwear to retailers in the United States and in 29 countries worldwide. In 1996, Montrail embarked on a mission to improve the standard for comfort and fit in footwear by creating IntegraFit™, its proprietary fit technology. To learn more about Montrail, visit www.montrail.com.

For Immediate Release

Mountain Hardwear Inc. Public Relations
Paige Boucher

Related posts:

1. Mountain Hardwear gets new president
2. ARC’TERYX Signs Big Mountain Freeskier Eric Hjorleifson
3. Kelty donates tents to Haitians after earthquake

Marco Scolaris, who lives in Turin, told Globe Sports that he believes rock climbing is a‘real sport’ deserving of a higher status.

In the meantime, as Mr Scolaris campaigns for Olympic status, Britons may like to take up the pursuit to put themselves in a position to compete should he be successful.

Rock climbing can also help to keep people fit, providing a different option to walking for health or hitting the country’s cycling trails.

According to the publication, rock climbing has grown significantly in popularity over the last decade, with European competitions regularly attracting crowds of 10 000.

One of the top spots for rock climbing in the UK is the Lake District, which offers enthusiasts a diverse landscape, with a highest point of 978 m at Scafell Pike.

Posted by Ashley Waterman

Source:http://magazine.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/magazine/tscontent/editorial/activeoutdoors/2010/rockclimbinginukpathtoolympicsuccess498.html

Born and bred in Canmore, AB, Hjorleifson (pronounced Hyor-leaf-son), 27, is a member of the infamous “Bow Valley Crew” of freeskiers who cut their teeth ripping big Rocky Mountain lines in and around Lake Louise.

His specialty is skiing steep, challenging, rock-studded faces and couloirs in a high-speed, racer-derived style with the odd air thrown in for good measure.

Tom Duguid, Arc’teryx Director of Brand Management, welcomed Eric to its athlete team. “Eric is one of the most dynamic and visually exciting big mountain skiers out there right now. His understanding of how technically-designed equipment and clothing can increase performance in the big mountain arena is aligned with our mission to build the best gear possible,” said Duguid.

Eric’s first assignment “field testing” Arc’teryx gear just wound up at Golden Alpine Holidays, where the film crew from Matchstick Productions (MSP) documented Hjorleifson and fellow pro Mark Abma dropping powdery pillow lines near GAH’s newly-refurbished Vista Lodge. Hjorleifson has appeared in MSP’s Push, Claim, The Hit List and Seven Sunny Days.

“Hoji”’s Alberta roots can be seen in his 4FRNT signature ski that features a top sheet inspired by Lethbridge Pil, the legendary low-cost brew favored by ski bums throughout the West.

Watch for Eric’s athlete’s page coming soon.

Related posts:

1. Mountain Hardwear gets new president
2. Announcing Give-Back Grants from Mountain Hardwear and Montrail

BOULDER, COLO. (For Immediate Release) – In response to the devastating earthquake that hit Haiti on January 12, 2010, Kelty has donated almost 300 tents to help provide temporary shelter for families and individuals left homeless in the quake’s aftermath.

With help from Jenny Dubin (a volunteer who donated countless hours of her own time to help with earthquake relief), Partners in Health (an organization that brings modern medical care to poor communities around the world), and the Clinton Foundation, Kelty was able to donate and send tents to Port-au-Prince and other Haitian communities where they were needed most.

“Thanks to the hard work of our dedicated employees and the strength of Kelty as a brand, we were in a position to lend a helping hand to those affected by the recent earthquake in Haiti,” said Kenny Ballard, president of Kelty. “It’s our hope that this small donation will provide some much needed relief and restore some hope in the people of Haiti.”

Thanks to efforts by the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts of Haiti, Kelty’s donated tents have been distributed to parts of the country most in need. Several of these tents have been used to set up a village providing temporary shelter for 750-800 children who lost one or more parents in the quake.

The tragedy is Haiti is far from over and additional help is still needed. For more information on how to get involved, please visit Jenny Dubin’s Partners in Health web page.

KELTY is based in Boulder, Colorado, and uses the natural backdrop of the Rocky Mountains to test, create and continually innovate within their diverse outdoor product families of Apex, Backcountry, Trail, Basecamp and KIDS. Kelty combines the best in new technology with a healthy dose of common sense to create exceptionally made, affordably priced outdoor products. For more information on Kelty, please go to www.kelty.com, or call 800.423.2320.

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Only two of up to 20 people who worked for Cloudveil have been offered jobs after the company was bought by a Connecticut-based firm, the CEO of the outdoor apparel maker’s former parent company said.

