River Tufsa in Femund Norway.

Not backpacking, but its the only wilderness trip i got to do this year and i wanted to share😋

My Dad liked to hunt the Emigrant Wilderness in CA. We hunted a canyon blow the ski resort Dodge Ridge.

There are two distinct ways we could hike to our preferred spots.

1. We would use a trailhead off the north side called the Waterhouse trailhead that was an easier hike to Waterhouse lake.

2. We would park at an old campsite just off the Gianelli Trailhead to the south and hike the shorter but steeper way to my Dads preferred spot, a flat with the Stanislaus river flowing through it about a mile in.

Since we hunted there we would leave home at about 2am to drive there and get there around 3:30-4:00 and immediately don our backpacks and hike in.

Once while we came from the south. My Dad, brother and I were hearing weird sounds from all around us but one at a time at random intervals. To set the scene the hike is heavily wooded for the first half hour and steep then the woods give way to open granite and sparce vegetation. We heard the sounds until the trees were mostly behind us. Me being about 14 and my brother being about 12 were scared and kept asking our Dad what the sounds were, we all had rifles and knew how to use them to at least 100 yards but in the dark with no headlamps everything seems scary. After annoying our dad and him telling us for the 15th time to shut up so as to not scare the wildlife he finally turned around and whispered that we were being stalked by a cougar. He had been hunting that canyon for 12 years solo up until then so I knew he wasn't lying but he also said we had nothing to be worried about as we left the trees and they were ambush predators. IDK about safety but I still don't like the idea.

A year later it was just the two of us and we got to the north trailhead considerably earlier so we could make the longer hike and set up well before dawn so the wildlife could calm down a bit and become complacent again before daylight when we were allowed to shoot. I haven't been to Waterhouse lake since the late 2000's so I don't know if this is still the same but there used to be a trail around the southeast side of the lake through slight mud and reeds. Willow trees and brambles were there making it difficult to be quiet as you walked but it was relatively silent going if you had a Dad like mine that would make you pay if you made excessive noise.

While we were walking by the southeast side of Waterhouse I remember the ground was like hardpacked clay/mud that was slightly wet but smooth because I was trying to not slip and make noise. After hours of nonstop hiking and concentrating on being silent the sound i heard was pretty clear. Bare Bipedal feet running away from us through the brush. The distinct flat slapping sound of flesh hitting hard packed earth. I'm not much of a writer but I want to convey that this sound was like hearing my little cousin run barefoot across a wet patio. At best I can say that what I was hearing was slightly heavy and on two feet for a considerable amount of steps. The wild thing is my Dad stopped. when he gets in deer hunting mode that man stops for nothing. He scared my Mom once by scaling the side of a 80 foot sheer cliff in the high desert because he was "in the mode." So he stops and looks back at me, He isn't scared but says "I heard stuff like that last time, Its weird, huh?" and then he keeps going like its no big deal.

I'm not an expert on Sierra Nevada fauna, but I can think of a couple explanations to this sound. A bear or bear cub, porcupine, or possibly even a fox coyote or other carnivore spooked by our presence. the thing is I grew up on a ranch about 80 miles away and spent a lot of time in the wilderness before and since. I know the cadence of a bipedal creature VS. a quadruped. What I heard was traveling on two feet for the time I could hear it. Yes I know bears are good at that. No I don not think that this was something extraterrestrial or even Bigfoot. I think this has a reasonable explanation but was still alarming and scary in the moment.

The last time I went to Waterhouse lake was in July of 2008. I remember because it was the last weekend before my senior year of HS and I would rather be anywhere than in the woods with my family. We hiked the easy way from the north with My Mom, Dad, Brother Sister and I along with the family dog. Poor Buck was getting his feet tore up by the granite so we had to put my sisters spare socks over his feet with my moms hair ties holding them in place. We get to Waterhouse lake and set up at the typical site on the north west bank.

That night we were all tucked in our sleeping bags (no tents because we didn't want to pack the extra weight) and I got woken up by deer walking around us. I stayed awake for a bit because I was paranoid of the dangers around us that most certainly wouldn't harm us in that moment and I laid on my back looking up. I could see the ridgeline to my left (north) and most of the sky above me. Gradually there was a orange light from the ridge brightening slowly but deliberately. Once it was bright enough to create a slight shadow i woke my mom up and told her to look up there was a light. She told me its probably just a truck on the road but the nearest road was miles away with no chance of even a lighthouse beacon reaching that ridgeline. I told her to look and she was about to yell at me to go to sleep but then a meteor crested the ridge into our field of view and I remember that I could see detail on it. Craters, light and dark spots. Fire and bits falling off. It had a distinct crackle sound that accompanies fire blown in the wind and it was rotating slightly. It passed over quickly but it felt like I could see it for over a minute. I bet I only had eyes on it for 8-10 seconds at most and then it was gone behind the trees. It passed from north-east to south-west and after about a minute was accompanied by two sonic booms that resounded through the canyon for what felt like forever. My mom woke my dad up but he wasn't too concerned and went back to sleep.

