On the Trail

Packing a Pack/Pack Adjustment

Remember to help your FOPpers with this before you set off each morning. Well-fitted packs can allow for a more comfortable hike, and happier people all day! While internal-frame packs dominate the backpack market today, most of the strategies described here apply to any pack wearer.

Weight distribution:

Always put your heaviest items close to your back, centered between your shoulder blades.
You are the ultimate judge of comfort. Experiment with different load arrangements to determine what feels best to you.
Other tips:
- Stuff your sleeping bag into the bottom of your pack’s main compartment first.
- Squeeze in any additional lightweight items you won’t need until bedtime
- If carrying liquid fuel, make sure your fuel bottle cap is on tightly. Pack this below your food in case of a spill.
- Don’t waste empty space. For example, put a small item of clothing inside your cooking pots.
- Keep often-used items where you can easily get to them. This includes your map, compass, GPS, sunscreen, sunglasses, headlamp, bug spray, first-aid kit, snacks, rain gear and pack-cover.
- Tighten all compression straps to limit any load-shifting.

Six Steps to a Great Fit

Step 1: Hipbelt

First make sure all the pack’s straps and hipbelt are loosened.
Put the pack on your back so that the hipbelt is resting over your hip bones.
Close the hipbelt buckle and tighten it.
Check the padded sections of the hipbelt to make sure they wrap around your hips comfortably. Keep at least 1” of clearance on either side of the center buckle.
Note: If the hipbelt is too loose or tight, try repositioning the buckle pieces on the hipbelt straps. If this doesn’t solve the problem, you may need a different pack (or hipbelt).

Step 2: Shoulder Straps

Pull down and back on the ends of the shoulder straps to tighten them.
Shoulder straps should fit closely and wrap over and around your shoulder, holding the pack body against your back. They should NOT be carrying the weight.
Have your helper check to see that the shoulder strap anchor points are 1” to 2” inches below the top of your shoulders.

Step 3: Load Lifters

Load-lifter straps are located just below the tops of your shoulders (near your collarbones) and should angle back toward the pack body at a 45-degree angle.
Gently snug the load-lifter straps to pull weight off your shoulders. (Overtightening the load lifters will cause a gap to form between your shoulders and the shoulder straps.)

Step 4: Sternum Strap

Adjust the sternum strap to a comfortable height across your chest.
Buckle the sternum strap and tighten until the shoulder straps are pulled in comfortably from your shoulders, allowing your arms to move freely.

Step 5: Stabilizer Straps

Pull the stabilizer straps located on either side of the hipbelt to snug the pack body toward the hipbelt and stabilize the load.

Step 6: Final Tweak

Go back to the shoulder straps and carefully take a bit of tension off of them. Now you’re ready to go!

Travel

When traveling with a group, it’s extremely important that everyone stay together. Try to keep a pace that’s suitable for everyone; it’s often helpful to put the slowest person in the front. Be aware of issues that may arise in a group of widely disparate hiking ability. One common problem is that faster hikers habitually get ahead and then stop until everyone catches up - so that they feel well rested when the slower hikers haven’t had a break at all. Be sure you are aware of all the hiking and canoeing rules in the “Policies and Procedures” section of the handbook.

Wilderness Travel Pointers

Leaders should always sweep: have one leader towards the front and one in the back. The lead and the sweep should always be in earshot of each other.
When hiking up steep terrain, you will use less energy by taking many small steps than several large big ones. Plant the whole sole of your foot against the hill, so that you don’t bounce too much on your Achilles tendon and injure it.
Walking downhill, remember to cushion each step as gently as possible with your knees.
When following a trail, stay on it (including log crossings over marshy areas if they are not too slippery). Taking a short cut on a switch back or avoiding a muddy trail by walking on the vegetation causes unnecessary erosion. Walk through mud! If a trail is impassable walk on as many hard surfaces as possible.
Take rest breaks at least 15 feet away from the trail. Put all your packs to one side of the trail to accommodate other hikers.
Pick up any litter if you can; FOP can help the environment and improve things for everyone by collecting trash on every trip. We strongly encourage this in all groups: leave things better than you found them!
Strive to get your group to be sensitive to the noise and space impact they can have on others; someone enjoying a quiet trip solo or with a couple of friends can be rudely surprised by a large, noisy group on the trail.
Respect the needs of birds and animals for undisturbed territory, and resist the temptation to feed them; this upsets the natural balance of their food chain. Pick up spilled food.
Tell your FOPpers these tips!

Night Travel

You should do everything possible to avoid hiking at night because it is extremely dangerous. Waking up early and hitting the trail by 9 can help reduce the need to hike at night. If it becomes necessary, keep in mind the following guidelines:

Go slowly and carefully. The potential for injury becomes much greater after dark. Tired and hungry, your FOPpers are more likely to be irritable and uncoordinated.
Keep the group together. Stay close enough so that the back end of the line can communicate with the person in front.
One leader should lead the group and the other should bring up the rear. Keep everyone else in between them, so that no one can disappear. Make sure, however, that the rear person does not fall behind.
Everyone should have their flashlights/headlamps on.
As soon as it begins to get dark, if not earlier, have a contingency plan in mind. Is there somewhere else you can camp?
Keep in mind that depth perception and reflexes are heavily impaired by darkness. Be alert and highly aware of the trail and your surroundings.

Stream Crossings

Things to Consider

Before crossing a river, both FOPpers and leaders should be made aware of the dangers of river crossing and the conditions they face in crossing. Stream crossings can be highly hazardous. As with any other safety risks, you must exercise sound judgment in determining where and when to cross a stream/river. A stream crossing at high water has the potential to be the most dangerous situation you face on your trip. The following are a list of hazards composed by Jed Williamson that you should consider when you come to a river that you need to cross.

