Backpack: Finding Water
While you can manage without food for a surprisingly long time, this is not so with water. Dehydration can kill you in a matter of days.

Backpack: Fitness
Your body is the most important piece of equipment you will use for backpacking. It needs to perform all day and transport a lot of weight.

Backpack: Food & Water: Plan Meals
Food takes on a whole new meaning in the backcountry. Not only is it your fuel for the day, but cooking often turns into the evening entertainment.

Backpack: Food & Water: Repackage
Repackaging your food into resealable zipper-lock bags reduces the weight of your pack and the amount of trash you will have to pack out.

Backpack: Fording Rivers
Plan. Pick. Watch. Check. Follow this recipe for safe river crossings.

Backpack: Highcountry: Basics
This alpine landscape is characterized by lack of trees and harsh weather conditions, including a regular battering of lightning strikes.

Backpack: Highcountry: Camping Considerations
Highcountry campsites pose particular challenges. Protect yourself from lightning and wind, and protect the fragile ecosystem from you.

Backpack: Highcountry: Hazards
Do you know what to do in a thunderstorm if you are standing on an exposed talus field where the nearest shelter is several miles away?

Backpack: Highcountry: Hiking on Scree & Talus
If you're used to well-groomed packed dirt trails, the mountains have a surprise waiting for you just above that first rocky rise: Scree and Talus.

Backpack: In Camp: Bathing
Hand-washing after going to the bathroom and before handling food is essentail in the backcountry. Conversely, bathing is optional.