How did you get into Backpacking?

“Day hiking in the White mountains of NH from age 5. First climb was Chocura. Car camping with family for vacation in NH so that we could do several back to back day hikes.

Hut traverse with Parents at age 15. Backpackig with friends at at 16 . . .as soon as we could drive.

Back packing counselor at a boys camp in NH for a couple of years.

Have continued with a good friend in the WHites of NH and the ADK for the last 10 yrs. \

Wife has started going to the huts with me . . .(someone should warn her that its a slippery slope)

My oldest boy is 6, younger one is 3.

Almost time to get them started.

It is nice for me to see them out on dayhikes with their grandparents (my parents). The cycle hopefully will keep repeating for many future generations.”

“Same as some of the others, just quit coming home at night when I was a kid. We didn't call it backpacking then, just going to the woods. I find that as one gets older, it gets more difficult to backpack, but also the need to do it gets stronger. Go figure.”

“When my family first arrived here from Zimbabwe, we had nothing but the clothes on our backs and a North Face Zephyr. We slept in the Zephyr on Ellis Island for a couple of weeks, then we moved to The Great Smokey Mountains National Park.

My dad eventually got a job stacking BB's, so we were able to afford a big, fancy Coleman Condominium II - which we lived in for the next 21 years in a remote corner of The Chattahoochee National Forest.

Since I was four years old, my daily chore was to hike to the nearest town and stock up on flour, sugar, lard, etc.

I've been hiking ever since.”

“gojo-

When did they add shoveling s__t to your daily chores?”

“I was fortunate enough to have hippies as parents who got into the backpacking craze of the early 70's and took the kids with them. I'm the only one out of 3 brothers still doing it.”

“Started when I was 13 at a Y camp in Wisconsin (Camp Manito-wish). Did a 5 day trip in the Porkies in Michigan and a 14 day trip on Isle Royale.

Took 7 years off, then started day hiking when I moved to the Hudson River Valley. Two years ago I decided to buy new gear and get cranking. Moved to California and have been out most weekends since.”

“It was the Army that did it for me. After I got out in 1990, I missed the adventure of going into the woods, so I hooked up with some folks and got back out there.”

“I did some backpacking as a kid at summer camp, but my first real backpacking was just part of wandering. When I finished high school, my best friend and I decided to wander around the country. We'd worked hard and saved money, eagerly anticipating the trip talking about it all the time.

I almost backed out at the last minute when romance began to blossom with the gorgeous, cosmopolitan and brainy Brazilian exchange student I and all my friends had fallen in love ith (or at least "in lust" with). I tried to get her to come with me, but her parents strenuously objected...

We made most of our mileage hitch-hiking... but we hiked whenever we were moved to do so, or whenever we got stranded. We camped out in all kinds of places, by the side of the interstate in Oklahoma City, in the desert in New Mexico, near the bayou in Lousiana, in a beautful ocean side state park north of LA, and in the Pine Barrens of New Jersey.

We traveled for about a month. My buddy got tired of being on the road, and I agreed to head back partly because I hear that a friend was "trying to move in on" my girl friend (who soon broke my heart by returning to Brazil).

I took similar trips on my own while I was in college, traveling from U.T. @ Austin to San Fransisco and from Boston to Boulder.

About 5 years ago, when my kids became old enough to backpack with me - I rediscovered backpacking and the love of wandering. My favorite trips have been relatively long hikes(a week or more)in one direction, I still like the sense of wandering from one place to another. In particular, I have fallen in love with the AT in Maine.

Writing this is filling me with nostalgia... I'm going to have to make sure I get a chance to wander along a trail again soon.

As amazing as Leonore was, I am more nostalgic about my travels and my wanderings.”

“Back in the '70s, my High School offered backpacking/skiing as a PE elective. What a great class and teacher, Mrs Evans. Anyway, the 1st quarter was spent watching her slide shows, tieing knots, pitching tents, taking apart Svea and Optimus stoves and running (lots of running)Then she took 20 of us (brave sole) on a weekend trip. The skiing part was cool too. She had the facilities guy build a plywood ramp covered with carpet to practice turning.”

