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Winter Backpacking - Staying Warm in the Backcountry
By Andrew Bicknell

Backpacking in the winter is a truly unique experience. There is a certain solitude that can't be found during the warmer months of the year. But there is a certain amount of underlying danger as well simply because the weather and environment is less forgiving. But if you take the time to properly plan your trip, take stock of your equipment, and learn a few basic survival skills you can offset the danger by simply being prepared.

One of the biggest dangers going winter backpacking is the cold. There is just no way around that issue so staying warm in probably your most important task. This makes learning to make a fire in the cold and snow vitally important. Always carry waterproof matches and as a backup one of the many sparking devices available today.

You also need to learn which materials burn best when wet, because wood and tinder that's been buried in snow is hard to light. Birch bark, for instance, will burn when wet as will the sap from spruce and pine trees.

Wilderness Backpacking Trails in British Columbia - Lesson 5 - This and That
By Robert Bannon

Using the word Trail when referring to backpacking in the British Columbia wilderness can be misleading and it almost caused us to omit an important piece of equipment. As experienced car campers and backyard barbecuers, we left a lot to be desired when it came to backpacking the real deal. We had taken some practice hikes and camping excursions and assumed that a trail was, in fact, a trail.

Wilderness Backpacking Trails in British Columbia Lesson 4 - Clothing
By Robert Bannon

It is not possible to have too much clothing on the West Coast Trail and it is not possible to carry it all, so some serious decisions need to be made in advance. You could potentially experience all four seasons in one week and during any month of the year, but the one consistent is water. Backpacking trails in the wilderness of BC are never to be forgotten but should never be remembered for just being cold and damp.

Wilderness Backpacking Trails in British Columbia - Lesson 2 - 2 Most Important Pieces of Equipment
By Robert Bannon

The number one wilderness backpacking trail in BC is the West Coast Trail and it is essential to know what kind of equipment to carry and wear because there are many unique facts to consider. First however, is the matter of getting on the trail. This is a very ecologically sensitive rain forest trail with strict daily limits on the number of users who may start each day.

Wilderness Backpacking Trails in British Columbia Lesson 7 - A Special Experience
By Robert Bannon

For this edition of preparations necessary for backpacking a wilderness trail in BC, I must divide readers into two groups: the first group will have taken on a similar challenge related to an outdoor adventure and the second group hasn't yet. If you are a member of the first group, then you will have some familiarity with the feelings experienced when you take on a challenge that requires your entire mind, body and soul. You will have experienced that special bond that exists between humans and nature that no amount of reading or film watching can duplicate.

Wilderness Backpacking Trails in British Columbia - Lesson 6 - The Three S's
By Robert Bannon

This list may be different than the one you are expecting. Forget about shaving and showering and I have already mentioned that there are rustic, but adequate facilities at most of the campsites for that other S. The wilderness areas of BC present many backpacking opportunities through pristine forests and primal headlands that capture everyone of our senses and present them with a smorgasbord of unforgettable experiences and none more so than the West Coast Trail.

Wilderness Backpacking Trails in BC
By Robert Bannon

Canada's most western province, British Columbia, is loaded with backpacking trails that crisscross both the mainland and the wilderness of Vancouver Island and I am going to tell you about my experience on the grand daddy of them all. The West Coast Trail is 47 miles through a rain forest and is located on the Island's Pacific coastline. This part of the ocean is known as the graveyard of the Pacific and at low tide, there is still evidence in view of many shipwrecks that caused survivors to plunge through the wilderness of fir trees, mud and rock to eventually carve out the West Coast Trail. In the early part of the twentieth century a telegraph line was strung down to Victoria at the southern tip of the island to relay news of maritime disasters. Pieces of the telegraph line and logging equipment are still visible today to the backpacking adventurer who takes on this challenge.

Ray Mears on Wild Food
By Robin Harford

Ray Mears is an increasingly popular wilderness survival trainer from England. He would have no problem at all surviving with nothing to start with but the clothes on his back and maybe a sharp knife. In the sense of getting plenty of nutrition and knowing how to be comfortable within or protected from the elements of wilderness and weather, he would even thrive there.

On this note he's put together as one of his many products the DVD "Ray Mears Wild Food". This goes along with his television series of the same name.

Mears is known for exploring ways that hunter-gatherers (notably Aboriginal Australians) would have gathered wild edible plants and hunted down and prepared wild game. Yes, the times before convenience stores, supermarkets, or even Medieval market squares.

Survival Gear - Great For Outdoor Activities, Too
By Elaine P Murray

While it's important to be prepared for emergencies and natural disasters, the items you find in survival kits are also useful for a multitude of outdoor activities. In fact, they may have their greatest value as everyday items... at least until a major emergency or disaster actually occurs.

It makes sense when you consider the requirements for both emergency and everyday uses. The survival gear's design meets the needs of both. After all, survival gear is designed to be lightweight, compact, durable, and multi-functional - just what you need when you want to travel light and fast, and be prepared for anything at the same time. The first aid kit alone makes it a smart take-along.

Alaskan Survival Kits
By Amy Carpenter

Even experienced backpackers and climbers need to know what to bring when hiking or camping in Alaska. Though the place is not scary or very dangerous however, when you decide to experience the wild in Alaska you should be prepared for anything. It is better to be ready anytime, all the time for anything. The tough terrains of Alaska can give you a good challenge, the temperature can be really freezing and an unexpected avalanche could happen. Therefore, it is very much recommended to prepare and take the necessary precautions on your trip to Alaska. Alaskan survival kits are one of the things to bring.