Backpacking Pack List

Backpacking Pack List

Ready to go out on a big backpacking trip?  Here are some of the things I recommend getting and taking.  Of course, this list has a lot of options, please don't bring everything on this list unless you're looking to pack to get in shape.

• Good hiking backpack (I recommend Deuter bags, not sponsored, just really really like their bags and am totally biased from being a hiking guide in the Alps)
• Tent, Bivy, or Hammock (Nowadays there are so many options for camping.  Tents are essential, but you may want a super light 3 season tent, or you may want a heavier 4 season, or get a light 4 season like what I have from Mountain Hardwear...and I love. Bivies are also a great new option.  I have one from Outdoor Research that does wonders for when I'm hiking solo.  Thing is ultralight and does everything I need it to do.  Hammocks right now are all the rage, and I'll just say I love my hammock...I have one from Kammok that I really love...But hammocks don't end up being as lightweight as they're promised to be, so keep that in mind, because you have to get the hammock, the straps, a tarp for protection, a bug net, and maybe even a little gear holder to take all your gear.  Plus you still need to sleep with a pad and hammocks put a lot of pressure on your back sleeping even when you sleep diagonally on it.  And then you need good trees to sleep between.  So just some things to keep in mind.  I like mine, but it's a steep learning curve and you'll have a few bad nights before it gets ok.)
• Food - Dehydrated meals, ramen, rice - I think you would be hard pressed to find a better backpacking meal than the dehydrated meals.  Lots of different companies make these now, so I won't belabor the point, but they are usually a little expensive.  The cheaper options are things like ramen, rice, soup, tuna, or anything somewhat dehydrated and light.  Other good things to have are trail mix and granola.  Beware bringing anything with chocolate because it doesn't do well in warm or cold temps.  The same goes for granola or snack bars, especially in the winter.  Nothing is worse than opening a bar only to discover it's frozen solid.
• Stove - There are a lot of different stoves, but I honestly don't understand why some cost over $100, when you can get just as small and packable of one at REI for $20.
• Pots
• Fork
• Knife - I usually bring a couple depending on the trip.  From big hunting knives to small pocket knives for cutting fishing line to a filet knife if I'm going to be doing a lot of fishing.
• Hatchet
• Gun - That's right, I recommend bringing a weapon with you when you're in the backcountry. There has been a lot of false lore over the years that a pistol wouldn't bring down or deter a bear.  I remember growing up in the Rockies and hearing this all the time and that you needed a rifle if you were going to take down a Grizzly.  This has been largely proven false.  Numerous incidents have occurred where a bear has attacked, bear spray has been utilized and hasn't stopped the bear and a 9mm or .40 were able to either kill the bear or immediately end the attack.  Recently there was even a mortal wounding of a bear from park rangers at Grand Teton, where the ranger shot a black bear with a rubber bullet and mortally wounded the bear. But bears aren't the only things that can attack you.  Anything from moose, which are surprisingly dangerous, to cougars, to a recent attack by a bobcat on a family of 4 in Arizona, nothing makes you quite as formidable with as little weight and packing space as a 9mm or .40.  If you're new to weapons, but would like to have that added security find a gun range near you, most of them let you rent weapons and you can learn how to use one safely before you decide to buy one.  I personally carry my duty glock 26 because it's small and still packs that 9mm punch, but learn what works for you and stay safe!
• Sleeping Bag - Here I have quite a big preference.  If you can afford one, get a down sleeping bag.  It's like sleeping in a cloud.  They're also extremely light.  There are a lot of good ones on the market, so I won't recommend specific ones.  But keep in mind with down 850+ usually means it'll be warmer and lighter.  Most 3 season bags you won't need below 40 degrees, but if you're looking for good winter bags start looking at 0 degrees.  Some go up to -40!
• Pillow - I can't tell you how many times I've not brought a pillow camping and been just fine.  If you forget just wad up some clothes or anything remotely soft and bam you're good to go.  But there are some good light options out there.  My favorite are from Klymit.
• Pad - Once again there are a million options on pads.  You can do the old foam pads, which is what I grew up using.  Other good options are check out the store Decathlon.  It's this cheap French store that recently made their foray into the US.  They have stuff for just about every sport and they're all pretty good quality and well priced.  The one drawback with Decathlon is their stuff is usually highly functional, but not always the best looking stuff, but they do have pretty soft and warm pads.  My favorite, however, is still Klymit pads.  They're very packable, soft, and lightweight.
• Fishing Pole
• Fishing Tackle
• Entertainment stuff
• Water Bladder
• Water Purifier - Keep in mind that most water purifier pumps will get rid of bacteria but not viruses, which is fine at higher elevations, but when you get lower you had better either have purifying tablets or boil your water for around 15 minutes.
• Crampons, ice axe, rope, beacon, shovel - You won't need this unless you're going through some big snow patches or it's during the winter.  And in either case, you had better know what to do or have someone there with you who knows snow safety.  But since I've seen a ton of influencers on insta post about going through snowfields and glaciers without any equipment and more and more people are doing it without knowing what they're doing, here's a short crash course.  Ropes are not for climbing in this case or for in case you start sliding down snow.  That's what the axe and crampons are for.  The rope is to tie in to someone else in case you encounter a crevice and the snow breaks under you.  This is extremely common and one of the biggest causes of death around glaciers.  Morale of the story....be careful as it's not just glaciers that have these hidden crevices.  For example a big cause of death skiing now is where a crevice hides right under a big pine tree, where snow piles on the branches, but doesn't build up underneath.  All it takes is someone on top of the snow, and it'll cause it to collapse.  Once again, be careful!  Snow some scary shit.
• Socks - Many people swear by wool socks, I'll be honest and say find a pair that's comfortable for you. Wool works good in the winter, but doesn't do great once it gets wet. 
• Water Shoes
• Change of Clothes
• Rain Jacket
• Warm Jacket
• Phone Charger
• Camera
• Drone
• Small Towel
• Pack Raft or Tube
• Wet Suit
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Deodorant
• Hat
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Bug Spray
• Compass
• Map - Bring a paper copy just in case.
• Flashlight - I really like headlamps but flashlights have their use too.  Also no tent is complete without a good lantern.  I really like the Black Diamond small lanterns for this.
• Bear Spray - A lot of people think bear spray will just do away with everything, but remember pepper spray doesn't always react the same on every person, the same is true with bear spray on bears.  Some won't feel anything at all.  That's why I say bring a weapon too, but if you're attacked and bear spray doesn't work and you have a water bottle handy....my advice is throw some water on the bear if you can.  Water makes the chemicals react and even on things where pepper spray didn't work initially, water will cause searing pain.  But let's be honest, you're unlikely to have that much time.  If attacked during the day on the trail, get off the trail and get small and play dead.  If the bear attacks and keeps attacking, fight for your life. If you have a large group, stay together and try to get big.  If my advice is the only bear advice you're reading before going into bear country, you're wrong.
• Emergency Blanket
• First Aid Kit
• Blister Fixers - Moleskin is pretty common here in the US, but now you can finally buy what the rest of the world has been using for a long time.  They're like blister patches that you put over blisters, and they are AMAZING!!  Bring a couple that'll literally save your life.
• Duct Tape

