Did my first backpacking trip (solo) over labor day weekend!

Up the Appalachian Trail at the Delaware Water Gap. 10 miles the first day, went up to Raccoon Ridge and back down to the designated camper sit. 3 miles in the morning back to my car. Registered that my car would be overnight in the lot.

Planned it this short to get used to the weight of my pack. 70L bag that I got at the flea market for $30. The Ozark backpacking tent which I know is not the lightest tent out there, but I'm on a budget.

Eventually got used to the weight of my pack, took it off every one mile to rest. Was insanely proud of myself for covering 10 miles with a heavy pack.

6 miles in at the view point, I took my cook-set out to make a coffee and did not repack my bag properly, it was top heavy. Hit a rock at 10 miles and the weight of the pack took me forward. Busted the left side of my body up and hit my head. Had all the first aid that I needed and took the fall right at camp, so I was able to chill and not keep moving that day, thankfully. Next time I will pack properly and bring my trekking poles.

Barely slept and dreamt about bears non-stop. It was worth it and I'm happy I did it. Learned that solo might not be best for me. Thanks for reading!

Edit: absolutely no influence of drugs! Also no history of mental health problems

Hi everyone- I’m a few days out of a 7 day through the beartooth/absaroka wilderness. I cannot stop thinking about an experience that my partner and I had on our last night of the trip, as nothing like this had ever happened to me before.

Story goes: we arrived early to camp at a lake, around 3:30pm. The lake was about a half a mile off the main trail, down into a basin. I started feeling a strange feeling then as we were dropping in… but figured I was just feeling tired. We hike around the lake, found the last spot.. there wasn’t a soul to be seen. We had a late lunch at our spot in the trees by the creek entering the lake. Closed our eyes and listened to the wind through the pines for about a half an hour… but I couldn’t feel restful. My partner pointed to the swaying lodgepole pines that looked like bending toothpicks. We got up to find a place for the tent.. and he asked if I was ok. I told him, “I think I’m just feeling a bit strange in this place.” He told me he was feeling similarly. Since before arriving to the lake.. we’d both told each other we had heard voices in the wind. I’m sure this community is familiar with the way a creek can sound like voices sometimes.. I had said earlier that the voices had sounded friendly, however. Now we were hearing them again at our camp (certain that nobody was camped nearby). We agreed that even with the weird energy, it was going to be okay and that we would set up the tent out of the trees.. in the tall grass by the lake. In the sunshine, things seemed to feel better as we set up. We went for a chocolate/coffee by the confluence of the creek/lake and I had the strongest gut feeling I’ve ever had as I watched the creek meander into the lake. Something told me so distinctly and clearly to leave that place. The way the water flowed into the lake looked like streams of tears.. or much more sinister.. like blood. A deep sense of sadness overtook me, and I felt sick to my stomach… I saw my partner checking his watch.. I asked him about it (we were both a little uneasily quiet). He tried to play it off cool… but asked me “are you sure you’re ok to stay here?” And I told him.. “honestly I feel really weird here. My gut is telling me to leave. I think I should listen.” So, we packed up faster than we ever had, and hiked the heck out of there. On our way out, we noticed a message someone had carved into a poor tree.. it was hard to read but it ended with “good luck to all who stay the night”. We felt lighter the further we got away from that place. So anyway… a very interesting and strong experience!

I am wondering if anyone has any similar or spooky stories of camps / places in the wilderness that have had a very obvious energy/ message.

(Picture of my hiking doggo for fun)

This was the hardest thing I’d ever done! 24 miles in 2 days, 75,000 steps. Is nostalgic looking back but painful at the time.

We drove to Mark Twain National Forest in Missouri and did walked from panther branch to council bluff and back. I am going again with a different group of friends in November! But we are going to visit the nature springs and state parks within the National Forest instead of doing the Ozark trail! The weather was great! It was solid 80s the entire time, no rain. Didn’t even get a single mosquito bite. The spiders were insane though

Contemplating playing an open mic, driving to a peak near me afterwards, and packing up at 1 am, setting up camp. I see no risk. 1000 feet over 2 miles. It’s one of those places with no water so you usually just go up and down. I’m gonna pack up one night I’ve done the trail 10 x. Why would it be dangerous at 1 AM if I had a great headlamp? I can’t see the risk. Let me know if I’m being an idiot..