“When I was a kid we car camped all over the country- Prince Edward Island to the Grand Canyon, Florida to Yellowstone. I don't know how my folks did it with my brother and I fighting in the back of the station wagon. Really started back packing in the 70's around Missoula, MT. Every trip we got a little smarter. My first real back country/wilderness experience was when I was about 12-14 years old, heading into the Boundary waters for 10 days at a time. With the latest gear it seems much easier now. I can't imagine taking some of the junk we used to pack in the early days.('cept beer) |>P”

“After my divorce in '79, I dated a guy that borrowed his parents motorhome for a week in the Sierras. My son went to summercamp. We dayhiked and visited different areas, then took me for an overnight backpack (North Lake to Piute Pass). The altitude got to me so we stashed the packs and we went down to the motorhome. The following day we went up again, camped at Loch Leven, and that was the start of it. I started dayhiking a lot locally. For the next ten years I went backpacking in the Sierras once or twice a year and got sick e-v-e-r-y time I got above 10,000'. Then I was introduced to Diamox. I used it for 2 seasons. The more I went, the less I needed it. The rest is history. I'm on 45 consecutive weekends in the mountains (as of 9/23).

Just got back from 30 days/211 miles on the JMT...plus 59 miles of side trips...plus 4 14ers. And SnowDude and I still get along! It was a great trip!”

“I have been happier outside than inside since I can remember. We slept outside all summer when we were kids--I built a tree house in a big cottonwood when we lived at Chinle and slept up there every night. My older sister and I climbed in those canyons. She was a gutsy one and got me to do many things just to keep up with her. My cousins and I played in the woods around Flagstaff.

My husband grew up hiking and climbing around Sedona so when we married and had kids all of our vacations were spent outdoors.

We started backpacking in earnest about 1975. The kids were 7, 9, and 11. We took them down Grand Canyon for the first long trip for all of us. We knew nothing about getting in shape. The kids were OK because they were kids but Robert and I suffered when we got out and the muscles stiffened up. I fell in love with that canyon--I have no idea any more how many times I have been down there--I have been saying more that 100 for several years.”

“Camped ALL over ALL the time as a kid. If I wasn't camping, I'd be hunting, walking, whatever in the woods. We used to "hike" to a nearby park about 3 miles away and cook in the woods. During the summer we would just put our tents up and sleep there every night.
Started backpacking as a scout leader. Wanted to try it out before bringing my girls out. That was 1992

Seems like alot of us got started in Scouts”

“50s: car camping with family

67: my first backpack, at age 17, with a YMCA sponsored group. The group went on an overnight trip each month, and a day hike each month. One of the adult participants did a lot of peak climbing, and I started climbing peaks with him. Climbed 100+ peaks in the Sierra Nevada. A little at a time, I bought good equipment for the times.

1970: went off to college, which was 1 hour away from Yosemite. Cross country skiied and climbed there every weekend possible.

1971: hiked the John Muir trail with a group of 12 from the old YMCA group. My brother and I led the trip, planned food, food drops, etc.

1972: off to Washington state for 23 years, where I climbed (another 100+ peaks or routes) and hiked a lot before I was married, less when married, and even less when kids arrived

1985: decided to reject my then wife's demands that I quit hiking entirely, and got more active in ski patrol, mountain rescue and backpacking. Divorce followed and continued participation in hiking to the present.

1995: Moved to Boise, active in Nordic ski patrol, teach backpacking and winter camping at college, and married to a gal who likes to backpack, kids who are a little too young to backpack yet.”

