Dog Packs? Iowa?

“I'm looking into buying my trusty trail companion his own pack 'cause I'm tired of hauling his dog food. Anyone have any dog pack feedback? Also, I recently moved to northwestern Iowa. (Long story.) Any trail suggestions? Thanks!”

“Live in NW IA as a kid. Can't remember any specific hikes other than the bluffs along the MO river are pretty nice. Tip for a wierd town to visit some dull Saturday afternoon -- Ida Grove is a little town with a whole bunch of Spanish-style castles. It's very unexpected for Iowa.”

“I have a Wenaha pack for my German Shepherd, which I like alot. The pack portion is removable (velcro strips) from a harness that the dog wears. It comes in several different sizes. Got it at REI (it's also on their website). Have fun!”

“REI in Iowa? hahahahahahahahaha! Good luck! Thank god for the web, eh?”

“Someone was just telling me about the castles in Ida Grove the other day. There is some funky stuff up here. And many dull Saturday afternoons! And no REI!”

“Don't know anything about dogpacks or Iowa. Seems like everybody here is new....so welcome all.”

“hi wing, by NW Iowa, how far north & west do you mean? Two places that come to mind are Preparation Canyon near Pisgah IA and Ponca State Park in NE Nebraska (I think the town is Ponca but I'm not sure). Farther south is Indian Cave State Park near Brownville, NE. As you have probably figured out there are not a whole lot of backpacking opportunities in this region.”

“I got a wenahaha pakpak to. It is the perty good pakpak. I got the nother one by the male man for a birfday prize one time that is perty good to but it is leetle. Mebbe I will give it to my frend Cooter. It wuld be good for Cooter but not for Chaloopy. Chaloopy is a cheewawa that is leetle like a RAT! BOL!”

“Haven’t seen any dog packs in Idaho, we do have coyote packs and wolf packs though.”

“I live in Marion (near Cedar Rapids) and there's almost nothing here. There are two trails available here: Lake MacBride - fun hike near the lake. Then there's the Cedar Valley Trail - a 52 mile stretch between Evansdale and Hiawatha. Most of it is pretty boring, not a lot of sites, but it's a trail. :)

You thought you had it bad in NW Iowa, at least you have the Missourri River and are close to the Dakotas. I'm stuck on the flatest part of the earth!

T”

“My suggestion is to leave the dog at home.”

“Thanks all. OmaHiker, I'm in Storm Lake. I was looking at the site for Preparation Canyon online. Do you know how much trail there is?

Sarabelle, have you tried the Granite Gear packs? Are they any good?

If I left my dog at home, who would add extra body warmth to the tent at night? Wait, don't answer that.”

“IMHO, True appreciation of the wilderness can only be achieved on a solo hike. Being alone is very empowering. You get to make all the rules and all the decisions. After time the 'need' for companionship and social interaction deminishes. Self sufficiency becomes a part of your everyday life and you see yourself on an astral plane above the common man and you go online and start insulting people for no apparent reason.

You only get out of life what you put into it :-)”

“Wolfpacks is the brand that is recommended most often on the Traildog group on Yahoo. They look like a small operation that specializes in dog packs. I don't have one because my dog is too small (25 lbs) to carry anything useful.”

“There are probably about five or six miles of very well-maintained trails there, many of which loop around and run parallel to each other. The campsites have fire rings & picnic tables. Water & restrooms in the picnic area only, no water in the winter unless you filter from the creek. It is very pretty & hilly and usually underused as well, the only thing you may not like is that the most remote campsite (#8) is only about a mile from the trailhead. Also it is very hard to find the trailhead parking lot, there are no signs from the highway. If you ever decide to go there the trailhead parking is just off Hwy 183, very close to mile 48, across from turnoff for the so-called Hideaway Cabins (Peach Road?).”

“It sounds like it would be a nice weekend trip. Thanks very much for the info. Do the parks you mentioned in NE have longer trails?”

“Indian Cave has around 17 miles of trails, but it would still be hard to hike more than five miles or so without crossing a park road. It is a very popular park that gets a lot of visitors year-round. Some of its trails are also used by horses (read: very muddy at times). There are campsites & shelters on some of the trails there. I have never hiked at Ponca State Park so I don't know that much about it, but it is a nice area by the Missouri River.”

“Some of those dogpacks look like overkill.”

“Thanks for the info on local trails OmaHiker. And thanks all for the dogpack feedback.”

