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40-473: Backpacking as a method of travel is a different activity, which mainly uses public transport during a journey that can last months. It is, however, similar to bikepacking , bicycle touring , canoe and kayak camping, and trail riding , with saddlebags . Backpacking is an outdoor recreation where gear is carried in a backpack . This can include food, water, bedding, shelter, clothing, stove, and cooking kit. Given that backpackers must carry their gear,

80-716: A backpack . Once seen as a marginal form of travel undertaken only through necessity, it has become a mainstream form of tourism. While backpacker tourism is generally a form of youth travel , primarily undertaken by young people during gap years , it is also undertaken by older people during holidays, a career break, or at retirement, or by digital nomads , as part of a minimalist lifestyle . As such, backpackers can be of any age, but are typically aged 18 to 30. Backpacker tourism generally, but does not always, include: People have travelled for thousands of years with their possessions on their backs, but usually out of need rather than for recreation. Between 3400 and 3100 BCE, Ötzi

120-409: A snow cave . It has thermal properties similar to an igloo and is effective both at providing protection from wind and low temperatures. A properly made snow cave can be 0 °C (32 °F) or warmer inside, even when outside temperatures are −40 °C (−40 °F). It is constructed by excavating snow so that its entrance tunnel is below the main space in order to retain warm air. Construction

160-573: A 30-pound (14 kg) pack, loads his knees with 555 pounds (252 kg) of stress per step. Backpacking camps are usually more spartan than campsites where gear is transported by car or boat. In areas with heavy backpacker traffic, a hike-in campsite might have a fire ring (where permissible), an outhouse , a wooden bulletin board with a map and information about the trail and area. Many hike-in camps are no more than level patches of ground free of underbrush. In remote wilderness areas hikers must choose their own site. Established camps are rare and

200-444: A pressing issue in rural areas amongst developing countries all over the world. While diarrhea and vomiting are the most commonly reported symptoms of waterborne illness, other symptoms can include skin, ear, respiratory, or eye problems. Lack of clean water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are major causes for the spread of waterborne diseases in a community. Therefore, reliable access to clean drinking water and sanitation

240-451: A result of exceptional circumstances, have entered the water. However, the fact that there might be an occasional infection need not mean that it is useful to categorize the resulting disease as "waterborne". Nor is it common practice to refer to diseases such as malaria as "waterborne" just because mosquitoes have aquatic phases in their life cycles, or because treating the water they inhabit happens to be an effective strategy in control of

280-760: A way to extend their overseas travel. The trend has drawn criticism for taking money away from people in actual need, with one known begpacker barred from entering Singapore. Begpacking is common in Southeast Asia and is a trend in South America and South Korea. Waterborne diseases Waterborne diseases are conditions (meaning adverse effects on human health, such as death, disability, illness or disorders) caused by pathogenic micro-organisms that are transmitted by water . These diseases can be spread while bathing, washing, drinking water, or by eating food exposed to contaminated water. They are

320-405: Is Ultra High Temperature (UHT) processed food, which has its moisture retained and merely needs heating with a special, water-activated chemical reaction . Specialized cookbooks are available on trailside food and the challenges inherent in making it. Some focus on planning meals and preparing ingredients for short trips; others on the challenges of organizing and preparing meals revolving around

360-656: Is ingestion of contaminated water. Lack of clean water supply, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) are major causes for the spread of waterborne diseases in a community. The fecal–oral route is a disease transmission pathway for waterborne diseases. Poverty also increases the risk of communities to be affected by waterborne diseases. For example, the economic level of a community impacts their ability to have access to clean water. Less developed countries might be more at risk for potential outbreaks of waterborne diseases but more developed regions also are at risk to waterborne disease outbreaks. Global climate change has increased

400-524: Is a recreational activity that combines ultralight backpacking with running , and, on steep slopes, hiking . It is a multi-day adventure that usually takes places along long distance trails . A sleeping bag is carried and other essential backpacking items, and often a tent or similar shelter, if places to stay are not available. Backpacking (travel) Backpacking is a form of low-cost, independent travel, which often includes staying in inexpensive lodgings and carrying all necessary possessions in

