| Some of the smaller electronic video games | | | | fights. But if you prefer not to get wet and cold, |
| make good backpacking games, but you have to | | | | you might have a competition that involves hitting |
| carry extra batteries. Some board games have | | | | a tree or other target. Competitive building of |
| light enough versions, like the cloth chess board | | | | snow shelters can be fun as well, and it will help |
| and light plastic pieces that I occasionally carry | | | | you train for survival, just in case. |
| with me, but then I need a flat surface to set it | | | | Games That Require No Materials |
| up on. In any case, being an utralight backpacker, | | | | Some of the best backpacking games don't |
| I prefer the games that don't add a single ounce | | | | require you to either carry pieces or gather |
| to the pack. here are some examples. | | | | natural materials. These are the purely mental |
| Games Using Natural Items | | | | games that will balance the physical exercise with |
| There are a lot of games that can be set up | | | | some mental training. For example, there is the |
| quickly using natural elements available in the | | | | game where you say a word and then your |
| wilderness. Perhaps the simplest is the game | | | | opponent has to say one that starts with the |
| Tic-Tac-Toe. Scratch two lines in the sand and | | | | second letter of the one you used. You then |
| two crossing those and you have your board. | | | | have to do the same, and so on, until one of you |
| Each player can use a stick to make his marks. In | | | | cannot find a word within fifteen seconds or so, |
| sand the marks are easily erased in preparation | | | | and so loses. |
| for the next round. | | | | There is a good mental exercise that will also train |
| If there is a large enough flat area with dirt or | | | | you in the right frame of mind to deal with |
| sand that can be smoothed out, there is another | | | | wilderness emergencies. Start by choosing any |
| games that can be played with sticks for pencils. | | | | item in the wilderness around you. Then find |
| Make a grid of lines roughly ten by ten, and then | | | | survival uses for it in your minds. For example, if |
| in the boxes created write the first letter of your | | | | it is a log, see how many ways you can each |
| name. Your opponent will then do the same, with | | | | think of to use it in a survival situation. You can |
| the object being to get five of your initials in row. | | | | play this as a competition or a collaborative effort. |
| Not all backpacking games need to be mental | | | | Other games that can boost your wilderness skills |
| games. You can have a lot of fun with simple | | | | include ones like guessing how long it will take you |
| tests of coordination and throwing ability, for | | | | to get to some distant landmark. You might also |
| example. Just create a circle or square two feet | | | | try to identify as many plants as you can while |
| across, and toss pine cones at it to see who can | | | | you are hiking, and recall which are edible or |
| get the first one to stay inside the target, or who | | | | useful. Nothing to carry, nothing to gather, and |
| can get the most out of twenty to stay in it. If | | | | they can be played anywhere - these may be |
| there are no pine cones, use rocks or pieces of | | | | the best backpacking games for those who like |
| wood or sea shells. | | | | to keep it light. |
| In the winter you can of course have snowball | | | | |