Comments on: Colin Fletcher Book Raffle – Leave a Comment http://sectionhiker.com/2009/03/03/colin-fletcher-book-raffle-leave-a-comment/ Lightweight backpacking for beginners and experts Wed, 17 Mar 2010 01:46:26 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Jim Muller http://sectionhiker.com/2009/03/03/colin-fletcher-book-raffle-leave-a-comment/comment-page-1/#comment-2737 Jim Muller Mon, 04 May 2009 17:02:53 +0000 http://sectionhiker.com/?p=3126#comment-2737 I started camping and backpacking in NYS Adirondack Mtns in the late 1960s. My camping buddy and I were trial and error campers gradually improving our gear and techniques. In 1972 I borrowed a copy of The Complete Walker from the library and discovered there was a science to backpacking. Colin Fletcher had opinions on gear and technique and presented his logic for his choices. I was inspired. I can’t say that I adopted all his recommendations, but I certainly gave most a try. I hiked with a walking stick (short lived); I left college one weekend to solo camp along the Susquehanna River; I made breakfast while still in my sleeping bag. Through the years I read every version of his book: The Complete Walker (1968), The New Complete Walker (1974), The Complete Walker III (1984) and most recently, The Complete Walker IV – re-reading the early versions just for the joy. My parents provided encouragement by buying The Man Who Walked Through Time as a Christmas present. I backpacked vicariously during long upstate NY winter. I am now 56 with bi-lateral hip replacements and any long haul backpacking trips are behind me, but Fletcher’s inspiration remains. I continue to day-hike, canoe camp (http://www.theswirl.org/canoe-trips/) and snow camp, (www.WinterCampers.com). Colin Fletcher’s Complete Walker has been credited with starting the backpacking industry in the 1970s – he certainly did with me. I started camping and backpacking in NYS Adirondack Mtns in the late 1960s. My camping buddy and I were trial and error campers gradually improving our gear and techniques. In 1972 I borrowed a copy of The Complete Walker from the library and discovered there was a science to backpacking. Colin Fletcher had opinions on gear and technique and presented his logic for his choices.
I was inspired. I can’t say that I adopted all his recommendations, but I certainly gave most a try. I hiked with a walking stick (short lived); I left college one weekend to solo camp along the Susquehanna River; I made breakfast while still in my sleeping bag.
Through the years I read every version of his book: The Complete Walker (1968), The New Complete Walker (1974), The Complete Walker III (1984) and most recently, The Complete Walker IV – re-reading the early versions just for the joy. My parents provided encouragement by buying The Man Who Walked Through Time as a Christmas present. I backpacked vicariously during long upstate NY winter.
I am now 56 with bi-lateral hip replacements and any long haul backpacking trips are behind me, but Fletcher’s inspiration remains. I continue to day-hike, canoe camp (http://www.theswirl.org/canoe-trips/) and snow camp, (www.WinterCampers.com).
Colin Fletcher’s Complete Walker has been credited with starting the backpacking industry in the 1970s – he certainly did with me.

]]> By: perrito http://sectionhiker.com/2009/03/03/colin-fletcher-book-raffle-leave-a-comment/comment-page-1/#comment-2542 perrito Mon, 06 Apr 2009 16:34:41 +0000 http://sectionhiker.com/?p=3126#comment-2542 I've read quite a few thru hike journals and can definitely recommend "AWOL on the Appalachian Trail". Very well written. Others I liked are "A Walk For Sunshine", "On the Beaten Path" and "Walkin' on the Happy Side of Misery" (although the schitzo thing got old after a while). "Zero Days", a journal of a family of 3 that hiked the PCT is also worth a read. I’ve read quite a few thru hike journals and can definitely recommend “AWOL on the Appalachian Trail”. Very well written.
Others I liked are “A Walk For Sunshine”, “On the Beaten Path” and “Walkin’ on the Happy Side of Misery” (although the schitzo thing got old after a while).
“Zero Days”, a journal of a family of 3 that hiked the PCT is also worth a read.

]]> By: Earlylite http://sectionhiker.com/2009/03/03/colin-fletcher-book-raffle-leave-a-comment/comment-page-1/#comment-2502 Earlylite Thu, 02 Apr 2009 12:10:38 +0000 http://sectionhiker.com/?p=3126#comment-2502 Tom - Thanks for sharing those with us. I'm going to have to get these. They sound like they had a big impact on your experience and relation to the outdoors. Tom – Thanks for sharing those with us. I’m going to have to get these. They sound like they had a big impact on your experience and relation to the outdoors.

]]> By: Tom Murphy http://sectionhiker.com/2009/03/03/colin-fletcher-book-raffle-leave-a-comment/comment-page-1/#comment-2450 Tom Murphy Thu, 26 Mar 2009 17:06:46 +0000 http://sectionhiker.com/?p=3126#comment-2450 I came across this book two summers ago while on a stay at the AMC Galehead Hut with my son. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/088150257X?ie=UTF8&tag=ultrarevie-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=088150257X" rel="nofollow">Backwoods Ethics: A Guide to Low-Impact Camping and Hiking</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ultrarevie-20&l=as2&o=1&a=088150257X" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> By Laura & Guy Waterman. This book and its companion <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0881502561?ie=UTF8&tag=ultrarevie-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=0881502561" rel="nofollow">Wilderness Ethics: Preserving the Spirit of Wildness,</a><img src="http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=ultrarevie-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0881502561" width="1" height="1" border="0" alt="" style="border:none !important; margin:0px !important;" /> were a revelation for me. I had read about the Leave No Trace philosophy and techniques but these books put an exclamation point on the whole concept and its importance. As a result of reading these books, I strive to leave the forest untouched by my passing while my time in the woods affects me profoundly. - TJM I came across this book two summers ago while on a stay at the AMC Galehead Hut with my son.

Backwoods Ethics: A Guide to Low-Impact Camping and Hiking By Laura & Guy Waterman. This book and its companion Wilderness Ethics: Preserving the Spirit of Wildness, were a revelation for me.

I had read about the Leave No Trace philosophy and techniques but these books put an exclamation point on the whole concept and its importance.

As a result of reading these books, I strive to leave the forest untouched by my passing while my time in the woods affects me profoundly. – TJM

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