As I recall, I have heard it said that ignorance is bliss. I can attest to that fact, as I, now knowing the difficulty of the hike that lays before us, remember the first time I hiked Le Conte' . Loading my pack with little more than a water bottle, Kleenex (no facility was my biggest concern) a half of a PB&J and some Sun Chips. Now; however, it is with much calculation that I plan my step by step preparation of the Day Pack that I requested for my birthday after my rookie year. The right equipment can make a day of hiking an extremely enjoyable experience. The wrong, or no equipment in my case, can make you feel like you are on a death march.
I began my preparation in planning our route, checking the local weather, getting trail conditions and letting someone know where we are and when we are to be back off of the mountain....lest we die up there. Educating myself on the must haves to put in my birthday backpack has been a bit overwhelming. It's not like we are hiking Kilimanjaro...I edited the list and am now paranoid of having an encounter with a bear, getting bitten by a snake, dehydration and leg cramps. Did you know that you can buy a snake bite kit for $5.00? Neither did I! Below is my "Short List" after 3 hours on the Internet.
Must have items to be carried at all times:
1. Map of the trail
2. Compass and know how to use it
3. Pocket Knife carried on person not in pack
4. Whistle carried on person in case you get chased by a bear. Bears don't like whistles.
5. A personal first aid kit with oral Benadryl in it in case of Anaphylactic Shock.
6. Water
7. Energy Bar
8. Trail Mix
9. Rain gear
10. Matches
Hal and I are planning to carb load tonight and get to bed early. We will be at the trail head early so that we can get down by dark and in time to watch the Alabama vs Virginia Tech. game. More later with pictures of our adventure. Love to all!!
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