Backpacking Trips w/ Children

“personally i think that kids, like dogs, have no place in the backcountry. i won't go so far as to say there should be age restrictions on the trails of our state and federal parks, but i am darn close to saying just that. kids are noisy and destructive, denuding the forest, tearing bark from trees, and beg for their parents to make destructive camp fires to cook "smores" and "cobbler". give us all a break and leave the trails to those it was made for: adults who want to get away from the authorities so they can drink to excess and smoke weed in private.

thank you for your support.
last edited: 10/27/07 9:30:52 AM”

“Jim, run for presedent :D


(Joking)”

“Jim, you ain't right sometimes, you know that?”

“You can't tell in the picture, but Meangreen is wearing his pizza box. Can't keep clothes on that boy!”

“WHEEEEEE!!!

I'm nekky! LOL!”

“Come to think of it, that was the trip that the pizza box incident occured on wasn't it. I always leave such a good impression. LOL!”

“I took my 14 year old nephew to the last Roan Mountain trip (his first) and he litterally kicked everyones ass on the trail! That boy can do some hiking...but he did lay out of school on Monday to recooperate!LOL!”

“You guys are going to scare tbastress!”

“nah. I already told her I thought I already knew her, and that didn't seem to weird her out. LOL! (I was wrong btw)”

“i can see a child as a good thing to take on a backpacking trip. they can't run nearly as fast as an adult and would provide an effect diversion when fleeing from a mountain lion, bobcat, bear, rabid raccoon, porcupine in heat, or a venomous snipe.”

“?
last edited: 10/27/07 1:01:16 PM”

“Pay no attention. JS is just having a "moment". LOL!”

“Thanks for the thoughts and ideas. I happened to look over the Mother's Day Weekend trip and have tentatively signed up for it (who knows what'll happen in a year?).

As for taking my kids backpacking, I am taking my oldest son backpacking this coming weekend. The plan is to hike 6.1 miles on Saturday and 3.8 on Sunday. I'm a bit concerned that 6 miles in one day will be too much for a 6-year-old. I guess we'll find out.

The weekend after that, he and I will be part of a Boy Scout camping trip (I'm an adult leader). The weekend of Thanksgiving, I'm taking three of my oldest children camping at a state park with my brothers and their kids. Suffice it to say, we'll get a lot of camping in over the next month.

BTW, when someone organizes a TT trip with kids in mind, is that individual responsible for planning activities, crafts, games for the kids to do during the trip?”

“generally not. it's more of a free for all.”

“Its madness!!!!”

“BTW, when someone organizes a TT trip with kids in mind, is that individual responsible for planning activities, crafts, games for the kids to do during the trip?”

No, not really. TT trips are not like scouts outings. Generally the trip organizer sets up the day and place of the backpacking trip. Maybe the shuttles, if necessary. There are no set rules as to who does what.
last edited: 10/27/07 2:07:44 PM”

“It's mayhem!”

“Yeah, what Coyote said! Hey girl, we gotta meet one of these days!”

“Maybe we can drag her to Trail Days next year!”

“Yea, that would be great!”

“I've always wanted to go to the PCT version of trail days :P”

“SC if I make it to Trail days next year you can hitch a ride with me.


TBA these trips are no where nearly that organized. Basicly all it is, is someone saying "hey I'mm gonna be here to hike this trail and if anyone want to come along they are welcome." The most coordination we usually put into these is setting up a shuttle to get us all back to our cars at the end. Oh and the part about the dues. I am the book keeper, so please send all you TT dues, and trip fees to me. I prefer cash, in small denomination but will accept anything including foreign currency out of consideration of our buddy Crash Bang.”

“Ignore MG. He's not the bookkeeper, I am. BTW, MG you haven't paid for the last two years. We're going to have to revoke your backpacking and ranger impersonation privileges.”

“Don't make me write you yet another ticket for an illegal campsite, or badgering a Ranger while in the line of duty, or for refusal to surrender a square to a seriously jonesing drunken hiker. LOL!”

“Wait, she wouldn't spare a square? Dude, thats criminal!”

“for the record, all my trips are very organized. it's the participants that are disorganized.”

“herding cats!”

“Especially considering that before I quit I was the only one who didn't run out on a 3 day trip, and ended up sharing mine. ;-)”

“So you're mad at me for helping you stay quit?”

“As kids' trip organizers, Birch and I bring glow sticks for everyone and prepare ourselves to make sure we can be in the water w/ the kids, on day hikes with them etc. Nothing more than we'd do w/ our own kid. The kids generally have fun together if an "organized" activity, (hey, lets go swimming, hike to that huge dune, play in the hammocks, etc), isn't happening. Last year they repeatedly climbed to the top of the biggest sand dune they could and either rolled or jumped down. They have a great time with each other. The ages spread was from 2 to 12 last year and everyone got along. The older kids included the younger kids and they all just enjoyed being outside together.

At RRG the kids play around camp when we aren't dayhiking. Last year the little girls played dolls and all the kids played in a little creek in camp. The years prior there was a gigantic boulder in camp, and a log spanning a creek. One was a pirate ship and the log was just fun because it was five feet above the creek. They don't need crafts. They just have fun w/ each other and the outdoors.”

“It was amazing how the hammocks kept the kids entertained at RRG. They seemed to have so much fun with them. No electronics needed. My niece and nephew still talk about that trip.”

“Thanks again for all your feedback.

In general, how cold is too cold for kids to enjoy a TT trip? I took my two oldest kids camping along with my brothers and their kids last February when the temp hovered in the mid-teens during the night. We had a decent-sized fire, did the smores thing, and did a 2-mile hike the next day. My kids kept warm during the night and said they had fun on the trip; however, my brothers said anything colder than 40 is too cold.

Parents, what are your thoughts concerning kids and winter camping?”

“My daughter and I have been in some difficult weather situations and to be honest with you those are the trips that she recalls the most vividly.Now for me it was trying to teach her to crap in the woods! LOL!”

“I would try it w/ mine if she had a winter bag. Her sleeping bag is rated at 35° though, so probably no colder than that. When she is older and can use an adult bag rated lower, absolutely!”

“I'm in central AL and mine (7,5) have been down below freezing a few times. We had a hard frost on a trip last year. My daughter was 4 then and is a wiggle worm at night. She wouldn't keep her shoulders in the bag and was cold. I was in a Big Agnes bag that's fairly roomy but both of us couldn't fit unless my shoulder was otu of the bag. Dad had a cold night. The next night it was probably at freezing. She stayed in her bag this time and all was well.

I wouldn't get more than a few degrees below freezing with my current level of gear.”

“I never got a glow stick on a TT trip?”

“IMHO there is no "official" temperature cut-off. For my own boys I don't take them on winter trips for two reasons:

1. Staying warm requires more/heavier gear, which can be a hassle/problem getting them to voluntarily carry in a heavier pack.

2. Especially when it comes to my younger one, he kicks off his covers every night and I would worry about him being cold, which means I don't sleep well.


But there are plenty of scenarios where it would be perfectly appropriate to take them winter camping. My older son, Tucker, has winter camped with Scouts, which was more of a car camping-type excursion.

Bottom line, while I don't want to coddle them, I also don't want them to be so miserable with the cold or the weight of the gear to the point where they would be turned off to all backpacking/camping.”