Planning Your First Overnight Backpacking Trip
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Date: 2020-08-18
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Comments and reviews: 9
Wendy
This is what I learned about evening setups when I first started. Its a list of my mistakes to help you out: Every area has specific dangers you may have never heard of. Ask the locals before you go out there! Plants, animals, weather, the land?
Check the surroundings very well before you decide where to set up: human poops in the long grass! To avoid: runoff and drainage marks, a low puddle spot, a nearby baby or infant, paw prints with large claw marks in the mud, a bush full of ticks- any bushes, be sure to check under them! Berry bushes can have rattlesnakes and copperheads underneath waiting for birds, so poke with a long stick before you get all excited and reach in there to forage. Branches overhead can drop ticks on your hair, tent, and drying clothes. Set up back away from water because large furry things come to drink at night and rising mist and fog dampen your stuff. That friendly couple in the huge RV next to you might give you a beer and pay your stay with the ranger the next morning, but they may also run their noisy generator all night! Oh, and that blond tall grass in California is full of very painful burrs, not a good soft bed to set up in. Don't set up with your back right against a cliff. Look at the ground there - rockfall! And possibly big rockfall if it rains! Don't set up on a pretty little crescent beach, especially if the sand is wet! beside a stream in a narrow stream bed or canyon with your back against the rock wall in the desert. A flash flood in the middle of the night could trap you. Read the land and it will tell you how high the water can go. Poison ivy nationwide and sumac and poison oak out west are not a pretty little bed for your sleeping bag! Look for them before you crouch to poop. If you set foot on the Holy Big Three, don't forget to make an offering to the land spirits. They will appreciate a few minutes of any improvement you care to make as your daily donation to the general welfare. If you tripped over a Tripping Rock in the middle of the path, why not move it once in a while? Leave No Trace and Make It Better. Never, ever get separated from your gear. You can die and people have. There are Yetis/Sasquatch in the states. Be respectful of their territory and stay on the path. P. S. They like bananas. ;)
reply
This is what I learned about evening setups when I first started. Its a list of my mistakes to help you out: Every area has specific dangers you may have never heard of. Ask the locals before you go out there! Plants, animals, weather, the land?
Check the surroundings very well before you decide where to set up: human poops in the long grass! To avoid: runoff and drainage marks, a low puddle spot, a nearby baby or infant, paw prints with large claw marks in the mud, a bush full of ticks- any bushes, be sure to check under them! Berry bushes can have rattlesnakes and copperheads underneath waiting for birds, so poke with a long stick before you get all excited and reach in there to forage. Branches overhead can drop ticks on your hair, tent, and drying clothes. Set up back away from water because large furry things come to drink at night and rising mist and fog dampen your stuff. That friendly couple in the huge RV next to you might give you a beer and pay your stay with the ranger the next morning, but they may also run their noisy generator all night! Oh, and that blond tall grass in California is full of very painful burrs, not a good soft bed to set up in. Don't set up with your back right against a cliff. Look at the ground there - rockfall! And possibly big rockfall if it rains! Don't set up on a pretty little crescent beach, especially if the sand is wet! beside a stream in a narrow stream bed or canyon with your back against the rock wall in the desert. A flash flood in the middle of the night could trap you. Read the land and it will tell you how high the water can go. Poison ivy nationwide and sumac and poison oak out west are not a pretty little bed for your sleeping bag! Look for them before you crouch to poop. If you set foot on the Holy Big Three, don't forget to make an offering to the land spirits. They will appreciate a few minutes of any improvement you care to make as your daily donation to the general welfare. If you tripped over a Tripping Rock in the middle of the path, why not move it once in a while? Leave No Trace and Make It Better. Never, ever get separated from your gear. You can die and people have. There are Yetis/Sasquatch in the states. Be respectful of their territory and stay on the path. P. S. They like bananas. ;)
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Detra
I took my kids then grandkids through a process. Backyard was first, real campground next, walk in site(1/4 mile in, and then finally a 2 mile backpacking trip. At the time I could not afford expensive gear, so my kids went to Wal-Mart and we picked out the 20 or30 items we needed. Later when I saw we loved going out backpacking together, I invested in the pricey stuff a little at a time. So don't think you need to drop a load of money just to try it out. Spend the big money when you know your preferences in gear.
