I’m planning a 10-12 day solo trek early this spring (yes I have my permit) and I’m trying to get down to a single pack so I can single portage. My question is; how do I do it? Even taking minimal gear, with the food in a BV 500 and the extra clothes I’m not sure I can get it all in one pack. Would love to hear how others make it work. Tips? Tricks? Second small pack? Thanks

I use lighterpack.com to track all my gear weight. It has helped me realize what items should stay home or what items I should try to find a lighter alternative. For food, I stick with dehydrated/freeze-dried foods. I carry everything in a 50L pack and I carry a 10L daypack where I stash items for during the day...sunscreen, sunglasses, raingear, lunch, camera. I lash the daypack to the outside of the 50L pack when I portage. I use an Ursack for the food since it is more flexible for packing (and lighter).

I don't single portage but doing some 14–18-day solos I've worked on cutting weight and bulk. I don't know what minimal gear/food/clothing is for you, but the first thing to do is find out how much it weighs and assess the bulk in terms of how big a pack you need.

Things I have done to reduce weight and bulk - just don't take certain things. I don't take fishing equipment anymore which dropped about 5-6 lbs. I don't take a chair, an axe, a saw, a lantern.

I've simplified my food and kitchen. I take cold cereal for breakfast, nuts and food bars for lunch and snacks, dehydrated dinners, coffee. The food is calorie-dense and about a pound a day. I eat everything out of the bag with a spoon and rehydrate the dinners in a DIY cozy. I have a Jetboil stove, a fuel canister, a coffee mug, a lighter, hand sanitizer, and a Swiss Army knife. I also carry my food in an Ursack (less bulk). That's the food and kitchen.

I have a 1-man tent, a lightweight down bag, and lightweight pad. And a 12'x10' CCS tarp. All that weighs almost 10 lbs. and is compact. The sleeping bag and clothes are in a compression stuff sack to reduce bulk. I just take 1 pair pants/shirt, 2 pair underwear, 3 pair socks, and additional layers and accessories as needed.

I hope that helps and gives you things to think about. If you have any questions or want more details, just ask.

Equipment choice, packing procedures, transporting procedures and physical strength are important factors for efficient single carry portaging.

I single portage with one backpack and one food canister. I identify the minimum equipment I require then I spend time learning to pack the equipment into a compact space and transport it efficiently.

I suggest that you identify your equipment requirements then spend some time packing and transporting it. This will allow you to identify specific issues. It doesn't sound like you have identified any issues. You may find that you don't have any or that the solutions are obvious. Either way I enjoy this topic and am happy to share any specific equipment or procedures I use that you may be interested in. Personal requirements and preferences vary and what works for me may not for you.

John

TacoOverland: "I’m planning a 10-12 day solo trek early this spring (yes I have my permit) and I’m trying to get down to a single pack so I can single portage. My question is; how do I do it? Even taking minimal gear, with the food in a BV 500 and the extra clothes I’m not sure I can get it all in one pack. Would love to hear how others make it work. Tips? Tricks? Second small pack? Thanks "

Others have covered it nicely.

It's usually little bites in all areas, and a willingness to say "No" to items. My empty (& only) pack is under 20 oz. Hammock & tarp are 39 oz total (opportunity for that to be less!). Sleeping pad and quilt (good to about 30 degrees) is 30 oz. Water filtration & water bottles = 5 oz. Cook kit, including fuel for a week = 14 oz. Headlamp = 1oz, 4 tealights add another 1oz. A 4 oz saw but definitely no axe. Rain jacket & pants 10 oz. ZRE paddle, 7 oz.

And so on.

But we are in canoes, so I add some things back in that I would not if I were backpacking: Chair Zero, Mini Binocs, Ghee & breading for fish fry, one, sometimes two rods + tiny tackle box, a third pair of thick wool socks for sleeping & lounging and a two-person bug net.

I hang food & have a sub-2 oz hang kit.

I'll add that spending some time on the Ultralight board can help - UL backpackers are fierce about cutting pack weight.

Obviously a canoeist is going to have a few things they don't, including a 20-30+ pound hat worn on portages. :-)

Edit: weight of everything I carry (other than worn clothes) for a week solo, to give you a sense: Backpack (including pfd & food) is 25.5 lbs. Canoe (with paddles & rod tied in) is 26 lbs.

Check out Zpacks For some nice UL gear. It will give you a sense of how light you can go.