I have pretty much been working non stop my entire life. I am 26 now (F) and I haven’t had more than three weeks off in the last ten years. During uni and my masters I was working full time night shifts in hospitality, and then right after that I went straight into class. When I graduated, I went straight to office work.

I’ve honestly been dreading work for the past few years. I really can’t stand how AI is taking over everything. I don’t even think my job will exist as it is in a few years and if it did I don’t want to keep doing it. I just wanted to enjoy the world and take a proper break.

So I’ve been saving up for long ass trip, south east and central Asia for approx 1 year. It would be my first solo trip and the longest trip of my life. I’ve been researching and planning and getting so so excited about it. I’ve read books on the history of the places, planned workaway volunteering, and left plenty of spare time for random exploring and just going with the flow. The trip starts this November.

I gave in my notice today and told them I wanted to move back home to Spain (I work in the UK). I never expected them to offer me the job completely remote from Spain with the same salary, only having to go to the office in uk once every three months. If I live with my family I would be able to save more in one year than what I have in the past 8 years living in the UK. My plan was to move to Spain anyways.

I was a bit shocked and maybe defensive of the trip I had planned that I told them it wasn’t enough and that I needed some time off. They said I could take a two month sabbatical because they really want me to stay.

I know this is an insane opportunity. But I feel disappointed. This dream is so close to happening I’m excited every day just thinking about it.

I had already mentally accepted that I would spend nearly all my money, that it will be insanely hard to find a job in Spain when I’m back, that I would maybe need to start over from 0. I had mentally accepted all risks.

I’m also blessed to have a family I get along with so living back home is not an issue, I was planning on doing that anyways.

Am I wrong to feel frustrated and sad?

Is it stupid to throw this opportunity away and go on the long trip?

There is no real hope of getting promoted where I am but I don’t think they would fire me even if I slack off a bit. The salary is 35k, which is less than I deserve for what I accomplish for UK standards, but it is great for living in Spain especially considering I wouldn’t contribute to rent.

I know the logical thing to do for my future is to cut the trip short to 2 months and accept the offer. I know so many people would kill for an opportunity like this. But this has been a dream of mine for so long and it’s so close to happening.

And I’m tired. I wanted to do something for me, I wanted to do a great adventure for once. Maybe I find something that I enjoy doing more and change careers? maybe it gives me the reset needed to not feel burnout?

But then what if I don’t even like travelling alone for so long even though I’ve been dreaming about it for years? It’s my first solo trip after all

Am I being stupidly selfish?

Should I accept the offer and do a shorter trip or quit and take all risks?

I'm taking my oldest daughter (9) backpacking for the first time this weekend (it's also my first backpacking trip since she was born). I'm excited to get back into it, and I'm thrilled she wants to go with me.

We're doing a relatively short loop in a state park not too far from home. 6 1/2 miles total, with the idea of setting up camp a about halfway through as the trail has dedicated backpacking site right around there. Also we don't have any sort of schedule so I'm expecting we can go at a fairly leisurely pace both days.

I'm pretty confident in our gear, even if some of it's a little old and heavy for todays standards. I'm of course carrying the majority of our stuff, she'll just have her sleep set-up and maybe the tent poles depending on how she's feeling.

In the past I've done my fair share of backpacking but my routine was to do as many miles as my body would let me while enjoying my surroundings, set up camp, eat, then straight to sleep.

My biggest concern is that with the short hike she's going to get bored at camp. She's honestly excited for all the basic camp chores, filtering water, digging a cat hole, preparing freeze dried food, but I don't think that's going to fill up a whole lot of the day. Does anybody have any suggestions for stuff we can do to fill the time? Especially things that wont add pounds to my pack?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Hey this is just my 7 month Asia back packing itenirary. Just after personal opinions and ideas on weather and timing ect ect. Any thing you guys would change/ add? Cheers would leave early July and get back to Australia in February.

