The National Outdoor Leadership School's Wilderness Guide

Contents
Acknowledgments
Foreword
Chapter 1: Why We Go
A Word About NOLS
Chapter 2: Expedition Planning
Team and Leadership
It All Begins with You
Choosing Your Teammates
Group Size
Traveling Solo
Leadership
Commitment to the Trip and the Division of Labor
Sharing Costs
Physical Conditioning
Expedition Goals
Objectives and Expedition Philosophy
Route Planning
Your Route
Regulations
Maps
Resupplying Your Trip
Using Your Computer in Planning Your Expedition
Contingency Plans
Radios, Cell Phones, and Other Electronic Communication Devices
Ration Planning
Staple Food versus Freeze-dried Food
Types of Staple Foods
Bringing the Right Amount of Food
Packaging Your Food
Fuel Calculations
Summary for Your Expedition Planning
Chapter 3: Equipment Primer
Where to Buy Your Equipment
Footwear
Boot Selection
Fitting Your Boots
Care of Your Boots
Stoves
Types of Stoves
Types of Fuels
Stove Troubleshooting Guide
Sleeping Bags
Sleeping Pads
Packs
Choosing a Pack
Pack Packing
Tents
Types of Tents
Tent Sizes
Flies
Pitching Your Tent
Care and Maintenance of Your Tent
Interview with John Roskelley
Water Systems
Headlamps and Flashlights
Knife or Multipurpose Tool
Equipment Repair
Care of Equipment
Equipment Summary
Chapter 4: How to Dress for the Backcountry
A Short Course in Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer
Backcountry Clothing Fabrics
Know the Climate
Layering
Base Layer
Intermediate Layers
Outer Layer
Notes on Clothing Items
Saving Money on Clothes
Chapter 5: Camping Technique
Choosing a Campsite
Is It Safe?
Leave No Trace Camping
1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
3. Dispose of Waste Properly
4. Leave What You Find
5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
6. Respect Wildlife
7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors
Bear Camping
Where the Bears Are
Your Campsite in Bear Country
Bear Hangs
Encountering a Bear
If Attacked
On Good Habits
Chapter 6: Travel Technique
Energy Conservation, Hydration, and Nutrition
Pace
Walking Technique
Group Management on the Trail
Dehydration
Nutrition
LNT Trail Technique
Interview with an Outdoor Photographer
Precarious Terrain and Objective Hazards
River Crossings
Crossing Boulders, Talus, and Scree
Rockfall
Snow
Subjective Hazards
Trail Etiquette
Meeting Horsepackers
Smoking and Alcohol
Foot Care
Treating Blisters
Chapter 7: Leadership and Expedition Behavior
Expedition Behavior
Interview with Molly Doran
Leadership
Leadership Styles
Chapter 8: Maps and Compasses
The USGS Map
Colors
Scale
Latitude and Longitude
What's in the Margins
Contour Lines
Reading Your Map
Learning to See
Keep Your Map Handy and Keep Track of Your Position
Orienting Your Map
Off-Trail Information
Compass
Compass Parts
Directions
Tips on Using Your Compass
Bearings
Taking a Bearing with Your Compass
Following a Bearing
Back Bearings
True North, Magnetic North, and Declination
Orienting Your Map with a Compass
Charting a Course from Your Map
Using a Baseline and Aiming Off
Navigation
Time Control Plans
Tips on Route Finding
Chapter 9: Emergency Procedures
Emergency Procedures
When to Evacuate an Injured or Sick Group Member
Steps to a Safe Evacuation
Evacuation Options
If You Request a Helicopter
Search and Rescue
Finding the Lost Person
Getting Found
Tips on Surviving If You Get Separated from Your Gear or Group
Chapter 10: Weather
Clouds
Air Masses and Fronts
Orographic Uplift
Lightning
Interview with Pamela Eaton of the Wilderness Society
Chapter 11: Cooking in the Backcountry
Your Kitchen Site
Kitchen Gear
Water Treatment
Microorganisms in Your Water Bottle
Sanitation in the Kitchen
Basic Cooking in the Backcountry
Baking
Boiling
Frying
Cooking in Your Tent
Cleaning Up
Dehydrating Your Own Food
Natural Additions
Food Stress
Chapter 12: Our Responsibility to the Land
Equipment List
Suggested Reading
Index