James,
As someone who has taken multiple week-long backpacking trips in the Rocky Mountains, I noticed a couple of things in this article that I would like to address. The first is the author’s advice on mountain shelters. First of all, if you do decide to pick a cave for shelter please be aware that mountain lions are plentiful in the mountains and one may have already decided to make that cave its home. I have literally walked within feet of a mountain line that was laying in its den in the middle of the day, a very unnerving experience. Additionally, Sarah also advises descending to a valley to build shelter. While it is advise-able to shelter below tree line, valleys are not good. Cold air sinks and warm air rises. The creeks that often flow through mountain valleys are fed by snow runoff and are literally ice cold. Therefore, the valley floor is going to be substantially cooler than the areas above them. My wife and I camped at the bottom of a valley one night in mid-July and awoke in the morning with and ice-covered tent. Make your shelter on a hillside and pay attention to where the sun will strike as it rises in the morning, you want to be in that early morning sunshine, you will be substantially warmer.
Next I would like to address the food issue. Sarah recommended Meals Ready to Eat (MREs). While they may be good for around the house, I would not recommend caring too many MREs on your back. They are heavy and bulky compared to other options. If you want to be prepared for a couple of days, trail mix and chocolate will suffice. If you want to be prepared for a week or better of walking, I would recommend freeze-dried meals, (I prefer Mountain House). They are much lighter and more compact than MREs. All you would need to prepare and eat is something to boil water in and a spoon or spork. Water can be boiled over a fire or you could bring a small camp stove and a canister of pre-mixed fuel. You would still be carrying less weight than with all of those MREs, and when caring a backpack through the mountains, every ounce counts, both for comfort and speed.
Lastly, all of the methods of water purification suggested by the author have one major drawback, time. Iodine tablets take hours to work, and the other methods take a full day to provide anything substantial. Ultraviolet (UV) light water sterilizers are small, lightweight, and can be had for around $70. It takes about two minutes to sterilize a liter of fairly clear water. I suggest carrying one as a primary means of water purification. I also carry iodine tablets as a backup should my UV sterilizer ever fail. Steri-Pen and MSR (Miox) both make a quality product.
On the subject of tinder, the best tender that I have found is a cotton ball that has been rolled in petroleum jelly (Vaseline). It is not waterproof, so I carry mine in a Ziploc bag. They are easy to light and will burn for about 5 minutes, giving you plenty of time to start a fire. – Jason M.