Have you ever gone on a backpacking trip or a weekend climbing outing and realized you forgot something essential? I’m sure it’s no surprise to you that there have been a handful of times where Joe and I forgot to pack something we really needed in order to make a trip more enjoyable…like the time our group of four all managed to forget to grab the fuel on a week long backpacking trip into the Wind Rivers. Thankfully, our friend Jim (who was meeting us in the backcountry) had packed enough to get us by. Or the time Joe remembered to pack everything but his harness for an ice climbing outing with a friend. Fortunately, he knew how to rig a harness together out of webbing, but boy, was that uncomfortable!
I tend to always make lists before packing for trips, but sometimes in the craziness of life things get left out, so a couple of years ago I decided to make a master outdoor list. It encompasses backpacking, camping, and climbing, so it can be used for just one or all of these sports. I always do a check through this list to trigger my mind in case I have forgotten to pack anything. It has really been a great reference, and I hope that some of you will get use out of it, too. Feel free to add anything you find valuable or essential to a thorough outdoor list! I’m always updating 🙂
