GetBackpacking! Intermediate Skills: Going Solo

You've been backpacking for a while, and while you love the group experience, part of the reason you got into backpacking was for the solitude. Yet you wonder: Do I have what it takes to be out alone, overnight? This class lets you find out in a safe setting with an instructor nearby.

How the class works:

Friday: Arrive at Wilson Creek Visitor Center at 4 p.m. We'll drive 20 minutes to the Huntfish Falls Trailhead and hike a mile to our camp for the night. On Friday, we camp together.

Saturday: We will take a day hike up Gragg Prong, checking out the great falls and pools along the way, and practicing our water crossing skills. We'll return to camp around 2 p.m., break camp and move on to our destination for the evening, along the Little Lost Cove Trail. Along this 1.3-mile trail, each camper will be assigned her/his own spot. You won't be more than a couple hundred yards from your nearest classmate, nor more than a mile from the instructor. Between 7 and 7:30, the instructor will surreptitiously swing by your campsite to see if you need anything (you'll signal this by way of a glow stick).

Sunday: We'll gather at 9 a.m. for breakfast on one of the best outcrops in the state and discuss our evenings. If time allows, we will do a four-mile day hike.

What this course includes:

• Planning meeting: Monday, June 25 at 7 p.m. at the Great Outdoor Provision Co. in Raleigh’s Cameron Village. We will go over logistics of the weekend as well as aspects of a solo trip that make it different from camping with a group.

• eguide with custom map of the route, camping spots, water sources, and tips on going solo.

Class size is limited to 8

Cost: $75