For a shelter I use a 8.5x11 zpack tarp, a MSR thru hiker (2P), and an amsteel blue ridge line = 1.6 lb. No poles.

SNS, the Hyper D 300 fabric I ordered from Ripstop by the roll has shipped. I am firming up the design design features I want to incorporate into the DIY backpack and hope to start sewing soon.

TacoOverland, as SNS has mentioned this topic has been discussed. There are personal equipment lists provided by others and available that may be of help. Single portaging does not appear to be a popular topic. I think that the majority of members are not capable or choose not to single portage because it doesn't fit their tripping requirements. Either way, I find single portaging easy and enjoyable. I am able to carry what I consider luxury items such as : 2 person tent, freestanding screen shelter, XL sleeping pad, pillow, saw and collapsible chair and still single portage. Come up with an equipment list then work with it and find solutions to any issues that you identify.

John

My first imrpovement would be the ursack vs the BV500. Also maybe look at your clothes. What size pack do you have?

My clothes packing doesn't necessarily change much for duration of trip, maybe an extra pair of skivies or two, but other than that it's pretty much what i've got on my back with an extra set if needed, for the time of year i'd also have a jacket, gloves and stocking cap.

I think you should be able to fit nicely into either 4000-5000 cubic in hiking pack or #3 envelope.

It's going to be all dehydrated food, Ursack, and Ultralight gear. Your cooking gear is a great place to start. Pocket stove, one pot, one cup, One long handle spoon is all you need. I would highly recommend going to a Bike Packing site to see what those guys take. Their space is very limited and are some of the most minimalist wilderness travelers out there. I was able to use a CCS Explorer Pack for 6 days with a little room to spare for everything. I used Tarptent and a quilt for summer time

You will not fit 10-12 days of food in a single BV500. I pack 10 days food in two with room left over for scented toiletries like soap and toothpaste and maybe a few other items. You can probably get 7 days food in one. Two BV500 will fit side by side in a #2 Duluth pack with room on top for tent, tarp and other gear. To hold sleeping bag and clothes would need #3 or bigger. Maybe a large box shaped pack would do it best.

I didn't have a light enough canoe to single portage until I was too old to do it anyway. I have always allowed a space on the second load to tuck in my camera so I can carry and use it on the return walk.

Be careful packing ultralite with food. Freeze dried meals are not really calorie dense. I make up for that in trail mix with a lot of oily nuts and almost zero "granola" One cup of my trail mix has as many calories as a two person FD dinner. I also chose FD dinners with the highest calories. It seems like a lot of food until about day 5 then the calorie craving kicks in.

sedges: "You will not fit 10-12 days of food in a single BV500. I pack 10 days food in two with room left over for scented toiletries like soap and toothpaste and maybe a few other items. You can probably get 7 days food in one. Two BV500 will fit side by side in a #2 Duluth pack with room on top for tent, tarp and other gear. To hold sleeping bag and clothes would need #3 or bigger. Maybe a large box shaped pack would do it best.


I didn't have a light enough canoe to single portage until I was too old to do it anyway. I have always allowed a space on the second load to tuck in my camera so I can carry and use it on the return walk.


Be careful packing ultralite with food. Freeze dried meals are not really calorie dense. I make up for that in trail mix with a lot of oily nuts and almost zero "granola" One cup of my trail mix has as many calories as a two person FD dinner. I also chose FD dinners with the highest calories. It seems like a lot of food until about day 5 then the calorie craving kicks in."

Don’t I know it! I never understand how they can label the meals “2 servings “!

I don’t own a BV 500 was considering it but now thinking Ursack. Much lighter and flexible packing. Trying to decide between the regular Ursack and the Kodiak.

LOL, your comment about the 2 servings made me chuckle. One advantage of being a middle aged woman is I need so few calories. I would have a really hard time eating one of those 2 serving meals!

TacoOverland: "I’m planning a 10-12 day solo trek early this spring (yes I have my permit) and I’m trying to get down to a single pack so I can single portage. My question is; how do I do it? Even taking minimal gear, with the food in a BV 500 and the extra clothes I’m not sure I can get it all in one pack. Would love to hear how others make it work. Tips? Tricks? Second small pack? Thanks "

Like others have said, look to the backpackers and cyclists to get the best hints. A lot of it has to do with what you are willing to go without. Strapping as much as possible to the canoe is a must that I haven't seen mentioned. Do you have a lighter canoe? That can make a huge difference. Like others have said, lay out your gear and ask if you need it. If yes, is there a lighter option?

