10 Day DIY Backpacking Questions, Advice

[Bubba94]

I am relatively new to backpacking and am going to be chasing elk for 10 days in Central Idaho during late September. I have slowly gathered my gear together and my question is this. How many pounds should my pack weigh, including food, for this trip? Also, would it be better to split the gear in half and resupply at the truck about halfway through the trip? My hunting companions and I are planning on hiking in 3+ miles from the truck. Thanks in advance!

 

[mproberts]

I think if you are asking these questions you likely would be best to plan on a resupply, especially if you are only going in around 3 miles. 10 days in one haul takes a combination of good planning, good gear and above average fitness. To simplify things since you are a bit newer I would just plan on the resupply, but obviously there are a bunch of unknown factors for your personal situation you need to consider.

 

[Bubba94]

mproberts, thanks for your reply. I would consider myself to be in decent shape, but you do bring up a good point that I'm not truly that far from the truck. I think a resupply would be best, especially since one of my hunting partners had surgery on his ACL this past spring.

 

[Dos Perros]

3 miles isn't very far, depending on the vertical. Definitely a resupply in there somewhere. Plus you'll probably blow all the animals out at some point and want to relocate to a new spot. In 10 days you might look at 3 or 4 "spots," and maybe quite a few more.

If it's a spot where you go in 3 miles and then can go all sorts of directions, you could always pack in all your food to that spot and cache it, but then you're committed to coming back to it, and you risk a bear getting it. Just depends how big the country is and how you feel about moving through it, if you can exit a different trail than you entered, all that stuff.

It's nearly August, so your pack weighs what your pack weighs, just go hunt.

 

[Northernpiker]

10 days can be done but it takes a lot of food. A lot depends on the terrain you're entering and exiting. If you're chasing elk most days and keeping positive state of mind. It's an adventure, enjoy.

 

[Bubba94]

3 miles isn't very far, depending on the vertical. Definitely a resupply in there somewhere. Plus you'll probably blow all the animals out at some point and want to relocate to a new spot. In 10 days you might look at 3 or 4 "spots," and maybe quite a few more.

If it's a spot where you go in 3 miles and then can go all sorts of directions, you could always pack in all your food to that spot and cache it, but then you're committed to coming back to it, and you risk a bear getting it. Just depends how big the country is and how you feel about moving through it, if you can exit a different trail than you entered, all that stuff.

It's nearly August, so your pack weighs what your pack weighs, just go hunt.

You have made some pretty good points. Thank you! I imagine we will be hunting at least 3 predetermined areas during the trip.

 

[OFFHNTN]

I agree with others and plan to come out at the halfway point. There will be a good chance someone has an elk down, and you will need to come out anyway prior to the 10 day mark. No sense busting your @ss hauling in 10 days worth of stuff if you might be coming out on day 3 or 4 with elk meat. You can resupply then on your way back in.
5 days of food, camp, gear, etc weighs around 55 lbs for me.

 

[Bubba94]

10 days can be done but it takes a lot of food. A lot depends on the terrain you're entering and exiting. If you're chasing elk most days and keeping positive state of mind. It's an adventure, enjoy.

Thanks, Northernpiker.

 

[Bubba94]

I agree with others and plan to come out at the halfway point. There will be a good chance someone has an elk down, and you will need to come out anyway prior to the 10 day mark. No sense busting your @ss hauling in 10 days worth of stuff if you might be coming out on day 3 or 4 with elk meat. You can resupply then on your way back in.
5 days of food, camp, gear, etc weighs around 55 lbs for me.

Thanks for giving me a weight to go off of, OFFHNTN. I do understand that weight is dependent on many factors, especially what specific gear you run. I think I have some pretty good gear, but I am not to the point of buying ultralight yet....

 

[idahohikker]

Resupply every few days and hit new areas. Don’t get married to any country even if it looks real rlly and has sign.

 

[Scooter90254]

Another vote for resupply. Even if you stay in the area a hike to the truck mid day will be fine.

What’s your plan for water. Hauling 10 days of water would be real tough and it’s not always as easy to find as people think.

 

[Bubba94]

Another vote for resupply. Even if you stay in the area a hike to the truck mid day will be fine.

