MODULE 4

BACKPACKING AND MOUNTAINEERING

This module presents backpacking and mountaineering in the context of fitness, health
and wellness. It aims to equip you with basic knowledge and safety skills, increasing your
confidence to participate in more hill and mountain walking in your own time.

Learning Outcomes: Having successfully completed the module, you are expected to:

1. describe backpacking and mountaineering;

2. demonstrate understanding on health and wellness benefits of backpacking and
mountaineering; and
3. apply basic backpacking/ mountaineering skills through a simulation activity.

Activity 1: Walking in the mountains can be an exciting but daunting prospect if you have
never done it before. To stay safe and enjoy your mountain time there are things that you
have to prepare. Let us see how far you know of the things that you have to prepare.
Create a collage (either digital or manual) of the things that you have to prepare when
backpacking.

*For offline students, please open your learning packet. Open the WORKSHEET folder and
use Module 4 Worksheet 1 for your answers.

For online students, your course facilitator will give you instructions on your google classroom.

WHAT IS BACKPACKING?

Backpacking is a fun and exciting way to travel. To understand what

backpacking really is, it’s best to look at what a backpacker is. A backpacker is someone
who doesn’t want to just lay on the beach for weeks on vacation but wants to have exciting
new experiences in areas they may or may not have been to.

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 Backpackers are often
interested in being outdoors and
away from the city. They love to find
new adventures, new lands and
tails, even meeting the “locals” from
other countries as well as seeing the
sights and experiencing their culture.

Backpacking is very cost-

friendly, and you can experience
the great outdoors in ways that most
people will never experience. That,
of course, comes with some of the
greatest stories you can tell and
pictures you can show your friends
and family.

Every trip has a lot of incredible moments, sights and conversations. Lots of websites will
give you plenty of info on how to backpack, but the absolute best way is to go
backpacking yourself by starting with a simple day trip somewhere close to home. Before
going on your first overnight, you should take the time to properly prepare yourself before
going. Do some research on where you’ll be going, what trails you’ll be taking to get there,
make a solid packing-list and research the weather. I highly recommend giving it a try and
seeing how great it is for yourself!

How is backpacking different than Hiking? Some think hiking is more of a stroll on local
trails at a leisurely pace where you hardly break a sweat but still get outdoors and
experience nature. Well, not so fast. I see hiking as a shorter version of Backpacking without
the overnight camping. This means a lot less gear is needed and instead of a large
backpack, a smaller daypack can be used. Very often on multi-day trips, the backpacker
will bring along a daypack and go out on short treks centered around camp.

Key pitfall of Backpacking:

There are risks of injury but these can generally be avoided by undertaking good initial
training, good preparation and investing in good clothing and equipment.

WHAT IS MOUNTAINEERING?

Mountaineering is the activity of walking, hiking, backpacking and climbing

mountains. Mountaineering is the activity of walking, hiking, backpacking and climbing
mountains.

Mountaineering can best be described as the ascent of any hill or mountain where the
gradient and severity of the terrain requires some form of climbing and the sustained use of
technical equipment, Equipment can include a helmet, rope, harness, karabiner and

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 protective climbing equipment, and in winter will include the addition of crampons, an ice
axe and protective ice-climbing equipment. How can you benefit from mountaineering?

Benefits to Mountaineering:

The most obvious benefits are:

