Big loads are for mules. We’re not designed for heavy backpacks. Even if you’re 20-years-old, and can run uphill with a 70-pound pack, consider a 40-pound pack and save that energy for bagging another summit.

The bag-o'-tricks for lighter backpacks is bottomless. First consider if lighter is righter. If you’re skiing a flat trail for two miles to a cabin then pile all the luxuries into a Paris Expedition sled, but if your objective involves moving your gear a long distance, then it’s time to leave the non-essentials at home. Here are some tips for cutting down the pounds on multi-day, long-distance winter backcountry trips. The same concepts can be used for cold-weather alpine climbing.

Be a Gear Guru not a Gear Hauler – Buying the latest ultralight equipment is important for lighter loads. But buying the gear is the easy part. Knowing what not to bring is the hard part. One rule is every piece of gear – except rescue gear like beacons – should have multiple uses. For example, use your ski poles for skiing and staking out the tent at night, or bring a 3/4-length sleeping pad and sleep with your feet on the backpack.

Carry Less Water – Hydrate or die, just do it before hitting the trail. At 16-ounces per pound, a full 100-ounce Camelbak weighs over six pounds – groan! Try uber-hydrating starting the night before your trip, then steadily drinking liquids from the time you wake up until hitting the trail. By top-loading liquids, your body-sponge is saturated and you’ll being peeing more and drinking less on the trail.

Less Tent = Less Weight – Lighter packs mean you have more energy for skiing vertical and peak-bagging, and less time for lounging in the tent. For the past several years, I’ve been doing most of my 3-person winter trips using a Black Diamond Firstlight (which is a 2-person tent). This translates to less tent weight per person. Also, sandwiching with your partners is warmer (just make sure you get the middle), letting you also cut down on weight by bringing a lighter sleeping bag.

Eat from a Bag – On lightweight winter backcountry trips, the sole purpose of eating is getting calories into your system. Cups, bowls, mugs, coffee machines, and plates are all non-essentials. Hydrate from your waterbottle and eat instant food that can be hydrated in a bag. I like using a freeze-dried meal on the first night out, then recycling the bag as a vessel for the remaining nights.

Fat is Lighter – With nine-calories per gram, fat gives the most bang for your buck compared to carbohydrates and protein, which have four-calories per gram. On multi-day trips, my cutoff is food containing five-calories per gram. Calculate this by dividing the calories per serving by the serving size in grams. This means tortillas (3-calories per gram) don’t make the cut, but Fritos (6-cal/gm) are gold, unless you can stomach Crisco (9-cal/gm).

Drink Instant Coffee – We all enjoy a thick cup of mud in the backcountry, but this is the time to forgo that luxury. Fancy coffee is not light, even if you’re making cowboy coffee. Instant coffee gives the lightest caffeine-fix. Try Medaglia D’Oro instant espresso or the new Starbucks Via ready-brew.

In the Cold, Wear Everything – Aim to wear every stitch of clothing you brought with you when it’s cold. Unused layers are excess weight. In other words, when the time comes that you’re shivering you should be able to wear all your layers and have nothing extra. The only exception is a clean pair of socks for summit day – fluffy socks are warmer than gluey socks. A helpful motto for extended trips is: if you ignore my stench, I’ll ignore yours.

Be an Ounce Counter – Like knowing the calorie difference between Lucky Charms and Fruit Loops, learn the weight of each item in your pack, then you can eliminate heavy items or choose lighter items instead. Prior to the trip, weigh items less than five pounds with a $15 food scale from the grocery store. At the trailhead, before hitting the trail, have a pack-weighing contest using a 50-pound, $10 fish scale.

Liposuction Your Pack – Some backpacks come with excessive doo-dads, such as attachment points and dividers that you’ll never use and just add weight. Remove this extra weight with a Singer seam ripper. Some pack-lightening modifications require moving a strap or attaching a lighter strap. This is easily done with a Speedy Stitcher sewing awl. I recently removed the four-ounce beavertail from my favorite backpack and then speedy-stitched the side compression straps back on.

Share the Load – Going solo in winter means you carry the tent, stove, repair kit, first aid kit, and you provide all warmth at night. Go social and share the weight amongst your partners. And if they want to carry more then let them!

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