Fastpacking: An Outdoor Room with a View

On a recent fastpack overnight, my partner Steve and I expected to enjoy a romantic night out at a remote desert overlook. We even splurged by carrying the extra weight of beer with us! Though the sunset was magical, as the cloudy skies overhead faded from blue to yellow, we were also blasted with constant 30mph winds. The gusts persisted, and without a tent, nor any natural shelter, we had no choice but to burrow into our sleeping bags for 12 hours atop a sandstone ledge. The good news is that I slept like a rock, on a rock. And the next morning, we were able to enjoy our coffee with clear skies, a glorious sunrise, and the view we had hoped for!

But enough with the romance, let’s get back to logistics. During a fastpacking trip, I never find that my pack ever feels light enough for me to truly move fast. The added weight of carrying enough water in the desert always hits this point home for me. Likewise, despite the perceived weight, I always attempt to minimize my gear and end up feeling like I forgot or skimped on something. On a truly ultra-light fastpacking mission, one may even forgo a stove and eat cold food, or a sleeping pad and sleep directly on the ground. After a few too many true shiver bivvies, I try to ride the middle line and always bring along key ultralight items that I know will add some comfort to my experience–a sleeping bag, pad, and a stove. The tent, however, stays behind on fastpacking trips, and if there is weather a sandstone ledge and a tarp will do.