What did John Muir carry on his hikes?

Ben Crowell

unread,

Apr 25, 2010, 12:50:06 AM4/25/10

to

What did John Muir carry on his hikes? I seem to remember a leather
satchel, some flour, and a blanket...?

Bill Weir

unread,

Apr 25, 2010, 10:46:12 AM4/25/10

to

On Apr 25, 12:50 am, Ben Crowell

<crowel...@lightSPAMandISmatterEVIL.com> wrote:
> What did John Muir carry on his hikes? I seem to remember a leather
> satchel, some flour, and a blanket...?

I recall reading somewhere that he only carried bread and tea for
meals. Whatever he carried, I wouldn't want to be using the same type
of footwear he had to use.

Bruce Jensen

unread,

Apr 26, 2010, 12:50:06 AM4/26/10

to

That's right - bread, tea, the clothes on his back and journals/
writing implements. His notes on his observations are legendary.

He wore a sprig of greenery on his lapel from time to time :-)

Ben Crowell

unread,

Apr 26, 2010, 8:53:45 PM4/26/10

to

How did he stay warm at night?

I remember one story where I think he was in the southern Sierras and
almost died of exposure one night, but he happened across a hot spring.

Lawrence Akutagawa

unread,

Apr 27, 2010, 2:54:19 AM4/27/10

to

"Ben Crowell" <crow...@lightSPAMandISmatterEVIL.com> wrote in message
news:4bd63599$0$15755$c3e...@news.astraweb.com...

> On Sun, 25 Apr 2010 21:50:06 -0700, Bruce Jensen wrote:
>

>> On Apr 25, 7:46Â am, Bill Weir <billwei...@gmail.com> wrote:
>>> On Apr 25, 12:50Â am, Ben Crowell

>>>
>>> <crowel...@lightSPAMandISmatterEVIL.com> wrote:
>>> > What did John Muir carry on his hikes? I seem to remember a leather
>>> > satchel, some flour, and a blanket...?
>>>
>>> I recall reading somewhere that he only carried bread and tea for
>>> meals. Whatever he carried, I wouldn't want to be using the same type
>>> of footwear he had to use.
>>
>> That's right - bread, tea, the clothes on his back and journals/ writing
>> implements. His notes on his observations are legendary.
>>
>> He wore a sprig of greenery on his lapel from time to time :-)
>
> How did he stay warm at night?
>
> I remember one story where I think he was in the southern Sierras and
> almost died of exposure one night, but he happened across a hot spring.

>.

Well, he did carry a bit more...to wit, something in which to boil his tea
and some matches. In the chapter "A near view of the high sierra \" in *The
Mountains of California* he writes of building a fire and then says "I had
to creep out many times to the fire during the night, for it was biting cold
and I had no blankets. Gladly I welcomed the morning sun."

Wayne

unread,

Apr 27, 2010, 10:05:36 PM4/27/10

to

"Ben Crowell" <crow...@lightSPAMandISmatterEVIL.com> wrote in message
news:4bd63599$0$15755$c3e...@news.astraweb.com...

-
I've heard that he carried an overcoat with big pockets. I assume that was
only for milder weather.

Ben Crowell

unread,

Jun 12, 2010, 10:25:13 AM6/12/10

to

Found an interesting article that describes equipment used by
Lewis and Clark, British colonial explorers, and John Muir:

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/
testimony_into_the_unknown_with_sturdy_footwear.html