Backpacking the Big Pine Lakes

 

Hiking the Big Pine Lakes

This is the beautiful trail you follow on the North Fork of the Big Pine Lakes

Hiking the Big Pine Lakes and the Temple Crag

About the Hike

The hike to the Big Pine Lakes starts along the North Fork of the Big Pine Creek Trailhead. The first lake is a little under 6 miles (9.6 km) one way and the second lake in the Big Pine Lake chain, where you get great views of the Temple Crag, is about another half mile up the trail. From there you can hike to all of the seven lakes in the chain or even to Black Lake.  Finally, there’s a glacier nearby and good climbing for those climbers out there.  Here's a link to the GPX file of the hike...

This is the first Lake

Know Before You Go

I read quite a few blogs before making this hike and none of them really talked about how to get a permit for Inyo National Forest.  I think part of that is because regulations change all the time on how permits are given out, but I think it is pretty safe to assume the system they have in place now works well and will continue that way.  If you hike the lakes outside of the high season from before Early May to after September 1, you don’t need a permit to camp and hike the trail.  If you plan on just hiking the Big Pine Lakes and not camping you don’t need a permit either.  But if you plan to camp at the Big Pine Lakes during the high season, you will need a permit to camp, and they limit the amount of people to 32 people camping per day in the entire lake chain.  The permit system was one of the things that no other blogger mentioned, so I’ll give you the low down here.

