DC UL Backpacking Guiding Philosophy:

To backpack the mid-Atlantic, focused on weekend trips and the occasional longer outing, with the idea to travel as many miles in a given day as possible, and to have a fulfilling backcountry experience. 

While we do not (for the most part) insist on an extreme pace, we do strive to move far and to stay in constant motion.  In the summer, with ample daylight, this will likely result in 15, 20 and even 25 mile days.  In the winter, this might be limited to 10 to 15 miles per day.  All who assess and can verify that this is for them are welcome to join.  This is our prefered style of backpacking and we seek to hike with people who feel that their fitness and gear permits moving these distances at roughly a 2-3 mile per hour pace.

Ultralight Backpacking to is more a means than an end.  These distances and the entire backpacking experience exponetially increase in comfort and enjoyment with lighter loads and more efficient selection and use of gear.

"Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away" - Antoine de Saint-Exupery

While other hiking/backpacking meetup groups include varied dayhike programs, this group specializes in high-mileage, lightweight overnight backpacking trips in Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Pennsylvania. The program can vary from "light" twenty mile overnight hikes to heavier thirty to fifty mile or more extended overnight options based on the program of the group going out that particular weekend. This group tends to do longer and faster outings than most of the other backpacking groups in the area. No bureaucracy, no fuss, and no drama: just a group of like-minded people out to hike hard and spend the night in the woods. As backpacking requires a certain level of experience and/or fitness, plus the right seasonal gear, this group is NOT the best forum for beginners.

Weekend trips tend to be small, fun, and relaxed, starting late on Friday or early on Saturday morning and returning Sunday evening, or take off a Friday or Monday to complete a longer weekend outing. Unless otherwise noted, the expectation is that you'll have the gear, water, and food necessary to get you through the outing. We backpack all year round, so read all trail descriptions carefully and follow the weather reports.  Knowing your way in the woods during inclement weather and having the right gear and clothing, particularly in winter, is essential to a safe and comfortable trip.  This is distinctly not a car camping affair.  You are expected to be in strong physical condition and to be able to handle yourself in the woods, read a map, and troubleshoot using experience and common sense.

Hikes of various mileage and difficulty are organized, but please read trail descriptions carefully to determine interest and ability to comfortably complete the hike.  Get your stuff ready, grab your rain gear, and set aside a weekend or two to be wowed by the Blue Ridge, Allegheny, and greater Appalachian mountain system.  This group has a plethora of experienced backpackers to learn from, but everyone is always welcome to new ideas, trips, gear tips, and anything else!  We are united by a love of backpacking in the backcountry areas and long distance trails left for us in the Mid-Atlantic.

If interested in learning more about gear and technique, please consider a membership to Backpacking Light:  http://www.backpackinglight.com/

Guidelines:

1. Read Everything, Think About What You're Doing, and Communicate with the Organizer and Your Fellow Backpackers.

Reading trail descriptions, weather reports, posts, and communicating with the organizer of your hike is absolutely imperative to a fun, safe journey. Do your own internet research of the trail and area selected, and even go out and get maps and additional material. This is not only fun but could be critical in a tight spot if you get lost, something happens to the group, or you need to improvise on the trail for any reason whatsoever. If you have questions about weather, condition, gear, or fitness, please ask by sending an email to me or one of the other organizers or post to the group for varied opinions. And please use common sense.

2. RSVP Responsibly

RSVPing irresponsibly and no-showing have been problems for this meetup and all meetups. This includes the egregious act of just not showing up but also RSVPing early and then changing your mind without making an honest attempt to come on the trip. Some meetup participants do this routinely because they want to "secure" a spot early without actually making the plans necessary to go on a trip. There are always reasons and things that change which prevent one from coming out on a weekend trip, so communicate with the organizer and the group when things naturally come up and this of course will be normal.   Backpacking requires more advanced planning so please change your RSVP as soon as you know you can't make the trip.  Your fellow backpackers will appreciate this.

3. Assess Your Conditioning and Gear Preparedness

We have had a few situations where a backpacker came out for a particular weekend not prepared to complete the hike at the approximate speed of the group (or flat-out unable to cover the terrain at any pace) and/or did not have the right clothing and backpacking equipment to be safe and sound for the weekend. This includes "car camping" gear never quite designed to be put in a backpack and carried over many miles up and down mountain slopes. Ask questions if you have them, answer questions about your hiking/backpacking resume when queried by an organizer, and strongly consider hiking with your full pack prior to the outing to get a feel for it. If it is uncomfortable walking a few miles in the neighborhood with your stuff, it'll be miserable on the trail for two days. 

Backpacking is one of the best hobbies around. It is riveting social fun to meet like-minded people, uplifting to be close to nature and the woods, and an inspiring workout with incredible pay-off. But with it comes inherent skill demands and a host of potential problems with weather, trail, and other conditions. If a member is unable to meet any of the three requirements above, we will consider removing them from this particular group for their safety and to be fair in planning and backpacking purpose for others. Don't worry, there are plenty of other options for you.

Liability Waiver:  By joining this group, you agree to all waiver terms:  http://www.meetup.com/DC-UL-Backpacking/pages/Liability_Waiver