Backpacking/Hiking

[LikeAPuma]

I see there's an RV thread, I was wondering if anyone enjoys backpacking or hiking.

My idea of a "vacation" is loading up a backpack with gear & food, then hitting a trail for a few nights with nothing but what I carry & a few good friends for company. I've never done anything as awesome as the Appalachian Trail, but a long weekend or so is just so relaxing. And when you meet people on the trail, they're all in amazement that a 300+ pounder can actually walk that far lol.

 

[Wicket]

Sure everything from 1 night to 30. Never done the AT or any other thru hikes but have done a few Grand Canyon trips 20-33 days long, back country climbing trips 2-7 nights with nights on the wall and lots of short trips around the west 2-10 nights skiing and hiking. I'm a certified guide for deserts and canyons so do most of my trips in that environment.

Me heading down on my last canyon trip. Took my mother in law down for he 60th bday. 10 nights that time. About 78lbs in the pack at that time. 10 of it was water to cache for the climb out.

 

[LikeAPuma]

That is awesome! Way beyond anything I've done around here in CT haha. The only thing I've thru hiked were short 30-45 mile hikes that the CT Trail association has provided.

They just designated a new national long distance trail, the New England National Scenic Trail, from the coast to Mt. Monadnock... I'm trying to get a date set to do a section of it here, but at 200+ miles, definitely longer than I have time to take off.

I can only hope to head out west to some of the hiking out there... It's a bucket list type of thing though.

 

[Wicket]

Sections are the only way I would do the AT. Too much city stuff and the mailing if the food is a bit more work than I want to do. I am thinking of the Northville Placid Trail in the ADKs it's only 125 miles and we stay in the Dacks for a month every year. Good thing is my family can drop food when need be lol.

I need to research the New England National Scenic Trail. We love the North East as we grew up in NY I just can't deal with the weather all year lol.

 

[Boppa-Wasch]

Take a look at Back packing on Isle Royale. You can take a Sea Plane or boat to the island In Lake Superior.

http://www.nps.gov/isro/index.htm

 

[LikeAPuma]

I think the NE Trail might be a bit tame for you, coming from out there. I have done parts (before it was recognized) & there's minimal views. It's appealing to me because it's mostly withing 45 minutes of my house AND the only other big trails up north kick my out of shape ass haha.

Come on, what's better than a winter in the Northeast?! Actually, this past winter I started dabbling in winter hiking in small mountains. I'm hoping to get some better cold weather gear to try bigger & harder adventures.

What about the Long Trail in VT? My friend wants to go only because of the brewery at the end lol. Seems like a lot of effort when there's a package store right down the road!

 

[NCost]

camping = hotel w/o a pool.

Did my time in the Army, other than hunting I have no need for the woods.

 

[LikeAPuma]

camping = hotel w/o a pool.

Did my time in the Army, other than hunting I have no need for the woods.

You sound like my wife!

Haha I hated field training crap in the Army. Civilian camping is exponentially better, & the gear is ridiculously lighter. Makes it much more enjoyable!

 

[NCost]

I loved it when I was younger...I'm not younger anymore and like my toys and drinks...my wife won't carry a portable bar for me while hiking so I need the hotel.

We do a lot of hiking, just don't camp out.

 

[RacFocus]

I enjoy day hiking. Go and come back in the same day. Young children have kinda killed that for the wife and I for now. Last trip was Smokey Mountains when our son was 3. So we could only really go on shorter hikes. I really like hiking for photography purposes. And of course the exercise.



That's me trying to find a good angle for a photo.

 

[NCost]

I really like hiking for photography purposes.

That's me trying to find a good angle for a photo.

Thats why I hike (when I do) as well. Love taking coastline and waterfall shots.

 

[LikeAPuma]

I use my dog as an excuse to go on local day hikes... Funny how it's hard to tell who's more excited, the dog or me. Most people do a walk around the block, we do a 3-5 hour walk, usually complete with a lunch break haha

When my daughter was smaller, I had an awesome backpack to put her in.. That was a great way to get her outside. She's "too big" to be carried now (unless she's tired) & Idk of my back could handle the weight anymore.... Here you see "the tough life"

 

[Wicket]

The older I get the more I stay close to home. Seems like 90% of my hikes are day hikes with some form of climbing. It's all about getting out in the fresh air and away from people. Photography is another thing that pushes me to get out.

 

[Themrlong]

I enjoy getting out and backpacking when I can. It's been a little over a year now since I've been able to though. Mostly day hikes locally. Growing up I did some Appalachian trail and I would like to hike the whole trail at some point in my life. I'm just not sure when that will happen. Some friends are talking about going backpacking again once it starts to cool down a little, and I'll probably go around my birthday. Maybe sooner now that I am thinking about it again...

 

[Whtwtrman79]

I love trekking/backpacking/packrafting though haven't gotten to do it as often as I want to, two weeks is my longest trip so far, I have become a convert of the ultralight within reason community just makes it so much more pleasurable and can cover a lot more distance, I have a hard time finding anyone other than the dog that enjoys it as much as me

Wind river

I did an Everest base camp trek but can't seem to find any pictures at the moment

 

[Wicket]

Nice what did you think of the Winds? We've had many good trips climbing and camping but the bugs can be bad at times.

 

[Whtwtrman79]

The scenery, solitude, wildlife and trout were amazing we also ran into a few a snow covered passes which were challenging

The Mosquitos could seriously eat u alive at times the worst I've ever seen but typical for the winds so I've been told, basterds could get you through a shirt

All in all I would go again

 

[LikeAPuma]

You folks have had some awesome adventures! Having a 3 year old at home, I haven't been able to go on any grand adventures (does the military count? Lol).

I used to be carry heavyweight bomb proof gear, thanks to an upbringing in scouts. Since then, I've gotten my base weight down to about 16lbs, for relatively cheap (no cuben fiber). It's made hiking much more enjoyable, though dropping weight would make it much better too. The best equipment in my bag? My hammock! At the ripe old age of 28 (lol), my back kills me after a night on the ground... Hammock camping has made it possible to sleep well & wake up ready to lace up the boots!

 

[srduggins]

Just got back from a weekend trip camping in the local mountains. The other couple had a 5 year old so our walking was limited to about 2.5 miles. I haven't been backpacking in quite a while, but still enjoy car camping in tents. We just bought some new sleeping pads that worked great. Lately, I've been mostly hiking around Orange County and not getting out into the mountains as much. We do it pretty much every Saturday morning (4 to 8 miles) and it leaves us the rest of the weekend for other stuff (like rest and recovery, lol).

 

[Themrlong]

You folks have had some awesome adventures! Having a 3 year old at home, I haven't been able to go on any grand adventures (does the military count? Lol).

I used to be carry heavyweight bomb proof gear, thanks to an upbringing in scouts. Since then, I've gotten my base weight down to about 16lbs, for relatively cheap (no cuben fiber). It's made hiking much more enjoyable, though dropping weight would make it much better too. The best equipment in my bag? My hammock! At the ripe old age of 28 (lol), my back kills me after a night on the ground... Hammock camping has made it possible to sleep well & wake up ready to lace up the boots!

Yeah, I was brought into backpacking through Boy Scouts, so when I found ultralight, my pack weight dropped an easy 30 lbs. so much stuff that I didn't need.