This comprehensive guide, from the nation’s oldest outdoors club, covers the essential skills every hiker and backpacker must know. Novices will welcome the authoritative advice on trip planning, clothing, gear, food, navigation, setting up camp, and mountain safety, while experienced backpackers will benefit from the detailed discussions of weather, winter skills, ultralight backpacking, and group leadership. All outdoor lovers will appreciate the thoughtful, comprehensive coverage of land ethics and trail etiquette.

AMC’s Mountain Skills Manual is rooted in the best practices taught in the Appalachian Mountain Club’s outdoor leadership training programs. Drawing on that wealth of field-tested knowledge, this book helps hikers and backpackers plan for the best but prepare for the worst. Bad weather, accidents, and a host of worst-case scenarios get their due, along with tried-and-true ways of avoiding hazards in the first place.

Whether you want to map out a new adventure in the wilderness, perfect your trail pace and pack weight, or simply plan a weekend of camping and day hikes, this manual is your essential companion to enjoying every moment outdoors.

INSIDE YOU’LL FIND:

• Vital information on weather patterns, land ethics, health, safety, wildlife, and winter recreation

• Essential tips on clothing, gear, first-aid and repair kits, and going ultralight

• Instruction in outdoor skills, from packing and lifting your pack to staying hydrated, compass and celestial navigation, knot tying, bushwhacking, and setting up camp in the backcountry

• Detailed advice on hiking with groups, young children, and people of all ability levels