1. Improving both your physical fitness and cardiovascular fitness levels as well as
reducing body fat through aerobic exercise.
2. Some other less obvious or ‘less tangible’ benefits include greatly improving your own
personal confidence and team working skills, which you will use in your work and
personal life without even realizing it!
3. Mountaineering often involves a whole spectrum of emotions and sometimes they
can all collide at once! Words cannot describe the sense of freedom you get when
you are ascending a mountain. It is truly a spiritual experience leaving you feeling
really alive! You will find out a lot about yourself, some inner strengths you never even
knew were there as well as developing new strengths
4. On any ascent there will be good times and bad times too, that’s what makes the
sport so personally challenging and character building. You may experience times
when you ask yourself ‘Why am I doing this?’ But those moments pass to be replaced
by great feelings of achievement that will stay with you forever.
5. Physical Benefits of Backpacking and Mountaineering
• Gives You Cardio and Strength Building in One Workout
• Muscle Groups Strengthened
• Improves Flexibility
• Reduces Stress
• You Increase Mental Strength
6. Helps Us Conquer Fear
7. Can Ward Off Chronic Illnesses
8. Burns Calories
9. Provide Amazing Experience
10. Gives Sense of Victory

WHO CAN DO BACKPACKING AND MOUNTAINEERING?

There are no real age barriers to entering into the world of mountaineering (anyone
under 16 should clearly be supervised by a qualified adult). The only real barrier to
mountaineering is the need for a moderate level of physical fitness but even this will develop
as you progress in the sport and your routes become harder and more sustained.

Do you have to go on a course to participate in mountaineering?

Indeed, mountaineering is a pursuit that should never be undertaken without a good
understanding of the many different aspects involved, ranging from map reading and
navigation skills to rope work and understanding mountain weather.

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 Pitfalls of mountaineering:

1. A moderate fitness level is necessary.

2. A degree of knowledge and training is essential.
3. Initial investment in equipment can be high.
4. Generally mountaineering routes will be long, i.e. 6 hours is the minimum.
5. There are risks of injury and hypothermia but these can generally be avoided by
undertaking good initial training, good preparation and investing in good clothing and
equipment.

Why is backpacking and mountaineering good for health and wellness?

Not everyone loves backpacking and climbing the mountain, but many do. Why is
backpacking and mountaineering so attractive? Does it have any advantages worth our
attention? Yes, of course. However, maybe you haven’t learned the advantageous tips of
climbing the mountain. Now let’s go over these tips.

Firstly, mountaineering helps make your feet, heart and lungs stronger and healthier. It’s
easy to find that people get old because their feet become old first. If your feet are strong
and walk a long distance, you won’t easily get old. Climbing the mountain can make your
feet strong. When climbing the mountain, you usually shake the muscles on your arms, waist,
back and neck, and this can create a faster metabolism and make your heart and lungs
stronger.

Secondly, mountaineering can forge a strong will. It is indeed a tiring job walking up and
down the mountain peaks. However, when you conquer mountain peak after mountain
peak, you will feel extremely excited, happy and satisfied. This feel is quite good!
Mountaineering can make you meet difficulties and you will solve these difficulties with your
strength and more importantly, your will power, especially when you want to give up after a
long time of climbing and feel very tired. In fact, people’s will power is tested in such difficult
times.

Thirdly, mountaineering can stimulate your wisdom. For those who always work in office,
mountaineering is absolutely one of the most efficient ways to have a positive rest, which
means it is indeed tiring, but it makes your entire body exercised including your brain. When
your brain gets relaxed and rest, it will recover to its normal way of working for you.
Moreover, walking in the mountains can give you so much imagination and this can flex
your brain and make it even more efficient when you work next time.

Fourthly, mountaineering helps you build interpersonal relationships. Mountaineering is not a

one-person activity but an activity which always involves groups of people. I don’t think you
climb the mountain yourself all the time, Instead, you climb the mountain with your spouse,
friends, relatives or even strangers. During this process you communicate with them and
probably you will establish relationships with some of them. This makes your circle of friends
larger and you will become even more connected with the outer world.

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 ESSENTIAL SAFETY TIPS FOR BACKPACKING AND MOUNTAINEERING

1. Consult an expert on the field.

“By reaching out to an expert, you’ll get a lot of key information about what you
might encounter, such as toxic flora and fauna, and recent changes to the terrain, like fallen
trees or rockslides. The expert can tell you how to stay safe in the environment and how to
protect it from human damage too.

