Before You Sleep on the Ground, Read This

What fun: You're going on a guided outdoor trip. As you get ready, here are some tips from actual guides about what to expect, as these patient men and women have experienced a few trips that did not go well.

First, follow the packing list. Do not leave your raingear at home because your brother tells you it never rains in the desert. If it is 100 degrees in the shade at your house and the list recommends a down parka: bring it. It can and will snow at 10,000 feet in midsummer.

If the guide goes through your pack removing extraneous objects and gets the weight down from 40 to 20 pounds, do not...