Definition
Backpacking is an outdoor activity where a participant packs all of their gear into a backpack. This gear may include food, water, bedding, and perhaps shelter, or the means to obtain them, and often little else. Since each item must be carried, weight is a very important factor in equipment and supply choices and options. Backpacking trips may consist of just an overnight stay, a weekend (one or two nights), or an extended length, as in long-distance expeditions of weeks or months, sometimes aided by planned food and supply drops. A backpacking trip without an overnight stay is considered a day hike.
Backpacking camps are often more spartan than ordinary camping trips from a car, boat, recreational vehicle. In areas that experience a regular traffic of backpackers, a hike-in camp might have a fire ring where fires are permitted, and a small wooden bulletin board with a map and some warning or information signs about the trail and area. Many hike-in camps are no more than level patches of ground without scrub or underbrush. In remote wilderness areas, established camps may not exist at all, and travelers must choose an appropriate place to camp themselves.
In some places, backpackers have access to lodging that is more substantial than a tent. In the more remote parts of Great Britain, bothies exist to provide simple (free) accommodation for backpackers. Another example is the High Sierra Camps in Yosemite National Park. Mountain huts provide similar accommodation in other countries, so being a member of a mountain hut organization is advantageous (perhaps required) to make use of their facilities. On other trails (e.g. the Appalachian Trail) there are somewhat more established shelters of a sort that offer a place for weary hikers to spend the night without needing to set up a tent.
Most backpackers purposely try to avoid impacting on the land through which they travel. This includes following established trails as much as possible, not removing anything, and not leaving residue in the backcountry. The Leave No Trace movement offers a set of guidelines for low-impact backpacking ("Leave nothing but footprints. Take nothing but photos. Kill nothing but time. Keep nothing but memories").
Read more about this topic: Backpacking (wilderness)
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