Drying My Clothes in Yosemite National Park
I began experimenting with environmentally-safe ways to clean my clothes in the backcountry after hiking the Appalachian Trail. Since I started backpacking, I've pretty much started to define "clean" as "dry," so don't get me wrong, clean out there isn't the same thing as clean at home. I decided, however, that long-distance backpacking would be more enjoyable if I could feel cleaner. Here's what I do.
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When cleaning clothes in the backcountry, I either use water only or baking soda. I prefer to keep as many chemicals out of the backcountry as possible and baking soda is useful in many other ways. If you prefer to use a detergent, there are some that are considerably safer for the environment, and safer ways to use them.
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Cleaning Clothes in the Backcountry
On a long-distance hike, baking soda can help keep your clothes from smelling like a corn chip's foot. If carrying something to make you smell better seems like unnecessary weight, I understand, but it's useful in other ways.
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Snack Break on the Appalachian Trail
For a long-distance hiker, life on the trail often leads to nutritional deficiencies, but in town we have new choices available. In part three of my interview with sports dietitian, Tavis Piatolly, I asked which foods are the best in town.
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Dinner on the John Muir Trail
On a long enough hike, where you'll need to stop for supplies along the way, it can be very difficult to stick to a specific meal plan. That being said, in part two of my interview with Sports Dietitian Tavis Piattoly, I asked for specifics.
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Lunch at Redgap Pass, Glacier NP, Montana
The Internet is full of sports nutrition advice, much of which is driven by fads and not entirely evidence-based, but even the good advice doesn't take into account the limitations that long-distance hikers face. I decided to consult an expert, Tavis Piattoly's, Sports Dietitian and Nutrition Consultant for the New Orleans Saints,
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Victor asks for tips in dealing with pests and other natives of the Appalachian Trail, such as Ticks, Flies, Mice, Poison Oak, Poison Ivy, and any others not on his radar.
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In part one, I wrote about the features of the best backpacking foods (calorie dense, easy to prepare, nutritious, non-perishable, appetizing, inexpensive, and versatile). In part two, I list common items on my resupply shopping list that take all of that into account with more nutrition advice from New Orleans Saints sports dietitian, Tavis Piattoly.
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There's an infinite number of ways to make an alcohol stove, but I like this one because it doesn't need to be primed, it can't explode like pressurized stoves, the burning fuel can't spill if tipped over, and it weighs just 15 grams. Here's how to make it.
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The AT in November, Tennessee
In this post, I answer a question from a soon-to-be Appalachian Trail thru-hiker about how to deal with the inevitable bad weather on the trail.
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