Ultralight Hike
Planning a trip is an essential part of ultralight hiking. Whoever takes so little material into nature correspondingly has less material at hand to improvise with. Due to this limitation of materials, many are averse to ultralight trekking, but it does not have to be that way. With the proven “Skills statt Gear” principle, this can be balanced out quite well.
Fundamentally, the climatic conditions of the area I am traveling in are decisive. The temperature during the day and at night determine the required loft of the sleeping bag and the number of “onion layers” of clothing. The temperatures depend on both the location and the season in which the trip takes place.
When preparing for a trip, it therefore makes sense to look at the climate tables of recent years for the planned period on the one hand, and at the current weather reports immediately before the trip starts on the other.
Other essential questions are:
are mosquitoes and other bloodsuckers active in the region and season?
when do I pass through places where I can top up on food and drink along the way?
what distance do I want to cover? This depends on the condition of the trails, the pack weight, and last but not least, my own fitness.
Example: The plan is to hike through the Harz in July, from east to west. The route passes through the following places
Ballenstedt
Schierke
Brocken
Torfhaus
Wolfshagen
Seesen
First, it is necessary to estimate the distances in order to get an idea of the provisions needed.
When studying the map, the elevation gain also catches your eye. This ultimately reduces the maximum possible daily distances on the respective stages.
In our example, a quick glance at the map is enough to determine that there are no more than 30 kilometers between two places. During my last trips, I have found that I walk an average of 20 to 30 kilometers per day. Conversely, this means I have one to two days from place to place. If in this case I take provisions for two days each, that already includes a reserve for one day. But the heavy consumables include not only food but also drink. Water weighs one kilogram per liter.
Water is certainly abundant in the Harz, but it should be noted that a lot of mining took place in this area. Accordingly, many springs are contaminated with heavy metals. To identify water as safe, you need to look into the subject more closely. You should know which bioindicators point to safe drinking water and which springs to avoid. An alternative near civilization is still inns and restaurants. Many service staff have no objection to you topping up your water supplies with them. Another option is cemeteries. At most cemeteries, the water for watering flowers comes from the drinking water network of the municipal utilities and is therefore generally safe.
Through careful planning, you can therefore not only reduce your pack weight but also minimize the risk of something unforeseen happening on the trip. Of course, this does not give you a hundred percent guarantee that a trip will turn out exactly as expected.