440-489: Is energy intensive. It is essential to bring enough food to maintain both energy and health. The weight of food is an important issue to consider. Consequently, items with high food energy , long shelf life , and low mass and volume deliver the most utility. Taste and satisfaction are issues that are of varying importance to individual hikers, as they consider whether it is worth the effort (and trade-off against other gear) to carry fresh, heavy, or luxury food items. The shorter

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480-464: Is exceptionally heavy. It is impossible to carry more than a few days' supply. Therefore, hikers often drink natural water supplies, sometimes after filtering or purifying. Some hikers will treat water before drinking to protect against waterborne diseases carried by bacteria and protozoa . The chief treatment methods include: Water may be stored in bottles or collapsible plastic bladders. Hydration bladders are increasingly popular. Backpacking

520-621: Is retained in-country than in conventional mass tourism. Backpacker tourism of the hippie trail has been criticized for possibly encouraging urban liberal minorities while insulting Islamic traditionalist theology , possibly contributing to the Islamic reawakening in the late 1970s. Even though one of the primary aims of backpacking is to seek the "authentic", the majority of backpackers spend most of their time interacting with other backpackers, and interactions with locals are of "secondary importance". Backpacker tourism has been criticized for

560-418: Is simplified by building on a steep slope and digging slightly upwards and horizontally into the snow. The roof is domed to prevent dripping on the occupants. Adequate snow depth, free of rocks and ice, is needed — generally 4 to 5 ft (1.2 to 1.5 m) is sufficient. A quinzhee is similar, but constructed by tunneling into mounded snow rather than by digging into a natural snow formation. Fastpacking

600-550: Is the main method to prevent waterborne diseases. Microorganisms causing diseases that characteristically are waterborne prominently include protozoa and bacteria , many of which are intestinal parasites , or invade the tissues or circulatory system through walls of the digestive tract. Various other waterborne diseases are caused by viruses . Yet other important classes of waterborne diseases are caused by metazoan parasites. Typical examples include certain Nematoda , that

640-1208: Is the principal database used to identify the causative agents, deficiencies, water systems, and sources associated with waterborne disease and outbreaks in the United States. Since 1971, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) , the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE), and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have maintained this surveillance system for collecting and reporting data on "waterborne disease and outbreaks associated with recreational water, drinking water, environmental, and undetermined exposures to water." "Data from WBDOSS have supported EPA efforts to develop drinking water regulations and have provided guidance for CDC's recreational water activities." WBDOSS relies on complete and accurate data from public health departments in individual states, territories, and other U.S. jurisdictions regarding waterborne disease and outbreak activity. In 2009, reporting to

680-551: Is to say "roundworms". As an example of waterborne Nematode infections, one important waterborne nematode disease is Dracunculiasis . It is acquired by swallowing water in which certain copepoda occur that act as vectors for the Nematoda. Anyone swallowing a copepod that happens to be infected with Nematode larvae in the genus Dracunculus , becomes liable to infection. The larvae cause guinea worm disease . Another class of waterborne metazoan pathogens are certain members of

720-463: Is widely available, but can be expensive. Materials can include carbon fiber, lightweight alloys, specialty plastics, and impregnated fabrics. Backpacking has been a historically white male-dominated outdoor recreational activity. With official backpacks for the sport being patented since 1878, it is indicative of the demographics that the first backpack designed for and marketed towards women wasn't invented until 1979, over 100 years later. Backpacking

760-807: The Appalachian Trail . Another example is the High Sierra Camps in the Yosemite National Park . Long-distance backpacking trails with huts also exist in South Africa, including the 100 km plus Amatola Trail , in the Eastern Cape Province. Backpacking is also popular in the Himalayas (often called trekking there), where porters and pack animals are often used. Backpacking gear depends on

800-596: The Schistosomatidae , a family of blood flukes . They usually infect people that make skin contact with the water. Blood flukes are pathogens that cause Schistosomiasis of various forms, more or less seriously affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The term waterborne disease is reserved largely for infections that predominantly are transmitted through contact with or consumption of microbially polluted water . Many infections may be transmitted by microbes or parasites that accidentally, possibly as

