MASS PROPERTIES CONSIDERATIONS ON THE APPALACHIAN TRAIL

摘要

This paper aims to apply some engineering rigor to the questions surrounding pack weight, particularly when thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail, which I did in 2005 after graduating college. The paper will first describe, briefly, my own thru-hike which will set the stage for a discussion of pack weight, why it matters, and the trade-offs inherent in considering what to take along for the journey. The Marickovich Caloric Power Index (MCPI) will also be introduced, which attempts to provide a metric for food choices based on weight, cost, and calories.