“a long time ago, for my 30th birthday, i treated myself to a hitch hiking trip from my home in san jose, california across the usa to my parents' place in central ohio. i returned by hitching north through ontario, and westward through the canadian plains provinces into the rockies in alberta and british columbia, then south to california. i borrowed a friends kelty backpack for this journey (which involved a great deal of hiking, believe me)....i borrowed this same friend's backpack for a deer hunting expedition out of kennedy meadows at sonora pass in the sierras....it occurred to me later that i didn't really enjoy the hunting part of the trip as much as i enjoyed the journey getting there....my friend didn't want me borrowing his pack anymore, so he and his wife got me a new coleman peak 1 pack for my birthday and i was hooked....i headed to the mountains every weekend that i possibly could (although not as often as snow nymph does!!) i slowed down somewhat after brandy and i started producing curtain climbers, but now they are old enough to carry their own gear, so we have gotten back out onto the trail....we are looking forward to hiking the many great backpacking locations that are within a day's drive of us here in ohio (dolly sods, cranberry, red river gorge, linville, jordan river, laurel highlands, shenandoah, etc, etc)....

thanks to matt, phil, and everyone at this site for helping to keep us psyched up in between trips!!”

“It kind of happened like this:

I spend like $395 on this bitchin' North Face parka. This was before it was all the rage to wear. Well, all the buddies down at the golf course were still into the Abercrombee and Finch crap (pulllease, that is so 1995!) and didn?t even have the slightest inkling that they should have been giving me my props for having such a bright expensive coat. What was I to do?

The only thing I could do...go where the coat could be fully appreciated for what it really was. I had to hit the trail! So I went down to the local outfitter and got me a Dana Terra Plane (give me a break here! I was just starting out! I traded up to a McCale!), a Whisperlight, a pair of Sundowners and I went ahead and got the matching pants for the parka. What, no tent? Don't be silly, I wasn't actually going to SLEEP on the trail! I would get a room at the lodge over by the lake and just put my stuff on and day hike around near the trail head so hikers could see my jacket. I had to fill the extra 3,000 cubic inches with a pillow. Plus, I didn't want to get to far away from the Range Rover (last time someone scratched out my "I'd Rather Be Driving a Titleist (SP?)" bumper sticker).

I began hanging out at the local trails but all I was running into were scouts and scraggly weekend warriors. I got no props from any of these Cretans. Even when I would say something like, "Hey, how's it going dude? How do ya like my coat?" Which usually got a grunt or a "Yeah, that's great. Are those leg warmers?" PISH! Simpletons! I had to branch out man! So I started hitting the National Parks. The trails are bigger, the folks who do these trails know their gear and the federal lodges sometimes have bars in them.

It was when I was hanging out at the trail head of the Smokey Mountains National Park in Ohio that I saw this dude wearing an Iron Maiden t shirt, camo BDUs, and a red bandana doo rag. He was carrying an Alice pack with a boom box strapped to the top (I think Judas Priest?s British Steal was playing), and a gun barrel of some type sticking up out of the pack. He had a chick in tow behind him. She had on a tube top, spandex pants, a leather jacket, and some funky work boots that must have been the guys. She was pushin' about 250 (not that that matters). Anyhow I see them coming to pass me so I stop and strike my best REI pose and say, "Hey, how do ya like my jacket?" To which he says, "Outta my way fag!", and shoves by me. He was moving fast but she was slower than even me. Her Alice pack was hanging low and I could hear clinking of bottles. He flies on passed and she stops and takes her pack off. She opens the pack and there must be fifteen 40s of Colt 45 in it.

She cracks one and takes a long gulping pull and belches. Suddenly the dude is flying back down the trail at us. He walks right up to her and pops her one in the mouth and says, "Damn it Wanda! I told you no beer 'til you get camp set up and the blunts are rolled!". He gets her pack back on her and pulls her down the trail by the hair. I was stunned! It was like an epiphany. At that moment I knew what I wanted to be in life. I burned that NTF jacket in the fire place back at the lodge that night and swore that I would learn to become just like the dude I met that afternoon. I never got the guy's name but I'm sure he's out there?somewhere. I like to think that he'd be proud of the way I've turned my life around.

Damn I?m bored!”

“Snow Nymph - Welcome back! Congrats on the trip. It's good to see you and the Dude returned intact too.

