First Backpacking Stories

[woodstrider]

I am sure that all of you out there who have backpacked have tales to tell- trails missed, things left home, challenges and what have you.
When was your first trip-how old were you, how experienced, where did you go and with whom.

 

[hockeycrew]

I was probably 8 or 9. I was going to summer camp in Quebec somewhere and part of our two day stay was always a backpacking trip "deep" into the woods. I don't really remember much about it. Other than the giant frogs, huge rock outcroppings that we would jump from into the crystal clear lakes, and my father's old green external frame backpack.

After I outgrew that summer camp I didn't do anything overnight in the back country until last year when I decided to start my four thousand footer list. Having been an experienced day hiker and car camper my whole life, I decided to hike Wildcat solo. I had a heavy pack (including a couple pounds more food than necessary). It took a lot of experience (and money) to lighten up that load, but I was addicted to sleeping in my tent from that moment on. Thirteen months later (including 8 months where I was bound to my NCAA sport) I've bagged 29 peaks. As for that old green external frame backpack, it's still in my dad's basement, and I use a wonderful GoLite pack now.

 

[Artex]

I have a detailed report of my first solo trip ever up on my website:

Direct link

Man, I was fat back then. Hiking (and running) got me back in shape, thankfully.

 

[una_dogger]

first trip

My first real backpacking trip was in the Girl Scouts, and I obviously learned nothing because my first solo trip as an adult was a pathetic misadventure!
I backpacked from Woodland Valley Campground in the Catskills to Panther Mnt with two gallons of spring water, a crappy pack that didn't fit me, sneakers and cotton tube socks on my feet, I (seriously) brought one of those little matchlite single use charcoal baggies and a few frozen burger patties plus a little cheapo grill top that I hung from the back of my pack. (How I wasn't devoured by bears on the way home I'll never understand!). I had borrowed a terrible little pup tent that filled with condensation within minutes of me being in there with my giant dog that I let run amok on the whole excursion. Hmmm...lets see, OK, the jiffy pop foil pan thingy didn't reach maximum pop because the coals were running low, so I ate the burned kernels. I let my silly dog drink most of the water instead of letting him drink from streams, and somehow, the three boxes of Juicy Juice got me through two pretty serious days of backpacking!

All that calamity aside, I loved it and spent the twenty years that have followed it refining my technique and still loving it!

Edited to say, that Girl Scouts wasn't a total loss because I also took my mother's garden trowel with me, and left that campsite in pristine condition!

 

[keepin' on]

My first trip wasn’t a total disaster......just kind of. I really feel bad for the poor souls I went with....god bless you Paul and Dan! Those packs looked HEAVY!!!!

Spent the night in the Lafayette Place Campground and the four of us relaxed for the night in a circa 1960’s boy scout pup tent (if it was ’72 this is ok, but it was only about 4 years ago!). We started the day with steak and eggs and hit the trail at about sun up. The plan was to do the ridge walk and find a “legal” campsite off the ridge (smart boys....). Two of us had full packs, I had a small day pack, and our fourth had a fanny pack. I remember thinking to myself, can these two carry enough gear for 4? The last thing Paul lashed onto his pack was a 100 foot climbing rope.....no overkill here!! Their pack must have weighed around 60 lbs. Our fanny pack wearing chap was also a chain smoker, stopping every 10 minutes to “catch his breath” and smoke another butt. We actually made it to Greenleaf by about 2 in the afternoon. Called it quits there. No one spoke for the rest of the trip. I have since been back packing with two of the guys and have enjoyed myself immensely.....nothing like that first time out!

 

[DSettahr]

I stayed at John's Brook Lodge in the Adirondacks when I was about 10 years old for 2 nights with my dad. My first real backpacking experience though wasnt until my freshman year of College- I went backpacking with the RIT Outing Club in the middle of February. We did a section of the Northville-Placid trail near Long Lake- stayed at one of the Catlin Bay lean tos the first night, and one of the Kelly Point lean tos the second night. It was quite an introduction to backpacking considering how cold it was.

