Evening star., 1960-09-13

OOU WCA4O O1AC OACOiJAAAS
bag liners. Extra clothin
ciSion was made between a
there wasn't room or need for
both.
What we were doing was cut
ting down the weight and bulk
of our packs before taking off
on a backpacking hiking trip
into the MahooSuc Mountains,
the range that carries the APP
palachian Trail from New
Hampshire into Maine.
There were seven of us-four
men and three women, all from
Washington and vicinity, mem
bers Of the Potomac Appalach-
ian Trail Club. Our plans
allowed 35 pounds Of pack
weight for the men and 80 for
the women; beyond that it
would be more like work than
fun.
Members of the party were
Jim Hall, George Huber, Bob
Hendricks, John Kominsky,
Dorothy Martin, Florence
Nichol and Paula Strain.
Had Best Equipment
Everything for five days had
IT, be carried on our backs
clIGhing, food, cooking equip
m ent, sleeping gear and SO
forth. It's surprising what a
person will collect when think
ing of such a trip, and how
much of it has to be left he
hind when the trip actually
starts.
All were experienced mixers
and campers, and had the best
and the lightest equipment
aluminium frame packs, g.
pound down sleeping bags, 90
ounce hip-to-shoulder air mat
tresses, practically weightlesS
plastic ground cloths and SO
forth.
Each carried, for eating pur-
poses, an aluminium spoon inc
fork or knife needed, small
aluminium plate and a stainless
steel cup. (The rim of a STAIN
less steel cup doesn't burn the
lips when filled with hot liquids
as does aluminium.
Still, it was difficult to gel
down to 35 pounds of pack
weight, especially when IL
pounds of it was community
baggage a share of the food anc
cooking gear. Toward the enc
we were getting desperate anc
leaving behind things weighing
in the ounces.
Dehydrated Food Good
The camera telephoto len.
was left out, even the filters
Soap was carried wrapped in
bit of plastic instead of soar
dish. A square-foot section o.
our towels was torn out anc
the rest discarded.
We took all dehydrated food
except for canned bacon, ane
such is the quality and variet!
available now that actually w
ate nearly as good as we coult
at home of plentiful, well
balanced meals. At our flrs
meal on returning to civiliza
ton, however, we really tor
into a fresh. leafy salad.
For cooking, we used smal
lightweight one-burner gasolin'
stoves made in Sweden (Ameri
can stoves are sturdier. bu
much heavier.
Finally after much anguishet
diScarding. we were of on
really great trip.
The MahooSucS are rough
but spectacularly scenic ant
clean and fresh. You can drinl
from any of the streams o
lakes and eat your fill Of blue
berries, raspberries and eVel
mountain cranberrieS. But tn
unfrequented trails are narrow
rough underfoot, occasionall
hard to find and they g
straight up and straight dow
the mountains.
Sleeping on Balsam
Those mountains are wonder
fully named-Old Speck Ma
hooSuc Arm, Goose Eye, Sue
cess. Carlo, and suchlike. An
from the top of each the vie'
is more gorgeous and distan
than from the preceding.
Each night we slept in
shelter, an open-front leant
designed tor six but holdin
our party of seven all righ
And comfortable sleeping
was, too, on fresh balsar
spread on six inches or so {
dry balsam needles.
Those shelters are located
days walk apart-six to l
miles-and it's a good day
: