New to backpacking

“I am 18 I want to have some fun and enjoy life. I want to plan a backpacking trip and would like some experienced people to help me, and even maybe go on the trip with me. I think it'd be great to get a small group together to go backpacking/hiking/camping. Let me know your thoughts. You can text me at 2084042693 or email me at alexbingham94@gmail.com”

“Twin Falls Idaho? a little to far for me to travel.”

“Don't try to plan your first trip. Go on a trip that has been planned by someone with experience first, someone respectful of the environment and wilderness ethics. Ask the leader or another experienced member of the party to help you get ready. Go on the trip and find out what works and what doesn't. After you've done this a few times you should be ready to plan or co-plan a trip.”

“Fist: please be careful about posting phone numbers on the interney.

2nd: There is a trips page here. It won't work if you use any apostrophes, but you can post a trip and discuss it on the board.”

“Hmm, well you gotta gear up and that's a whole adventure in it's self. And my advise is don't go on a real ballbuster the first time. I've seen a lot of people underestimate the difficulty of a tough hike. I'm probably guilty of it myself.”

“Good to see you are keen! like everyone said though, be careful with who you choose to hike with...maybe advertise locally where you are....”

“Good preparation = a good experience.

ARe you talking about car-camping and day-hiking? or backpacking?

If you haven't hiked before, I recommend going car-camping and day-hiking at first....to get a feel for what to do, how much you need to pack etc.

Remember, if you are backpacking, you should follow the "leave no trace" philosophy--making sure to pack out whatever you pack in... so you have to be conscious about what's in your backpack and how much it weighs...

Some things to invest in (not an all inclusive list):

Good Backpack
Good hiking shoes (tend to be more rigid and help prevent turned ankles on rough terrain)
Wicking socks (non-cotton socks) to keep your feet from developing blisters
Bring "Body Glide" (sports lubricant) or vaseline to put on your feet to prevent blisters.

Lightweight tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad (if backpacking or on hard rocky ground). A heavier tent is okay if you're just car-camping.

1st aid kit, children's chewable benedryl in case of bee stings (it's not as effective as an epi-pen, but it can buy you a little extra time if you find out you're allergic.)

Dress in layers and bring a rain jacket in case of rain...

Invest in a bear bag or bear can if you are in bear country.

If this is your 1st time backpacking, definitely go with someone who has experience and can tell you how to properly pack. (Trust me, I know. On our 1st backpacking trip, My husband was afraid the water filter wouldn't work well in a glacial stream and we had to pack in 2 gallons of water on a 2 night camp. Needless to say, I was not happy..... (It added about 17 extra pounds to each of our packs) After that trip, we bought a proper water filter to solve the problem of having to lug in our water.

Make sure that you have a good topographical map of the area, and that you know how to read it. It's probably better to go on a hiking trail that is well-marked on your 1st time out as well. Once dusk hits, and if you're in the woods, you can get pretty confused pretty quickly if you don't have a well-marked trail. (Flashlight definitely comes in handy in the dark--preferably a headlamp type (you can sometimes find really inexpensive ones on the market.)

Always tell others when you are going and when you're coming back in case of an emergency, it may make it easier to find you.

I'm sure others have a bigger, more extensive list, but I'm just giving a few quick highlights...

Have fun, be respectful of your environment (don't burn a fire in random places-- use a fire pit or fire ring that's already designated at the camp site.)

Just be careful and read up on what you need to do!”

“Find a meetup group for your area on yahoo.”

“Idaho is like heaven for backpacking, I'd love to be out there with ya. Have fun!”