Backpacking and hiking thread

[Samsquanch]

I am an avid backpacking/hiker and am getting into alpine scrambling and mountaineering this year. Any other hikers/backpackers/mountaineers/peak baggers out there?

I am fortunate to live in the Pacific NW (Seattle) where some of the best of all of these activities is to be had in the country. Cigars just make the whole experience better.

Would love to chat with others about what trips they have taken or are planning to take this summer. I'm always looking for people to go on trips with as well, so any other mossbacks on the forum that want to go hiking or backpacking, hit me up!

[Steve]

Swamp tromper here, but I do make it up to the mountains periodically.

[Trace63]

Great thread idea! Ive actually wanted to go camping out in the woods somewhere here in New England but I cant find any areas where you can literally just take a tent in and find a flat spot to lay it out. Everything is , "Ok, heres your lot, put your tent here"...which SUCKS!

[Powers]

While I camped and hiked periodically back home in North Florida, I've really gotten into up here in upstate South Carolina. Camping, hiking, and fishing the Blue Ridge Mnts. This August I'll be moving to Fayetteville, Arkansas for my PhD and am stoked about hiking the Ozarks!

[Samsquanch]

I was planning on doing my first backpacking trip of the year this weekend but when I pulled out my one man Big Agnes tent, all the tape on the seams was cracked. I called Big Agnes and they're standing behind their product and will replace it, so thumbs up to them!

Powers - I went to college in Southwest Missouri and spent a lot of time in the Ozarks, that is some beautiful country.

Trace63 - In most state/national forests, you can camp anywhere you would like unless it's posted otherwise. This usually means hiking into the woods a bit but you really don't have to go far, usually a mile or two and you'll get away from the crowds and find some solitude. I love this website for finding trails - www.hillmap.com (http://www.hillmap.com). In addition, check out http://www.alltrails.com to find more trip reports and beta on trails and camping spots.

[Trace63]

Maybe Im stupid but how does that first site work as far finding trails, or moreso spots I can camp/fish?
Im located in Somerville, ma btw

[Samsquanch]

In the upper right hand corner of the map you'll see a drop down menu. Select "CalTopo" and it will pull up topographical maps of the area you're looking. These maps will have trails marked on them. As for camping and fishing, it may list some camping but that will either require some further research (such as the pay site alltrails.com) or local hiking clubs or guide books. Personally, I use a local hiking forum for trip reports and advice - nwhikers.net. Just like the Asylum, I'm sure there are local forums with a wealth of information.

[Powers]

Thanks for the sites, those look awesome!

[mhailey]

Prior to kids I loved backpacking/hiking. My bachelor party was a backpacking/fly fishing trip into the Rocky Mountain National Park. I am so fortunate to live in Colorado, where the Rockies are right off my back porch, and the fishing is amazing.

[Samsquanch]

Yeah the HillMap is amazing and extremely useful. Check out the path creation tool and the elevation profile tool, pretty awesome.

[Samsquanch]

mhailey - I just had my first child, he's six weeks old. We're planning on taking him camping this summer, not backpacking but car camping and hiking in Glacier National Park. I'm determined to raise my son in the outdoors as much as possible. Of course I'm learning quickly that my determination is nothing compared to his :). I've never been to CO but see pictures all the time and it is beautiful.

[Steve]

Camping with you kid...two thumbs up!

Before...
http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictures/Osceola%20Hike%2011-24-06/Osceola%20Shelter%20Trip%2011-24-06%20011.jpg

http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictures/Last%20Trip%20of%202006/BPack%2012-29-06%20002.jpg

http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictures/Last%20Trip%20of%202006/BPack%2012-29-06%20024.jpg

Now...
http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictures/2012-01-14_Osceola%20NF%20-%20Abbey/2012-01-14_Osceola%20NF%20-%20Abbey%20014.jpg

[Blak Smyth]

I backpacked/camped 60 miles in five days in the Sierras when I was 16. It was the best and worst week of my life.

[Samsquanch]

Great pictures Steve! Love to see that. I can't wait to go backpacking with my son next to me.

[mhailey]

mhailey - I just had my first child, he's six weeks old. We're planning on taking him camping this summer, not backpacking but car camping and hiking in Glacier National Park. I'm determined to raise my son in the outdoors as much as possible. Of course I'm learning quickly that my determination is nothing compared to his :). I've never been to CO but see pictures all the time and it is beautiful.

We took our oldest camping for the first time when she was 2 1/2 and my youngest was about 6 months old. lasted one night and my wife freaked out and we had to leave. She felt it was too cold.

We now have a pop-up camper and go about about two times per month in the summer. with two daughters the pop-up camper makes it much easier to get the whole family into camping. (my daughters are now 8 and 6). I think it was one of the best family activities you can do. I have a lot of pictures floating around at home, but I'm at the office right now. I will have to post them up when I get home.

