Introduction
Philosophy
Turk's Featured Gear
Make Your Own Gear
Hammocking
Cooking
Navigation
EHKO News
Free Maps
Home
Make a Suggestion
Philosophy
Turk's EHKO Philosophy Question and Answer:


Why a Backcountry Expedition? -

If you have ever driven through grid locks on the highway as 100,000 people
stampede their SUV's into cottage country to 'experience nature' for the weekend....

If you feel like hiking has become some kind of tour guided amusement park
with all the amenities of a  Holiday Inn...

If you have ever wanted to stand in a place and say ...  " I am probably the only
person that has ever seen this".

For these and a hundred more reasons, I first became interested in backcountry
hiking and paddling.  I wanted to do something that not everyone else was doing.
I wanted to experience raw, uncut wilderness, that has not seen the devastation
of modern man.   I wanted to go to places where the fingers of civilization had not
yet touched.  I wanted to see if I could hack it - see if I was a product of my MTV
generation, or if I had the pioneer spirit to set out into the unknown.


Why go Light or Ultralight? -

Quite simply, because you can.  Why would want to carry more on your back
than you had to?  For many people, hiking is some  gruelling chore of misery
as they struggle to take the entire contents of their home into the woods.  Going
light is about leaving behind the items you don't really need.  It's about making
the items you take, perform multiple tasks.  It's about selecting the lightest,
smallest, highest quality items you can, to make your pack more comfortable.
When you free yourself of the burden, you move faster, you have more energy,
and your time in the wilderness is ultimately more enjoyable.

For me, the concept of going light or ultralight is developing a total gear weight
based on the weather, terrain, and safety concerns related to the remoteness of
the area to be travelled.  I cannot support wild notions that to be Ultralight one
must have an exact numerical pack weight that cannot possibly account for all of
these variables.  I think each of these factors presents specialized areas of concern
that greatly impact how much and what you take on a trip.  Going backcountry into
Ontario's remote northern wilderness is no frolick down some 'day-hikers' trail. 
I cannot stress enough the importance of safety when hiking and paddling in these
areas.  Navigation, First Aid, and Emergency Preparation should be at the forefront
of your equipment loadout regardless of what weight category  you classify yourself.

The equipment I carry into the backcountry is ever evolving.  I seek out ways to balance
the impossible equations.  Quality - Weight - Physical size - Durability - Multipurpose -
Necessity.  These factors must reach a compromise.  The only way to do this is to build
a system tailored to my own wants and needs.  I will often shift my priority of these factors
dependant on the type of trip, length, location, time of year etc.   My end goal however will
always remains the same:  "Take only the items I need.. then add a few things to make my
time more enjoyable & comfortable.  The most important... stay safe and be prepared
for the unexpected. " - paramount words of wisdom, from an AT thru-hiker.

To find this information, you have to find the people that have done the 'grunt work'.
For myself, I looked to the core of the ultra-light hiking scene.  The people that have
done the premiere long distance U.S. hiking trails such as the Appalachian Trail.
These guys know what they are talking about.  Veterans of all-weather hiking,
under diverse conditions.  Wise in techniques and tips.  Pioneers in homemade
equipment and ingenuity.  These people are at the forefront of new ultralight
equipment design, and leading experts in quality gear reviews.   Given enough
time, I hope to amass some of their best wisdom and archive it here on my site.

Something important to remember with American based sites, especially those
that focus on the major long trails of the U.S.  While their gear is often cutting
edge, you cannot immediately adopt their techniques.  Comparing a real backcountry
Ontario trip to a jaunt down one of Americas leading trails like the PCT, LT, or AT
is like calling a cell phone and a telegraph the same thing.  You have to adapt your
thinking and approach to suit actual remote wilderness... something that has been
almost completely wiped out in the U.S.  There are very few places you could stand
in the U.S. and be 100 miles from any form of mankind in any direction.  Now step
out of the southern belt of Canada, and add a few zeros to that same statement...
you get the idea.

What is, and Why a Creeking Kayak? -

A creeking kayak, is a hybrid whitewater paddling boat.  They are generally longer and
have more volume than a standard whitewater 'playboat' or 'freestyle' boat, but still far
shorter than a canoe, recreational kayak or sea kayaks.   They average in  length between
7ft 6"- 9ft.  These boats are designed for river exploration.  The vast majority of
'first decents' made on the worlds remaining unpaddled rivers have been acomplished
using various makes and models of creeking kayaks.  These little boats are made to explore
and tackle anything that nature can throw at them.

Creeking kayaks are short, light, incredibly maneuverable, and roll effortlessly.
They paddle efficiently and responsively in anything from flat water to raging, impossible,
Class V+ whitewater conditions.  These boats can plummet over  waterfalls, while
fully loaded with expedition gear and resurface quickly and predictably.

Whether a pristine calm wilderness lake, or a raging bacountry river rapid, a creeking
kayak is the smallest, lightest, most versatile watercraft to take into the unknown.  In
such a craft you are limitted only by your own skill level and nerve.

I have chosen this type of craft to learn and introduce myself to kayaking.  I am a
complete novice and plan to take some very serious lessons before setting out on any
kind of backcountry kayaking trip.  It is my intention to some day blend the techniques
of ultralight hiking, combined with versatility of the creeking kayak.  Hopefully I can
explore a new avenue of the ultralight world by creating an interest in ultra-light
paddling expeditions.
photo by - Turk