Colin Fletcher

since most of our hammockforum members are backpackers, thought i would pass this along...

Colin Fletcher, considered by many to be the father of
modern
backpacking, died of natural causes on June 12 in
Monterey, California.

Obit:
http://www.backpacker.com/article/1,2646,11007,00.html

not long after i really got into backpacking, back in the mid 80s, i read "the complete walker" & learned a lot.
i was fascinated by his extensive "check list". but it took me quite a while to learn that i didn't really need all that stuff... especially not all at the same time:rolleyes:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by slowhike

not long after i really got into backpacking, back in the mid 80s, i read "the complete walker" & learned a lot.
i was fascinated by his extensive "check list". but it took me quite a while to learn that i didn't really need all that stuff... especially not all at the same time:rolleyes:

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Yep, me too! Cut my backpacking teeth on The Complete Walker around 1988. ( Edit: oops, change that to 1983!)
Last Sept., as my 34 year old step son prepared to join me on his first backpacking adventure, a week in Wyoming, he got the newest revised edition of the book and read it cover to cover. I believe it was all of Colin's original words with the addition of new info and updates on lighter equip ad techniques, revised by a younger friend who knew him well.

I have been meaning to get a copy of that book.

RIP Colin. You will be missed.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by slowhike

since most of our hammockforum members are backpackers, thought i would pass this along...

Colin Fletcher, considered by many to be the father of
modern
backpacking, died of natural causes on June 12 in
Monterey, California.

Obit:
http://www.backpacker.com/article/1,2646,11007,00.html

not long after i really got into backpacking, back in the mid 80s, i read "the complete walker" & learned a lot.
i was fascinated by his extensive "check list". but it took me quite a while to learn that i didn't really need all that stuff... especially not all at the same time:rolleyes:

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I've read and re-read his Complete Walker and New Complete Walker over the years. I also read the 1000 Mile Summer and the Man Who Walked Through Time way back when. I felt as if I almost knew the man. He was the inspiration for me to start to backback many, many years ago and I'd heard him fondly described as the Great Grandpacker. It's sad to hear that he is gone from us.

Back in the early 70's when I was in the Boy Scouts I read that book cover to cover. Back then it was about the only book on hiking. I recently looked at on while in Books a Million. He was not a ultralight hiker.

RIP

I don't think Ultralight hiking existed back in his day. I read The Complete Walker in the early 90s; it was one of the first books I dug out when contemplating my 08 thru hike. I hope he enjoys the hiking in Heaven.

here is a good site to pickup some of his books cheap

http://www.alibris.com/search/books/...her%2C%20Colin

that book and all that it held ..was a very big thing for me back in the day...i also read his articles in backpacker mag...i have all of his books and i recently loaned rockstar a copy of the revised complete walker...my first copy is so stained and tattered from being re read untill it was almost going to fall apart..it road in the top of my pack..for down days and rainy days..or those times i just wanted to sit and read..i am sorry he has passed..but as anyone who has read his books will atest...the man truly lived...

" He was not a ultralight hiker."



Having been a commando, maybe he was trained to just suck it up and drive on. Just a thought. Wade