Heading out on a hike in Guadalupe Mountains National Park? Pack the Ten Essentials, plus one.
The Ten Essentials are first-aid and emergency items that help with minor injuries, sudden changes in weather or unexpected delays. They are only the basics; your activity may call for more, such as a life jacket, bug spray or a personal locator beacon. Read up on the park and your activity before you go.
The eleventh essential
Nothing spoils a trip in the Guadalupe Mountains Wilderness faster than finding human waste or toilet paper at a good campsite or beside the trail. To protect the land, yourself and other hikers, the park adds an eleventh essential: toiletries.
The list
| Essential | What to bring | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation | map, compass, GPS | plan your route and find your way; learn to read a topographic or relief map and use your compass or GPS before you go |
| Sun protection | sunglasses, sunscreen, hat | UV rays cause sunburn and skin cancer; long pants and long-sleeved shirts help too |
| Insulation | jacket, hat, gloves, rain shell, thermal underwear | weather changes suddenly; pack an extra layer for the worst conditions you might meet |
| Illumination | flashlight, lantern, headlamp | there is no other light out there; a headlamp leaves your hands free; bring spare batteries |
| First aid | first-aid kit | start with a ready-made kit, adapt it to your trip and medical needs, check expiry dates, and consider an emergency guide |
| Fire | matches or a lighter | for your stove. Wood fires and campfires of any kind are prohibited in the Guadalupe Mountains |
| Repair kit and tools | duct tape, knife, screwdriver, scissors | to fix gear; a multi-tool combines many; add anything your activity needs |
| Nutrition | food | plans change; carry an extra day's food, ideally nutritious no-cook items and salty, easy-to-digest snacks such as trail mix, nuts and granola bars |
| Hydration | water for everyone in the group | activity raises the risk of dehydration; drink often, before you feel thirsty, especially in heat. Carry all your water here: at least one gallon per person per day |
| Emergency shelter | tent, space blanket, tarp, bivy sack | protection from severe weather; all come in light versions |
| Toiletries | toilet paper, wipes, landfill-safe commercial toilet bags | use the restroom before you set out, and be ready to pack out waste |
Packing out waste
On a day hike or a longer trip, be ready to carry out human waste, toilet paper, diapers and hygiene products; waste disposal bags are required to carry solid waste. More than a quarter of a mile from a restroom, and everywhere inside the Wilderness boundary, all solid human waste, feminine hygiene products and toilet paper must be carried out in a landfill-safe commercial toilet bag.
Sources
- National Park Service, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, "The 11 Essentials for Hiking in the Guadalupe Mountains." https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/gumo_11essentials.htm
- The Ten Essentials system was developed by The Mountaineers (Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills, 8th edition, 2010).
- A film still in the original is not reproduced here.
Licence: CC0 1.0 (public domain) · Adapted from www.nps.gov
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