Cloudveil Mountain Works, which was owned by Spyder Active Sports, employed between 10 and 20 people and had offices in Jackson and Colorado, said Tom McGann, chief executive officer of Boulder, Colo.-based Spyder. The Jackson Hole office employed “seven or eight” people, McGann said Tuesday.

Spyder in February announced the sale of Cloudveil to Cloudveil Mountain Peak, a company backed by Connecticut investors. Spyder then closed the brand’s Jackson office and released almost all employees.

Wilson resident Ned Hutchinson, who worked as Cloudveil’s national sales manager, is slated to continue with Spyder as that company rolls out the brand’s spring line for summer sales, McGann said. Cloudveil’s Boulder-based general manager, James Samuel, also will work on the spring line.

The other Jackson-based Cloudveil workers were given severance packages, McGann said. McGann would not disclose the overall Jackson payroll.

Jim Reilly, who partnered with Connecticut-based Windsong Brands to buy Cloudveil, said his company will be responsible for the fall line of products as well as future releases. Reilly previously worked as CEO of Cloudveil.

Reilly also announced last week that the Cloudveil retail store on Pearl Avenue would close.

Store employees said the shop would be open through the month.

Earlier this week, Reilly said he would close the store because it was not making money. When asked about the profitability of the retail store, McGann said the operation “didn’t consume cash.”

Cloudveil was founded in 1997 in Jackson by valley residents Brian Cousins and Stephen Sullivan.

Related posts:

1. Mountain Hardwear gets new president
2. Announcing Give-Back Grants from Mountain Hardwear and Montrail

The Richmond-based outdoor equipment company is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Portland, Ore.-based Columbia Sportswear Co. (NASDAQ: COLM).

In his new position, Gaylord will oversee product creation, global sales and marketing of Mountain Hardwear, as well as global sales and marketing of Montrail trail running shoes. The two brands had combined 2009 sales of $110 million.

Prior to Mountain Hardwear, Gaylord was president of 7 For All Mankind, a denim brand owned by VF Corp. Before that, he held various positions within VF Corp., including president of VF Corp.’s outdoor and action sports brands from 2006 to 2008. VF Corp.’s outdoor brand portfolio includes San Leandro-based North Face, which Gaylord first joined in 1993.

At Mountain Hardwear, Gaylord will report to Mick McCormick, executive vice president of global sales and marketing at Columbia Sportswear. He replaces Kirk Richardson, who has served as Mountain Hardwear’s interim president since Nov. 2009.

Related posts:

1. Announcing Give-Back Grants from Mountain Hardwear and Montrail
2. Few Cloudveil workers remain with company
3. ARC’TERYX Signs Big Mountain Freeskier Eric Hjorleifson

This article caught out attention in the Winter 2009 Issue of Wilderness Medicine Magazine.

Winter doesn’t have to be a stay-at-home season. There are plenty of opportunities to get your kids into the outdoors. With some basic equipment, reading, lessons and tapping into your own experiences, you can equip your kids and give them skills to participate in outdoor winter adventures and sports.

Get Ready, Set…Go

Back in the sixties I remember being so bundled for a winter outing I walked like a grade B movie monster. Gone are the days of cotton long underwear, thick cotton sweaters and bulky water logged snowsuits. The Fall 2008 edition of WM magazine discussed clothing and gear, but winter requires some added advice.

Outfit your kids in non-cotton synthetic fiber clothing using the layer method. Give attention to waterproof mittens or gloves with liners. Wool or fleece hats contain warmth and should cover their ears. Neck gaiters make up the distance between jackets and hats. They can also be pulled up for face protection. Neoprene face masks in extreme cold not only protect from cold exposure but also from sun and wind burns. Thicker synthetic socks and waterproof boots protect feet. Pay special attention to tight fitting boots which restrict toe movement and predispose to cold injury. Light reflection from snow cover can cause UV eye burns – bring sunglasses or goggles for all. Sunscreen is a must for exposed skin.

Helmets should be non-negotiable for activities such as sledding, skiing, and snowboarding.

Remember to bundle infants and small carry-along kids who may not be heating up from exercise as much as you. Carry instant heat packs, which shouldn’t be depended on for prolonged exposure situations, but can help take the chill from hands and feet. Besides, they are as good as a magic trick for little ones who marvel at the scrunch and heat trick.

Fun Things to Do

You can’t beat a great snowball battle or building Frosty for a quick outdoor activity, but there are a whole lot of winter adventures waiting to help build your kids’ confidence, skills, and general good health.

