Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Project Reflections: The Lost Coast of King Range NCA

In April of 2016, six adventure-crazed volunteers set off into the wild backcountry of the King Range National Conservation Area with one main goal in mind; to have a week of fun in a beautiful and wild region. A close second to their main goal was to perform some much needed conservation work in the area including trail maintenance, trail reconstruction, and beach cleanup. With these goals in mind, they began their excursion, accompanied by BLM Outdoor Rec Planner, Justin Robbins.

The crew hiked nearly six miles with full packs into their basecamp adjacent to the mouth of the freshwater Cooskie Creek for the week. From here they set out each day with a project in mind; this included maintenance and reconstruction of the eroded trail, beach cleanup and removal of debris, and removal of illegal beach shelters.

Through the week, the crew made some serious accomplishments. The mighty group of six repaired approximately four miles of trail, removed and rehabilitated five campsites, and removed approximately 200 pounds of debris from the beach! 

Per tradition, when the crew exited the wilderness - exhausted, fulfilled, and with a deep sense of accomplishment - they were warmly greeted by the BLM with a hearty barbecue. With full hearts and stomachs, the participants parted ways, never to forget their week of adventure in the Lost Coast. 


We are quickly approaching the King Range project for 2017 and it is sorely in need of volunteers! The project remains largely the same as 2016 and the region remains as beautiful and in need of help as ever. Come join one of WV's most dynamic leader duos for a week of fun and adventure in King Range's Lost Coast, and give something back to you public lands!

To share your own volunteer adventure story on WV's blog, send your experience to Taryn at taryn@wildernessvolunteers.org.

Tuesday, February 07, 2017

Tips and Tricks for Packing your Backpack

An obligatory gear photo to incite envy in all your friends

Lay Out Your Gear

Before you start attempting to squeeze everything you think you might need into your pack, take a moment to lay it all out on the floor. This will help to keep your pack organized, to ensure that you don't forget anything essential, and to give you the opportunity to rethink items which might be superfluous and unnecessary. An extra bonus is the opportunity to take a rad gear photo to make your friends envious of your adventure!

Prepare for the worst, but no more

Only Pack the Essentials

The number one item I typically over-pack is clothing. It is all too easy to get carried away with the thought of 'what-if' and end up bringing clothing for every possible weather event. Decide instead to go for quality rather than quantity by checking the weather ahead of time and packing accordingly. I suggest that you only need one to two hiking/working outfits (top and bottom), something to relax in camp and sleep in, rain gear, and a compactable warm jacket for cold mornings (doubles as a pillow!). Materials for these clothes should be wool, fleece, synthetics, or...well, pretty much anything that is not cotton.

Remember, you're camping, not glamping.
Limit Your Comfort Items

Only allow yourself one to two nonessential items to heighten the comfort factor. These could include a camp chair, a camp pillow, chocolate bars for every night, a packable lantern, or a bag of wine. With all of the amazing new backpacking and camping gear available, it is easy to get caught up and bogged down with the gear. Just remember, you are headed out to get away from it all, so stop trying to replace your creature comforts with lighter versions of themselves. And for the love of wilderness, minimize the technology you bring! I have always felt that limiting these comfort items allows me to appreciate them that much more while in the back-country.

Pack Smarter

To optimize space in your pack, utilize compression sacks as frequently as possible. Not only will this squeeze your belongings down to their smallest size, but it will also keep your gear organized, easily accessible, and will protect it from water in case of a storm.

When it comes to actually packing your pack, things are really up to your preference. Based on the weights and densities of your gear, distribute your belongings according to the 'Backpack Weight Distribution' diagram. As a general guideline remember that your heaviest items should be lower and close to your back, and you should not overload parts of your pack above your shoulders, as it will throw off your balance. Many people put their sleeping bag down low on their hips, their tent and cook gear close to their back, and fill the remaining space with clothes and other gear.

Don't let the size and shape of your pack restrict your packing too much. I always like to attach my sleeping pad to the lower outside and my camp shoes and hiking poles (when not in use) to either side. These odd-shaped rigid items can be cumbersome to fit inside a pack, and may come in handy if you make them easily accessible.

On the subject of easy access in your pack, always keep your rain gear, pack cover, camera, snacks, water, and any other gear you might need in a pocket which is easily accessed throughout your day. These are all items that can be a hassle to dig for when you actually need them!


If you have any additional tips or tricks, please share them below for the greater good.