Backpacking

Domini asked:


I am looking to find people to go on a backpacking trip for 3-7 days without purchasing an adventure vacation. I’m moderately experienced, but wouldn’t trust myself to go out on my own. I have a friend who wants to go, and we are looking to join a group. Any suggestions?
Preferably somewhere in the eastern US.

Life Explorer asked:


REI used to have a great list for essential equipment for backpacking trips along with their recommended method to organizing a pack. Does anyone else have anything comparable?

kathy asked:


In the middle of June, I’m planning to go on a four week backpacking trip with NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School). It will involve hiking with a 60ish pound backpack in mountains at altitudes 8,000-13,000 feet. Right now I lift weights and jog 3-5 miles as often as I can (about 3-5 days a week), and in the Spring/Fall I normally ride my bike for 30 miles once a week. Still, I’m not really sure how else I can prepare for the trip. I know it’s a long ways away, but the earlier the better. Are there any good rule-of-thumb goals I could work to (such as being able to run X distance in X time, or something else like it) or any creative ideas? I’d love to hear from somebody, because I really just don’t have a lot of experience.

Mark B asked:


I’ve just learned of a game called geocaching. You use a GPS to locate hidden items placed in remote spots around the world. One of the clues for a cache near my home says that a previous visitor had ducked the cache. The term seems to be used in backpacking as well.
Do you know what this means?

JB asked:


i’m sure there is a difference in performance, otherwise they’d be the same thing.

i don’t do much backpacking, mostly just a dayhiker.

any sugestions for something affordable?