When it comes to purifying water in the back country, several methods are available.  You can boil for 8 minutes (uses fuel and time consuming), use iodine tablets (bad taste) or use commercially available filter systems to filter the microorganisms.  The filter is not a bad way to go, but the systems are usually made up of tubes and the filter itself and the parts usually get wet and take time to dry before putting back in your pack, or just stowing them wet.  In case of cold weather, the water can freeze in the tube, rendering it useless.

Last year I purchased a SteriPEN Adventurer from REI and began testing that as a more convenient method of purifying water.  So far I love the ease of use that it provides and it is very lightweight and compact.  It does run on batteries, so cold weather will affect the use.  Therefore, I would recommend carrying inside a jacket to keep the batteries warm and it will be ready when you are.  The only type of water that it is ineffective in purifying is murky or dirty water.  The dirt particles block the UV light from the microorganisms and leaves them unharmed in the water.  In that type of water, you would need some type of pre-filter, which could be a bandanna, coffee filter or anything else you may have around.  Bottom line is the SteriPEN is a very convenient tool to use to purify water in the back country.

Andrew has graciously provided his extensive knowledge of backpacking in a few forms. Below is his write-up of the 10 essentials and he has found a wonderful link to REI’s expert advice on winter backpacking. Thanks Andrew & REI!

THE 10 ESSENTIALS

Navigation

Multiple people in the group will already have a map, however, it is your job and a GREAT idea to gather as much information of the area as you can. In case for some reason you get separated from the group.

No map is complete without a compass. If you don’t have a compass make sure that you can tell North, South, East, and West in the dark using the stars and in cloudy conditions by studying the moss and fungi growth on the trees. Better yet just pony up and spend 10 dollars on a compass for your bag.

Sun Protection

I know we aren’t going to be at the beach, but sun exposure in snow is just as severe if not more so, because of reflection. And nobody wants chapped lips in cold weather.

Snow-blindness is never a good thing. Pack your shades if your planning on keeping your eyes open during the day.

Illumination

A flashlight AND a headlamp if you have one. Do not assume that bringing your flashlight that you’ve had for years, and haven’t changed the batteries in the past 6 months will be fine for you. Cold weather can wreak havoc on batteries, so please change your batteries before you leave and bring along extras just in case.(I recommend placing these in a bag that you can keep near your body to keep warm so that the cold wont zap the energy from them.)

First Aid Kit

I don’t wish blisters on my worst enemy, but the fact of the matter is that they happen and unfortunately they happen most when you don’t want them to. Along with broken bones, scratches, cuts, headaches, frostbite, etc… because of this everyone needs to bring along first aid supplies for themselves.

Fire

You can look into your history books and realize that fire is SUPER important. And, unless your very confident in starting a fire with two sticks that might be wet, that means you should probably bring along a lighter and matches. Why both you might ask? My response: What if your lighter gets wet? (Have fun with those two wet sticks!)

Shelter

Ummm… I think its kinda self explanatory… Are you gonna sleep in a tent? Or hammock? Or outside? The choice is 100% up to you. Whatever you choose to sleep in, remember that this is cold country. They have already had lows of 2° on Mitchell this year. So plan accordingly. The warmer the sleeping bag the better.

Hydration

Water is essential. Please bring along either a hydration system that is insulated or a couple of water bottles to store purified water in them.

Food

Easy enough to understand, if we drink, we must also eat. In cold weather a person typically goes through twice as many calories as they do in warm weather. Because you will be going through more calories it would also be safe to assume you will go through more food. Since wild edibles will be harder to find (because its winter) it would be extremely smart to pack an extra days worth of food for you. Better to have too much than not enough.

Clothing

Wintertime requires warmth to be comfortable. Layering your clothes properly should keep you warm, as well as dry for the trip. When considering clothing keep these layers in mind:

1. Base Layer: Keeping you dry is the key to this layer. Wicking material that will draw moisture off of your body as well as dry quickly if it gets wet. Typically long underwear works well.
3. Middle Layer: Insulating is the job of this layer. Fleecy materials work
4. Shell: The main job of the shell is to keep the wet and wind out of the other layers. Rain jackets work great at this.
5. Pants: The pants are typically just a base layer, either your long underwear or lightweight pants, and a shell to keep them dry.
6. Headwear: Over 75% of your body heat will escape through your head. With that being said either a wool hat, balaclava, scarves, headband, etc… will be necessary for you to stay warm during the evenings when we are not hiking. I personally wear a wool hat during the night while in my sleeping bag.

Tools

Knives, multi-tool, saw, repair items for your tent, duct tape, and so on. The list is endless. I’m not saying everyone needs to bring a saw along, but making sure that someone has a saw for the camp can be critical for getting the firewood harvested and more manageable.Just remember to think of things that can go wrong (and being a disaster) as things that can be prevented from being a disaster with a little bit of previous thought.