We've been down river in kayaks and backpacking days at a time for years now. Tent, hammock, tarp and cowboy camping are all awesome.
It takes time for some to work into it, but it's more than worth the effort!
reply
I took my kids then grandkids through a process. Backyard was first, real campground next, walk in site(1/4 mile in, and then finally a 2 mile backpacking trip. At the time I could not afford expensive gear, so my kids went to Wal-Mart and we picked out the 20 or30 items we needed. Later when I saw we loved going out backpacking together, I invested in the pricey stuff a little at a time. So don't think you need to drop a load of money just to try it out. Spend the big money when you know your preferences in gear.
We've been down river in kayaks and backpacking days at a time for years now. Tent, hammock, tarp and cowboy camping are all awesome.
It takes time for some to work into it, but it's more than worth the effort!
reply
Geno
Been a while since I backpacked. Kinda got bored with it, to be honest. But after few years of enjoying other activities I'm now thinking to start doing that again, hopefully in the next few weeks once my injured foot heals up. Luckily I still have most of my gear, though I do need to buy some more, the winter kind. Winter is probably the best time for some serious backpacking, and you don't have to worry about bugs, snakes and bears as much.
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Been a while since I backpacked. Kinda got bored with it, to be honest. But after few years of enjoying other activities I'm now thinking to start doing that again, hopefully in the next few weeks once my injured foot heals up. Luckily I still have most of my gear, though I do need to buy some more, the winter kind. Winter is probably the best time for some serious backpacking, and you don't have to worry about bugs, snakes and bears as much.
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travel
I LOVE this. This is motivating me to get outside during this pandemic. I have been steadily dayhiking at familiar places and I set up an overnight hammock setup but decided not to stay. this time. Next time I'm going to overnight it. It's so wonderful to ease into it. No naysayin'! Thanks a bunch, Dixie.
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I LOVE this. This is motivating me to get outside during this pandemic. I have been steadily dayhiking at familiar places and I set up an overnight hammock setup but decided not to stay. this time. Next time I'm going to overnight it. It's so wonderful to ease into it. No naysayin'! Thanks a bunch, Dixie.
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David
I found your message to not only be encouraging, but to be down to earth and very relatable. You have helped to simplify this initial first step of getting out there for me and have not only made it seem tangible, but paramount in building self confidence and independence. Thanks you for your content!
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I found your message to not only be encouraging, but to be down to earth and very relatable. You have helped to simplify this initial first step of getting out there for me and have not only made it seem tangible, but paramount in building self confidence and independence. Thanks you for your content!
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Eline
Thank you so much for taking the time to talk about this. I would love to be do overnight trips, but I'm so nervous. This video helped me to be more OK with my anxiety and not feel like I'm weak. I will keep putting effort in and hopefully, one day, do a thru hike.
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Thank you so much for taking the time to talk about this. I would love to be do overnight trips, but I'm so nervous. This video helped me to be more OK with my anxiety and not feel like I'm weak. I will keep putting effort in and hopefully, one day, do a thru hike.
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bernadette73501
You are my Hero Dixie! I love day hiking. I talked my husband into hiking and now he's hooked and we plan on over night hiking. After my end of the year bonus we plan on buying all the gear. Thank you for impairing us to be outdoors.
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You are my Hero Dixie! I love day hiking. I talked my husband into hiking and now he's hooked and we plan on over night hiking. After my end of the year bonus we plan on buying all the gear. Thank you for impairing us to be outdoors.
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Tina
Thank you so much. I am planning to conquer the PCT in 2021. I have been training as I have never done this. I have been doing tons of day hikes. My longest was 12 miles. But usually 5 to 8 miles a day. Great idea to do a few overnight trips.
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Thank you so much. I am planning to conquer the PCT in 2021. I have been training as I have never done this. I have been doing tons of day hikes. My longest was 12 miles. But usually 5 to 8 miles a day. Great idea to do a few overnight trips.
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master
Miss Dixie, your words and energy is timeless. I'm age 71 and retired 6 yrs. Always loved hiking but want to go backpacking now. I'm making my plans, doing research, getting into shape. You inspire me!
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Miss Dixie, your words and energy is timeless. I'm age 71 and retired 6 yrs. Always loved hiking but want to go backpacking now. I'm making my plans, doing research, getting into shape. You inspire me!
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