camping / backpacking thread...
- Thread starter Road Guy
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FLBuff PE
Multi-disciplinary engineer
Master slacker
Something awesome.
I concur. Once clothes or, well, ANYTHING gets wet, it stays wet. F that. However, if it does NOT snow, I'd be game for camping in the cold (lows in the 20's).
FLBuff PE
Multi-disciplinary engineer
Agreed. But I'm not someone that likes to camp in the snow. I'm game for spring and fall camping.
Road Guy
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I miss my boys being in scouts, we would do a couple winter campouts, but we (adults) sort of cheated as we had a huge wall tent with a wood stove (still technically camping!) It was pretty fun.
The last tome I went winter camping was when I was a scout and we did the “deep freeze” camping weekend. We were in pup tents with 1ft+ of snow on the ground. It was fun when I was in middle school. Didn’t feel any need to do it again after scouts.
Orchid PE
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Road Guy
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No, its one of my biggest regrets, my younger son went, we were on the wait list, one spot opened up for him and then the week before they left one of the dads broke his foot running and couldn't go, I had just started a new assignment and didn't want to ask off for the 2.5 weeks, but looking back now I wish I had went -
Orchid PE
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At least one of your sons got to go, he'll probably have memories of his experience for the rest of his life. I went when I was 14 and that's what got me hooked on backpacking. My dad also went on that trip and I have no idea how he made it. We made a lot of good memories there. One of my closest friends was on that same trip and we still make jokes referring to things that happened back then.
Orchid PE
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This prompted me to see if I could find our crew photo in the photo archive. I found it and it brings back some memories.
Road Guy
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Yeah he had some good memories and pics of that trip. Sadly he got way too much into HS Marching Band the following year and never pushed through to Eagle. But we have a ton of camping memories - including making and sleeping in a quinzit hut (sp? poor mans igloo).
We were in a heavy backpacking troop in Atlanta with my older son, every other month was backpacking, and I was a little disappointed moving to CO we had a hard time finding a similar troop, most only do 2 or 1 a year. Maybe its a short season because its difficult to backpack in the high country most of late fall, winter and the snow doesn't really melt till June, but the troop we were in in Atlanta was much more hard core than what we found out here. But even in January you can find places to backpack along the AT so it is a little more of a challenge...
We were in a heavy backpacking troop in Atlanta with my older son, every other month was backpacking, and I was a little disappointed moving to CO we had a hard time finding a similar troop, most only do 2 or 1 a year. Maybe its a short season because its difficult to backpack in the high country most of late fall, winter and the snow doesn't really melt till June, but the troop we were in in Atlanta was much more hard core than what we found out here. But even in January you can find places to backpack along the AT so it is a little more of a challenge...
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wilheldp_PE
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I was in the panhandle for scouts and our go-to spots were Pine Mountain, Cheaha State Park, and Oak Mountain. Every once in a while we would venture out a little further for a longer trek.
The guy who fostered our first greyhound is now hiking the full App. Trail. He's a little over a week into it now and does a short youtube video every day or so, provided he has service. He noted that there were quite a few people attempting it at the same time, and after only 3-4 days in, a bunch of them already bailed for various ailments related to the hike. He's in great shape, has been hiking frequently for a few years in preparation, and has already had to stop twice himself for a recovery day due to the downhill sections aggravating his knees. I hope he sticks it out. Looking forward to seeing some of his views in western NC where we do our racing, and the northeast in the fall must look pretty spectacular. I think he's planned on roughly 8 months to make the hike.
I’ve thought about trying to hike the AT. Not sure if I’ll ever find the time. Would need to do it in less than 6 months. At 15 miles/day it can be done in roughly 5 months. Lots of logistics involved.
Yeah, 5 months would be pretty brutal. Doesn't allow much in the way of weather-related slowdowns, etc. He is getting about 15 a day in nice weather, but I think 8/day in rain. His fiance must be a very accommodating woman.
LyceeFruit PE
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My best friend did it in 2018. She started mid-March and finished late August.
It was one of the worst weather years for it everyone said. She had numerous snow/ice storms in the south and then days of oppressive heat when she hit CT/MA/VT.
And she ended up jacking up her feet so bad that she's still in pain today, 18 months later. And has had numerous steroid shots in her feet. Might have the nerves burned (paraphrasing from memory here) so the pain won't get worse.
I do want to section hike the northern New England parts. Learned my dog does like to hike. So now it's to work on training her better and figuring out how to sleep in a hammock with her and we're golden!
It was one of the worst weather years for it everyone said. She had numerous snow/ice storms in the south and then days of oppressive heat when she hit CT/MA/VT.
And she ended up jacking up her feet so bad that she's still in pain today, 18 months later. And has had numerous steroid shots in her feet. Might have the nerves burned (paraphrasing from memory here) so the pain won't get worse.
I do want to section hike the northern New England parts. Learned my dog does like to hike. So now it's to work on training her better and figuring out how to sleep in a hammock with her and we're golden!
Road Guy
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Is he cool with you posting the youtube link?
Its something I always thought would be fun to do but so hard to make the time. Has he already gotten past Mountain Crossings at Walasi-yi? Its about a week from the starting point - but there is an old hostel there and the owners do a free shake down - they have some pretty cool stories of all the people that have come through there..
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNa6UFsC4DcE3gec_Ii88uA
Channel is "Hiking with The Hound" if it doesn't show up. If that's in/near Neels Gap, he's already passed that. Latest video he's at Dick's Creek Gap.