2. Bring at least one friend.

Make it a group activity to eliminate the risk of being stranded alone in a dire situation.

3. Create an itinerary and share it with someone outside of the group.

Draw up a rough plan that all members of your party agree upon well before you
leave the trailhead. Include your starting point and time, destination, route, and anticipated
finish time. Share this plan with at least one person not hiking with you. You can also leave
this info with the park office. If you don’t return on time, someone will be able to relay this
key information to a search party if necessary.

4. Agree on an emergency plan.

“Part of your plan for any hike should be what you’re going to do in an emergency
situation,”. Before heading out, know how you will call or send for help in the unlikely event
something bad happens.

5. Prepare for the weather.

This goes beyond just checking the weather before your hike. Talk or consult the expert
of the park site to find out what inclement weather events are most likely at this time of year
and how to stay safe in them. Even small changes in weather can make your whole hike
much riskier because of how they affect the terrain. For example, light rain that breaks out
on your way up a peak could make the trip back pretty precarious.

6. Pack the 10 Essentials.

The 10 Essentials is a list of emergency provisions originally created by Pacific Northwest

hiking and conservation non-profit the Mountaineers. According to the Mountaineers, the
objective of the 10 Essentials is to ensure that you can respond to an emergency and spend
at least one night outdoors. It’s a classic reference point in the hiking community for
beginners and experts alike.

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 10 Essentials includes:

o First aid kit

o Navigation: map, compass, and GPS
o Sun protection: sunscreen, sunglasses, hat
o Insulation: jacket/raincoat, extra layers
o Illumination: flashlight, lantern, or headlamp
o Fire: matches, lighter, fire starters
o Repair kit: duct tape and multifunctional tool
o Nutrition: at least an extra day’s supply of no-cook, nutritious food
o Hydration: water and/or means of water purification
o Emergency shelter: tent, space blanket, tarp, bivy (as in, emergency shelter for
a sleeping bag)

The list is non-exhaustive and adaptable, so keep the circumstances of your hike in mind
when assembling your pack.

7. Buy proper hiking boots and socks.

Properly fitting footwear with good cushioning and grip is essential for avoiding issues like
rolling an ankle due to improper support. It will also help you prevent one of the most painful
hiking hindrances: blisters.

Also, avoid cotton socks. They retain moisture from sweaty feet, causing skin to blister more
easily. Instead, opt for hiking socks made from materials like wool or synthetics made to wick
away moisture and ease friction.

8. Protect yourself from the sun.

To avoid the peak hours of sun and heat, most experienced hikers set out in the early
morning or late afternoon. Also, heed the weather report. If it’s going to be 100 degrees and
clear skies, it’s not the best day for a four-hour trek through shade-free terrain.

Next is preparation. Slather any exposed skin with a broad-spectrum sunscreen that has at
least SPF 30, and don’t forget to reapply based on the product’s instructions. Protect yourself
from heat illness, which can range from miserable (heat rash, heat exhaustion) to life-
threatening (heat stroke), it is recommended to stay hydrated and taking frequent breaks,
preferably in the shade.

9. Bring extra water or a purification system.

It is recommended that drinking about one-half liter to one liter per hour while active
outdoors. The exact amount you need will depend on the circumstances of your hike as well
as your usual water intake.

10. Stay on the trail.

For the sake of your own safety, the natural resources, other hikers, and a potential
search party, “it is paramount that you stay on that trail,”.

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 11. Go for a small trial hike before taking on a major one.

Some things are hard to figure out until you’re actually out there, That’s why expert
advises going for a modest hike before a major one, especially if you’re new to this hiking
thing. Plus, “If you start small and slow, you’ll enjoy it more, and that will keep you going
back out there,”.

12. Be extra careful on the second half of the hike.

The second half of a trip or the end of the day is usually when accidents like falls,
slips, and trips happen,”. Your energy levels are lower, your leg muscles are fatigued, and
your mind might be more focused on getting to the finish than the next step. Take your time
and be extra careful with your footing.

