Packing and Portaging

In Short

Dillon Wallace’s Packing and Portaging is a practical manual on wilderness transportation, covering canoe trips, pack-horse trains, foot travel, and Arctic dog-sledding. Written for outdoorsmen who carry their own gear, the book details how to select equipment, prepare lightweight food rations, tie essential pack hitches, and handle extreme seasonal weather. Wallace balances rigorous field experience with common-sense advice, arguing that a true woodsman never endures unnecessary hardship. The text has endured as a classic guide to fieldcraft because its foundational techniques—from balancing loads to executing clean hitches—remain the standard for backcountry travel.

The Story

Wallace opens by defining the essential terminology of the trail, establishing that to "pack" is to carry a load, and to "portage" is to traverse a break between navigable waters. He immediately challenges the romantic myth of "roughing it," contending that only a novice deliberately endures discomfort. For Wallace, the central challenge of any expedition is minimizing weight while preserving health and reasonable comfort.

Beginning with summer water routes, Wallace outlines the ideal two-man canoe outfit. He evaluates tents, axes, and aluminum cooking utensils, recommending precise gear specs right down to the dimensions of pots and the weight of wool blankets. Clothing must be durable and windproof, favoring moleskin trousers, flannel shirts, and Pontiac sweater-shirts over bulky coats. Wallace then introduces his customized two-week food ration based on the U.S. Army standard, demonstrating how dehydrated vegetables and fruits eliminate water weight while maintaining high caloric value.

When the route leaves the water, physical labor intensifies. Wallace explains the mechanics of the tump line—a leather head-strap that shifts heavy weights directly to the neck muscles—allowing packers to transport hundreds of pounds across rough terrain. He demonstrates the Indian method of solo-carrying a canoe by balancing paddle blades on the shoulders, avoiding heavy commercial yokes.

Transitioning from riverways to western trails, Wallace shifts his focus to pack animals. He provides instructions on selecting sound, chunky horses that forage well, avoiding timid or clumsy beasts. He details the assembly of the Asiatic sawbuck pack saddle, complete with double cinches, saddle blankets, and alforjas or fiber kyacks. To secure these loads, Wallace outlines essential hitches, including the squaw hitch, the single diamond, and specialized ties like the stirrup and saddle hitches for hauling game or riding without pack stock.

As the seasons turn, Wallace adapts his methods for foot travel, winter snowshoeing, and Arctic dog-sledding. He covers the selection of broad Indian-style snowshoes, buckskin bindings, and loose woolen garments, warning against tight clothing that restricts circulation. In sub-zero environments, he details Eskimo fieldcraft: wearing caribou or seal skin garments hair-side out to prevent moisture from freezing into ice, using bare hands rather than snow to treat frostbite, and lashing komatik sleds with flexible rawhide rather than rigid iron. Wallace concludes with an emphasis on self-reliance, careful preparation, and respect for the unforgiving nature of the wilderness.

How It Unfolds

Setting out on the water Wallace defines the vocabulary of the trail and establishes the baseline gear for a two-man canoe trip. He details shelter, tools, and clothing, emphasizing that an experienced traveler never carries a coat when a windproof sweater-shirt will do.

Provisioning the trail The narrative moves to camp sustenance, laying out a rigorous two-week food list based on military rations. Wallace shows how replacing fresh produce with dehydrated vegetables drastically cuts weight without sacrificing nutrition.

Conquering the portage Focusing on manual transport, Wallace explains how to make up gear packs using the Canadian tump line. He demonstrates how to balance a canoe on one's shoulders using crossed paddle blades to navigate overland breaks smoothly.

Managing pack stock The scene shifts to western mountains and plains, where Wallace details the selection and care of pack horses. He outlines the assembly of the sawbuck saddle and explains how fiber kyacks or canvas alforjas hold equipment.

Mastering the hitches Wallace presents step-by-step instructions for throwing fundamental knots and hitches, including the squaw hitch and the diamond hitch. He explains how two packers work in tandem on opposite sides of an animal to lock down a heavy load.

Stripping down to essentials Addressing the lone traveler, Wallace details how to pack a riding saddle or travel on foot with minimal gear. He shows how a basic outfit of forty pounds allows a woodsman to live comfortably in the wild for extended periods.