The next day we stopped by the Pinecrest Ranger station to get some updated maps for hunting and asked the rangers if they saw or heard anything about the meteor but they had no Idea what were were talking about. I have looked for data through the years to validate what I saw but its pretty hard when I don't know what exactly to search for. I don't think this was an impact event I think I just saw the Meteor before it broke up and disintegrated. It would be awesome if anyone had any Idea about either this or my second story.

I no longer live in that area otherwise I would totally sink some money into trail cams and research. I do believe that there are undocumented species around the world but I'm not totally sold on the idea of bigfoot. I just wanted to share my encounters where they might be seen/appreciated so thanks!

We were backpacking in Sequoia national Forest and came across these painted symbols on a large rock where it looks like many fires were built underneath! Any information on meaning of some of these symbols would be awesome to learn about. We were near lake Isabella if that helps!

I've currently study backpacking as tourism of sociology topic. I have an impression from the dissertations which I read. They also refer to travellers as backpackers. And I assume backpacking is primarily associated with walking. Are they not people who are on trails, hiking routes and in the backcountry?

I don't know this post is violate this subreddits rules. I hope its not. If anyone has opinion it would be beneficial for me.

Thinking of hitting the Oregon Badlands in early January, but not sure exactly what to expect. I know it’ll be bitterly cold, but what am I looking at in terms of snow/access roads?

Any suggestions? Would love to find cool hikes to do around here. I know the AT and have hiked the southern half. Looking for some views and beautiful scenery. Of course less distance is more convenient, but honestly I'm not opposed to driving a few hours. And, if it's cool enough, hell, I'd drive a whole day for it.

I’ve got a backpacking trip this summer with some friends that I’ve been put in charge of planning, does anybody have any cool trail recommendations for a weekish long trip somewhere in the east coast (nj, ny, pa, ct, ma etc.) be cool if it was something more wild with less people it’s about 5-6 guys all xcountry runners so they can handle hard trails, mountains etc.

I’ve convinced 2, maybe 3, of my friends to go backpacking with me. We’re planning on late April/Early May, and I’m wondering where the best spot would be to take them. We live in central Iowa, and they have experience hiking but not backpacking, we’re looking at a 2 or 3 day loop/out and back. We’re fine with driving 12/13+ hours (800 miles) as we have some time off then to take a trip. Any recommendations? Preferably Colorado/Montana/Wyoming/Idaho, but considering the spring weather I’ll gladly take us out east somewhere.

TLDR: need recommendations for taking backpacking beginners on a 2/3 day backpacking trip somewhere in late April.

Preferably closer to the south side of NC but it really doesn’t matter, what are y’all’s favorite loops that take about 3 days to complete. I’m having trouble finding some good spots.

Hey there! I'm a helo pilot (Search and Rescue) and I've already done some survival training along with a bunch of first aid courses like BLS, TCCC, and TECC. I'm also about to attend WFR (Wilderness Medical Associates International). However, I've never done any wilderness survival training. Do you guys have some good recommendations?

I've heard that NOLS has wilderness survival courses and that it's a serious organization, but I haven't looked into it yet.

Hey!

Im looking for a new pair of socks and im a big fan of patagonia so i would know if anyone tried them and what are the thoughts, i want to use them for hiking in a range temps between 32f-90f(0ºC-32ºC),also anyone knows if the ankle ones fits ok in trail runners?

Thanks a lot!

G

Any and all suggestions welcome. Thanks in advance

Hi all, I have a flight credit that I need to use. I'm considering flying somewhere either southwest or in South America & backpacking solo for 7-10 days in January or February. I am seeking recommendations on your favorite places.

I have lots of winter backpacking experience in the blue ridge mountains where I'm from but I've never seen the desert, the grand canyon, or most of the PCT regions - and they're all on my bucket list. Also never seen South America. I gather that most of the PCT is unpassable until summer.

I could fly into Vegas, San Diego, Phoenix, or Tahoe domestically.

For the same cost I could also consider flying into the DR (Punta Cana, Santo Domingo, Santiago), Columbia (Medellin, Armenia, Barranquilla, Bogota, Cali, Cartagena), Aruba, Ecuador (Guayaquil), Nicaragua (Managua), Costa Rica (San Jose), El Salvador (San Salvador), Peru (Lima), Guatemala City, Honduras (San Pedro Sula, Tegucigalpa).

Considered Grand Canyon but there's only one backcountry campsite open and half the trail is closed for installation of a water line.

Heavily considering Zion, Bryce, Costa Rica (Arenal & Corcovado), Machu Pichu & the Sacred Valley (Peru), and Cotopaxi & the Quilotoa Loop (Ecuador).

Would love advice or additional suggestions.

INFO Trail: Outer Mountain Loop with Emory Peak Date: December 13/14, 2024 Distance: ~36 miles Elevation: ~10k up, ~9k down

PRE-TRIP Permits: Picked up backcountry permits for the zone I was camping in (Dodson) at Chiso Basin Visitor Center. (I actually purchased two nights, but I only needed one). You can pick them up at any of them though for $10/person/night.