840-558: The World Health Organization , waterborne diseases account for an estimated 3.6% of the total DALY (disability- adjusted life year) global burden of disease , and cause about 1.5 million human deaths annually. The World Health Organization estimates that 58% of that burden, or 842,000 deaths per year, is attributable to a lack of safe drinking water supply, sanitation and hygiene (summarized as WASH ). The Waterborne Disease and Outbreak Surveillance System (WBDOSS)

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880-711: The ethos is to " leave no trace " when gone. In some regions, varying forms of accommodation exist, from simple log lean-to's to staffed facilities offering escalating degrees of service. Beds, meals, and even drinks may be had at Alpine huts scattered among well-traveled European mountains. Backpackers there can walk from hut-to-hut without leaving the mountains, while in places like the Lake District or Yorkshire Dales in England hill-walkers descend to stay in youth hostels , farmhouses or guest houses . Reservations can usually be made in advance and are recommended in

920-889: The hippie trail of the 1960s and 1970s, which in turn followed sections of the old Silk Road . Some backpackers follow the same trail today. Since the late-20th century, backpackers have visited Southeast Asia in large numbers. A 2018 study of over 500 backpackers conducted by researchers at Sun Yat-sen University and Shaanxi Normal University in China and Edith Cowan University in Australia showed that for Westerners, backpacking leads to acquired capabilities like effective communication, decision-making , adaptability , and problem solving , all of which contribute to an increase in self-efficacy , and for Chinese backpackers, acquiring skills like time and money management , language development, stress management , and self-motivation provided

960-605: The Iceman was traveling in Italy with a backpack made of animal skins and a wooden frame, although there are some thoughts that this may actually have been his snowshoes. In the 7th century, Xuanzang , a Chinese Buddhist monk, travelled to India with a hand-made backpack. In the 17th century, Italian adventurer Giovanni Francesco Gemelli Careri was likely one of the first people to engage in backpacker tourism. The modern popularity of backpacking can be traced, at least partially, to

1000-567: The WBDOSS transitioned from a paper form to the electronic National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) . Annual or biennial surveillance reports of the data collected by the WBDOSS have been published in CDC reports from 1971 to 1984; since 1985, surveillance data have been published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) . WBDOSS and the public health community work together to look into

1040-471: The biggest increase in self-efficacy. Mark Hampton of the University of Kent , writing for The Guardian , argued in 2010 that for many low-income communities in the developing world, the economic benefits of hosting backpackers outweigh their negative impacts. Since backpackers tend to consume local products, stay in small guest houses, and use locally owned ground transport, more of their expenditure

1080-409: The body, both particularly dangerous in cold weather. Winter backpackers stick to wool or synthetic fabric like nylon or polypropylene, which hold less moisture and often have specialized wicking properties to dissipate sweat generated during aerobic activities. Layering is essential, as wet clothes quickly sap body heat and can lead to frostbite or hypothermia . A winter bivouac can also be made in

1120-402: The bulk rationing prevalent in extended trail hikes, particularly those with pre-planned food drops. Some people seek out lighter equipment for long-distance hikes, as it is easier to carry, reduces physical strain, and allows for ease of long distance travel. Ultralight gear has become increasingly more commonly used in past years as it reduces the strain on the hiker. Specialist ultralight gear

1160-548: The case in developing countries. On average, a family spends about 10% of the monthly households income per person infected. Waterborne diseases were once wrongly explained by the miasma theory , the theory that bad air causes the spread of diseases. However, people started to find a correlation between water quality and waterborne diseases, which led to different water purification methods, such as sand filtering and chlorinating their drinking water. Founders of microscopy , Antonie van Leeuwenhoek and Robert Hooke , used

1200-407: The causes of contaminated water leading to waterborne disease outbreaks and maintaining those outbreaks. They do so by having the public health community investigating the outbreaks and WBDOSS receiving the reports. Waterborne diseases can have a significant impact on the economy. People who are infected by a waterborne disease are usually confronted with related healthcare costs. This is especially

1240-547: The high season. In the more remote parts of Great Britain, especially Scotland, bothies exist to provide simple (free) accommodation for backpackers. On the French system of long distance trails , Grande Randonnées , backpackers can stay in gîtes d'étapes , which are simple hostels provided for walkers and cyclists. There are some simple shelters and occasional mountain hut also provided in North America, including on

