Independent field notes
Backpacking adventures, trail wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way.
James McAfferyJames McAffery is a lifelong backpacker who believes the best lessons are learned somewhere between the trailhead and the next campsite. He writes practical guides about gear, trail skills, backcountry meals, and avoiding mistakes—especially the ones he has already made himself.
A practical guide to navigating winter trails by combining map evidence, terrain, weather history, and the reliability of existing tracks instead of following footprints automatically.
Read articleA practical paper-map marking system for routes, water, campsites, bailouts, and decision points that stays readable in the field.
Read articlePractical planning for products, hygiene, disposal, pain management, clothing, and privacy when facilities are limited.
Read articlePractical systems for cooking, filtering water, managing zippers, and packing efficiently when shoulder-season rain and cold make every camp chore harder.
Read articleA practical field approach to protecting a small cut when proper handwashing and clean water aren't readily available, including cleaning, covering, monitoring, and knowing when to seek medical care.
Read articlePractical first-aid guidance for cooling and covering a minor backpacking-stove burn, avoiding common mistakes, and recognizing when a burn needs urgent evacuation or medical care.
Read articleA practical guide to reducing wind at camp with terrain, tarps, and lightweight shelter adjustments—without creating unstable structures, blocked exits, or unnecessary environmental damage.
Read articleA practical, cautious framework for comparing conflicting forecasts and deciding whether to continue, delay, reroute, or turn back when wind, thunderstorms, rain, or snow could affect a backcountry trip.
Read articleA practical way to plan a two-day backpacking menu from ordinary shelf-stable grocery foods, balancing calories, cooking time, packability, and variety.
Read articleA practical framework for setting weather thresholds, checking forecasts, recognizing deteriorating conditions, and retreating early in the Canadian Rockies.
Read article