Any problems with that knee? I can wait for the trip report I suppose.”

“Nigal - Do you really think that will work? He's long gone. Yeah, there's always hope.

How 'bout it GB? Just a peep?”

“Nigal,

You are an inspiration to us all. Your vision, knowing what you wanted to become...your tenacity, stopping at nothing until your lofty goals were achieved...

I honor your achievement, sir, and ...

What was I gonna say? Oh yeah, you're a funny boy, Nigal...

hee hee”

“I just started backpacking this year. When I turned 40 last fall, I realized that there was a lot out there that I haven't had a chance to see; so I started day hiking. I kept hearing these great backpacking stories from the people that I day hiked with, so I started picking up the necessary gear until I had what I needed. My longest stay out there so far is only 3 days/2 nights, but hope to be heading out for longer trips by next summer.”

“LOL! Nigal.”

“Shoveling s__t was my sister's chore.”

“"Oh yeah, you're a funny boy, Nigal..."

Looks ain't everthang my good man! 8)”

“that was a classic, man!”

“Great one, Nigal! We're not worthy! We're not worthy! I'm burning my REI card on the couthouse lawn.”

“The first experience under the stars was summer camp when I was 5 or 6. I slept to close to the fire that night. A log rolled out of the fire by the bottom of my bag. My "sweeeeeeet" Spiderman bag caught fire. I was saved by a late night partying camp counsler. Brillant colors!!!!! The hole was large enough to crawl through. I had cold feet for the next week and some. Thanks MOM and DAD!!!!

7th and 8th grade we did some weekenders to RRG and surrounding caves in this "Adventure club" with the crazy science teachers. High school was more of the same.

Deeply rooted within me is my fascination with nature as a whole. From the stream bed to the tops of the trees and everything that dances in between. Backpacking is the avenue I take in order to fulfill that desire.”

“gojo's story is rags to riches, and Nigal's story is riches to rags. I'd love to sit around a campfire with those guys!

I quit playing local rock 'n roll gigs with a garage band when I was 33 to pursue a more family-oriented lifestyle. I was frustrated by lightning-fast road-trips through the Rockies where I stared out the car window and wished I was climbing those mountains. Started backpacking as a mid-life distraction. I guess I was just born to be wild. Started taking my kids when they were 6 & 4. They still can't keep up with me so I go solo a lot.”

“I started by hiking with a group of my friends from school when I was 14. We used to hike in and camp out on overnight fishing trips at some reservoirs in the local forests. I've been hooked ever since.”

“Snow Nymph
Do you and Dude work at all or just Hike?”

“I wanted to hike around southern Ohio where my Mom lives and the trails had blue blazes so I found out it was the Buckeye Trailand looked them up in the library. I then went to my first trail mainteinance work party where I met some cool people who invited me on a three day trip through hilly billy land and I was hooked-that was a long time ago and I still hike with the same people.”

“I know you had to head back to work this week Snow Nymph but..... I am curious to know what it is like to spend a month out there.”

“so.........She does work?”

“Yes, I work...40 hrs/wk. Been at my job 22 years, so my vacation accumulates. What was it like? Free to do what we wanted, no one to tell us anything, our schedule was flexible except for the 2 resupplies where we met people, but even that could have been a day later. We started hiking around 9am every day, finishing anywhere between 2pm-4:30, and a few days as late as 6pm. We averaged 2mph on the uphills, and faster on the downhills, but took lots of picture breaks and snack breaks and time just to enjoy where we were and what we were doing. The only time we stressed was on Mt Tyndall (14,018'), when we got off trail and were pretty much cliff hanging. If I hadn't gone on the 3 rock climbing trips, I might not have made it out. I was on some 5.6 or 5.8 walls without ropes, and each time I got up to the next ledge there was another 8'-10' wall to climb and another and another. Some others were there sometime that week and backed out, they said the Class 2 route changed and was more like class 4. Once we got back to the Class 2 & 3 route down, the day wasn't so bad. We got back at 8:30pm that day. We also bailed on the 5th 14er 3 days later. We weren't sure about the going down the Mountaineer's Route from Whitney, and being so close after Tyndall we chose the safer and easier way out. If we had more vacation, we would have gone back in. I could live that life. Working on a JMT page on my website. Took 1000+ photos and am trying to upload. I'll have a trip report in the next day or two and will post it.”