I can't solo anymore. Too many ankle surgeries and too much enjoyment with good meals, fishing, and videography. But do report back if you are successful...wishing you the best to make it happen!

TacoOverland: ""

I don’t own a BV 500 was considering it but now thinking Ursack. Much lighter and flexible packing. Trying to decide between the regular Ursack and the Kodiak. "

TacoOverland, space and weight are are important factors for single carry but function is also important for the success and enjoyment of the trip. Equipment and procedures that meet one persons requirements may not meet another persons. Be informed and understand the advantages and disadvantages of food storage methods so you can choose what will work best for you.

You may be putting the cart before the horse. Packing, transporting and securing food is an important issue. Have you planned and packaged a menu for your trip? If not, you have know way of knowing what your personal food storage requirements are. I can fit about 7 days of food in a BV 500 and my friend can fit about 10 days of food in one. Our requirements are different.

Once you determine your personal food requirements you have options for transporting and securing it. You can hang it, secure it in an approved container or use a combination. When single portaging your food can be in your possession and the first days food is consumed and therefore doesn't require being hanged or placed in an approved container, this can buy you one days worth of food storage. You can also place several days worth of food into an approved container then hang the food that will not fit for the first days of the trip. I have considered using a canister in conjunction with an Ursack for additional food storage on longer trips. I am not promoting a particular method just introducing options for consideration.

John

John Moore: "SNS, the Hyper D 300 fabric I ordered from Ripstop by the roll has shipped. I am firming up the design design features I want to incorporate into the DIY backpack and hope to start sewing soon.


TacoOverland, as SNS has mentioned this topic has been discussed. There are personal equipment lists provided by others and available that may be of help. Single portaging does not appear to be a popular topic. I think that the majority of members are not capable or choose not to single portage because it doesn't fit their tripping requirements. Either way, I find single portaging easy and enjoyable. I am able to carry what I consider luxury items such as : 2 person tent, freestanding screen shelter, XL sleeping pad, pillow, saw and collapsible chair and still single portage. Come up with an equipment list then work with it and find solutions to any issues that you identify.


John"

John, what are you using for your freestanding screen shelter?

Lanchair107, on a solo trip in addition to my tent I carried a 9'x9' Nemo bugout with poles. The bugout with poles is not a true freestanding shelter but rather semi-freestanding because guy lines and stake are required for support.

I sold the bugout and started taking a 8'x8' foot Magellan freestanding screen house that I modified to reduce size and weight. At 3 lbs. it works well but does not offer protection from wind or wind blown rain without also bringing a tarp or side panels.

I like the Magellan screen house and sewed removable side panels for wind and blowing rain protection but I found a similar screen house that had zip down side panels and I modified it to meet my requirements.

The freestanding screen shelters work so well for me that I may sew a DIY screen shelter that is similar but use lightweight silpoly fabric for more compact lighter weight carry.

I always take a screen shelter but only take it out of my pack when the conditions require it. As a guest I can not post photos here.

John

Very cool- thanks for sharing.

Sounds like a fun trip, whether you end of single or double portaging!

I don't have much to add that has not been said other than emphasizing the need to be brutal about weeding out unnecessary and redundant gear. Oh,and if you haven't already looked at the Solo Tripping sub-forum you might find some good ideas there.

A pack on the back and one on the front is how I'd do it if I was going to do it. My buddy and I take one pack each and a shared food pack. He wears his big one on his back, the food one on the front and I carry the canoe and my big one on the back. We hook a few things to our packs, like the thwart bag with map case, etc. but we can do it. If it's a tough portage, we double it up, but on most normal ones we can single if we choose to.

TacoOverland: "I’m planning a 10-12 day solo trek...with the food in a BV 500... "

Presumably you're going UL and most of the food is dehydrated. If it were me, I'd skip the 2 lb 9 oz BV500 and simply hang the food. A simple waterproof stuff sack (2-3 oz) for the food, 100 ft section of Zing-it (2 oz), and a small clip (< 1 oz) is all you need to easily hang a whatever food you can fit into the BV500. Various methods exist, including the simple PCT method for hanging a bag that's relatively light, say under 15 lb.

plander: "

TacoOverland: "I’m planning a 10-12 day solo trek...with the food in a BV 500... "

Presumably you're going UL and most of the food is dehydrated. If it were me, I'd skip the 2 lb 9 oz BV500 and simply hang the food. A simple waterproof stuff sack (2-3 oz) for the food, 100 ft section of Zing-it (2 oz), and a small clip (< 1 oz) is all you need to easily hang a whatever food you can fit into the BV500. Various methods exist, including the simple PCT method for hanging a bag that's relatively light, say under 15 lb.