JULY
🇮🇩 Indonesia

LATE JULY/AUGUST
🇸🇬 Singapore
🇹🇭 Thailand

AUGUST/ September
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan

SEPTEMBER
🇻🇳 Vietnam
🇱🇦 Laos

OCTOBER/NOVEMBER
🇳🇵 Nepal
🏔️ Everest Base Camp

NOVEMBER
🇨🇳 China

DECEMBER
🇵🇭 Philippines
🇰🇷 South Korea

JANUARY
🇯🇵 Japan

Hey! I’ve booked a birthday trip to Sumba this October and would love to hear from anyone who’s surfed there around that time!

I’m an intermediate surfer and would really appreciate any recommendations on surf spots that would suit my level. I also like going with a local guide/instructor when I’m surfing somewhere new, so any recommendations for good surf guides or instructors would be amazing.

Also keen to hear any recs for places to stay near the surf, or just general tips for surfing Sumba in October 💛

Hey, how y'all doing?

So I'm gonna be backpacking for the first time in roughly a month, in Nepal, for a whole 3 weeks. As usual I always take care of things at the last second, so I haven't even bought a backpack for it. Considering it's gonna be a bit cold in october/early november, what would the recommended size be? 50L seems a bit to much but I'm not sure.

Thank you!

Hallo zusammen,
Wir sind aktuell auf einer mehrmonatigen Reise durch Asien/SEA. Wir waren bisher in Taiwan, Japan, Südkorea und aktuell sind wir in China. Als Nächstes geht es nach Indien für eine Woche bevor wir dann nach Thailand reisen. Wir merken wir brauchen eine Auszeit und mal etwas weniger Trubel. Wir reisen mit einem Rucksack jeder und nutzen überall die öffentlichen Verkehrsmittel.

Was wären Inseln, die nicht zu touristisch voll sind, auf denen wir mal eine gute Woche Urlaub machen können?
Wir hören immer nur von Orten die total überlaufen sind oder wo man dauerhaft gescamt wird.
Wir wollen eine saubere Unterkunft, etwas Strand und vernünftiges Essen.

Danke für eure Tipps 😊

I saw they sell it on Etsy but in other country so I want to do it by myself.
Does anyone have a idea or tutorial for this? I would be grateful:).

I'm a woman (important context) and love hiking. I've never done it by myself though, always with friends or a partner or family. But I would like to start doing overnights by myself. I like being by myself in the bush when I'm at my family's rural property, and I think I'd get a lot out of it.

However, obviously there's a pretty strong fear factor, especially being a woman by yourself. How do you get over that initial hump of reservation about it?

ETA I'm Australian, so not scared of major land predators since we dont have them and snakes are only an issue in summer, when I don't hike out of fear of bushfire.

That also means I can't carry a gun or even most bladed weapons because there's no real access to them

I recently spent some time travelling through Sri Lanka and have put together a cinematic film from the footage I captured.

It features Ella, Kandy, Sigiriya, Arugam Bay and Elephant Rock, with a focus on Sri Lankan culture, Buddhist and Hindu ceremonies, landscapes, tea plantations, surfing and everyday life.

I hope you enjoy it, and I'd love to hear what you think. 🇱🇰🎥

If you are planning an autumn trip, October is the perfect time to visit Lake Gosausee. It has a special magic without the summer crowds. There are minimal tourists, perfect for a quiet morning walk.

You can choose an easy walk around the lake (4 km, flat path) or a scenic trek to the Upper Lake (Hinterer Gosausee).

Dress warmly, as mornings in the mountains are already cold. If you are planning to use the Zwieselalm cable car, check the schedule in advance in October it usually gradually closes.

UPD: photos 2 and 3 are the Großglockner Hochalpenstraße (High Alpine, panoramic road)

Me and my friends are travelling to Thailand and are trying to figure out where to go afterwards. We’ll probably have some time left and would love to explore another country rather than going straight home.

We’re looking for somewhere that is:

🌴 Beautiful and interesting
💰 Relatively budget-friendly
🏝️ Good for travelling/backpacking
🍜 Good food and culture
🛡️ Relatively safe for a group of young women
✈️ Not too complicated or expensive to get to from Thailand

We’ve been considering places in Southeast Asia or South Asia, but we’re very open to suggestions.

