{"id":625,"date":"2014-09-22T09:00:22","date_gmt":"2014-09-22T16:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/?p=625"},"modified":"2018-11-11T21:53:27","modified_gmt":"2018-11-12T05:53:27","slug":"the-joys-of-minimalism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/the-joys-of-minimalism","title":{"rendered":"The Joys of Minimalism"},"content":{"rendered":"

His legs quivered like a baby deer. We were only two hours from the trailhead in gorgeous North Cascades National Park<\/a>, where I was guiding a six-day mountaineering course. The other clients carried normal, full-sized loads. His pack weighed at least 90 pounds.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ve all seen it before. Maybe it\u2019s even been you. The telltale, sourpuss scowl usually gives it away. Lugging too much weight will do that to you.<\/p>\n

Remember that ounces become pounds. Without scrutiny, a 20-pound pack can quickly bloat to 40 pounds of \u201cit doesn\u2019t weigh much, just bring it\u201d items. Also remember that part of why we go is for the brilliant contrast to everyday life. Bring only what you need, and most of what you bring should serve more than one purpose.<\/p>\n

But I want to be comfortable out there<\/em>, goes the dangerous refrain. Be warned: This mentality may lead to side effects, including excessive fatigue, malaise, mood swings, a sore back, aching feet, and an inability to appreciate nature\u2019s beauty.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat are those?\u201d I asked sharply, staring at the yellow things on the ground when my client finally unpacked. I\u2019d yet to learn the old guide\u2019s trick of making clients empty their packs beforehand, and forcing them to remove anything unnecessary. Dish gloves. The yellow things were dish gloves. He\u2019d brought dish gloves to base camp. Plus a container of liquid soap and a sponge. From there, it\u2019s easy to imagine how his pack became so massive. (By the way, a little snow and some dirt for scouring work perfectly well for cleaning camp dishes or, just re-cook in the same pot. Make some tea with organic floaters. It won\u2019t kill you, and it might even taste good. Likewise, you can and should wear the same shirt every day. Get dirty. Embrace it.)<\/p>\n

Once we\u2019d set up base camp, a couple of the guys wanted to go climbing. Mr. Dish Gloves was too wrecked \u2013 not a good start to his course \u2013 and sat exhausted in camp while the rest of us enjoyed a glorious afternoon.<\/p>\n

The lesson is simple, whether on a day-hike or a multi-night outing: The less you carry, the further and swifter you can travel, the more you can see, and the more you\u2019ll experience.<\/p>\n

Of course it\u2019s a balance, and nobody wants to be unprepared. I\u2019m not suggesting that anyone run around naked with face paint (save that for the desert festivals).<\/p>\n

You\u2019ll be surprised at what you can do without. It\u2019s more philosophy than formula. But when you get to camp with the physical and mental reserves to hike to the ridgeline to watch the sun set, it\u2019ll be far more memorable than having deodorant, pajamas, or an extra pot and pan. I guarantee it. If I\u2019m wrong, I\u2019ll send you a brand new pair of dish gloves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

His legs quivered like a baby deer. We were only two hours from the trailhead in gorgeous North Cascades National Park, where I was guiding a six-day mountaineering course. The other clients carried normal, full-sized loads. His pack weighed at least 90 pounds. We\u2019ve all seen it before. Maybe it\u2019s even been you. The telltale, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":626,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[387],"tags":[15,8,183,113,138,143],"internal-tag":[1673],"class_list":["post-625","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hike","tag-backpacking","tag-hike","tag-kelly-cordes","tag-national-park","tag-united-states","tag-washington","internal-tag-pre-redirect-hike"],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","canonical_url":"https:\/\/rei.com\/blog\/hike\/the-joys-of-minimalism","smart_links":{"inbound":0,"outbound":0},"traffic_boost_suggestions_count":0,"meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"The Joys of Minimalism","url":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/the-joys-of-minimalism","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"http:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/hike\/the-joys-of-minimalism"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2014\/09\/joys-of-minimalism.jpg?resize=150%2C150","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.rei.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2014\/09\/joys-of-minimalism.jpg?fit=1500%2C1125"},"articleSection":"Hike","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Angela Crampton"}],"creator":["Angela Crampton"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Uncommon Path \u2013 An REI Co-op Publication","logo":""},"keywords":["backpacking","hike","kelly cordes","national parks","united states","washington"],"dateCreated":"2014-09-22T16:00:22Z","datePublished":"2014-09-22T16:00:22Z","dateModified":"2018-11-12T05:53:27Z"},"rendered":"