 

[Mark Schaefer]

My first mountain backpack was a solo overnight trip to the 5 Dixes in the Adirondacks in 1976. It is a not too difficult day hike, but the overnight allowed me to combine 3 hour drives with hiking days, with plenty of margin for errors. A pattern that I used on many later 46er hikes. The Macomb slide climb was without hitch, and the herd paths were easy to follow. I got the first 4 peaks done easily by sunset. These were the "good old days" without any elevation camping limits. At dusk I did a LNT ultra-light bivouac at 4100' on the Beckhorn, essentially "in the herd path" to minimize trampling vegetation. This was before the age of head-lamps, and no one passed by that night. I was hiking again by the first crick of dawn. I summited Dix just after sunrise and found several tents pitched on the rocky summit. None of the sleepy heads stirred during my half hour on the summit, as I soaked in the foggy views of Elk Lake.

Perhaps the highlight of the trip came on the long hike out to Elk Lake when I learned the answer to the imponderable:

"If a tree falls in the forest and there is no one there to hear it, does it make a sound?"​

As I was hiking I heard a very loud and sustained whoosh. I turned to see an enormous tree falling in the deep woods about 30 yards off the trail. It certainly made a sound, but of course I was there. Proves nothing. But before the noise had subsided an even greater cacophony drowned out the sound of the falling tree. All manner of birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and other critters within earshot were now raising their voices in response. They had all heard that tree fall and were talking amongst themselves about it. It was then that I realized the answer to the faulty, human-centric riddle. There is never "no one there". All forests have wildlife that live there. They will hear any tree that falls in their forest.

 

[PhillyGeo]

Ensconsed in jewels ...

... I was dragged into Mineral King in the High Sierras. I was about nineteen, cursing my hiking partners at every step.

The only real "nightmare" part of it was not knowing how to balance my pack to adjust the hip belt so my fantastic hips could do some useful work. My shoulders were in pain.

Yeah boys, I got that figured out now ...

EDIT to add a reputation note in response to this that mentioned "don't flatter yourself" with a red reputation box (not that I know what that the heck that means). Okay, do you know the character "Olan" in "The Good Earth?" Maybe that helps make sense to that special person now?

 

[J&A]

Hiking in GWNF

I'm not sure how many of you here have ever hiked in Virginia, but there's a nice long stretch of wilderness called the George Washington National Forest here. Although my first few accompanied hikes were met with little tribulation, it was honestly the first time I went solo--when I only had to think about myself and no one else--that I made all the mistakes that one should never make.

First, I chose a hike in an area where only a few hunters ever enter. This is in the middle of March, mind you, and there's about 2 feet of snow blanketing the entire forest. Seeing as it's Virginia, snowshoeing isn't too popular a pursuit, and so I'm all alone: just me, my pack and my Honda Accord to slug it out up over unpaved forest roads. Second mistake, the trail was unmarked--I ended up having to depend mostly on "Sun rises in the East" and some fox trails that I figured would lead to the small brook draining off the mountain. Mistakes three through ten were BRINGING A HYDRATION PACK on a winter hike! While setting up the tent, the lid for the pack came lose and all of the water that I would have been gleefully sipping with my dinner that I couldn't warm up because I didn't bring waterproof matches..was indeed, lost! And where did it go? All over my sleeping bag and sleeping pad.

So it's 6 pm, dark, the temperature is flirting with zero F and I'm alone, cold, and in my wet sleeping bag with my wet socks and non-wet hydration pack. I decided to do hike the two mountains anyway, relying on water that I obtained from melting snow in the sun. I don't regret finishing the hike, but I was quite thirsty and glad to be home after that one.

 

[Moose]

Superstition Mountains - east of Phoenix, AZ in Dec. '91. Overnight backpacking trip while visiting a college buddy. Spent 2 nights hiking near Weavers Needle. Beautiful terrain. It was my first time sleeping in a bivy instead of a tent. Was a little freaked out at first as my friend's Uncle suggested we bring along his .357 in case any wild animals attacked us. We declined his offer and of course had no such problems on the trip.

 

[Chip]

I've a vague, nightmarish memory of cotton khaki, gym socks, a canvas backpack, a coleman bag, a plastic tarp for a floor in a WW2 era canvas tent. We were instructed to bring foil pouches of ground beef and canned veggies which were "heated" IN an open fire. This routine was repeated without regard to weather and temperature, 12 months a year in 1971 and 1972.

