About us
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DC UL Backpacking hosts an average of 80 backpacking events each year, specializing in high-mileage, lightweight backpacking trips throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. Our membership structure helps backpackers gain or enhance their outdoor skills. In general, our trips are quite challenging but you’ll find a wealth of experienced backpackers who are eager to share advice. Visit our website (www.dculbackpacking.com) to learn more about our group and our membership and trip ranks, and to read our FAQs.
Our goal: To cultivate a community of independent outdoorsmen and women who want nothing more than to have a fulfilling backcountry experience–to wake early, to walk far, and to travel light.
Join us. We look forward to meeting you!
When applying to join our group, make sure to fill out our questionnaire fully. We also require that your profile photo is of yourself.
*** Read our liability waiver (https://dculbackpacking.com/about/liability-waiver/) and COVID-19 guidelines here: https://dculbackpacking.com/about/covid-19-guidelines/. ***
Upcoming events
8
IO:VMO+ Ouachita Trail (223 miles)
Talimena State Park, 50884 US-271, Talihina, OK 74571, Talihina, OK, USThe Arkansas trails have been calling to me for a while, and late fall sounds like a good season to hit them. Figured the Ouachita (WOSH-ih-tuh) will be the first one tackled, starting at Talimena State Park in Oklahoma and heading east to Pinnacle Mountain State Park, about 30 min outside of Little Rock, Arkansas. Planned daily mileage will be in the high teens. Expect ridge walking with regular water carries similar to what you'd expect on the Massanutten, with many in the 10-15 mile range and a couple potentially being around 20 miles. Current plan is to have resupplies mailed to locations at miles 51 and 122.
I'll be flying into Tulsa to visit a cousin who will give me (and potentially 1-2 others) a ride to the trailhead. The normal way for most OT hikers to get to the western trailhead is to fly into Fort Smith, AR, and take a shuttle from there. I plan to finish up a day or two before Thanksgiving, then spend a few days in Little Rock. FarOut has a trail guide and there are several resources available around the web with Friends of the Ouachita Trail (FoOT) being a good start.
To join you should be VMO+ and ideally have hiked with me previously, already have done a thru-hike, or regularly have tales of your backpacking exploits sung around the campfire by the DCUL bards or recounted with awe and respect over pints of cold ale. This will definitely be run thru-hike style where each person is expected to be self-sufficient and able to extricate themselves on their own if needed.
4 attendees
LM: 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Potluck Hike (18 miles)
Grosvenor-Strathmore Metro Station Kiss & Ride, Strathmore, Grosvenor, North Bethesda, MD, USThis year's Thanksgiving Potluck hike will take place at Quarry Gap Shelter in Caledonia State Park. We'll meet at Grosvenor metro near the bus station at 8:00am and carpool to the trailhead. We'll hike 16 miles (or less, if desired) to work up an appetite. I'll bring paper plates, but every hiker should bring an eating utensil and a drinking mug (I have several extras if needed). You should also plan to have all the items that are needed to cook or heat up your food in the woods. I have a few extra camping pots and shish kabob skewers that I can loan out. All food items/containers must be reasonably condensable to fit in the bear box at the end of the night, while leaving plenty of space for other parties.
Ideas for potluck items include:
-Cheese and cracker hors d oeuvres
-Mashed potatoes w/ optional gravy
-Stir fried vegetables
-A pudding dessert
-A box of wine
-Stove top stuffing
-Meat that can be cooked over the fire (I'm a vegetarian, so I'll bring the Quorn cutlets)
-Bread and butter
-Backpacker meal to shareOnce you've picked a food item, you can comment on the event page so we don't have duplicates.
After dinner, we'll clean up and follow Leave No Trace principles and store any containers/leftovers in the bear box and pack everything out the next morning.
Cal Topo: https://caltopo.com/m/K53NPQB#
Parking: 30 Pine Grove Rd, Fayetteville, PA 17222Applicants: Any applicants must send me a gear list (including cold weather gear) by Wednesday or be moved to the Waitlist.
Waiver: By RSVPing to this trip or any other DC UL trip, you agree to these guidelines and to DC UL's waiver liability terms (https://dculbackpacking.com/about/liability-waiver/)
COVID-19 policy: https://dculbackpacking.com/about/covid-19-guidelines/
Dues: Members and above, don't forget to pay your annual dues. You can check if you need to pay dues by seeing if the current year is listed next to your name in your DC UL profile. Applicants do not need to pay dues for their first trip. To pay your dues via PayPal, use this link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JenniferAdach/15 ($10 annual dues plus a $5 suggested donation to City Kids Wilderness Project.)
Carpool: As per our carpool policy, riders should pay drivers $0.10/mile. From Grosvenor, that is $17 for this trip10 attendees
LM: Rollercoaster, Raven Rocks and Bear Chase Brewery (~20 miles)
Vienna Metro North Bay, Park & Ride, 9490 Virginia Center Blvd, Vienna, VA 22181, Vienna, va, USI haven't done the AT Rollercoaster in a while and miss the thrill! We will meet at Vienna Metro at 8 am on Saturday, December 5th or at the Snickers Gap commuter parking lot at 9:15 am. We will leave a car or two there and drive to the AT parking at Ashby Gap. We will hike on the AT North through the infamous rollercoaster section and spend the night near Sam Moore shelter. If the weather is too cold or rainy, we can continue to Bear Den and stay at their hiker hostel. Sunday morning, we will leave camp around 7:30 am, cross Rt 7 and continue on AT North. We will briefly cross into West VA and visit Raven Rocks overlook before turning around and returning to Snickers Gap. We will then go to Bear Chase Brewery, where you can have a tasty beverage and some food. After Bear Chase, we will drive back to Ashby Gap and pick up the remaining cars. Depending on the number of people going. we will need at least two cars and maybe four for the shuttle.
Splits are about 10.5/9.5 with a decent amount of up and down.Caltopo: AT in Bluemont - CalTopo
Snickers Gap Parking Lot: https://maps.app.goo.gl/RGdR4DgovmXDQAXr6Waiver: By RSVPing to this trip or any other DC UL trip, you agree to these guidelines and to DC UL's waiver liability terms (https://dculbackpacking.com/about/liability-waiver/)
Dues: Members and above, don't forget to pay your annual dues. You can check if you need to pay dues by seeing if the current year is listed next to your name in your DC UL profile. Applicants do not need to pay dues for their first trip. To pay your dues via PayPal, use this link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JenniferAdach/15 ($10 annual dues plus a $5 suggested donation to City Kids Wilderness Project.)
Carpool: As per our carpool policy, riders should pay drivers $0.10/mile. From Vienna, that is $10 for this trip10 attendees
Past events
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