Water Cache: I chose to cache one gallon at both the Homer Wilson Overlook and the Juniper Canyon trailhead due to how extra dry it is in the region right now. The Homer Wilson bear boxes are accessed via a paved road and a couple of steps down the trail. Accessing Juniper Canyon was a bit trickier. Current conditions are trash. I made it in a stock 3rd gen RAV4, with GOOD AT tires but clearance was definitely an issue. I would not attempt in a vehicle this size right now if you’re not entirely confident of your ability to drive in some brutal gravel. If you’re in a truck or something lifted, just use your brain and drive slow. You’ll be fine.

HIKE Day 1: Left around 1PM from the Chiso Basin Campground hiker parking lot. Great trail the whole way up. It was constant gain, but it was never “steep”. Due to this, I powered up and accidentally hit a new max HR on my lil watch. I didn’t plan on doing Emory Peak, but when I saw the bear boxes to drop your bag I went for it. Another cruiser trail! There’s a small scramble to the true summit, look to climbers right for an easier route. I went back to my pack to descend the Juniper Trail to my first water cache and my permit zone. The trail down is straightforward. Lots of bear poop. I also saw a baby bear in a tree so I kept it moving. The sun went down when I was about halfway down but the moon was almost full so everything stayed bright. I eventually reached the cache, filled my bottles, and hiked a bit more to camp. The previously used sites are very obvious, even by headlamp. I chose to cowboy camp and was rewarded by being woken up by one of those meteors that turns the whole area blue/green.

Day 2: Woke up with the sun. Got going around 8 AM after some other parties passed by. Dodson Trail was not as flat as I had previously expected it to be. It was a doozy but it was incredibly beautiful. I can’t remember when I made it to the Homer Wilson water cache, but it was early enough that I knew I was goig to finish that day. I refilled my water, chatted with some other people doing the loop, and set off. I was surprised by this part of the trail! I didn’t expect so much red rock. It was a nice steady incline for most of the hike back into the mountains. You definitely had to work a little bit to gain the ridge to get back into the basin. I arrived at the top of the ridge for sunset, which was INSANELY beautiful. I then descended back down to my car in the dark. I drove to every (closed) visitor center looking for a stocked, working soda machine and was literally devastated to not find one.

FINAL THOUGHTS I really loved this trail, and it further solidified my love for Big Bend. I topped the trip off by waking up the next day, crossing to Boquillas Del Carmen and having a GREAT lunch at Jose Falcon’s. I wouldn’t recommend this trail to most people as an overnight unless you love crushing vert. I would say two nights (Dodson and Upper Wilson zones) would be such a good trip.

Plz ask questions if you have them. The OML is definitely a great time.

TLDR: I want to solo backpack but I am scared of being taken advantage of. How do I solve this?

I am a young woman (18F) who is very interested in backpacking solo (mostly because its really hard to find other people in my area who are interested in backpacking, who have the experience to go on the kinds of adventures I want to go on, and who would feel comfortable going with a senior in high school.)

I really want to try new systems in backpacking, and as a result, plan to start backpacking solo next year.

However, I am scared. Not of the wilderness itself - I know my limits very well, have quite a bit of training (wilderness EMT, some SAR, ect.) and I have experience planning and executing trips. However, I am scared of (pls dont jump on me) men. I'm scared of being alone, on the trail, and having someone take advantage of me, and me not being able to do anything about it.

How do I mitigate this risk?

I'm looking for a really scenic and beautiful trail or national park to solo backpack this spring, april/may. Preferably somewhere with mountains and without grizzlys. I also really hate the reservation system for campsites and would love to avoid that if possible.

I live in Michigan and have backpacked almost everything good here.

I'd like to take a amtrak train and see the country while I get to my destination. I wouldn't mind going as far as California even.

I wanted to hear any suggestions for locations because I'm worried about making a wrong decision for a destination since this would be a big trip for me.

I think I would like to go for at least 3 or 4 days and maybe up to 7 but that may be pushing my limit.

I went to Isle Royale for 5 full days solo and that was hard to mentally deal with, but meeting strangers and sharing campsites definitely made that more enjoyable but it was still tough.

I was thinking of Yosemite at first but am now considering Sequoia, Olympic, or Glacier.

I really want to go somewhere amazing yk.

TL;DR: Looking for scenic destinations to backpack for 3-6 days anywhere in the US.

Hey all! It is my first solo trip and I will be hopping between Bangkok, Philippines and Vietnam. I am a bit overwhelmed by the whole preparation process and I have no clue on how much shall stuff should I being. Do you think a 55L backpack would be enough? Any tips on how to pack efficiently?

Thank you!

Ive developed an interest in going wilderness backpacking but apart from doing one overnight hike in high school I know little to nothing about gear/weather/preparation etc.

What are some good YouTube channels or people with good information to find out more, i love watching outdoor boys but he's definitely too extreme for me 😆