 

[roadtripper]

first backpacking trip

My first backpacking trip was last year in Badlands National Park. Eight friends and I were on a month-long cross-country road trip and we wanted to stay someplace other than a KOA campground for a change. One person had the idea that we should park our RV and car and just hike in a few miles into the badlands backcountry. We talked to some rangers, found out the backcountry camping rules (there weren't many) and parked at the Yellow Mounds Overlook parking area. We hiked in about 2 miles and set up our tents in a valley between some awesome rock formations. Here's a pic..

campsite


It was a clear warm night, full of stars and all that. It ended up being one of the top highlights of our month long trip.

 

[woodstrider]

My First Backpack

Great stories- here is my own not so great-

I had just started seriously to hike in March of 1995 and was building up to my first backpack. My younger brother had told me about camping in the Catskills, how he went every year with a group of his friends. Long story short we decided to go on our first backpack together. I was to figure out a plan. We gathered together a rag-tag assortment of newly bought and borrowed equipment, bought maps and agreed on a weekend.

So on the 1995 4th of July weekend we started out for the Catskills Mtns. It was very hot, 95 degree or more and very humid. The first day we started up Wittenberg Mtn from Woodland Valley and spent the day struggling up over Wittenberg, Cornell and then Slide Mtns. We camped in the col between Wildcat and Slide Mtns. in terror of bears. I slept in a hammock and looked up at a millions stars through the black out-lines of the trees. In the morning we hiked around Winnisook Lake and then up to Giants Ledge before heading back to the car. We headed back home bruised, battered, blistered, sore, sunburned, hungry and awe-struck by the knockout views.

My brother fondly- or not so fondly- recounts this as a grunt-fest and has never backpacked again. I was back two weeks later and have yet to stop.
My contention is that some peple are born to backpack and some are not.

 

[Pete_Hickey]

I think I was sixteen or seventeen. I had never backpacked before, and I went on a seven day solo backpack trip, in the Adirondacks. I took a bus from New York City, got off in Keene Valley, opened up my USGS map (in town) to figure out where to go.

I had a kids pup-tent to sleep in, no sleeping pad, and no floor. I brought a fishing rod, and ate fish two nights. I brought canned bacon and some canned stew, as well as other (more sensible) foods. No stove, just campfires for cooking.

Of course, I was wearing cotton pants. All I ever wore at that time was jeans. Heck they probably were even bell bottomed. It rained 5 days on that trip. Then, after the rain, it got cold. I was camped at almost 4000 ft, and froze.

One morning, I ate a jar of peanut butter for breakfast, because it had been raining so much, that I couldn't get a fire started.

I saw very few hikers the whole time. I remember meeting Steve and Gordie on Gothics, and reclimbing it in the morning to watch the sun rise. I also met Kerry, a woman hiking solo. Probably uncommon at that time, but it never struck me. Funny, that after almost 35 years, I still remember their names.

It was a great trip.

 

[cooperhill]

My first real mountain backpacking trip (besides those done in scouts) was in 1999 on the Long Trail from Jonesville over Camels Hump in VT. I went with friends from my old scout troop (some Scout leaders and my friend who was going to Norwich University at the time). I packed way too much and had a huge Kelty pack. I was ok until the weather started a turn for the worse - rain, thunder and lightning. The trail became a stream and I was plenty soaked. The fact that my new North Face gore-tex jacket had been washed in liquid detergent the week before didn't help! I had a hard time keeping up with my friend who was in much better shape than me. The weather let up and, after a short stop at the now defunct Gorham lodge, we finally made it up and over Camel's Hump and stayed at the Montclair Glen Lodge (.2 miles to the shelter seemed like much more than .2). It was a tough backpack and we ended up shortening the trip by a few days but I was totally hooked on hiking and backpacking.

 

[una_dogger]

had a huge Kelty pack.

Still got mine, love it.

 

[bubba]

A combo of earlier comments -- rumbling all the way...

At 22--ish I wanted to "try" backpacking. So my brother (the one that left me on the ski slopes on my first ski run) and I decided to take a day hike on the AT while in NH - Dry River Campground, Craword Notch, early July.