Sledding:

Three important pieces of advice: Wear a helmet. Wear a helmet. Wear a helmet.

Too often this is considered a benign sport, but consider your kids are on a device that gains speed and eventually collides with something or someone. Examine and repair damaged equipment and check steering function. Sleds with runners and steering devises are safer than disks or toboggans. Pick gentle slopes, away from hazards, with a spacious level area to stop. Teach them proper riding position with feet always pointing downhill. Make a game of pulling the sled and racing back up the hill. Feed and water them every hour to maintain energy and warmth.

Skiing or Snowboarding:

Helmets. Helmets. Helmets.

These activities require training from a skilled individual. If you don’t ski or snowboard, consider lessons for the whole family. All resorts offer a variety of lesson packages that can include ski rentals and lift tickets. During lessons they learn not only to ski but how to fall and avoid injury. Rent equipment for a season if they are new to the sport before making a big investment in gear. The ski rental shop will help choose and fit the equipment. But if your child complains about a tight fit or bindings that don’t release when they fall, take time out for an adjustment back at the shop. Check your own equipment at the beginning of the season for needed repairs and routine maintenance. If you teach them yourselves try using a harness to control their speed, or ski next to them holding your pole parallel to the ground so they can hold onto it, or like we did for our youngest, just ski ten feet ahead of them to act as a stop if needed. No matter what method you use inject fun into the activity by taking lots of breaks for snacks and hot chocolate, play games like searching for winter birds, and let them snap pictures to preserve memories of the fun.

Snowshoeing:

Winter hiking just got a whole lot more fun with snowshoes. No learning curve here; if they can walk, they can snowshoe. Wearing snowshoes allows you to ride above the snow instead of sinking into it. You exert less energy, stay drier, and can cover more distance. As with any hike bring a map, emergency rescue gear, extra food, extra clothing, and leave your itinerary with someone. Most XC ski centers also rent snowshoes and poles for use on their trails. This is an opportunity to teach your kids respect for multi-use trails. Stay out of the XC ski tracks and yield to skiers coming downhill. It’s also a great time to observe the scenery and wildlife when walking down a quiet snow-laden trail.

Winter Camping:

Some campgrounds operate year round, or you can backpack into a designated trail campsite. If this is a first-time winter camping trip, consider car or tent camping in a designated campsite. Having your vehicle nearby is an “out” for sudden weather changes. Bring a four-season tent, sleeping bags, and thick sleeping mats or air cushions for ground insulation. Plan to sleep wearing your hat and mittens. This is a terrific opportunity to teach kids winter survival skills such as fire building in wet conditions, snow fort construction, trail finding, and weather monitoring.

Slick Advice for Tricky Conditions

Start outdoor adventures, like snowshoeing, early in the day so you are back before the daylight fades. Allow extra travel time for bad weather, traffic delays, poor road conditions, or detours. Stay home if the weather is bad. Frequently check kids clothing and gear for wetness and proper coverage. Catching problems early can avert a worse disaster later down the trail. Bring along extra hats, gloves, mittens, socks, and scarves to replace wet items. Bring a dry pair of shoes and extra food. Most kids less than twelve years need supervision for these outdoor activities which also gives you a chance to teach and spend valued time together. Equally important is bringing your sense of fun and flexibility. Quitting before they and you are exhausted reduces the risk of injury and enhances their prospect of continuing these winter outdoor traditions with their own kids.

Related posts:

1. Be Prepared for the Weather
2. Snowshoeing: How Far? How Fast?
3. Backcountry Gear Checklist

• Stretching
• Boot Preparation
• First Aid
• Mileage and Speed

Pain is the nemesis of all backpackers. It can ruin a trip or turn first-timers off to the joy of the activity. Be prepared, knowledgeable, sensitive, and sure of your own needs and limits before going out. Don’t forget to breathe, savor and have fun.

STRETCHING – Avoiding Backpacking Pain

Stretching: I have always been one to stretch and prepare myself for a workout, but in my early days of backpacking I disregarded the importance of stretching and headed out for long days with a heavy pack, only to realize my mistake at the end of the journey. Now, despite the time and the effort, I carve out a little time at the beginning and end of my day for a stretching routine.