Width: The width of the river. Remember wider rivers are sometimes shallower and slower.
Depth: Both the average depth and the depth at specific sites (note location of holes and sand bars).
Velocity: How fast the river is running.
Volume: How much water is traveling through the section of the river in front of you.
Color: Is the water clear or is it very turbulent. Are you able to see the bottom and potential obstacles?
Bottom Composition: Stones, rocks, sand or mud. Rocks can turn ankles and crush feet. You can get stuck in mud and it can conceal sharp objects.
Obstacles: Large boulders, branches, or holes.
Configuration: What the path of the river is. Many bends or eddies? Where does it originate? This could give you a clue to possibilities of flooding or different obstacles.
Time of Day: On training trips there could be snow melt if trying to cross in the afternoon.
Weather history and current weather: Rain or no rain? Possibility of lightning, then don’t cross.
Water temperature: Avoid hypothermia. If the water is cold it is more of a hazard if people fall in.
Aids for Crossing: Do you need to use poles? Each other? Careful in using a tree branch that stretches across the river - it is a water hazard that could pin a participant.
Technique used: Walking across, tripod method (three people locking onto each others elbows, supporting each other while crossing), the wedge, or the daisy chain. (For the purposes of FOP, if you have to consider using these methods you should probably not cross at all.)
Skill level and strength of the participants: Beginners (more likely to panic and not sure of their abilities or comfort levels) or more experienced.
Attitude of Participants: Is anyone afraid?

River Rating System

These factors should all be used to determine a rating for a river. Jed Williamson has developed a simple generic rating system that can be used as a guideline:

Easy: Water level ankle to shin deep. Clear. Often in late summer.
Moderate: Various boulders on the bottom, water covers half to three quarters of them. Water is shin to knee deep. Clear. Found year round but in early summer usually only in morning when low temperatures have reduced the snow run off.
Difficult: Water depth knee high or just below. Water velocity is forceful, 4-6 knots, water is reasonably clear. Often happens in times of high rain or high snow melt.
Very Difficult: Water depth is above knees with big boulders and rocks on the bottom. Water could be opaque and velocity is forceful at 5-7 knots. Maximum snow melt and very heavy rain produce these conditions.
Extremely Difficult: Water depth above knees, boulders and rocks where one’s foot could get wedged underneath. Generally opaque, brown and muddy. Velocity is very forceful, difficulty standing at over 7 knots.

These ratings are very general. Ratings from Very Difficult to Extremely Difficult denote rivers where crossings should not be attempted. Rating from Moderate to Difficult can be attempted if the leaders deem it fair, but forms of support should be considered such as the tripod crossing (see above) or using long poles or sticks, and people not crossing should stand down river as ‘spotters’ (people who can assist should someone get swept off their feet).

Making the Crossing

In addition, remember you have flexibility in deciding when, where, and how to cross. Try the route yourself with your pack off, but don’t subject yourself to unnecessary risks. If the cross is at all questionable for a pack-less leader, it isn’t worth trying with the group because it won’t be safe for your FOPpers, either. Be safe, take your time finding the best route, and consider the following:

Where to cross:
- Walk along the bank of the stream and look for the easiest route; it may not be on the trail.
- Find a wide, shallow area without a lot of obstacles.
- Find a place where the banks are not overly steep.
- Try not to cross at a bend in the stream (uneven current that creates an uneven bed may present unexpected obstacles).
- Do not cross upstream of hazards such as a drop (waterfall), strainers, etc.
- Only cross on logs when they are securely on the ground.
Crossing methods:
- Tripod: Have three FOPpers hold hands in a ring and cross by rotating slowly, with one person moving at a time
- Pyramid: Arrange FOPpers in an arrow pointing upstream and cross slowly as a group. For this method it might be a good idea to put the strongest FOPpers in the very tip of the arrow, because they will be getting the brunt of the current, while those in the interior and on the sides will have an easier time.
Things to note:
- Before anyone crosses, instruct your FOPpers in crossing procedure and familiarize them with the nuances of the cross.
- Undo the hip belt and sternum straps of your pack before you cross so that you can quickly remove it if necessary.
- “Feel out” each step with your foot before you commit your weight to it.
- Avoid stepping on wet, slippery rocks or rocks that will shift easily.
- If necessary, carry a stick to help maintain your balance and test footing.
- Never face downstream, as the force of the river could cause your legs to buckle. Either sidestep facing upstream or walk perpendicular to the current.
- FOPpers should be instructed that in the unlikely event that they are swept off their feet they should get out of their pack and into the position where their feet are facing downstream and their heads upstream so any obstacles will hit their feet first, not their head. They should then try to get to the side of the river, where someone can help them out.

Road Crossings

Road crossing is much more dangerous than it may seem. It is important to take precautions and cross safely.

Do not linger by a road. Stop far away from it to give FOPpers a safety briefing. Get the group across quickly and make adjustments there.
Make sure you have 200 feet of visibility in each direction. If you do not, you should have a leader act as spotter to let the group know when it is safe to cross. This is especially important when crossing in a spot where there are curves in the road.
Line up single-file along the road, with a leader at each end of the group, and communicate when everyone should begin walking across the road at the same time. Cross quickly and in a group.
If you have to walk along a road, walk in a line single file on the side of the road facing traffic and as far from the road as possible.

Tips

You can use personal tarps as extra raingear in lightening drills and big downpours.
If you notice your FOPpers only hiking next to certain people, mix up the order by having them hike in order of birthdays, height, or something similar.

FOP Leader Handbook