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Ever suddenly realize that the weekend is almost upon you and you have a few free days, but can't find someone with an open schedule to accompany you on that killer hike you've been wanting to do for months? Or have you tried to organize a trip through another backpacking meetup and found that it's a mess of coordinating schedules? Here's the place to post your idea, no matter how short the notice.
We are a collection of backpackers from absolute beginner up to hard-core mountaineering folks all looking to share some new adventures with new friends. We will have regular events hosted by our organizers but we also welcome the community to post their own trips to see who else might be interested in joining.
A couple of things about being part of our group:
- Safety! Know your abilities and your limits. If you find yourself over your skills, be vocal and let others know.
- Respect nature! Practice good stewardship and leave it cleaner than you found it.
- Respect Others! Be mindful of how your decisions can impact them, especially when it comes to safety!
- Be patient! If you like to grind out the miles be patient if your group isn't quite up to your level.
- Be generous! Some trips will be free, others will be paid, it is all dependent on what the organizer decides. Even if a trip is free, offer to help with gas for the car pool or bring a dessert to share on the trail.
Featured event
Mt Kilimanjaro Trek! One of the 7 Summits ~ A bucket list adventure!
Our Meetup is off to another hiking adventure! Mt Kilimanjaro, as the tallest mountain in Africa, is included in the 7 Summits of the world.
It is a bucket-list item for all hard-core hikers and mountain lovers.
We did this trek with Meetup in the summer of 2024 and it was a true experience of a lifetime (see photos below)
Let's get to some numbers. It is 5,895m/19,340ft
BUT . . . our starting elevation for the trek is 3795m/12541ft
As such elevation gain is 2100m/6799ft
To compare Everest Base Camp trek, is about 2754m/9035ft elevation change. And Mt Whitney is about 1828m/6000ft elevation change.
The key to being able to succeed in this endeavor lays in the route and the support system.
We are taking the Lemosho Route via the Northern Circuit. The Northern Circuit route is the longest and newest of the seven established Kilimanjaro routes. It's one of the best routes because it has the best acclimatization profile. This results in one of the highest summit success rates. Add to that stunning views, and comparatively relaxed pace. It is also much less crowded than the other Kilimanjaro routes.
As far as our support system: We will be accompanied by experienced guides, porters and cooks. They are certified, ensuring our safety and comfort. Porters will carry our gear.
We will have a high ratio of guides to hikers. Our guides will go our pace and support each and everyone of us, regardless of fitness level and pace. In other words...you go your own speed and we all get there safe.
More about our trek/trip.
As with all our international trips, we picked the best season/time of year to go for weather and wildlife. Lemosho and Northern Circuit is a scenically spectacular and varied route. At the lower elevations it has an abundance of wildlife such as elephant, buffalo, eland and lion which come over to forage during dry season.
Each of our trips is personally crafted to offer the best places and best use of time.
But I don't have the needed gear?!
You don't need much more than the standard trekker's equipment. We will provide you with a list of what is already included and what can be rented there.
Does this include food?
All meals on the trek potion are included and a cook travels with us!
What is lodging like?
We are sleeping in new and comfortable tents (carried during the day by porters)
I am new at this.
That's OK. We do plenty of prep Zooms before we depart. And in California we have a number of local outdoor day or weekend outings you can test out with us.
How dangerous is this? What if I get sick or hurt?
We will be walking on an established, well used trail the entire time. Our trip INCLUDES emergency insurance. We are also Certified Wilderness First Responders and our guides are members of (AMREF) Flying Doctor.
Plain and simple, safety is our primary goal.
How much does this cost?
Kilimanjaro Mountain Trek $3950 per person, double occupancy. Land only (airfare not included). Solo supplement $600
Trip Cost includes:
- 9 nights accommodation
- 3 meals everyday on the trek
- All Fees & Entrances and Taxes
- Camping equipment such as tents, tables, chairs.
- Lead Guide, Assistant Guides, Porters and Cook
RSVP to this event shows your interest, but does not hold your space.
The only way to secure your spot for this trip is a $300 deposit:
CLICK HERE FOR SECURE DEPOSIT LINK
Deposit is refundable up to 90 days before the departure (less PayPal fees).
IF you need an airfare quote, Click here to message Anna
For more information about this or any of our other international events, fill out this form: INTERNATIONAL MEETUPS INFO REQUEST
To see pictures from our Kilimanjaro adventure in 2024 CLICK HERE
We do a monthly Q & A Zoom: Meet others attending, be social, or come and get any questions answered.