I usually start from the bottom up, and spend about 15 minutes in the morning and the evening. Starting with the feet, sit on the ground with your shoes off and stretch the bottom of your feet by pulling the balls of your feet and your toes toward you. This stretches all the tendons on the bottom of your feet, helping to avoid small tears that result in extreme pain. With your legs stretched out in front of you, reach toward your toes until you feel a tug on your hamstrings. Hold this position for at least 10-20 seconds. Still on the ground, lie on a sleeping pad and pull your legs up and over your head, (your knees should be resting by your ears, so that you are in a ball).

To stretch your back, hold this position for 10-20 seconds, and then roll over on to your stomach. Push up with your arms, arching your back, while keeping your legs on the ground. Hold this position for another 10-20 seconds to stretch your lower back. After completing the stretches on the ground, stand up to stretch your calves. If you are near a tree or rock, lean against it with both arms. Stretch one leg back and press that heel into the ground to stretch your calf and Achilles tendon. I usually hold this stretch, on each leg, for at least 30 seconds.

While doing long uphill stretches, the calves usually get hammered more than any other part of your body. For the quads, reach back grab your foot, and pull it up toward your butt. Hold this for about 20 seconds.

Last, I usually spend a couple minutes rolling my neck and shoulders, and when in need, I throw down a couple Advil.

Some people have different stretching routines for morning and evening, but I usually do the same thing twice a day. I recommend trying out different stretches and going with what feels best for you. My last piece of advice in the stretching category, is to take a leisurely stroll around your campsite at the end of the day, (without a pack of course), and work out the kinks. Walking without your pack will feel like heaven!

BOOT PREPARATION – Avoiding Backpacking Pain

Boot Preparation: I can’t stress the importance of this category more. Taking care of your boots is invaluable on any extended trip.

First, do not go backpacking in cheap, cloth boots, (much less, anything that resembles a tennis shoe). You will be sorry if you don’t invest the money in a good pair of hiking boots. Some brands I recommend: Merrell, Vasque, Technica, Asolo and Raichle, to name a few.

The catch is, when you buy a high quality leather boot, you will be in more pain than you can imagine if you don’t spend the time breaking them in before you hit the trail.

I was on a trip in the Canyonlands with several people who had brand new boots right out of the box. In a matter of days, they all had blisters that were bad enough to delay our trip. I was so glad I was wearing boots that were long broken in.

As soon as you purchase your boots, wear them. Wear them around the house, to work, on walks, on day hikes and shopping. Wear them wherever you can. The boot needs time to crease in the appropriate places, as well as time to form to your foot. This breaking in process also give you a chance to see if you found the right size and fit and a chance to try out a variety of sock options.

You will be glad, while breaking them in, that you can take them off after a couple of hours, instead of having to hike all day.

The other important step to remember, before you hit the trail, is to waterproof the leather. Most places that sell boots will offer you a waterproofing option when you purchase your boots. There are many different waterproofing products that work, but make sure you get the right one for your boot. With many products, like Nikwax, you have to get the product for your boot material combination – usually either smooth leather, fabric and leather, or nubuck and suede. The directions are pretty straightforward, just make sure you apply several coats of the waterproofing product, letting them dry in between coats. If your boots have been used and you want to apply or reapply a waterproof coat to them, make sure you clean them first with a wet cloth, and then condition them with a leather conditioner. Good boots can be your best friend or your worst enemy, so choose wisely and love them like you love your feet.

First Aid – Avoiding Backpacking Pain

First Aid: Don’t leave home without some knowledge of wilderness first aid techniques and a first aid kit.

As soon as you are in a remote location, (at least an hour from professional medical care), you need to be prepared to handle any injury or physical discomfort on your own. I am not going to go in to all the first aid details that one should know before a trip but I will highlight some basics.

First, be prepared to prevent all foreseeable accidents or injuries, (i.e.. Proper nutrition, clothing, equipment, etc.) and for whatever you can’t prevent, have the necessary items on hand to deal with the situation. I highly recommend investing in a “pre-made” medical kit, something made by a wilderness medical expert, like Atwater Carey, MSR or Outdoor Research. After making this purchase, you can add to or subtract from your kit as needed.

I actually have two kits: One for short hikes, with Band Aids, Advil, sunscreen, moleskin, etc., and one for extended trips to help deal with a more serious medical emergency. I am all for saving weight on a trip, but a medical kit is something I don’t take lightly.

You can never plan enough for the unknown.

I also recommend purchasing and bringing a basic first aid book, (bigger medical kits often come with these), in case there is a situation you are unfamiliar with. Have some basic knowledge around lightning, flash floods, snow conditions, hypothermia, dehydration and navigation. The best advice, regarding first aid is BE PREPARED!