"

I am trying to go ultralight. I decided on an Ursack Kodiak as my food bag. All meals will be dehydrated. Pretty well versed in hanging food but also have been on sites with no good tree available. Figure I can tie the Ursack to a tree in those situations.

TacoOverland: "

plander: "

TacoOverland: "I’m planning a 10-12 day solo trek...with the food in a BV 500... "

Presumably you're going UL and most of the food is dehydrated. If it were me, I'd skip the 2 lb 9 oz BV500 and simply hang the food. A simple waterproof stuff sack (2-3 oz) for the food, 100 ft section of Zing-it (2 oz), and a small clip (< 1 oz) is all you need to easily hang a whatever food you can fit into the BV500. Various methods exist, including the simple PCT method for hanging a bag that's relatively light, say under 15 lb.

"

I am trying to go ultralight. I decided on an Ursack Kodiak as my food bag. All meals will be dehydrated. Pretty well versed in hanging food but also have been on sites with no good tree available. Figure I can tie the Ursack to a tree in those situations. "

The last few years I've used a Granite Gear Blaze AC 60 up in the BWCA/Q. I can very easily get everything in it (including fishing tackle) except for food (25 lb total wt). I carry both that pack and the tandem canoe with paddles and rods strapped in (46-50 lb) without any issues. Since I go with a group of four and we have a dedicated food pack there is some double portaging. In the Sierras out west, I take that GG Blaze pack, much of the same gear (except a much smaller amount of fishing gear), and a Bearikade canister (expedition size) full of food. Total is about 35-36 lb, including food for a week, which is probably close to the weight limit of that pack. It's totally doable to solo and single portage with UL stuff.

TacoOverland, I single portage and practice transitions from water to land. I have not timed it and do not race but am guessing that it takes about one minute for me to exit the water at a portage. As long as the water depth and terrain allow I normally exit and enter the canoe while standing in the water. At the start of the portage I step out of the canoe in the water, stow my PFD under the seat, don my backpack, stow my paddle along the gunnel, attach my food canister to the front of my backpack then place the canoe on my shoulders and exit the water. This allows me to cross portages from water to water quickly and easily.

I did a seven day trip in the BWCA last year with a friend. We practice what is sometimes called group solo. We each carry our own equipment and food, we travel and camp together but are completely self sufficient. On this trip the only common equipment shared was the tandem canoe. He carried his backpack, his food canister and his PFD across the portages and I carried my backpack, my food canister, both paddles, my PFD and the canoe across. I mentioned before that I take comfort equipment such as a large tent, screen house and chair. My backpack weight was about 35 lbs, food canister about 15 lbs and the canoe with paddles and PFD about 50 lbs. My total portage weight at the start was about 100 lbs.

I carried the same equipment and canoe on a solo trip two years earlier so I thought this my be helpful information for the trip you are planning. As a guest I can not post photos but my friend took some short videos of portaging when I was unaware and sent them to me. I will post links that you can copy and paste to your menu bar of water exit and entry on our last trip if you want to view them.


https://photos.app.goo.gl/4Dbhum6FqUEUQsKz9



https://photos.google.com/album/AF1QipPEybmE1M6BGl6adV_R9ZJ28ajFswvKhvCx5dGt/photo/AF1QipOm-3_FyvkV_pe-PANG0fFuinKpXQ84mqyDJdYG




John

TacoOverland: "I’m planning a 10-12 day solo trek early this spring (yes I have my permit) and I’m trying to get down to a single pack so I can single portage. My question is; how do I do it? Even taking minimal gear, with the food in a BV 500 and the extra clothes I’m not sure I can get it all in one pack. Would love to hear how others make it work. Tips? Tricks? Second small pack? Thanks "

If the issue is volume, and not weight, I suggest using a smaller pack that can ride on your front side while the larger rides on your back.

As usual folks have offered lots of good advice and I’m sure using some of it will allow you to achieve your goal of single portaging. Like most have said you need to parse out out what is necessary and what are wants in order to cut weight and volume. Another angle is to apply this same metric to your decision of wanting to single portage in the first place. How important is single portaging to your enjoyment of the trip? Do you have a bunch of long portages where multiple trips would limit your route goals?Would packing ultralight prevent you from doing other things you might enjoy as much or more than single portaging (fishing, photography, drinking a growler of beer from a comfy chair on a lake)?
I personally enjoy going ultralight, but not always, sometimes I choose different priorities. Just thought I’d throw that out there before you go to far down a rabbit hole planning your trip. Good luck I’m sure you’ll get it figured out.

