Idaho Hikers & Backpackers - Where Friends and Nature Meet

Idaho hikers and backpackers sets levels 1-5 to our backpacking trips based on your experience and physical ability. For example, level one is for beginners with little to no experience and a fair level of fitness. Our training hikes are set to mirror these levels. For more information on the levels we use see:
Experience and training levels

Training Hike #1 of 3
The hike will be around 3.5.miles. The pace will be slow about 1.5 mph which is slower than a typical walking pace. We ask that you do not go ahead of the organizer. Adjusting your pace is an important skill to master as a backpacker. Breaks will be frequent and as needed so can request any time. Since this a training hike, we ask that you carry a backpack 10-15% of your body weight . This should be heavier than the backpack you typically carry on a day hike. If. that is too difficult, drop down by 5%.

Hike #2 in April will be a longer distance with some additional elevation. Pace 2 mph and backpacking weight the same as hike # 1
Hike #3 will be in May with a 5-6 mile hike and additional elevation climb. Pace @ 2 mph. Try to increase your backpack weight to 20% of your body weight. At this hike , if you are ready, you may also consider packing your gear kit as if you were going on a backpacking trip.
These hikes will prepare you for our first overnight hike in summer. Future training hikes and overnight hike dates and locations are yet to be determined.
At each training hike you will learn one backpacking skill and one safety skill.
The organizer will provide you with an evaluation at the end via private messaging or email. This is not a pass fail situation but rather feed back on areas to improve on. Feed back will focus on how well you learned the safety and backpacking skill, your pace, fitness level, and team work. The organizer will offer suggestions for improvement if needed.

We will not leave a group member behind. I will be glad to talk about our beginner backpacking program before and after the hike

Hike #1 details:
Meet at Camel’s Back Park. East side of the tennis courts at 0900 for an introduction and short discussion. Cross streets are W Heron Street/ N 11th Street at the Camel’s Back Park. Group Hike will begin at 0915. There should be plenty of parking along the street and cross streets in the neighborhood. The date is March 21st at 0900.
Suggested you wear appropriate shoes or boots, sun protection, and bring water in a water bottle. Depending on walking speeds, the hike will take approximately 2 hours. Idaho Hiking and Backpacking Club has a release of liability form to sign prior to the hike beginning.

Summary of important details:
Date: March 21, 2026
Arrival Time: 0900 Hiking begins at 0915
Location: Camel’s Back Park, East Side near tennis courts
Bring water in water bottle, appropriate shoes, and sun protection. Suggestion: Wear backpack with little or no weight.

1. We will increase one to two variables per training hike: distance, elevation, or pack weight. If we are varying distances, we are considering round trip distance.
2. Training hikes will approximately match Idaho Hikers and Backpackers backpacking physical ability and difficulty levels.

** Key characteristics of training hikes:

1. Goal-oriented: matches the expected distance, elevation, and terrain of the target trip.
2. Progressive overload: distance, elevation gain, pace, and pack weight increase gradually
3. Pack practice: use the same shoes, socks, poles, and pack you’ll backpack with (highly recommend but we understand you may not have all items - bring as many as you have).
4. Conditioning focus: improves aerobic endurance, leg strength, and downhill resilience
5. Skill rehearsal: pacing, fueling, hydration, blister prevention, and foot care
6. Recovery aware: spaced to build adaptation while avoiding overuse

You will learn and practice at least one safety and one backpacking skill.

As you can see these are not just "hard" day hikes. These are well planned to get you ready for the backpacking season.
For this training hike:

• Please pack your backpack with 10-15% of your body weight. E.g., if you are 170 lbs: 17-25 lbs. If you don't have all the backpacking gear, you can use water bottles, rice bags, books, etc.
• We will hike about ~ 9 miles and gain and lose about 1800 feet through ups and downs along the route.
• You can expect the pace to be moderate, averaging 1.5 – 2 mph. We will take regular short breaks (every 60-90 min) and also have a longer break for lunch. A small sit pad would be a nice addition to your kit if you don’t want to sit in the dirt.
• It can be wet/windy this time of year in the park so bring a rain jacket & rain pants (alternatively a rain parka - Frogg Toggs makes a good but cheap one). If it is raining, the foothills trails will likely be closed, and we will move to an alternate location.
• Bring snacks/lunch/2-3 liters water and electrolytes.
• We will learn one Safety Skill – Blister care on trail. For our backpacking skill, we will talk about adjusting your backpack for comfort and stability and also some tips on using trekking poles.

The route is a loop with a large parking lot off Bogus Basin road, so no special logistics required.

Equipment:
* Trekking poles, sunglasses, sunscreen and anything else you might need on a backpacking trip to handle weather, injury, or anything else that might come up.
I understand that during my participation in this Outing, I may be exposed to risks and hazards, foreseen or unforeseen, which are inherent and cannot be eliminated without diminishing the Outing.
These inherent risks include, but are not limited to, the dangers of serious personal injury, property damage, and death (“Injuries and Damages”) from exposure to the hazards of travel, location, and weather.
I agree that the Organizer (s) has not tried to contradict or minimize my understanding of these risks. I know that Injuries and Damages can occur by natural causes or activities of other persons, animals, trip members, trip leaders or third parties, either as a result of negligence or because of other reasons. I understand that risks of such Injuries are involved in adventure travel such as this Outing and I accept that I must exercise extra care for my own person and for others around me in the face of such hazards.
I understand that on this Outing there may not be rescue or medical facilities or expertise necessary to deal with the Injuries to which I may be exposed.
To the fullest extent allowed by law, I agree to WAIVE, DISCHARGE CLAIMS, AND RELEASE FROM LIABILITY the Organizer from any and all liability on account of, or in any way resulting from Injuries and Damages, even if caused by the negligence of the Organizer or other participants in any way connected with this Outing. I further agree to HOLD HARMLESS the Organizer (s) from any claims, losses, Injuries and Damages caused by my own negligence while a participant on the Outing.
I understand and intend that this assumption of risk and release is binding upon my heirs, executors, administrators and assigns. I have read the Outing description and this Release of Liability in its entirety and I freely and voluntarily assume all risks of such Injuries and notwithstanding such risks, I agree to participate in the Outing. I have read, I understand, and I agree to this Release of Liability.