What’s your plan for water. Hauling 10 days of water would be real tough and it’s not always as easy to find as people think.

There are creeks within a mile of the area's I am hunting. I am not sure whether or not they'll be dry by the end of September though.

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[Teaman1]

My trips are usually only 5-6 days of hunting but it really helps me to set a weight limit of 45 pounds. Otherwise I add little thinks I think I need and end up with a way overweight pack and a miserable pack in

 

[Teaman1]

Also, spend some money on your pack frame. My first trip, I went in 6 miles with an overweight pack that I hadn’t tried out before hand, other than empty in the living room. Big mistake, my shoulders hurt for a week after that hunt. I got an eberlestock pack frame as soon as I got back and I love it.

 

[Titan_Bow]

Have you dialed in a food system yet and know how much weight per day and calories per day you are at? Also do you want some extra treats? ( a good idea on a long trip) I think a decent rule of thumb is planning on 2 pounds of food per day. However, understanding caloric density and the nutritional makeup of your meals is critical.
With experience and practice, you can get 3500-4000k down into 1.5 or so pounds, but it starts to take a lot of prep and planning to do that. Another thing to keep in mind is level of exertion. If you are covering a lot of elevation gain every day and covering rough rough country, then your caloric intake is going to go way up or you will definitely crash.
So, 10 days of food is going to more than likely weigh 20 pounds by itself. More importantly, depending on how well you packed in and prepped, that can take up a lot of room.


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[LaHunter]

I am relatively new to backpacking and am going to be chasing elk for 10 days in Central Idaho during late September. I have slowly gathered my gear together and my question is this. How many pounds should my pack weigh, including food, for this trip? Also, would it be better to split the gear in half and resupply at the truck about halfway through the trip? My hunting companions and I are planning on hiking in 3+ miles from the truck. Thanks in advance!

A 10 day backpack hunt is a loooooong time for someone fairly new to backpack hunting. Getting your food dialed in is important and takes some experience to learn what works for you.
Also, make sure you have a large capacity gravity filter for your group. Having plenty of water is critical.
I would recommend at least 1 resupply, and maybe 2.

 

[Bubba94]

Also, spend some money on your pack frame. My first trip, I went in 6 miles with an overweight pack that I hadn’t tried out before hand, other than empty in the living room. Big mistake, my shoulders hurt for a week after that hunt. I got an eberlestock pack frame as soon as I got back and I love it.

I am definitely glad that I invested in an exo frame and pack then!

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[Bubba94]

A 10 day backpack hunt is a loooooong time for someone fairly new to backpack hunting. Getting your food dialed in is important and takes some experience to learn what works for you.
Also, make sure you have a large capacity gravity filter for your group. Having plenty of water is critical.
I would recommend at least 1 resupply, and maybe 2.

I realize that we may be in over our heads, but that's part of learning. We are all in our mid 20's and chomping at the bit to just get out and learn. I am working on a backpacking menu and calculating calories as I type this. I have a Platypus Gravityworks 4.0L water filter that is awesome that ill be taking for the hunt. Thanks for the advice!

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[Bubba94]

Have you dialed in a food system yet and know how much weight per day and calories per day you are at? Also do you want some extra treats? ( a good idea on a long trip) I think a decent rule of thumb is planning on 2 pounds of food per day. However, understanding caloric density and the nutritional makeup of your meals is critical.
With experience and practice, you can get 3500-4000k down into 1.5 or so pounds, but it starts to take a lot of prep and planning to do that. Another thing to keep in mind is level of exertion. If you are covering a lot of elevation gain every day and covering rough rough country, then your caloric intake is going to go way up or you will definitely crash.
So, 10 days of food is going to more than likely weigh 20 pounds by itself. More importantly, depending on how well you packed in and prepped, that can take up a lot of room.


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Thanks, Titan_Bow. Those are some great numbers.

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[RockinU]

Buy a bear vault, go in a couple days early for a single day scout trip, and cache your food. Will save you a ton of weight when you are going in with your gear. My last 7 day trip my food was right at 13 lbs.

That's what I'm doing this year anyway...I don't like going in much over 50 lbs, and with a rifle that weighs a touch over 9, then add 14 for food, things start getting tight on "luxury" items like rain gear...