What the Rockies Taught Me About Ditching Life’s Excess: 10 Trail-Tested Lessons for Living Lighter

Linda investigating an ocean creature during a two week hike on the West Coast Trail.

I once hauled a 40-pound pack into the soaring peaks of Waterton/Glacier International Peace Park, cursing every extra ounce. 

By the time I hiked Vancouver Island’s wild West Coast Trail, I’d learned to strip it down to 20—and found freedom in the cuts. 

Turns out, the trail’s brutal honesty about what you really need echoes everywhere: closet, calendar, soul. Here’s what stuck.

The Lessons: 

 

1. If you don’t need it, don’t carry it. Excess weight—gear or grudges—slows you down.  
2. Your pack’s your burden. No one’s hauling it for you, on trails or in life.  
3. Multi-use wins. A spork beats a spoon-and-fork combo; versatility trumps clutter.  
4. Non-essentials turn into anchors. After mile 10, that “just in case” item’s a regret.  
5. Less is enough. A tent, a stove, a view—happiness doesn’t need a long list.  
6. Quality saves you. Cheap gear breaks mid-storm; invest in what matters.  
7. Keep shedding. The more you hike, the less you lug—life’s the same.  
8. Nature quiets the noise. Out there, you don’t miss the distractions you chase at home.  
9. No cut’s too small. Snip the tags, ditch the extras—every ounce lifts you.  
10. Light feels right. Weeks in, you’ll grin at how little you can carry and still thrive.

Back home, I slashed my closet and calendar like I did my pack - ruthlessly, and with joy. The Rockies didn’t just lighten my load; they showed me how to live my life without all the unnecessary excess. 

What’s weighing your pack down? Drop it here in a comment below.