packing tips

Answering these questions will determine which items you’ll need to pack. We both feel that checklists are extremely important.

1. What is the destination?
2. What are the expected weather conditions?
3. How long is the trip?
4. Do any expected activities need specialized equipment?
5. Do we need any health and wellness equipment?
6. Is any special documentation, licenses, permits, or references needed?
7. Do we need any expendable supplies?
8. Are there any travel restrictions which must be counted for?

For Yellowstone, the answers to these questions are:

What is the Destination?

• Yellowstone park is a natural environment without the need for dressing up or specialized clothing.
• Should take sturdy clothes and shoes, suitable for sightseeing and the environment.

What are the expected weather conditions?

• Early summer. Mild daily and evening temperatures. Possibility of rain, maybe frost or light snow possible.
• Light coat and rain gear should suffice. Head cover also recommended (I need a hat to prevent burning my bald skull).

How long is the trip?

• 5 days and 4 nights.
• Need layered outfits for 5 days, two sets of night clothes, a lightweight jacket, a hat and rain gear. Also need Pandemic masks,  gloves and sanitizer.

Do any expected activities need specialized equipment?

• Sightseeing, photography, sending data to a blog,
• Sightseeing: binoculars to spot game
• Photography: Camera with multiple lenses
• Sending Data to Blog: Transmit & Receive, We use a Verizon coded IPAD pro with keyboard and iPhone 11 Pro cell phones if coverage is available to update our blog. In Yellowstone, cell coverage is somewhat limited to areas with lodging. Regardless, even without coverage, the cell phone is useful for photography and voice memos.

Do we need any health and wellness equipment?

• We both need daily medications, as well as protections from the outdoor environment: Sun burn lotion, insect repellent, a vehicle first aid kit, and emergency dental kit (I always carry one since a dental problem can really shut down a trip).
• We carry enough Meds for 2 extra days, ie 7 days. We use small bottles (3 oz or less per TSA travel restrictions) of high SPF suntan lotion, 90% Deet insect repellent, and a full first aid kit (including aspirin/Tylenol) as well as an emergency dental kit (for short term fix of broken tooth/crown/denture, gum problem or sensitivity) and sunglasses.

Is any special documentation, licenses, permits, or references needed?

• Need standard driver’s license and ID. Need permit to drive in Yellowstone park for trip duration. A map of Yellowstone helps navigation.
• Yellowstone visitor’s permit can be acquired upon park entry. We use a national Park map supplemented with GPS.

Do we need any expendable supplies?

• Due to COVID-19 restrictions in food services, we will carry food and beverages for 7 days in a cooler acquired in Bozeman.
• A variety of food as well as the specialized food for our needs: Lactose free milk, sugar free oatmeal, cold cereal, sugar substitute sweetener, diet drinks, Teas, and sugar-free snacks. We also carry microwave safe utensils and containers in case we have a microwave available; otherwise we carry enough food to eat cold breakfasts and sandwiches if required.

Are there any travel restrictions which must be counted for?

• No luggage restrictions. Our SUV can carry everything we need
• In actuality we will carry very little besides our clothes and the few items identified above beyond food and beverages in a large cooler.

After answering the questions above we were able to put together a consolidated packing for Yellowstone.

• 5 Sets of Layered Clothing (Underwear, Socks, T-shirts, Shirt, Pants, and handkerchiefs) each
• Light Coat (waterproof to double as rain gear) each
• Hat for each
• 2 Sets night clothes each, 1 pair of slippers each
• 1 Pair Sturdy Walking Shoes each
• Face Masks, gloves, sanitizers for each
• Binoculars
• Cameras (2) , Charged with battery charger, extra charged battery and memory card for each
• Smart phones (act as Camera, GPS, Alarm clock and … phone) and chargers (Can replace cameras above)
• IPAD w/keyboard & charger
• Medications (7 days for each)
•  SPF 35 Sports Sun block
• Repel 100 insect repellant (100% Deet)
•  First aid kit
• Emergency dental repair kit
• Personal Toiletries Kit for each
• Driver’s License and ID each
• Park Permit (acquired on entry)
• Yellowstone Map & GPS
• Large Cooler (with reusable freezing blocks)
• 2 Qt Lactose Free Milk
• Sugar Free Oatmeal (6) and Cereal (enough for 2 for 5 days – doubles as snacks)
•  Tea and instant coffee (enough for 2 for 5 days)
•  Sugar free sweetener
• Sandwich Materials for 2 for 5 meals
• 2 x 6-packs of diet soda and 10 bottles of water and water flavoring
•  Assorted sugar-free snacks
•  Plastic microwavable utensils and containers for 2
• Assorted plastic zip lock bags