Every five weeks I get a new batch of best friends.
That’s how long it takes to graduate folks from my beginner-to-bonafide-backpacker program, GetBackpacking!
After four weeks of training hikes, this past weekend we spent three days and two nights at South Mountains State Park. Peak fall color, cool (OK, at night it was cold) temperatures, 10 happy, newly minted backpackers, all of whom I would gladly spend 60 straight hours with again.
Content from GetBackpacking! at South Mountains State Park
Why backpacking? Why strap 30 pounds on your back and spend days on end with your primary focus on survival and little else? Because your primary focus is on the essentials — food, water, shelter — with little room for the annoyances and distractions of daily life. Annoyances and distractions that should, and do, take a backseat to meeting your base needs. Needs that include connecting to others, btw.
I can’t elaborate on the latter — what happens on the trail stays on the trail — but it truly is a restorative experience. This slideshow of our weekend attests to that.
Become a believer and join our group. Join our GetHiking! Triangle Meetup group and keep an eye peeled for details on our next GetBackpacking! session, which will begin in mid-January. In the meantime, learn more about the program here.
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