907Tundra: "As usual folks have offered lots of good advice and I’m sure using some of it will allow you to achieve your goal of single portaging. Like most have said you need to parse out out what is necessary and what are wants in order to cut weight and volume. Another angle is to apply this same metric to your decision of wanting to single portage in the first place. How important is single portaging to your enjoyment of the trip? Do you have a bunch of long portages where multiple trips would limit your route goals?Would packing ultralight prevent you from doing other things you might enjoy as much or more than single portaging (fishing, photography, drinking a growler of beer from a comfy chair on a lake)?
I personally enjoy going ultralight, but not always, sometimes I choose different priorities. Just thought I’d throw that out there before you go to far down a rabbit hole planning your trip. Good luck I’m sure you’ll get it figured out."

All great points. There are several long and difficult ( rated 8-9) on the route so ideally I single portage. However, to your point about enjoying other pursuits; I enjoy fishing and photography very much. That said, my camera is heavy and while I do have a smaller high quality digital camera it’s not nearly as fun or capable. In the end, I’m going to try and get my kit down as light as I can but if the single pack is very heavy I may well decide to go with two light packs and suck it up on double portaging.

We have taken BV500's as well as Ursacks. The reason I have stayed with BV500's is that I can see what is in them, you can literally sit on them as a chair, no need to tie to a tree, and no chance of a mouse or smaller getting into the sack.

the key to getting more in a BV500 is to take the meals out of the vacuum packs they came in, put them in zip locks, and squeeze out all the air. Then stack the ziplocks up in the BV500 based on which is to be eaten first. You can't do this in a Ursack as you will crush whatever is in the ziplocks.

FYI: I was able to get an entre and side item of dehydrated foods into a BV500 for 4 nights for 6 guys.

Taco,
I generally agree with the sentiment expressed by 907 Tundra. Since you already have a pretty large chunk of time in 10-12 days for your trip, what's the rush? Many folks have the idea in their head that portages are things that interfere with the real trip. If you can get past that and enjoy them for a change of pace, different views and often good photography opportunities, and understand that they are as integral to the BWCA experience as is the paddling it might make you feel less inclined to have to rush through them.

Another point is since you are solo and with that amount of time perhaps in some more remote areas, the risk of injury is more critical. Trying to overload yourself on a portage, especially some 8-9 rated portages could potentially increase that risk of injury - just one bad step is all it takes. Taking your time with a reasonable load reduces that risk somewhat, at least in theory.

As mentioned, accepting double portaging also allows you to not worry quite so much about weight and bring a few extras that will add to the enjoyment of your trip(thinking chair, fishing gear, the good camera, etc.)

If single portaging will add to your enjoyment of the trip, go for it. But portages dont have to be the enemy and something to get done as quickly as possible, but rather just anotherl part of a BWCA canoe trip, to be enjoyed along with everything else.

The OP's original question was " single pack so I can single portage; how do I do it? ". For multiple portages simply take whatever will fit in the canoe.

Interesting that people are trying to steer the OP towards double portaging as if single portaging is somehow odd. I single portage to get further along, and no I'm not in a hurry like some suggest. I see it as double portaging takes time away from the water, especially on longer portages.. A lot of people also enjoy seeing how they can get along with a lot less stuff. You would be surprised on how little you need and enjoy the trip as much as anyone. Maybe more since you load is much lighter.

Blatz, I so agree. Just because someone single portages doesn't mean they are in a rush. Once I finally trimmed my stuff to be a safe weight for a "closer to 60 than to 50" woman to carry, I found I really loved single portaging. I am less tired, I have more time to explore places without worrying if I will get to my destination in time to find a campsite, and I don't have to worry about taking up space on a portage or leaving gear unattended.

Sorry if I came off as trying to dissuade from single portaging - I guess I was. I have never been able to even get close to that point so I have convinced myself to just relax and enjoy the portages, especially the walk back after the first load with camera in hand. Good time to see and enjoy the woods, flowers, rocks and water features that might be there. Plus I am too much in the camp of "Be Prepared" and I build a lot of redundancy into my gear. Just in case. And as I get older I also build more comfort into my gear as our trips are usually pretty mellow.

