The Manual: Plan an Expedition

If you are trying to go somewhere out of country you can always use a company to help you plan a trip. I used a company called Phoenix Expeditions to help me plan a really intense family trip to Norway. their website is http://phoenixexpeditions.webs.com/ I tried to plan it myself but its kinda hard planning something in another country. Also i had small children so i was nice having one of the people who works for the company accompany my family and help lighten the load.

I'm sure the actual paper Magazine has more thorough articles . Backpackers web presence gives a
taste of what the magazine is all about.

I have had a subscibtion sometime in the nine-tees ,
and i still keep all the copies.

i think that posting info on expeditions is crucial to ANY type of hiking because you can upsize and downsize according to specific needs . i plan on through hiking the a.t. and then on to norway so i am always looking for info . someone earlier on is right ...we need more detailed info in every edition of backpacker on expeditions at least for a while so that more people going on them can find the best way to route and enjoy their experiences together .

I agree with Spargewater. Orion is a lover of Backpacker.com but is currently in denial. There is yet hope for you my friend!

Let me get this straight; Orion insults Backpacker Magazine with a post on it's own free website. Man, that's just wrong! If you don't like the magazine, fine. But post your insults somewhere else. That was really douchey.

I have never had a problem flying with a used stove (i clean with rubbing alcohol to remove any gas residue)

Good point Orion. I would add one thing. Subscribe to the a trail list serve. You'll get more up-to-date information from other hikers posts than anywhere else. Plus you'll get valuable information on gear, weather, and specific what to dos in terms of your body, skills, and gear.

I read through this, thinking it was going to get some really detailed info and recommendations but this article was a real let down. Come on Backpacker....most of the recommendations you mentioned were kinda obvious. I would like to see more of this type of article's but get a little more detailed. How about an article written in the first person on how they planned a trip.

Eric Nelson made a good suggestion about a book. I have lost faith in Backpacker magazine in the last couple of years.

If you want a more than thorough description of how to plan a long backpacking trip or any big outdoor trip for that matter, I strongly suggest the book "Leadership the Outward Bound Way" from The Mountaineers Books. I used it to plan a Grand Teton trip for 10 youth and adults. A good plan and follow through takes about 6 months.

In your Backpacker Aug 2010 edition on pg 77, there's a picture of Denali, what time of year was that picture taken? Also, what's the ridge there in the foreground composed of - is it degraded volcanic? Thanks, Mac.