MOUNTAINEERING EQUIPMENT

ROPE

Anchored to the ceiling, this is what climber and

belayer use to manage safety while climbing.

HARNESS

Harnesses are intended to be worn, and secures

a person to a rope or anchor.

GRIGRI

(pronounced Gree-gree) This an assisted

braking belay device and is intended to secure
the climber in place while moving up the
feature.

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 LOCKING CARABINER

Used to secure the Gri-gri to the belayer

MOUNTAINEERING SHOES

The interface between your feet and the rocks,

these shoes should fit tight but comfortable.

HELMET

To protect your head from things falling on you and

also from your head hitting the rock if you fall.

MOUNTAINEERING VS. BACKPACKING: SMALL BUT SUBSTANTIAL GEAR DIFFERENCES

Sometimes the differences are obvious, and

sometimes they are more subtle. Many mountaineers
start their outdoor lives as hikers and backpackers, and
this is going to go through seven different categories on
how the two activities differ in terms of the gear you
may bring along and why it will matter over the course
of a climb.

Technical gear may be the most obvious difference

between mountaineering and backpacking, and so
we’ll go through it first and briefly. Mountaineering
requires much more technical equipment than backpacking trips – from ice axes and
crampons to ropes and helmets. These items will all increase the weight of your pack and
thus it is important.

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 Now, it is your turn to check on your understanding of this module. Take note, this will be
graded and recorded. Answer the following activities completely and concisely.

Name: ________________________________________________________ Date: _____________

Course and Year: ______________________________________________ Score: ____________

Activity 2: Essay: Explain briefly but substantially the following.

a. Explain the difference between mountaineering and backpacking.

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b. In participating mountaineering and backpacking activities list down the things that
you have to consider from the most important to least important. Justify your answer.

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c. Given the chance to participate in an outdoor activity specifically backpacking and

mountaineering. Which would you prefer and why?

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_________________________________________________________________________________________

*For offline students, please open your learning packet. Open the WORKSHEET folder and
use Module 4 Worksheet 2 for your answers.

For online students, your course facilitator will give you instructions on your google classroom.

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 Name: _______________________________________________________________Date: ___________

Course and Year: _____________________________________________________Score; __________

Activity 3: Make a Backpacking Plan for your family. (30 points)

Procedures:

• Choose a place you intend to backpack. Indicate how long your activity be.
• Prepare a checklist of equipment and gadgets needed for your proposed activity
• Prepare activities that will be done before, during, and after backpacking
• Use the attached template or worksheet.

*For offline students, please open your learning packet. Open the WORKSHEET folder and
use Module 4 Worksheet 3 for your answers.

For online students, your course facilitator will give you instructions on your google classroom.

Activity # 4: Reflection on Backpacking

Instruction: Answer the questions in 5-10 sentences.

Describe one thing that you have learned about backpacking and mountaineering that
you didn’t know before.

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What are the other skills essential when participating in backpacking?

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 _________________________________________________________________________________________
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What are the pros and cons of backpacking to the environment?

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“Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go.” Explain this
quote in relation to backpacking and mountaineering.

_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________

*For offline students, please open your learning packet. Open the WORKSHEET folder and
use Module 4 Worksheet 4 for your answers.

For online students, your course facilitator will give you instructions on your google classroom.

References:

Retrieved on August 3, 2020 from [Link]

backpacking-small-but-substantial-gear-differences/

Retrieved on August 5, 2020 from [Link]

activities/hiking/[Link]

Retrieved on August 5, 2020 from [Link]

without-gps-using-a-map-and-compass/

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 Congratulations dear
students, you have
successfully completed the
course!!!

We look forward to seeing you all in the

outdoors in the future☺☺☺
Be Safe and Well!!!

The FIT OA Facilitators

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