Copper Canyons- Packing Tips

Packing for your trip to Mexico

If you are like us, your thoughts are starting to turn toward getting your bags packed for adventure!  As I write these words, it is only two weeks from today that we will be crossing the border as the sun is rising near Big Bend State Park, Texas and cruising south toward the cheerful, bustling city of Chihuahua to pick up our group members who are flying in to Mexico.

The small details of the trip are becoming more real, and as you are gathering the things you’ll need, you may have some questions about what to bring, and how much.  I’ll address several common questions in this post -such as packing food on dayhikes, which gear you can get by without, which gear is absolutely required, and tips on how to keep it safe.  Please leave a comment at the bottom of the page if there are questions you still have; chances are that someone else is wondering the same thing… our response and advice from others in the group will be helpful to all!

How much ’stuff’ should I bring?

The picture below gives a perfect example of how much to pack for your trip.  Your backpacking pack will likely be filled to capacity with the things you will need for the over-night hikes in the wilderness.  Before leaving on a backpacking trip it is recommended that you practice, at least once, stuffing your pack with everything you’ll need, as though you were really about to walk away from civilization for a few days.  Getting to know your gear intimately is truely a personal dance; for me it goes a little something like this:

1. try to imagine every item you will need,
2. make sure it will all fit,
3. find out how heavy your pack is now,
4. reconsider every item and whether it is worth its weight,
5. repeat.

Be sure there is always a little extra room in your pack.  Since Black Bear Explorers will provide meals throughout the trip, there will be several “community items” (food, cooking stove, fuel and other gear) to divvy up among the group before setting out on hikes.

In addition to the backpacking pack, you will need a second, smaller bag to contain everything else.  Your souvenirs, reading book, and perhaps a clean change of clothes are good examples of things you can leave in your small pack while heading out on over-night hikes.

How much spending cash should I bring?

You might like to bring a little pocket money along for purchasing snacks, gifts, or drinks.  Meals, drinking water, coffee, tea and hot chololate are provided at meal times, alcohol is not.  We suggest bringing around $100 in spending cash, but if you know you have an affinity for local artwork you might want to bring more.  We will visit a few small towns in the Copper Canyon region, and stop for lunch in Chihuahua, the region’s capital city which has a lively downtown area surrounding it’s impressive cathedral plaza.

Honestly, what can I go without?

Certain items on the gear list will be shared, meaning if you do not have it you may not need to go out and buy it.  Items listed with a star are required items, everything else is up to your best judgment, and if you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask!

The following are items that will/can be shared:

• Backpacking stove and fuel
• Cooking pots
• Meals
• Sponge and biodegradable soap
• Waterproof matches
• Trowel for digging holes
• Water filter and iodine tablets for backup
• Cameras
• First-Aid kit for emergencies only

What about the saftey of my belongings?

Simply put, do not bring jewelery, your entire every-day wallet, your $8,000 portable telescope or anything else you want to keep absolutely safe.  On several occasions the group will pack their bags and leave anything they don’t need in the Adventure Van while hiking.  We have only had friendly experiences with the locals, never had anything stolen, and do not expect to.  Although the van will be always be locked, you will be leaving your belongings unattended at your own risk.

It is recommended you decide on a safe place to keep your passport for the entire trip.  This might be in the inner pocket of a small bag that you will take everywhere you go.

If you are concerned about losing your passport, credit card or anything else, a good idea would be to scan and email yourself a copy of your passport, driver’s license and other documents.  This way you will have access to them in case of emergency.  As well you might wirte down your bank’s international phone number.  In case you need to contact your bank, 800-numbers often do not work from Mexico.

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