"Backpacking Trip Should Start At Columbus Public Library"

Ask anyone who has ever backpacked and he will agree that preparation is the most important aspect of a “Walk in the Woods” which, by the way, is a title of a book by humorist Bill Bryson.

In his book, the author describes the misadventures of an Appalachian Trail hiking trip he took with a high school buddy. Judging from his description, Bryson is probably an “A-type” personality who overplans everything he does. His buddy—a recent casualty of a divorce as well as a company downsizing—was just the opposite. According to Bryson, mini disasters caused by poor planning on his buddy’s part nearly sabotaged the trip on the first day and threatened to end the trip on several other occasions.

To help avoid these misadventures on your next trip into the woods, the Library has a number of recent books on camping and backpacking. Included among these books are “Making Camp” by Backpacker Magazine,”The Backpacker’s Field Manual” by Rick Curtis, “Everyday Wisdom, 1001 Expert Tips for Hikers” by Karen Berger, “Essential Guide to Wilderness Camping and Backpacking” by Charles Cook, “The Backpacker’s Handbook” by Chris Townsend and”The Camper’s and Backpacker’s Bible” by Tom Huggler.
Two of my most memorable trips were partially planned by using library books. On our family’s trip to the Boundary Waters in Minnesota, I used the book, “Boundary Waters, Canoe Camping with Style” by Cliff Jacobson. My wife and I started planning this trip in January by applying for a travel permit. These permits are issued based on departure points.

As there are a limited number of campsites on the lakes, there are also a limited number of departures per lake. Canoe parties are limited in size to nine people and no more than three canoes. The Jacobson book also described the need for obtaining detailed U.S. Geological Survey maps to be used to locate campsites and portage points. The wind storms on the lake, the nights spent in wet sleeping bags and the killer portages make the Boundary Waters trip one of our most memorable.

Another trip my family and another couple took was to the Wind River Range near Lander, Wyoming. Again, we consulted many library books and purchased Geological Survey maps for this trip. Probably the best book on backpacking in this area is “Walking the Winds”by Rebecca Woods. There are over 500 miles of trails in the Wind River Range and nearly 1,600 lakes dot the alpine meadows, canyon floors and wooded valleys.

Our hike from Dickinson Park to the Continental Divide took three days of following the raging Popo Agie River to its source. Three times along the way we had to ford the ice-cold torrent. Finally, late on the third afternoon, we reached the “Cirque of the Towers” which reminded me of some of the panoramic scenes in the movie, Jurassic Park. I half-expected to see herds of dinosaurs grazing in the valley below the circle of extinct volcano cones.

Although I have described in the above recollections only two backpacking and canoeing areas, the Library has travel books, pamphlets, and videos on practically every state in our nation. The first stop in planning this summer’s vacation should be the Columbus Public Library.