backcountry lessons learned

We took our first opportunity to venture into Denali's spacious backcountry last weekend, had ourselves some high moments, and to be quite honest some low ones as well. Perhaps the greatest lesson from our overnight in the 6 million acre stretch of Denali National Park was the need to respect nature -

From just these two days we learned a great deal about hiking and camping, and hopefully this summer will only further our knowledge and experience level for future camping trips to come. In order to properly reflect on the trip, we have made a comprehensive list of to-do's and not to-do's for future reference. Hopefully our mishaps will encourage you to learn from our mistakes (or just laugh at us) -either way, here's our top 10 Denali Backcountry tips after trip #1:

1) Respect nature (repeat, but it's just that important) - Denali in particular is vast, but in all outdoor endeavors learning to respect the elements by allowing enough time, the right equipment, food, and tools is #1 on our list.

2) Water & a good ol' granola bar - Always have back-up snacks and TAKE THEM WITH YOU when you go out on a long hike. We assumed we'd eat lunch and then stash our food, snacks, essentially all sources of energy, into our bear can and leave it back at our camp site. We then ventured 6 miles one-way assuming we'd have plenty of time to get back for dinner. 15 miles and many hours later, we were hungry and energy-less. Pack snacks and keep 'em with you! Also, you never know when you'll get into a pickle, and need emergency food. Pack it in.

3) Plot your course - looking ahead and planning the best route can be crucial. We ran into many a tough trail and near-impossible river crossing that forced us to backtrack. It's worth the time to look at the map, study the topography, and plan ahead as much as possible.

4) Choosing your camp site - We loved the spot we chose for our campsite, but neglected to take into consideration the elements. We selected an open spot at a higher elevation (we consciously avoided the high brush that bears hang out in and can be easily hidden in) BUT upon setting up our tent early on in the day to mark our spot we forgot to consider that the openness and elevation of our awesome site could mean big wind gusts. Upon returning to our humble abode many hours later, we found our little tent on its side and never located the stakes. Point taken.

5) Hot meal - never underestimate the feeling of a hot meal in your stomach after a long day's hike. PB and J only goes so far. Enough said.

6) "Cotton kills." - Charlie Wesser. Dad, for all the times I have giggled at the many, many times you have used this phrase, I owe you an apology. I have never appreciated those words more than after last weekend. I didn't have any water-resistant pants when I came to Alaska, but I will most certainly be returning with them. I ordered nylon/water-resistant hiking pants the day we got back from camping and will never venture out without them again. Pops, you were right on this one.

7) Wildlife viewing + tough terrain = challenging - Sometimes you have to just stop to enjoy the scenery instead of attempting to multitask. In tougher terrain, you learn the hard way that you can't avert your attention from the ground for even a second. Take the time to just stop, soak in the scenery and snap a few photos before continuing on.

8) Humans are not as agile as Dall Sheep - As enticing as a trail can be in the backcountry where no human trails exist, Dall sheep are extremely agile and sure-footed and able to climb much more difficult terrain. The trails can be great but when they border steep and slippery cliffs, it's best to avoid them.

9) "Hey Bear" - Before heading out, know the wildlife you might be stumbling upon. On our return to campsite as I was nearly keeled over from lack of water, food, and self-diagnosed with general grumpiness, luckily Justin was in the right frame of mind to yell "Hey bear!" as we bush-whacked a majority of our way back. In high brush, you can especially surprise a bear. Surpised bear = not a happy bear. Let your presence be known.

10) The sun that never sets - During the summers in Alaska they say the sun doesn't set until September, and they weren't joking. Upon returning to camp around 9:30 pm the sun was as high as ever. Luckily we were so exhausted that even the high Alaskan sun couldn't disrupt our sleep. For future reference, a sleeping mask might be a good idea.

That's our top 10 - I'm sure we'll have more to come.

Here's to lessons learned by experience!

Jenny & Justin

p.s. pictures from our adventure to follow!