A field journal by PackTrack
Why I’m Starting The Weekend Backcountry
I’m in a phase where school and career limit how often I can actually be outside, so this is my way of staying connected to that world and taking it seriously anyway.
My name’s Houssein and I like hiking, camping, trail running, canoeing, fishing, climbing, gear systems, and self-sufficiency. But I’m in a phase where school and career demands limit how often I can actually be outside. So this publication becomes a way to stay connected to that world even when I can’t disappear into it as often as I’d like.
I think ever since I was a kid I’ve been a fan of the outdoors. I remember spending time in our backyard, wandering in the forest behind our house, cycling around with my friends, reading Nat Geo magazines, watching the Discovery Channel, and just struggling to comprehend how big the world was and how much there was to see and explore.
But it wasn’t really until I became more independent and took my first trip to Vancouver with the boys, and later Banff, and Banff again, and then Madeira and Whistler, that I began to realize just how much a fan of the outdoors I was.
A lot of outdoor content leans heavily on aesthetics. Beautiful photos, dramatic landscapes, vague language about escape. I like that stuff too. I do a lot of photography and videography. But I’m more interested in what actually helps someone get out the door and make sure they’re having fun while they’re out there.
What should you pack? What do you leave behind? How do you plan a two-night trip when you only have a weekend? What food actually works and tastes good? What gear is worth paying for? Honestly, not that much. What skills matter early? And the list goes on.
It’s not about being the most extreme person outside or proving anything. It’s about becoming more capable, more prepared, and more consistent.
It’s about treating weekend trips as something worth doing well, not as watered-down versions of “real” adventure.
Honestly for most people, the weekend is the access point. And I definitely want to do more than just weekend trips, but we take what we can get. It’s where the habit starts, and where you learn your systems, figure out what works and fails, what you overpacked or forgot, what you’re afraid of, and what you want to do next and whether you want to take things further or not.
I’m starting The Weekend Backcountry because I want to build a more intentional outdoor life around the life I already have with school, family, and my other hobbies. So I think this’ll be some kind of a field guide: part planning notebook, part gear log, part trip reflection, part skill-building project. The focus will be practical backcountry life for people with limited time but serious intent.
Honestly I don’t know if anyone will even read this, which is alright, so I guess it doesn’t really matter what I say or do here lol, but anyone’s welcome to join me along the way as I continue working on PackTrack and figuring the outdoors out.
I think this project is my attempt to take this part of my life seriously.