Make Sure Those Boots Were Made for Walking

It would be hard to mistake the Matterhorn in Switzerland for the one at Disneyland.

One is a 14,690-foot peak in the Swiss Alps, while the other is basically a roller-coaster ride.

But if the fiberglass version were real, there’s at least one man in the city who would have no difficulty climbing it.

Dan Jundanian, 47, is a naturalist at Oak Canyon Nature Center, on paper still within the city limits of Anaheim but in truth about half a world away.

The nature center is one of the few of its type to be operated by a municipality. Most wilderness centers, by definition, are well outside urban areas and consequently administered by state or county agencies.

Jundanian has been a naturalist for the city for 22 years, starting a few years before the center was constructed.

The Riverside resident, who also has taught biology at Troy High School in Fullerton for 22 years, likes to share his knowledge of the mountains with other climbers, hikers and those people who might wish to explore the area’s wilderness.

He speaks regularly at Oak Canyon on a variety of topics, one of which is an overview of backpacking, its rewards and how to do it with minimal risk.

Even though he’s been active in hiking, climbing and camping more than half his life, the Cal State Fullerton graduate embraces new technologies and advancements in backpacking. He isn’t one to speak on the beauties of pup tents and kerosene lanterns when newer, more practical alternatives are on the market.

“Backpacking has changed,” he told a group of about 20 at a recent informal lecture at Oak Canyon. “The tents are roomier, lighter and easier to put up; there is a greater variety of packs, boots, sleeping bags, lanterns and clothing, both for day hikers and those who are going to be out on the trails for a week or more.”

Jundanian stresses the importance of proper footgear above all other equipment. “You’re going to take 10,000 steps a day--that’s no exaggeration--on a backpacking trip,” he said. “If your boots don’t fit, and they’re carrying your own weight plus a pack with 50 or 60 pounds of equipment, you’ll be very uncomfortable.”

The right type of boot is as important as fit, he believes. On the matter of size, however, Jundanian stresses that there must be enough toe room so that the hiker’s toes “don’t jam in the front when you’re going downhill.” A brochure he distributes at his talks suggests that there should be a thumb’s width between the toes and the tip of the boot.

He also suggests that hikers consider boots that are fairly lightweight. “You can still buy a good all-leather boot,” he says, “but leather and canvas will be lighter and probably more comfortable.”

Two other requirements are a padded top and a scree shield--a type of cuff that keeps twigs and pebbles out of the boot. Winter hikers should “snow seal” their boots, even if they won’t actually be in the snow. Waterproofing is the goal.

Two final points on boots: “Buy them in the fall if you can; there are sales then,” and “take an extra pair of laces. New laces are hard to find when you’re 20 miles from nowhere.”

After boots, packs get most of Jundanian’s attention. For day hikes, a rucksack is sufficient. This type of pack can carry up to 20 pounds and is usually made of cotton or nylon.

Those doing serious backpacking, however, will need a true backpack. The internal frame pack--which has all its metal parts inside the pack--is good for rock climbing, Jundanian says, because it can’t snag if it’s being pulled up a rock face on a rope.

For regular backpacking, however, he prefers an external frame pack, which has an aluminum frame, attached pack bag, shoulder straps and hip belt.

“The internal pack usually just consists of one big pocket,” he says. “And you don’t want to pack and unpack every time you reach for one item. It’s nice to have pockets on the outside--and be sure you have a good pad against your back and a padded waist belt, which shifts the weight to your hips.”

Jundanian’s tips on selecting a pack? Be sure that all metal parts are rustproof, and load it with 50 to 60 pounds to see if you can handle that heavy a load. As for price, a good pack can cost as much as $200, he points out. Many packs can be rented.

Jundanian cautions against a sudden rash of enthusiasm that can cause a family to rush out and buy enough equipment to take on the Himalayas.

“You can spend hundreds of dollars on just the basics without blinking an eye,” he said. “Whenever possible, I think it’s best to rent before you buy. You find out if you really want to get serious about backpacking, and you discover which types of equipment you prefer.”

He believes one area where campers shouldn’t skimp is in the purchase of sleeping bags. “You’ve got to stay warm or you’ll have an unsatisfactory camping experience,” he said. “So you need to figure out what your needs are for a bag. Do you want foam, polyester, goose down? Do you want a large bag or a small, mummy-type? The smaller the bag, the better it will be in keeping your body heat. From that standpoint, the mummy bag (which is narrow at the feet) is best.”

Jundanian likes a new type of bag that uses goose down on top, “to keep you warm” and synthetic fibers on the bottom. Some bags are brightly colored, not as a fashion statement but “in case you’re ever lost and there’s a search on for you, it’s easier to spot from a helicopter than one that’s dark green.”

He favors the use of a plastic ground sheet under the tent and a foam pad under the sleeping bag. “The problem with the inflatable air mattresses,” he says, “is that they don’t deflate very well. A good foam pad is all you need.”

Tents have changed greatly in recent years, Jundanian says. The old umbrella and pup tent styles, with center poles and a half-dozen wooden or plastic stakes, have been replaced by those that are free-standing (no stakes) and with external poles, usually made of fiberglass or aluminum.

Jundanian believes the tent should be put up every night, no matter how beautiful the afternoon’s weather might be. “It’s nice to sleep under the stars,” he says, “but (weather) patterns can change very fast in the mountains.”

Campers who wait until it starts raining to put up a tent can be thoroughly wet by the time it is in place, he says, even if it only takes a few minutes.

One feature he advocates is a separate rain fly, a tent’s outer layer. The inner layer is porous, allowing for easy movement of air. The outer layer protects the camper from rain and wind.

“The partial rain fly just doesn’t work,” Jundanian says. “It touches the tent, which means that, if it gets wet, you get wet. You need that separate outer layer.”

Some other tips from Jundanian:

* “Don’t sleep with your clothes on. If you have a warm bag, you won’t need to. But do sleep with two pair of socks on. That will help keep you warm, and piling your clothes under your feet will keep you warm, too.”

* “Use your jacket for a pillow. Inflatable pillows aren’t comfortable and, if you use a pillow, you aren’t going to have enough space to bring one along.”

* “Pitch your tent by midafternoon, before it gets dark, and keep it at least 150 feet from water. You don’t want any unpleasant surprises.”

* “Food is the heaviest item you’ll take. That and the equipment to prepare it. You have to choose between propane and white gas for a camp stove. Propane tends to be more expensive but might be preferable to gasoline if children are around. And remember that food tastes better when it still resembles food.”

* “Nothing is truly waterproof. Do the best you can to waterproof your clothing and gear, and then use plastic trash bags for water protection and to keep bears and raccoons from smelling things. Cover your food and your pack with them at night.”

* “All water should either be boiled or filtered. Don’t trust river or stream water, no matter how clean it looks. It takes a long time to get over some of the things you can get from bad water. The new filtering systems are compact and take care of most of the stuff that might be in the water.”

* “Agree on a walking pace that is comfortable to everyone. Rest five to 10 minutes every hour, and put moleskin on blisters right away. Don’t let them ruin your outing.”

* “Get a copy of ‘Advanced First Aid and Emergency Care’ by the American Red Cross, and read it. You hope you’ll never need to use it, but it’s good to have someone who knows it, just in case.”

The Oak Canyon Nature Center is at 6700 E. Walnut Canyon Road, Anaheim. The telephone number is (714) 998-8380. Several lectures and programs are offered.