“My dog has a pack made by Wolfpacks and I have been extremely happy with it. Their web site is extremely helpful and the packs just seem to fit better than most. They don't have 25 million different straps, they aren't overly huge, and they don't chaffe. Very well made and they usually have an end-of-the-year sale where you can get quite a bit taken off, which is good b/c they ain't cheap. But in this case you really do get a better quality product for the money. I think their web site is www.wolfpacks.com”

“Buddur has an Eagle Creek dogpack that my Mom got him ~3 years ago. After searching their website, it appears they no longer make dogpacks, which is surprising because I still have yet to covet any other dogpack I've seen. I did add two straps to the top so I could attach his groundpad during dolder weather camps.

btw - Here's a BACKPACKING WITH YOUR DOG article (if anyone wants to read it).”

“Thanks for the link to the article, very helpful. What kind of dog is Buddur?”

“My dog got a backpack. He is tickled pink!

We were walking downtown and somebody called him 'special.' Ahhhh

He is sort of a wuss about it though. Won't climb stairs or go pee/#2 with it on.”

“Expect some flaming because you have the unmitigated gall and audacity to take your dog on the trail with you.”

“Congrats biz! That's exciting!

I'm still working with my latest canine kid, a rescued three legged Aussie. I think he'll make an awesome hiking partner, on not to tough trails. He listens SO well. I want to take him on a very local overnighter before I try him on the real deal.”

“Hey my dogs an Aussie too (mostly). They are really smart.

How much weight does he carry?”

“I won't hike with a dog who can't carry 50 lbs or more!”

“50 lbs! He's a dog not an ant. He only weighs 75-80”

“Get a Mastiff.”

“How'd I miss THIS thread??? Hi, I'm in Northeast Iowa! (thanks for remembering me, Omahiker and Dunadan!! tsk, tsk!)

We have Yellow River State Forest here which is great. 25 mile backpacking trail. Hills, bluffs, valleys, etc. NOT FLAT...geez, icepick or icepak! Drive the 2.5 hours and get yer butt up here!

I've been in some of those parks in NE Nebraska Omahiker mentioned. There's some cool stuff there. Ponca and ...hey, here's a website I found. (I am the QUEEN of search engines!! lol)

NE Nebraska State Parks

Ponca looked like it had a bunch of trails. Beyond the Lewis & Clark recreation Area there is a strange "no man's land." You would just have to head off there and see! A road from out of the Twilight Zone, that wasn't on the map I had. Seems it was a development on the southern banks of the Missouri gone bad. #&%!$, there was a chairlift standing on a hillside, reaching into the valley, FOR SALE! lol!! Bizarre, man!

Continue on from there and you hit the Santee Sioux small reservation, again on the banks of the Missouri. And then go on to Niobrara State Park, although it looked pretty "foo, foo".. as in pool, etc. Pretty developed.

Just keep going west into more "no man's land" for additional crazy fun in the Sandhills! Smith Falls State Park was cool and I like the area around Valentine.

You could go into Minnie-Soda, too, how close are you to Pipestone N'tl Monument? Oh well, all the really cool Minnie-Soda stuff is in the SE, right smack above where I live....heheehehe

Welcome, wing! There used to be someone who posted here called nullandvoid (or nullnvoid) who was from Sioux City.”

“I ALWAYS take my trusty dalmation, Buckshot. He has a "buckpack" as we call it. He takes all his food & some of our stuff too, with great enthusiasm. He often leads the way, and sometimes follows a scent off the trail a little, but all I have to do is whistle & he comes a runnin. He's the perfect hikin dawg for us. GOOOOD BUCKY......”

“Khatru is a young backpacker...he is sporting his custom crafted (it isn;t, but I would never tell him that) Mountain Smith pack. This photo was taken at Taum Sauk Mtn State Park in Missouri and at the time of the photo, he was the highest creature in Missouri. It was taken at the high point of Missouri...Khatru's first 50er.

Enjoy!”

“I think dogs on the trail are a great idea. All that fresh meat might come in handy in an emergency...”

“I keep reminding Khatru that if that ever becomes a reality, I would saute him in garlic sauce with a sweet basil pesto on the side. And then I would wear his hide to stay warm.”

“Ahhh, garlic. One of the major food groups!”

“It is survival of the fittest Father Goose, I think my dog would be sauteing ME”

“Get a chihuahua.”

“I'd rather eat pidgeon.”

“The Aztecs raised chihuahuas as a food source, not a pet. Think furry chicken.”

“Were the Aztecs backpackers? A food source that follows you around? Now that's lightweight. And you won't be charged with cannabalism, either!”