The rangers start handing out permits at 11am on the day before your hike is to begin.  So in other words, if you want to camp Saturday night, you need to show up at one of two ranger stations.  One is the White Mountain Ranger Station in Bishop, and the other is...  The stations open prior to then as well, so you can show up and sign up on a roster sheet for when the permits open. The rangers then call off names and work their way down the roster and put you in for a permit in the system.  The tricky thing is you are not just competing with people at the ranger station you’re at, but also with those at the other ranger station. We got lucky and arrive just before 11am and put our names down there were a few people ahead of us, but only a couple were wanting to go on this hike.  When we were called up at about 1110 we got two of the last four spots.

See the Rattlesnake under the big rock?

Staying Safe

The Inyo National Forest and the Eastern Sierras are in what is definitely prime bear country. California is home to both the black and brown bear, and the lake chain for the Big Pine Lakes is definitely bear habitat.  That being said, the trail is heavily traveled up to the first two lakes, and I doubt bears frequent that area.  The further up you go, however, the less traveled the area becomes, and the more likely bears become.  Bear boxes and cans are recommended for use in the area, but you can also rope your food as well.  The Inyo National Forest recommended a dual system of equal weighted bags for roping (Something that I have never seen before, and I’m from Montana). But if rangers recommend it, they’re probably not wrong.  That being said, setting up a tied rope should be sufficient, and I honestly think if you’re camping in the high season around the first two lakes, the bear protection is more for keeping rodents away from chewing holes in your tent.

All that being said, on the big sunny portion, we did run across a big rattlesnake just as it crossed the trail.  It's the first time I've been rattled at in California, and we had a little dog with us that would've certainly attacked it and been bit.  Fortunately a group just ahead of us saw it first and warned us so we were able to pick up the dog and make sure nothing happened, but it is something to be aware of, especially if you are doing this hike with a four legged.

I tend to overpack, I know

Packing List

I made a pretty comprehensive packing list for summer and winter that you can find here.  Remember that even in the summer, during a heavy snow year, it’s likely that you may have to hike through snow at the upper lakes so things like ice axes and crampons are recommended.

The Hike

The start of the hike can be a little frustrating if you’re planning on camping for the night.  The parking for those camping is about a half mile from the trailehead down the road.  So I would suggest dropping your bag at the trailhed and walking or hitching a ride back the last portion to the trailhead. (I honestly wouldn’t think I would need to say this, but I was the only one I saw doing this).

This is the North Fork of the Stream that you follow to the lakes

The trailhead parallels the Big Pine Creek with a big, wide, and well kept trail to begin the day.  After about a 1/4 of a mile, the trail starts to go uphill and you cross a large rushing waterfall before hitting a large area of switchbacks that parallel the now gushing river.  After that you go through a small section of flat through the trees and come out on a 4 wheeler path, turn right, and start what is probably the worst part of the hike. This area is a sandy trail, and is open in the sun.  It slopes uphill and away from the cool river to the first mountain switchbacks.  This set of switchbacks is almost entirely in the sun, so be prepared with a brim hat. This area of switchbcks is also where we were rattled at by a rather large rattle snake, so be careful if hiking here during the hot summer months.

This is the hot arid section

Once you reach the top of the switchbacks, the trails straightens out and parallels the creek again, and for the last half of the journey you are walking through a pretty gradual uphill slope in and out of the sun and paralleling and crossing the Big Pine Creek over and over again. 

Eventually about 6 miles in you reach the first of the lakes and a little before that, a turnoff for Black Lake. The rest is pretty simple.  Follow the trail up and around and down to the many lakes in the area.

Lots of good places to camp around the edge of the lake

Where to Camp

You can camp just about anywhere once you get far enough up the trail, but the best place, in my opinion is around the lakes. The most sought after lake is the second lake, where you get a great view of the Temple Crag, but it’s also very windy on the rocks overlooking the lake.  On top of that, it’s a very crowded spot in the high season, and you’ll likely not only not get a good spot later in the day, but regardless, you’re going to be sharing your quiet wilderness time with those around you.  That can of course be a good thing, if you’re into that kind of thing, but if not, beware.  Additionally, the higher up you go, the more secluded and probably better experience you are going to have.  Especially during the high season.  You’re also a lot more likely to see wildlife.

Remember that camping on brush, including grass is prohibited, and that you will need to find a nice sandy or rocky spot for your tent or sleeping bag.

Out Fishing

Fishing the Lakes

Fishing the lakes can be a lot of fun.  From my experience, it looked like they had stocked the lake with some trout, or they had just hatched.  That being said, I think fishing it later in the high season is better as it gives fish some time to grow, especially after a heavy snow year like we have been having recently.