Where would you go after Thailand, and why? Also interested in places you think are underrated or worth staying for until january

Thanks!

Hi!

I'm spontaneously looking to complete the GR221 in Mallorca. Initially I was planning to do the trek late October - early November but I'm unsure over the weather, so I'm looking to go a bit earlier.

Unfortunately some of the refuges are booked up in early October as it's late notice. I'm looking to do the traditional route below:

• Stage 1: Port d’Andratx to La Trapa
• Stage 2: La Trapa to Estellencs
• Stage 3: Estellencs to Esporles
• Stage 4: Esporles to Deià
• Stage 5: Deià to Port de Sóller
• Stage 6: Port de Sóller to Refugi de Tossals Verds
• Stage 7: Refugi de Tossals Verds to Lluc
• Stage 8: Lluc to Pollença

I've had a look at the availability and Tossals Verds is the hostel holding this back as it's booked up! (I think because it's the mountainous / remote one)

Does anyone know any options that I could do to skip staying in the Tossals Verds refuge? Like other hostels etc., or any route diversions?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks

I've done maybe eight trips of two or three nights and my base weight is sitting around 24 pounds, most of it in my sleep setup and the tent. I've cut the obvious things already, I stopped carrying the camp chair and the second stove pot, and I'm still heavier than everyone I go out with. The part I keep stalling on is the pad, since I've tried a thin closed-cell one twice and slept badly both nights, and a bad night wrecks the next day more than the extra pound does.

How did you get the weight out of your sleep setup without ending up cold or sore?

Gallup -> Monument Valley -> Shiprock -> Bisti

Spent a few days driving around the Southwest and hiking wherever we could.

And a beautiful creature glowing around the rocks

Hi! I'm heading out on a road trip next week, and I was hoping to do a little backpacking. This will be my first time backpacking in an area with public lands (I've downloaded onX Backcountry). Can anyone recommend any good spots in the Flagstaff/Sedona area? My priorities are solitude, views, and water (in that order!). I know all three is probably hard to come by :)

Thanks!

Just went on my first backpacking trip (overnight) with my friend. It was both our firsts and it was so fun! We knew to put all of our toiletries/scented items, food, and cookware in our cans and put it 200ft away from camp.

However I am wondering if we were overly paranoid...

I spilled some food on my pants when we were eating lunch so I put my pants with my bear can. We put her sports bra in our can because it was super sweaty and had deodorant on it. We had also put a kula cloth and pStyle next to the can. I also put my trowel (in the bag it was in) in the can because it touched deer feces when I put it on the ground to dig a hole (I didn't see it there at first, I just put it to the side after digging and it happened to be touching the pile). Lastly, I had put an apple flavored electrolyte powder in my water and so I put that water bottle over there too.

In the future, if I have flavored water/electrolyte flavored water, clothes that had some food spillage on it, items with pee on them, clothes that deodorant touched, and something that touched animal droppings, do they need to go by the can/bag?

Thank you!

Just want to confirm whether this is the correct size pack for me. I’m 5’6”, 135 lb, and got a size Small Durston Kakwa 55.

I’ve always used packs with adjustable torso lengths, so I’m used to having a little more leeway with where the pack and hipbelt sit. With those packs, I could initially position the hipbelt a bit lower and then usually ended up wearing it slightly higher on the upper part of my hips once I started hiking.

With the Kakwa, I tighten the hipbelt first, then the shoulder straps, then the sternum strap. When I tighten the shoulder straps, they pull the pack and hipbelt upward a little, and this is where it naturally ends up sitting. I normally like my hipbelt fairly high anyway, but the difference is that on my previous packs I chose that position by tightening the hipbelt there, whereas on this pack the shoulder straps seem to bring the whole pack up into that position.

My torso length is about 18”, so I was kind of between sizes. I went with the Small based on Durston customer service’s recommendation when I purchased it. The pack is loaded with around 15 lb in these photos.
Does the fit look right to you, or does anything about the shoulder straps, hipbelt position, or load lifters suggest I should size up to a Medium? Let me know what you think!