Webster Cliffs Trail (as I recall straight up) and me lugging 40#'s that I don't even need to try backpacking -- packed like a suitcase, BTW. This brother just bitched at me all the way up -- "Hurry up, I'm tired of waiting" and me huffing and puffing, sweating my butt off and beating up black-flies!! Real pleasant.

We got up to the top of the ridge and had almost decided to call it enough when a couple of thru-hikers came by and told us that the look-out only a few hundred feet ahead was awesome. No Doubt!! AWESOME -- standing on top of the cliffs, looking out into the Notch!! Awesome!

I guess I was convinced that it was probably worth it. I just needed to find a better partner!

Now, first time camping -- that was at US Grand Prix - Watkins Glen (not telling year) - a rented trailer with a BSA motorcycle, floor filled with beer and a canvas pup tent -- un-seasonally cold first w/end of Oct. Froze my butt off that time!

 

[MattC]

I might get the prize for most ridiculous here. I was about 18 when I spent a night in March at the pond up on Crane Mt. in the Southern Adirondacks. There were about 8 of us. We probably had cotton head to toe, although I think I had one of those denim jackets that at least had wool lining and probably a wool sweater. Definitely wore workboots and jeans. My pack was probably more of a bookbag, smaller than the daypack I have now, let alone a real backpack.

Now here's the fun part:
Crane is not a tall mountain and we weren't even going to the summit. However, there are steep, scrambly parts where you need your hands. I had no free hand, since I was carrying in my hands: A) a cheap guitar, which was in a garbage bag, rather than a case (I took a guitar everywhere in those days), and B) a large, bulky sleeping bag, which couldn't have possibly fit in my tiny pack. So, my "technique" for the scrambles consisted of: 1) throw sleeping bag up ahead, as far as possible, 2) push guitar up ahead on rock, 3) climb up, pick stuff up, 4) repeat as necessary. For some reason I've never seen this technique discussed in books on hiking and mountaineering.

Myself and several others slept under a tarp strung out from a ledge, while the others stayed in a crappy tent. I think we actually stayed drier than they did. On the plus side, I did make sure my friends didn't leave any trash. At least I knew that much, even then.

Matt

 

[Chip]

So, my "technique" for the scrambles consisted of: 1) throw sleeping bag up ahead, as far as possible, 2) push guitar up ahead on rock, 3) climb up, pick stuff up, 4) repeat as necessary. For some reason I've never seen this technique discussed in books on hiking and mountaineering.
Matt

They don't call it "scrambling" for nothing.
I actually think experiences like this are what (might be) missing with todays "beginners".
We all survived and went on to "do it right". I'm afraid now many never even try.

 

[Toe Cozy]

130 miles on the LT

My first backpack started almost exactly one year ago today on the LT and went for 130 miles (with 2 resupplies/rests). I had been pouring over gear choices for years (no, I'm not kidding...probably 2-3 years of thinking about backpacking). But if I was gonna invest the money and get all the gear I really needed a definite goal of what I was gonna hike and it had to be a big committment. I don't know why. Guess if I only backpacked this one time I wanted it to seem at least worth all the money spent!

I posted a question about hiking the LT on the AMC bulletin boards and got a reply from a sli74 person. We exchanged emails, met in Bennington, hit it off great and made plans to hike the LT. Being a total newbie to backpacking was pretty intimidating but I was with 3 other women who were really cool and helpful.

The first day we got to Seth Warner earlier than expected and pushed on to Congdon instead. It was about 13 miles...the furthest I'd ever hiked and with a full pack no less! Setting up camp was sort of strange though...I didn't have any system, didn't know if there was etiquette about what order to do stuff, where to change out of my gross clothes, where to cook my dinner. Plus it was getting dark. One friend didn't know her meal had to rehydrate for so long and she ended up eating it mostly crunchy...this was after she dumped half of it onto the shelter floor. Another friend couldn't get her alcohol stove to light after many, many attempts so she gave up in silent anger, and went to bed with nothing but GORP for dinner. Seema accidentally poured my cheesecake pudding mix into her Nalgene of lemonade hoping to make her lemonade more lemony...but really just making it have floaty glops of cheesecake pudding at the top.

It was an awesome trip that ended for me earlier than I had hoped due to running out of steam physically and mentally but I didn't leave the trail feeling defeated and that's the important thing. 130 miles for a first backpack was pretty cool!