A ranger at Rocky Mountain told me I was carrying too much weight

I was packing 45 pounds for a 4 day loop and a ranger said drop the extra clothes and water filter. I cut down to 30 pounds and my knees didn't hurt at all on the second half. Anyone else get called out by a ranger and change their whole setup?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_elliot16d ago

Read somewhere that rangers are trained to notice when someone's pack is messing with their gait. That 30 pound drop probably fixed your form without you even realizing it. I saw a video on ultralight backpacking where a guy showed how heavy packs make you lean forward and strain your lower back. He said 20 pounds is totally doable for a 3 season trip if you ditch the extras. Bet ranger saw you struggling and tried to save your trip before you got deep into the backcountry. Good call listening to them, not everyone does.

diana_black16d ago

Yeah, is it true they can spot that kind of thing just from watching you walk for a few seconds? I remember my buddy was hiking with me once and his pack was way too heavy, and this old guy at the trailhead just said "you're gonna hate life in about two miles" and pointed at his straps. He was right, we ended up dumping half his gear in the car before we even started.