An outtake from the July 17, 2017, Kioshkowi Lake and Little Mink Lake portage video, part one, photo by the author. |
Have
you ever wondered what it is like to portage a canoe or a pack, between two
lakes, anywhere in the northern wilderness?
If you have, watch the video that my cameraman shot on July 17, 2017 on
a 635 meter portage between Kioshkowi Lake and Little Mink Lake, in Algonquin
Provincial Park, HERE or HERE.
The
portage in the video was a successful portage, in that it was a “one-trip”
portage, meaning we travelled between the lakes just once and therefore, we
spent the least amount of time and travelled the least amount of distance
possible, on that portage.
What
are the secrets to having a successful one trip portage?
First
you have to match the number of people in the canoe to the number of things
being carried across the portage. For
example, if there are three people in the canoe and you have two packs, plus
the canoe, then everyone has one thing to carry. Providing that they can physically carry
their item, then you should be able cross the portage in one trip.
An
illustration of a “one-trip” portage, drawing by the author
|
However
what if your canoe has two people and two packs, not to mention the canoe? Well, in that case, you are going to be
forced to make a “two-trip” portage. The
problem with a “two-trip” portage is that you actually have to spend three
times as long and cover three times as much distance as you would on a “one-trip”
portage.
An
illustration of a “two-trip” portage, showing you crossing the portage three
times, drawing by the author
|
Why
“three times” you ask? Simple, there are
three items and two of you; one the first trip across the portage you each
carry one item, then you walk back across the portage to the starting point and
get the last item: you have walked the portage three times and have taken three
times as long as you would on a “one-trip” portage.
What
if you have enough people to carry everything, but the packs are too heavy for
one of the people to carry, or maybe you are trekking in the wilderness with a
child or young adult? What is the ideal
weight of a pack and when is the canoe too heavy for someone to carry?
You
should always try to match, whenever possible, the weight of the packs and the
weight of the canoe to the people who will be carrying them. REI, Inc. recommends that the ideal pack
weight should be 20% of your body weight and other experts recommend 25%; Stephen
J. Townsend, in his thesis that used S.L.A. Marshall’s data from The
Soldier’s Load and the Mobility of the Nation, suggested that a
sustainable, comfortable load to carry is about 30% of your body weight; further
he cautioned that you run the risk of injury, if you repeatedly and frequently
carry more than 45% of your body weight.
Additionally he wrote that, occasionally overloading someone to between
65% and 90% of their body weight for up to twenty kilometers, or twelve and a
half miles, for several days is possible, however the person carrying the
overload has an elevated risk of an injury and it will travel slower.
How
much can be carried by your body weight, by the author.
Percentages
of body weight
and
weight to be carried
Body
Weight 25% 30% 45%
180
lbs 45 lbs 54 lbs 81
lbs
150
lbs 38 lbs 45 lbs 68
lbs
120
lbs 30 lbs 36 lbs 54
lbs
90 lbs 23
lbs 27 lbs 41 lbs
60 lbs 15
lbs 18 lbs 27 lbs
So
have fun and I hope that you enjoy your “one-trip” portages.
An outtake from the July 17, 2017, Kioshkowi Lake and Little Mink Lake portage video, part one, photo by the author. |
I hope that you continue to enjoy The
Woodsman’s Journal Online and my videos at BandanaMan Productions and don’t
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BandanaMan Productions on YouTube, and if you have questions, as always, feel
free to leave a comment on either site. I announce new articles and videos on Facebook at Eric Reynolds, on
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watch for me.
Sources
Townsend,
Stephen J., Major, USA, “The Factors Of Soldier’s Load”, [Fort Leavenworth,
Kansas, 1994], p 15-16, https://usacac.army.mil/cac2/CSI/docs/Gorman/06_Retired/03_Retired_2000_11/22_09_SoldierFuture_Jun.pdf,
accessed 8/6/2019
Pasteris, Joe, “How Much Should Your Pack Weigh?”,
[Recreational Equipment, Inc., 2019], https://www.rei.com/blog/camp/how-much-should-your-pack-weigh,
accessed 8/6/19
Thank you so much for the glowing endorsement! Please continue to come back, more great material is on the way. Also check out BandanamanProductions on YouTube for videos on similar topics. Don't forget to follow me on The Woodsman's Journal Online and to subscribe to BandanamanProductions on YouTube.
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