Tag Archives: Wilderness Survival

Vermont Appalachian Trail: US 4 to VT 103. Snow!

In late January 2020, I lead a group of six Argonauts from Hudson Valley Hikers to tackle the Vermont Winter for a weekend of backpacking. We traversed Kilington Mountain Southbound along the Appalachian Trail, and then descended into the wilderness lying to the south, finishing at VT Rt 103. Temperatures were consistently about 30 degrees F with some strong winds Saturday and occasionally snow flurries during the day and moderate freezing rain over night.

winter backpacking
Argonauts Ready for Winter Backpacking
Continue reading Vermont Appalachian Trail: US 4 to VT 103. Snow!

Long Term Water Treatment Methods

long term water treatmentMike wants to know more about long term water treatment methods.  Mike will be participating in my upcoming Intro to Backpacking event at Hariman State Park with Hudson Valley Hikers. Mike asks:

What’s the best long-term method of water filtration? E.g. Trump leads us into nuclear war, city water will be undrinkable for 5 years and you can no longer buy whatever filtration straw, tablet, etc, and we all retreat to the woods for survival…

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The Rule of Threes

Several years ago, I went on a guided backpacking trip in Great Smoky Mountains National Park with A Walk in the Woods.  I had a great time and learned a lot.  One of the most important lessons I took away from that trip was “The Rule of Threes.”  This simple rule has become the cornerstone of my philosophy for lightweight backpacking and enjoying the outdoors safely. Continue reading The Rule of Threes