In two groups we hike toward the trailhead. The fast group plans to hightail it out in a day, phone relatives and find a place to stay. The slow group – that would be the one I’m in – plans to stay the night at the first campsite. In fact, both groups turn out to be swift enough to make it out before nightfall, exiting the woods just two hours apart.

At a restaurant that evening we see our first footage of planes plunging into the World Trade Center, striking the heart of our culture, exploding our sense of security, which is, of course, the terrorists’ intent. Evil is precisely the right word.

Now we are faced with a dilemma – what exactly to do with the next three days.

Thursday, September 13: I can’t say it breaks my heart to not sleep on the ground again. After a night in a clean room with fresh sheets over a thick mattress, waking to hot running water and in-room coffee, breakfasting at a table while sitting on a chair, the world starts to sort itself out.

We are ravenous for newspapers and NPR but nobody seems keen to linger in front of a television. Frankly, in clips lasting no more than a few seconds – plane smashing building, tower collapsing – I see all I need to see or ever want to see again. These are dream-haunting images.

Still, we remain surrounded by beauty and decide we might as well make the most of it. Huddled around maps at breakfast, we enter upon our new collective persona: Tourists. Should we feel guilty, having a good time? Without actually discussing it we elect not to. Which is by no means the same thing as being unaffected. It’s hard not to talk about the unfolding event and its endless potential ramifications for our country and our selves.

First stop is Jackson Hole where, it is said, the billionaires are driving out the millionaires. While gathering supplies we pause long enough to admire the two-legged, well-heeled fauna and their trophy spouses (of both genders), then head off to the Tetons, where we picnic under soaring peaks.

We stay the night at Canyon Lodge in Yellowstone, the first and oldest national park in the world, as it is proudly described on its web site. My father and I discovered the year before that even in peak season it is usually possible to stay at one of the ever-popular national park lodges by calling the front desk a minute or two past noon, which is when rooms become officially available from cancellations. This technique works for us each night of our new, fluid itinerary.

 

 

Outfitter's Advice: Choosing Stoves and Cookware

When selecting the stoves and cookware for a backpacking trip, two factors determine the lion’s share of decisions: the Length of the trip and the type of cooking. For simplicity and shorter trips the IsoPro canister stoves are the best. 

They light with a match and cook very efficiently. One canister of fuel will boil about 16 quarts of water and that will supply two people for 3 ˝ days. At 4 days, you will need another cartridge (weight!). Liquid fuel stoves are slightly heavier and a little more complicated to operate. However fuel is cheap and readily available and the stove efficiently operates at any altitude or temperature. Liquid fuel is also much lighter for long trips (over 3 days). Cookware is available in three materials. The lightest and most expensive is Titanium. If all that matters is weight, then Titanium is the way to go. Aluminum has been an economical preference for years. It is fairly lightweight, and all of ours is coated with a special non-stick Teflon coating. 

This makes clean up easy, just wipe! Stainless Steel is tough and usually the biggest pot per dollar. However they weigh more and can have hot spots on backpacking stoves. But if you’re only boiling water then go with Stainless Steel. Minimalists use only one pot and store the stove in it as well. Most folks opt for a 3-piece set (best for two people). If you are a coffee aficionado, consider one of the lightweight percolators or espresso machines.

 

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