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Simplicity in Wilderness Travel
A trend in ultralight-speak is defining “simplicity” and its meaning within the context of personal relationships with wilderness travel. A couple of examples: Ryan Jordan writes on his blog about Wilderness Simplicity, Flexibility, and Power: I love Brent Simmon’s recent post about flexibility and power in the context of iOS Apps, and especially, his brilliant observation that …flexibility is just a tool to use exceedingly sparingly, only when it substantially increases power. There’s a lot of meat in this statement, with direct relevance to trekking, and trekking gear. Now, it depends on how one might define power. Traditional definitions might equate power to speed, or distance. A more thoughtful person…
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Experiential Values in Lightweight Canoe and Kayak Travel
In A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold argues cultural values make and feed a healthy culture. For outdoor sports, he outlines three types of experiential values that provide nutrition to the sporting culture. These values apply to the modern lightweight movement as well as they do to the hook-and-bullet sports he writes about. Awareness and practice of these values enhances our experiences while traveling light. The three cultural values that Leopold defines are: Experiences that remind of us of our distinctive origins and evolution. He calls this “split-rail” values presumably after split-rail fences that personify the American pioneer homestead and the frontier spirit. Experiences that remind us of our dependency…
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Lightweight Paddling Philosophy
Back in 2004, I wrote an article called Nessmuking: A Return to Simple. In it I argued about the need to emphasize skills over equipment in the lightweight movement, because if you have the skills to survive in the wilderness, you can carry less and travel more simply. The argument continued that enjoyment is increased through simplicity and flexibility achieved through skills. I named the philosophy after Nessmuk, the pen name of George Washington Sears, who wrote for Forest and Stream in the late 1800s. His book, Woodcraft and Camping, which despite being over 100 years old remains relevant to today’s wilderness enthusiast, mixes the practice of bushcraft with a…
Lightweight canoe and kayak travel