[Steve]

Did I mention Swamp Tromping? It's been a few years since there was this much water in the Osceola!

http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictures/Osceola.jpg

And mountains

http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictures/Linville%20Gorge/High%20on%20a%20mountain%20002.jpg

And on the water

http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictures/Father's%20Day%20on%20the%20Withlacoochee%20River% 20-%202007/Father's%20Day%20on%20the%20Withlacoochee%20River% 20-%202007%20001.jpg

http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictures/Canoeing/Canoeing%20On%20The%20Suwannee%20&%20Withlachoochee%20Rivers%204-22-06.jpg

http://oldchurchbbq.com/sharedpictures/2012-03-19_Canoeing%20with%20Boo/2012-03-19_Canoeing%20with%20Boo%20002.jpg

[coffeemonkey]

mhailey - I just had my first child, he's six weeks old. We're planning on taking him camping this summer, not backpacking but car camping and hiking in Glacier National Park. I'm determined to raise my son in the outdoors as much as possible. Of course I'm learning quickly that my determination is nothing compared to his :). I've never been to CO but see pictures all the time and it is beautiful.

As a father of four I can attest that the earlier you get them out the better. It is a lot of work when they are young, like so much work it isn't fun sometimes (though when you have three kids under 5 lots of things are a challenge!), but if you do it well it will pay off. I've got a fishing partner in my son for life and girls that love the outdoors too.

Looking back on that night a few years ago, at 2am, when I was scrambling to find a garbage bag in the darkness of the woods, to put my daughters sleeping bag in, that she filled with pee, well, I was pretty pissed that night, but now I look back and laugh and know that it was worth it.

Good times.

[never_enough]

Man, I haven't been backpacking in a couple of years :td. All of my gear is back in KY still, plus I need to find places to go up here.

[mkarnold1]

This is where I like to go, Lake Solitude wilderness area in the Big Horn Mts. Wyoming. Good fishing and great hiking.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/5771_759520268279_14818942_44051194_4347122_n.jpg

Here's one of me at 10,500 feet, above Misty Moon lake.
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/6610_1102127479169_1406175347_30267773_1882977_n.j pg

And here's another pic of my smallest fish, but the first one I caught on the fly rod out there. I worked a long time time to get that little guy...
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/6610_1102123439068_1406175347_30267771_8111699_n.j pg

[Remo]

While I don't get down as much as I like, Southern Utah with all the national parks is awesome!!! I live in northern Utah so I have the wasatch mountains out my back door and since I mostly fish I don't go hiking very much but if you ever get to Utah I would recommend Southern Utah.

Zions national park
Goblin Valley
Arches national monument
Staircase of the Escalante
Bryce Canyon
and on and on

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[markem]

When I lived in Seattle and worked for Boeing (BoeAlps), I was crazing in to mountaineering. Owned all of the "Becky's Bible" (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Beckey) climbing guides and even did some free climbing with him in about 87 over by Leavenworth. Did a winter ascent of Rainier that we got turned back on and via the descent manage to break several bones in my left hand and wrist after being blown off the mountain to literally the end of my rope. Quick ice ax arrest by my climbing partner kept us from tumbling about 800 feet downslope in to Camp Muir. We later found out that the wind speed recorded at Paradise was the highest to date and that up on Disappointment Cleaver it was estimated to be close to 135 MPH when I got airborne.

Climbed most of Squamish and plenty in the Bugaboos in BC and when I moved to Oregon became a Smith Rocks rat. After I got a bone chip lodged in the ligament of a finger in 1992, I more or less hung it up. Miss those days. Miss being skinny too.

[Samsquanch]

Mark, those sound like so awesome adventures. I am just getting into scrambling/mountaineering but am finding quickly that it is quite addictive. Seattle has to be one of the best places to live in the country for these pursuits.

Some of my trips:

http://i.imgur.com/8f71r.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/k3Uom.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/9trBt.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/NC7yT.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/kWAij.jpg

[Samsquanch]

Plus some great beach hiking, these were taken on Third Beach on the WA coast.

http://i.imgur.com/WjRnu.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/quAY1.jpg

[Samsquanch]

I'm heading out this weekend to the Icicle Ridge area, should be a good mixture of dry trail and snow. Going to try and bag a couple peaks in the area as well, Big Jim, Big Lou, Icicle Ridge peak.

[Powers]

:jd Holy crap those pictures are stunning! :tu

[Samsquanch]

Had a great Memorial Day weekend out in the woods. Hiked about 8 miles with about 3000' elevation gain and spent one night out under the stars around 4900'. First hike for me and my hiking partner this year and it was great to be out.

http://i.imgur.com/xvBsL.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/njcXy.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/XdgvY.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/1bndi.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/YG18X.jpg

Our original goal had been to summit the peak in the picture above but with a pretty late start on Saturday and deciding to leave the snowshoes in the truck, we ran out of time. Our plan is too wait about a month for the snow to melt out a bit more and then go for it.

Oh yeah, I smoked a Romeo y Julieta while sitting around the campfire.