Let GetBackpacking! launch your backpacking career

When I went to work full-time in 2022, I wondered how much I would miss guiding on a regular basis. How much would I miss the three to five guided hikes a week? How much I would miss teaching skills classes? And what size void would leading far fewer trips leave?

At first I didn’t miss it at all. That might have been because my new job involved planning and leading events for a unit of the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources related to 2023’s Year of the Trail. There was at least one big event every month, often involving multiple hikes (and paddle trips and mountain bike rides), and lots of scouting. I was still spending a lot of time in the wild.

But once Year of the Trail passed and I found myself spending only part of my time promoting trails, and that void I was expecting started to surface. With my day job limiting my trail time, I found myself thinking about what I missed most from my previous life. The answer came quickly:

Backpacking.

Of heading down the trail in the morning and not having to leave come sunset. Of sitting around a campfire and discussing the non-issues of the day (Pop Tart bites: culinary innovation or tartlet travesty — discuss); of curling up in a cozy tent with a good book and drifting off after 5 minutes; of camp coffee first thing in the morning.

I missed the backcountry lifestyle, sure. But what I really missed was turning people on to the backcountry lifestyle. Especially people who had misconceptions about what backpacking was all about, who envisioned a grueling day-long slog and ongoing discomfort, only to discover a new way of living that wasn’t a slog and that actually could be quite comfortable.

I last taught a backpacking class, a small one, in 2023. 2024’s abstinence made me realize it was time to get back in the teaching saddle. So I am: GetBackpacking! Intro to BackpackingI began in 2013 and has graduated more than 250 backpackers since, is back!

I love this class, and here’s why. This is not an “experience” class — you know, you show up on a Friday, are given a bunch of equipment you’ve never seen before and are expected to head out for the weekend and get a feel for backpacking. What you get with these classes is frustrated. You’re suddenly expected to hike 5-10 miles with 35 pounds on your back. Maybe you’ve been hiking that distance previously, but odds are you’ve been doing it with a 10-pound daypack — that’s a huge difference. You’re expected to eat bargain basement freeze-dried food you’ve been given, sleep on a low-budget sleeping pad, figure out how to set up your tent, learn on the fly whether you’ve packed the right clothes. If you aren’t particularly keen on having a good experience, then an “experience” trip may be just the thing for you. But if you think you might really like backpacking, then give it a fair shake with us.

Here’s how our GetBackpacking! Intro to Backpacking class unfolds:

Getting to know you, getting to know your gear. In this Zoom session we’ll spend a little time getting to know one another and learning why you’re interested in backpacking. Then, we’ll go over the different types of gear, focusing on good options for beginners. 1.5 hours.
Training Day. In full gear, we will meet at Morrow Mountain State Park for a 5-hour training session that will go over: Evaluating a campsite, setting up camp, breaking camp, meal preparation (including the various food and cooking options on the trail), and more. Expect to hike about 4 miles in full pack, during which we will work on hiking technique (including the use of trekking poles); ensuring a good pack fit by adjusting your pack during the hike to make sure it continues to fit; and more.
Graduation hike. Three-day, two-night trip to South Mountains State Park, a great place for your first trip.

Instruction includes:

- Zoom gear session
- 5-hour in-field training session
- Graduation weekend
- Info packet, including:
  - Gear lists
  - Tips sheets for:
    - Packing
    - Water crossings
    - Winter camping

In addition, you get:

GetBackpacking! Guide to 10 Great Places to Backpack in North Carolina once you’ve graduated
eguide outlining the program and covering what you’ll learn
20 percent off coupon for one item to Great Outdoor Provision Co.

Loaner gear. We have a limited number of backpacks and tents available on a first-requested, first-awarded basis, at no extra charge.’

Important Dates:
• Getting to know you, getting to know your gear, Zoom meeting at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, March 11, 6 – 7 p.m.
• Training Day: Saturday, March 22, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Morrow Mountain State Park, Albemarle
• Graduation trip: Friday afternoon thru Sunday, April 11-13, South Mountains State Park, Morganton.

Cost of the program is $375 — $345 if you sign up by Feb. 5! The class includes:

For more information and to sign up to join us, go here.