Mileage and Speed – Avoiding Backpacking Pain

Mileage and Speed: The best way to avoid backpacking pain is to pace yourself.

My hardest day on the trail is always the second. I find on my first day out that I am excited, motivated, inspired, and feeling good. My pack is the heaviest it will be and my body is the softest. Despite all this, I practically run the first ten miles, (hah, not really), but it sure feels like it the next day! I know for sure, though, that I go way too far and way too fast that first day.

The next day I usually wake up and want to go home. I have learned time and again that I have to pace, pace, pace.

So, I recommend deciding on your total mileage before you even leave for your trip, and then, instead of dividing your mileage by your number of days, I would plan for fewer miles the first couple of days, and then increase your mileage during the middle of your trip. More importantly, day to day, than mileage is speed.

It is so important to remember that faster is not better.

There are two reasons for this: First, if you are backpacking for aesthetic reasons, the views, the solitude, and the company, going too fast detracts from the enjoyable aspects of backpacking. I like to take lots of breaks to look around, listen to the silence and talk with my companion. I also like to go slow enough that I am not too breathless to have a conversation while I am hiking.

Second, speed is going to vary from one individual to the next, based on fitness level, size, and preference. Encourage your packing partner or group to be sensitive to everyone’s individual needs. Remember that if you can’t seem to catch your breath, you are going too fast. When you can’t catch your breath, your muscles aren’t getting enough oxygen and you will feel fatigue and soreness much sooner.

Try and compromise with your partner or group if your pace and speed needs are different, so that backpacking is enjoyable and doesn’t end in misery and frustration.

Related posts:

1. Snowshoeing: How Far? How Fast?

One of the first mistakes we often witness is a strong, healthy woman picking out a pack the same size and shape as her male partner’s, assuming that this is the most sensible pack decision for a long trip with lots of gear. Having gone through the thought process, she has concluded that it is only fair to share the load and carry equal weight while backpacking, since, after all, she and her partner will be sharing all of the food and equipment. While several of us at AlpineWoman have actually bought a pack, using this logic at some point, we have found that it is a miserable mistake to make.

First, a perfectly fitted, loaded pack should correspond with the size of the individual wearing the pack. Based on the size to weight ratio of pack fitting, a smaller person should naturally carry a smaller pack. You should never carry more than 30-40% of your own body weight when hiking for a long period of time. Even if you are extremely strong you will most likely find that a pack that is too big for you will actually cause pain and discomfort vs. manageable, sore muscles. Not all pack manufacturers put a women’s specific label on their packs.

Many manufacturers emphasize the fact that they design packs that fit all body shapes and types. These companies don’t label their packs “Women’s specific,” but they are highlighting an important point. Everyone needs to consider their own body first, and ignore all other pack features. In other words, we are not suggesting that a “men’s” pack cannot be worn by a woman, and vice versa. When buying a pack, planning a trip, and packing your load, remember your individuality and make all decisions based on that information first.

Brought to you by AlpineWoman.com

Related posts:

1. Backcountry Nutrition
2. Hygiene and Femininity in the Backcountry
3. Low Impact Camping Guide

On extended trips it is very difficult to feel like you are maintaining a balanced and healthy diet, due to the limited time fruits and vegetables stay fresh, as well as the weight that these food sources add to an already heavy pack. The most important advice we want to share with our women readers has to do with dieting. We believe that it is most important to lead a balanced life. Most importantly, don’t try to start or maintain a diet while venturing in the backcountry.

It is extremely important to maintain an appropriate calorie intake while exerting a lot of energy – not only while hiking, skiing, etc., but also staying warm, and functioning away from the comforts we are accustomed to every day. It is extremely important that you are getting a lot of complex carbohydrates while doing a high level of activity. These complex carbs, found in gorp, granola, etc. should replace sugar snacks that will shoot your insulin high and then leave you lagging in a matter of hours. In addition to this nutrition necessity, we recommend bringing protein, found in tuna, beans, peanut butter, cheese and meat snack sticks.

If you have enough room in your pack, it is sometimes nice, on an extended trip to bring a little fresh food for the beginning of the trip – maybe a green pepper, an onion and a carrot. This adds a bit of weight, but is a treat after your first couple long days. Finally, carbohydrates like rice, pasta and crackers should be included as daily meal necessities.

When these foods, day after day, start to leave your taste buds wanting, check your pack for that one sweet snack reward that you brought for that very deserving moment!

Related posts:

1. Hygiene and Femininity in the Backcountry
2. Women and Their Backpacks
3. Backcountry Gear Checklist