The following appeared in the 2019-2020 Winter Issue of the Sierra Club's "Inside Outings" newsletter.
It’s common practice among outings leaders to ask for references about prospective backpacking participants. We typically want to know one thing: can the participant meet the physical demands of the trip. “Jane hikes with the slow group, but is always upbeat and ready to help out.” “Joe’s a strong backpacker, but a loose cannon. Don’t let him leave camp without telling you where he is going.” Being a slow hiker or irresponsible is not, by itself, disqualifying. Good backpackers come in many shapes and sizes. What is important is that leaders need to recognize their participants’ strengths and weaknesses to guide a successful trip.
I have often thought, however, hiking strength alone provides an incomplete profile of a backpacker. Let me propose a new classification framework for backpackers: the Sierra Club Backpackers Profile (SCBP). Like the Myers-Briggs Personality Profile taught by MBA programs, the SCBP has four facets or dimensions. Each dimension is measured by two letters. Neither good nor bad, the letters represent the opposite ends of the spectrum for that dimension.
The first dimension of the SCBP is Hoarder (H) vs. Minimalist (M). Most of us would agree that hoarding and backpacking is a bad combination. But backpackers at the H end of the spectrum cannot leave home without every nifty piece of gear that might prove useful. Insulated mug w/lid? Check. Extra mosquito head net? Check. Wire saw? A wire saw might be the most useless piece of gear ever, but weighs next to nothing. Check. Fortunately Hoarders are limited to their backpack’s capacity. But as long as it fits in or on the pack, sure, bring the ultrasonic bat detector too.
Minimalists, on the other hand, are loath to leave home with any extra equipment. Ultralight is their mantra. “Insulated mug, please! I can eat and drink for an entire trip out of a single paper cup.” In camp, you’ll find Minimalists huddled under their poncho tent and dipping a tea-bag by the string (they tore off the labels to save weight). On the trail, Minimalists can’t resist mocking the size of the Hoarders’ packs. “Hold still, there’s a house on your shoulder.” Or “What are you? An 18th century peddler reenactor?” The Hoarders retort is to suggest the Minimalist is just jealous – especially when a Minimalist asks to borrow a multi-tool or runs out of toilet paper.
The second SCBP dimension is Foodie (F) vs. Instant (I). Foodies believe that backpacking meals should not be limited to the freeze-dried gravel from Mountain House. The foodie will spend weeks dehydrating and testing various recipes so they can serve gluten-free spring rolls with a home-made peanut sauce. The foodie knows no bounds in their quest to serve something amazing. Extra preparation, extra fuel, extra pots are all OK. Instants, on the other hand, are not impressed by the miracle of a camp-fired pizza. Instants are all about something quick, hot, and caloric. The fact that all the food is brown matters little because by day three anything is delicious.
Compass (C) vs. GPS (G) is the third dimension. A Compass-oriented backpacker uses a 7.5-minute quadrangle topographic map and a declination-adjusted mountain-top sighting to determine their location. GPS backpackers watch this and sigh, “You know, there’s an app for that.” Some leaders admit to occasionally opening their phone to confirm their location. Or use an altimeter to narrow down the possibilities. Technology is a slippery slope, though. Many altimeters are now GPS-based. It’s hard to be pure (C) in the 21st century.
The final dimension is Team (T) vs. Soloist (S). Team backpackers like to hike together, tailgating the leader and conversing incessantly. They will see little wildlife, but the energy they get from the comradery helps the trail mileage fly by. Soloists prefer to walk in quiet solitude. This is why they came to the wilderness—to get away from the crowds. But around the campfire, even the Soloists appreciate the Team backpackers, as the silences can get pretty awkward with only Soloists.
The Team/Soloist dimension becomes extremely important when participants are struggling. From the sweep position, I have “talked” people up and over a pass, but only if they are a (T). If you try to encourage a struggling Soloist by talking, you’re likely to get jabbed by the business end of a trekking pole.
Hoarder/Minimalist, Foodie/Instant, Compass/GPS, Team/Soloist? My own backpacking profile is H-I-C-S. As a leader, I am likely to have the right gear (if I can find it) for an emergency (H). I’m intolerant of meal planning for alternative diets (I) and firmly believe paper maps are good for my brain (C). If participants suggest that we all get together for dinner on the way home, I will politely decline because by the end of a trip I am completely talked out (S).
So what’s your SCBP? With insights about your own, your assistant leader’s and your participants’ profiles, you will hopefully understand group dynamics, avoid conflicts and lead better outings. At the least, you’ll realize that the M-F-G-T yacking about non-GMO gorp and ultralight solar chargers while sharing your binoculars is not trying to annoy you on purpose. That’s just the way they are.
– Patrick Frisbie, Sierra Club Outings Leader
Profile: Patrick Frisbie's love of the backcountry began as a youngster on canoe trips down the Wisconsin River where his father taught him that time spent on the couch or in front of a computer must be offset with time in the great outdoors lest one's "red-blood density" fall too low. Since then he has been replenishing his red-blood density with wilderness trips to places such as Denali, Quetico, British Columbia, Sequoia, Yosemite, and the Grand Canyon. Pat finds helping trip participants recover from the civilized life its own reward and "once the trip starts, everything's bully."
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