For whatever reason someone wants to single portage that is great and there are definite advantages. My only concern would be someone so intent on it that they overload themselves and increase the risk of injury - especially when solo.

Upon reflection I realize that everyone's goals are different for a trip and for those that enjoy covering a lot of ground/water single portaging makes perfect sense. During or after the trip each individual can decide if they had enough in the way of clothing, gear and food for the conditions they experienced. i definitely admire those who go light and understand that this can be part of the goal of the trip in itself. Unfortunately I cannot be of any help in how to pack for a trip like that because I am on the other end of the spectrum. Good Luck, hope it works out great.

I am knocking on the door of 60 and as my screen name suggests, I single portage. As I have gotten older my gear has gotten lighter. But on longer trips the pack gets heavy and choices must be made. Don't be afraid to double on the really tough ones. Exhausting yourself on a killer portage will take it's toll and likely slow you down later.

Be flexible, safe and have a good trip.

You should be able to carry everything you need for temps down past freezing in a 32 lb 60 L pack w/o difficulty. I can do that, including a small 4-liter Bare Boxer, folding bow saw, 1 lb knife, extra emergency fire starter, and 2 liters water. That's what I backpack with. For BWCA canoeing I would carry a tent for bugs and a UL tarp (for sitting out the rainy days)

Calorie-dense UL food is pretty easy as it turns out if you find a resource that works for ya - I'm currently subscribed to https://backcountryfoodie.com because their setup provides a complete grocery shopping list once I build my meals from their recipes. Nothing is cheap, but this is the first resource that really moved me to making my own (and low-sodium) meals from off-the-Amazon-shelf dehydrated ingredients.

I would take a smaller pack that you can wear on your chest just for food or a lightweight item that doesn't fit in your pack. I've done that and it's not perfect, but workable. Practice it before you leave.

And as been suggested - drop the packs and not kill yourself doing a hard single-carry portage.

I use lighter pack to lower weight were I can. I also am aware of bulk, since I have found that fitting everything into one pack is harder than it seems. So I concentrate both on size and weight of gear. It is really hard not taking a favorite item. One of my weaknesses is a chair.
As far as food, I try an balance daily calories to prevent bringing excessive amounts of food. I also worry about bulk with food packaging. I remove as much extra packaging and possible, and if the bag is just too big (filled with air), I will repackage it to a smaller Mylar bag. The biggest issue I have on +7 day trips is fitting all the food into one bear safe storage item. Although I have used the BV500 in the past and always debate using it, the fact that it is not compressible and weighs so much always pushes me to another method. My present strategy is one DSF (cuben fiber) bag that I hang and one Ursack XL that I tie. This setup has enough room for at least 18 days of food. So, one bag goes in my main pack and the other (DSF) is carried until small enough to fit inside. I use the food in the DSF first, because I am not a fan of hanging food.
If I had a larger main pack, I suppose I could fit it all. But I like the ability to distribute the weight for the times I do double portages.

As always, lots of great ideas and ways of thinking about the issue. I really appreciate everyone taking time to share their thoughts.

Lots of good info in this thread, but you never mentioned what size pack you're trying to get everything into. I solo and single carry with a 70-liter Seal Line and I'm not even remotely ultra-light. I can get my food and everything in there if I'm eating freeze-dried, and will carry a small additional dry back as a food pack if absolutely necessary. You may just need a bigger pack. One of the people a trip with uses a 90-liter and had room to spare. We always each go in solo canoes and always single-carry.

I fit everything into a 60 liter Arc Haul so I think I am pretty dialed in. But after each trip I sort the gear into a needed pile, a used but not really needed pile and a never used pile. I am always shocked at how much I still bring that I don't really need.

We tend to pack our fears. Afraid of running out of food. Afraid of needing more clothes. Afraid we will need an expedition level first aid kit. Mine is running out of fishing lures.

After my late September trip last year I repacked only the gear that I needed, including fishing gear, and headed back in for a quick three day trip. I was comfortable and had a great time.

I like to go minimal to keep my camp small and tidy, a smaller visual impact on the wilderness. I find that my mind is less cluttered when my space is less cluttered. Easier travel due to less weight is just a bonus.

We should all "hike in our own hike". Do it the way that makes you happy. I would be miserable hauling in some of the triple portage loads that push a canoes capacity to the edge, but if that works for you, that is what you should do.

My only request is that you let guys like me who are out of the canoe and on the portage in less than 30 seconds slip ahead or past you.

Happy travels!