Taking to winter trails The final chapters address cold-weather travel, covering snowshoe selection, toboggans, and dog-sledding with a komatik. Wallace outlines northern survival fieldcraft, from raw buckskin bindings to Eskimo deerskin clothing designed for sub-zero temperatures.

The People

Because Packing and Portaging is an instructional manual rather than a novel, its central figures are the archetype of the outdoorsman, the pack animal, and the indigenous guides whose collective wisdom forms the book's core logic.

• The Experienced Wilderness Traveler: The central figure Wallace addresses and embodies. This traveler seeks efficiency, health, and comfort on the trail, striving to shed every unnecessary ounce of gear without exposing himself to hardship. Through discipline and technical skill, he masters the knots, rations, and packing techniques required to move safely through isolated country.
• The Tenderfoot: The foil to the experienced traveler. The tenderfoot brings heavy, useless gear, relies on flimsy toy axes, wears tight boots, and confuses unnecessary suffering with true woodcraft. Wallace uses the tenderfoot to demonstrate how ignorance leads to exhaustion, sore-backed horses, and failed expeditions.
• The Pack Horse: A vital workhorse whose temperament and anatomy dictate the success of overland journeys. Wallace prefers a small, chunky pony weighing eight to nine hundred pounds that feeds well on range grass and stays calm on steep trails. The horse demands proper saddle fitting and balanced loads to prevent cinching sores and galled backs.
• The Voyageurs and Eskimos: The native and veteran woodsmen whose traditional methods Wallace champions. The Canadian voyageurs demonstrate the unmatched efficiency of the tump line for heavy burdens, while Arctic Eskimos provide the blueprints for rawhide-lashed komatiks and deerskin parkas worn hair-side out to handle extreme cold.

In Its Own Voice

"It is only the veriest tenderfoot that deliberately endures hardships or discomforts where hardships and discomforts are unnecessary."

— Wallace establishes his core philosophy in Chapter I, arguing that real woodsmen prioritize comfort through smart preparation.

"Experienced packers with the tump line will sometimes portage loads of upwards of four hundred pounds. In tests of skill I have seen a man carry in a single load the contents of three barrels of flour--588 pounds."

— In Chapter VI, Wallace describes the impressive carrying capacity made possible by passing a broad leather head-strap over the forehead.

"The Eskimos laughed, and resenting their levity he assured them it was much warmer worn in that manner than as they wore it. 'No,' said one of them, 'if it were warmer worn that way the animals would wear their fur inside.'"

— Wallace illustrates the practical wisdom of Arctic inhabitants in Chapter XV, explaining why skin garments must be worn hair-side out.

What It's Really About

Packing and Portaging is fundamentally an argument for efficiency, preparation, and respect for the natural world. Beneath its precise instructions on rope hitches and dried rations lies a clear philosophy: survival and pleasure in the wild depend on eliminating excess while mastering basic principles. Wallace rejects the idea that wilderness travel is a contest of brute endurance. Instead, he presents woodcraft as an intellectual discipline where proper planning, high-quality gear, and borrowed indigenous knowledge allow a human being to thrive in harsh environments. The book insists that independence in the backcountry is earned through competence, foresight, and an unyielding commitment to reducing one's burden.

Why Read It Today

Modern hikers, bushcrafters, and historical enthusiasts will find Packing and Portaging a fascinating bridge between early 20th-century exploration and contemporary ultralight outdoor philosophy. While modern materials like synthetic fabrics and carbon fiber have replaced oilskins and canvas, Wallace's foundational principles—rationing by weight, eliminating water content, protecting animals, and balancing loads—are as relevant today as they were in 1912.

Reading the book feels like taking a masterclass from a seasoned trail guide who has tested every piece of gear in both tropical heat and Arctic cold. His prose is clear, authoritative, and completely free of artificial drama. Readers should note that the text reflects its era in its brief mentions of historical hunting practices and region-specific terminology. However, its practical advice, detailed diagrams for tying hitches, and deep appreciation for native fieldcraft make it a deeply rewarding read for anyone fascinated by the art of wilderness travel.

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