Beginner Bootcamp and/or Get Your Legs Back For Backpacking

Forest Glen Preserve, IL – Beginner Trip

This is a beginner trip intended for introducing interested people to backpacking as well as giving others the opportunity to get back in shape for another backpacking season. The distance from Chicago is under three hours. We will hike approximately 11 miles over two days. The terrain can be strenuous at times.

Directions as well as trail and preserve information can be found here (http://www.vccd.org/giforestglen.html).

Carpools will leave Chicago Saturday @ 7:30 a.m. and meet at the staff office (#1 on map). We will start the hike no later than 11:30 a.m. The hike will go clockwise along the backpack trail and we will camp at East Camp (#16 on map). The next morning, we will continue on the trail out to our cars, grab some lunch and head home.

Meetup Cost: $5 plus car and camp site fees. Individuals are responsible for splitting gas within their own car pools.

All attendees need to understand that while I and others in the group will look out for your well being, YOU are ultimately responsible for your own safety on my trips.

Everybody attending are responsible for bringing their own equipment i.e. shelter, sleeping bag, stove and food. If you do not have any of these items please say so and we will try and find someone who would be willing to share. You can also rent items at your local REI. It's not fun waiting in a car because you didn't bring what you were supposed to.

Alcohol and Tobacco are not only allowed on my trips, they are encouraged :) Please drink responsibly though and remember to pack out what you pack in. I promote leave no trace.

If you have a dog and would like to bring it, find out if it is acceptable with the park and bring Wolfie along. Please let me know though if you are bringing a dog.