Filed under: Family Camping, Kid-Friendly Trips, Outdoor Recreation & Hiking
First Time Backpacking
November 10, 2012 by Cynthia Baum · 5 Comments
I am about to embark on a whole new world of outdoor adventures. As an avid runner, bicycle rider, and hiker, I have been fairly active for most of my life. The one thing I haven’t tried thus far is backpacking. I ran my first full marathon a year ago, which sadly left me injured for most of this last year. Being unable to run, hike, or even bike has not been easy for me. Just in the last few months, I have started back to biking, hiking, and even running short distances.
My husband and I recently decided to go backpacking for a short 2.5 mile hike-in, camp overnight, followed by that same distance out. Some friends of ours go on backpacking trips with their kids and invited us along with them. I am not too worried since the distance seems doable for me. It’s the weight we are carrying on our packs that is most troubling. For one thing, we are carrying two kids and their stuff as well. Our youngest weighs about 35 pounds and the other is 47 pounds. So you can see this will be no easy task, especially when you add on the weight for our food, shelter, and clothing. Granted, we hope the 47-pounder will walk some, if not most of the hike; there is no guarantee that she will.
For those of you who like to go backpacking, I am trying to look upon this upcoming experience as an exciting adventure, one that will make me want to do more backpacking with my family in the near future. What I do know is that it is going to be cold (it is expected to dip into the 30′s at night when we will be there). We are packing snow clothes and a candle, since apparently fires are not allowed.
I figure I will be updating those RVers who enjoy a good backpacking trip, as to where to park the RV and then backpack in, if indeed, it turns out to be a good spot. I also know that I will have a few good stories to tell (at the very least) once I am back. Wish me luck!
Last 5 posts by Cynthia Baum
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Why would you want to put yourself through this? First, I think that carrying your two littles ones and all your gear would be VERY strenous. Second camping at 30 degrees with no fire would be super hard on the kids, not to mention Mom and Dad. Why not wait until Spring and be sure the kids can walk the 2.5 miles. It might mean taking lots of rest breaks but would be easier on the parents. I remember many years ago when my husband talked me into our first Winter tent camping trip to upper Michigan and it was COLD. He was off fishing all day while I tried to entertain the two toddlers. Not Fun. I have still not forgiven him!
When I was a bit younger I led many Boy Scouts on many overnight backpacking trips, some in cold weather as you are preparing to do. I love backpacking and think it is a wonderful family adventure. However, there is limit to what anyone can carry. 20% of your own weight is a good limit unless you're a trained infantryman! That 35 pounder is your limit if you're at 175 lbs., which your activities lead me to believe you are not! And that leaves you no room for anything else. Make sure the kids can walk and carry at least their own sleeping bag (mine did at age 5) before taking them on an overnight backpacking adventure.
And I loved every minute of it!
Phillip Oliver, I completely agree. Our daughter is going to carry some of her own stuff for our next trip. She did require to be carried for some of it, but we will work her up to being able to do around 2 miles or so, with a pack. She did hike 2 miles no problem without a pack this time around. Backpacking with kids makes it hard to stay under the 20% of your weight rule. Luckily, it was short enough that we could handle it!
We are definitely going to wait until Spring to do any more backpacking trips! It was COLD, but FUN and so worth it! Hubby brought his pole but there were no fish– I would have sent the kids (or at least one) to go fishing with him! Upper Michigan in Winter does sound freezing- it was freezing last night but we had the right gear to ward off most of the chill at least!