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Beginning Backpacking Course | Spring 2023

Photo of Eileen McManus
Hosted By
Eileen M. and 2 others
Beginning Backpacking Course | Spring 2023

Details

Learn beginner BP skills & be empowered to hit the trail again. This course prepares you for and culminates w/ a KC-area BP trip, and is for injury-free people w/ hiking experience - or those injury-free ppl. w/ a regular fitness routine.

How Do I Get to Go?

  1. Read everything.
  2. Join the waitlist & then immediately send an email to "kcbackpack@yahoo.com" w/ "Spring 2023" and your name in the subject line; we'll send you a Google survey to complete. Then if we're in synch., you'll be moved from the RSVP list to "Going" here on Meetup.
  3. We have spots for ≈12 people (10 students, 2 instructors).

Previous sessions introduced many to BP, & after the course you can take it to the next level w/ addt'l KC-area BP trips & options for a wide variety of big league adventures w/ the Nat'l Sierra Club.

You have no Equipment?

We have a course gear lending library w/ sleeping bags & pads, tents, backpacks & stoves for Sierra Club members. Here's how to join the Sierra Club (membership as low as $15).

Recommended Donation

$75, exclusively contactless via PayPal. This pays it forward, helping to finance the gear library, leadership training & trail maintenance. Instructors are uncompensated volunteers. No refunds less than 30 calendar days from the 1st activity - a confirmed RSVP takes one of the limited # of participant openings.

Staying in Touch

We will use a Slack site to correspond w/ approved folks.

Activities

1. 3/25/23 - Class, 9:15 AM to 4:15 PM @ indoors Lenexa City Center Library.

2. 3/26/23 - Outfitter Visit @ Plaza Moosejaw, 11:00 a.m. - noon

You will benefit from the class day & outfitter visit as you put together your backpacking kit. If you don't choose to become a Sierra Club member & borrow gear from us, the time between the class + outfitter visit & the outdoor activities gives you ample opportunity to get kitted out.

3. 4/07/23 - 4/08/23, 4:30 PM - 8:30 AM, camp out @ Timber Ridge Adventure Center - near Kill Creek Park. W/ the exception of confirmed gear lending library kit, you'll want to bring everything you need / be self-sufficient for this, e.g. food, water, gear, etc.

Campout rally point is 38.906576, -94.969592. The leader(s) might bring a dog(s).

4. 4/08/23 - Shakedown hike w/ full backpacking kit 9:00 AM - 11:30 AM, Kill Creek Park. Shakedown hike rally point is 38.911848, -94.969874, at Kill Creek. Parking for the shakedown is in any of the obvious nearby parking lots. The leader(s) might bring a dog(s). With the exception of confirmed gear lending library kit, you'll want to bring everything you need / be self-sufficient for this, e.g. food, water, gear, etc.

5. 4/14/23- 4/16/23 - BP Trip to Elk River, ~3 hrs. from KC, leave KC approx. noon on 4/14 & exit Elk River around noon 4/16. Day 1 we'll car camp @ Elk City State Park, day 2 backpack out 6 mil, day 3 backpack back 6 mi. The leader(s) might bring a dog(s). With exception of confirmed gear lending library kit, you'll bring everything you need / be self-sufficient, e.g. food, water, gear, etc.

Syllabus

Links to prior courses (see the pics, etc.)
fall 2021
winter 2021
spring 2022
fall 2022

@ class participants must complete a standard participant agreement & medical form.

Bring a personal 1st aid kit to all activities.

We will use LNT practices

Regarding COVID-19, a mix of vaccinated & unvaccinated people might be involved, & we ask each person to not participate if you’ve recently had any symptoms or exposure to an infected individual, or have COVID-19. & in general, if you're sick please do not attend.

Face coverings/masks are required by Sierra Club policy on all indoor activities if social distancing isn't possible. So do bring such with you in the event of need or if you'd simply like to use one - especially for the classroom day indoors.

The Outing officially begins & ends @ the location designated by Sierra Club, i.e. the trailhead. The Outing does not include carpooling, transportation or transit to & from the Outing; each participant is personally responsible for all risks associated with this travel. The times shown on Meetup do NOT account for travel to & from the Outing.

COVID-19 safety measures

Event will be outdoor
One activity is indoors, the rest outdoors. Bring face coverings/masks for the indoor class.
The event host is instituting the above safety measures for this event. Meetup is not responsible for ensuring, and will not independently verify, that these precautions are followed.
Photo of Sierra Club | Kansas City | Backpacking | Hiking | Service group
Sierra Club | Kansas City | Backpacking | Hiking | Service
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