“For the full story just ask me...but I started backpacking at age 8 (I have a little sister that started bping at age 4!)... 3 brothers and a bazerc Dad who all love the outdoors!

When my family gets together the only thing we really talk about is backpacking, out next trip, hiking/climbing and occasionally mountain biking.. I have really never met another 'backpacking' family. Not one as nuts as mine, that is.”

“Oh yeah. And when I used to get grounded in highschool?

Punishment- was to go on a backpacking trip

(torture when you're really looking forward to going to a New Year's Eve party)”

“OK Biz, any chance your family might adopt me? ¦)”

“Sounds like you've got an Awesome Family Biz!”

“Biz really does have an awsome hiking/climbing family. They do the rough stuff in Grand Canyon.”

“hmmm. all this time I thought they were just weird”

“Some "friends" of mine told me a big story about how much "fun" bping is. I believed them and went. I sweated my butt off and whined, but we ate some really good food, saw some pretty country, and went skinny dippin' in hot springs. I've been trying to get a darned trip organized since. That was my first overnighter (May). I'm from MT, so I been day hiking most of my life (although we never call it that, we just say "goin' for a walk").”

“I grew up with non camping parents. I started sleeping out in the backyard, must have been in third grade. Did my first solo day hike in Boulder CO, second grade. Took lunch and hot cocoa in my genuine boy scout canteen and rucksack. First real backpacking trip as a senior in high school in Shenandoah NP.”

“Started hanging out in the "woods" down the street when I was a kid...sleeping out in the backyard, fell in love with the night...fishing with my dad along the river...as soon as I could drive began dayhiking everything in sight... an unexpected week off in college (anyone ever hear of TMI?) sent us into the woods (not very far) where somebody stole one of our coolers and boombox...heavy, single-wall "backpacking" tent (better get out before the sun hits it!)...my first "real" backpacking trip was a solo overnighter in early March - there was snow on the ground - I woke up afraid I was going to freeze to death, broke out my space blanket and proceeded to drench myself with sweat!... after I parted with the single-legged girlfriend, I was able to get further off the beaten path with my Eagle Scout buddy, finished every trip being sad to have to "go back"......just got hooked somewhere along the way, I guess!”

“You have a nasty name, stumpjumper. And here I was thinking of Specialized bikes!! LMAO!!!”

“liz, shouldn't you be sleeping??? Foot & I want to know what you are doing up.”

“Yup!LOL”

“Interesting thread!!!

I should say that hiking in the San Gorgonio Wilderness in 1989 was infectious. We were out for two days and didn't see another soul until almost back at the car. I didn't see one piece of trash the whole time. As a result, Manzanita Flats has become one of my favorite spots in the wilderness.”

“I married into it.”

“sorry, Lizs!
Hope I didnt offend you.
Actually the name was stolen off of my bike. After I posted, I thought about that - maybe it didnt sound exactly PC.
It's apparrent you guys are way into that!”

“RichB - wow, just catching up on this thread and saw your post. Wondering how you keep it from getting infected, and whether you've seen a Dr. about getting it removed... ;-)”

“My first experience with hiking was in freshman year of highschool. I took a course called Outdoor Living, which taught orienteering, climbing, hiking, camping, etc. I was hooked ever since. I was also a girl scout back in the day, but that was just camping, there was no hiking involved. I am a tree-hugger by nature. Love the serenity of it all! And, I was lucky enough 2 years ago to meet the man of my dreams (RavenSeer) who also loves the outdoors and a hiking buddy, yippy! As the story goes "happily ever after." [grin]”