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1280-422: The insects (or disease vectors ) that can carry the diseases. Scientists stated a clear observation in 2022: "The occurrence of climate-related food-borne and waterborne diseases has increased (very high confidence)." Reliable access to clean drinking water and sanitation is the main method to prevent waterborne diseases. The aim is to break the fecal–oral route of disease transmission. According to

1320-480: The knees. Humans can carry weight under 50 pounds (23 kg) in a safe manner, and a weighted carry is as beneficial for the cardiovascular system as a light run, and for exercise, a weighted carry helps avoid injuries. A differential exists between a man running in comparison to a man walking while carrying a backpack. A 175-pound (79 kg) man running, without a backpack, loads his knees with 1,400 pounds (640 kg) of stress per stride. The same person, carrying

1360-506: The mosquitoes that are the vectors . A related term is "water-related disease" which is defined as "any significant or widespread adverse effects on human health, such as death, disability, illness or disorders, caused directly or indirectly by the condition, or changes in the quantity or quality of any water". Water-related diseases are grouped according to their transmission mechanism: water borne, water hygiene, water based, water related. The main transmission mode for waterborne diseases

1400-410: The occurrence of some infectious diseases . Infectious diseases whose transmission is impacted by climate change include, for example, vector-borne diseases like dengue fever , malaria , tick-borne diseases , leishmaniasis , zika fever , chikungunya and Ebola . One mechanism contributing to increased disease transmission is that climate change is altering the geographic range and seasonality of

1440-415: The terrain and climate, and on a hiker's plans for shelter (refuges, huts, gites, camping, etc.). It may include: Proper hydration is critical to successful backpacking. Depending on conditions - which include weather, terrain, load, and the hiker's age and fitness - a backpacker may drink 2 to 8 litres (1/2 to 2 gallons), or more, per day. At 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) per 1 litre (1.1 US qt) water

1480-426: The total weight of their bag and its contents is a primary concern of backpackers. Backpacking trips range from one night to weeks or months, sometimes aided by planned resupply points, drops, or caches. Carrying loads appears to have differentiated humans from other animals. A weighted carry from backpacking taxes muscles. A weighted load stresses the shoulders, delts, back, abs, obliques, hips, quads, hamstrings and

1520-744: The transformation of some sleepy towns, such as the creation of the Full Moon Party on Ko Pha-ngan in Thailand, which includes "scores of topless teenagers urinating into the ocean". Flashpacking and Poshpacking refer to backpacking with more money and resources. The words combine backpacking with flash , a slang term for being fancy, or posh , an informal adjective for upper class . Begpacking combines begging and backpacking in reference to individuals who beg (ask directly or indirectly for money), solicit money during street performances , or vend (sell postcards or other small items) as

1560-871: The trip and easier the conditions the more feasible such treats become. In many cases, heat, fuel and utensils are used. Small liquid or gas-fueled campstoves and lightweight cooking pots are common. Campfires are sometimes prohibited. Some backpackers consume dried foods, including many common household foods such as cereal, oatmeal, powdered milk, cheese, crackers, sausage, salami, dried fruit, peanut butter, pasta and rice. Popular snacks include trail mix , easily prepared at home; nuts, energy bars , chocolate, and other energy-dense foods. Coffee, tea, and cocoa are common beverages. Package food in plastic bags while avoiding heavier jars and cans. Dehydrators are popular for drying fruit, jerky, and pre-cooked meals. Many hikers use freeze-dried precooked entrees for hot meals, quickly reconstituted by adding boiling water. An alternative

1600-707: Was popularized in the 1960's after the passing of The Wilderness Act . Since then, the majority of backpackers have been young, white, men. Studies surrounding the outdoor activity have reflected this. The effects on backpacking (hiking) on women wasn't studied until around 2004, and research is still lacking.    Winter backpacking requires a higher level of skill and generally more specialized gear than in other seasons. Skis or snowshoes may be required to traverse deep snow, or crampons and an ice axe where needed. Winter sleeping bags and tents are essential, as are waterproof, water-repellent, and moisture dissipating materials. Cotton clothing retains moisture and chills

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