Click Here to RSVP to our Zoom
The MAIN location where this event is posted:
https://www.meetup.com/moretoexplore/events/302872805/
(RSVP there for any conversation and comments)
This events is cross posted to several other groups and the number of RSVPs on each is not reflective. We have a set of sister groups where we post our local free, local/regional camping, and our overseas events too.
Click Here for our other events:
Live the adventure instead of only dreaming it!
SOT 200318-10
Upcoming events
14
Joshua Tree National Park (Superbloom?)
Saddleback Butte State Park Campground, 43230 172nd Street, Los Angeles County, CA, USTalk about last-minute backpackers. Here's one!
In 2019, I had the good fortune to backpack up the Boy Scout Trail in Joshua Tree National Park in the very midst of what many consider the greatest Super Bloom of this century.
The good news? This year may bring another spectacular Super Bloom and I want to camp within it all again!
After speaking with two park rangers at this late date, I HAVE A PLAN.
I have built a five (or four-day trip: your individual choice) beginning on a March 31st and continuing to our departure homeward on April 4th.
This trip will begin with our first day exploring a (potentially) extravagant Super Bloom at Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve (with our first night's stay at Saddleback Butte State Park) and, then, we will set out to explore for three days within extraordinary and (potentially) bloom-full Joshua Tree National Park. Our last evening will be just outside and north of the park at Joshua Tree RV and Campground.
Please know that my great hope for this trip is we will be there in time for a Super Bloom. If so, this could be spectacular. However, no one can predict these events. Therefore, even without a Super Bloom, the journey into Joshua Tree National Park is always magical!
.Here is the our five-day itinerary:
.DAY ONE (3/31/26): Meet together at the Saddleback Butte State Park Family Campground to secure our evening's stay and to set up our equipment. Here's a BROCHURE of the park. Please arrive NO LATER THAN 1:00 pm. (Please know, too, that this campground is "first come - first serve" and, therefore, despite the park ranger's assurance it will NOT be full, the possibility exists. "Plan B," in this case, would be staying in a nearby hotel or campground.) Then, by 2:00, we will drive together 30 miles west to Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve State Natural Reserve to observe one of California's greatest wildflower shows. Set high in the Mojave Desert, the Reserve is located on California's most consistent poppy-bearing land. Each spring, the hills are covered with California Poppies and other wildflowers: Owl's Clover, Lupine, Goldfield, Cream Cups, and Coreopsis, to name a few, all sharing the desert grassland to produce "a mosaic of color and fragrance." We will begin by exploring the Visitor Center, then hike and drive through the park. (Please know: there is a $10/car fee to enter the park.) Here's a MAP of the park. Then, we will drive back to our night's stay in Saddleback Butte State Park for dinner and a possible campfire to spend a warm spring evening under starry desert skies.
.DAY TWO (4/1/26): Arise. Have breakfast. Pack up. Drive easterly two hours to the Joshua Tree Visitor Center in downtown Joshua Tree, CA. Visit and explore the visitor center. Shop for supplies and WATER in town (PLEASE BE AWARE: THERE IS NO WATER IN THE PARK!). Drive into spectacular Joshua Tree National Park via the West Entrance Station. (Please know that there is a $30/car fee to enter the park: bring your National Park Pass!). Then, travel eastward through the park toward our evening's stay at extraordinary Jumbo Rocks Campground. Stop as often as we like as we drive through the other-worldly landscape - home to world-famous rock formations, funky forests of delightful Joshua trees, and a rich diversity of plants, animals, and human history. Watch for desert bighorn sheep, black tailed jack rabbits, coyotes and kangaroo rats, as well as a multitude of migrating birds that use the park as part of their flyway. Arrive at our campground to set up our camp amidst towering rocky monoliths. Then, head out by car to explore the park (there is so much to do and see!). Rock climb, scramble, hike through bastions of blooming wildflowers, and enjoy our day surrounded by the convergence of two distinct desert ecosystems, the Mojave and the Colorado. Here is a list of possible hikes. Return to our campsite to settle in, prepare our dinner, and spend our evening in one of California's most unique campgrounds. Evening together under dramatic and seemingly endless starry canopy (and a full moon!).
.DAY THREE (4/2/26): Arise. Have breakfast. Pack up and set off for the Boy Scout Trail trailhead. From there, we’ll backpack 4.2 miles through the stunning landscapes of Joshua Tree National Park, journeying along its most famous and sought-after trail to arrive at campsite #7. Once at our site, we will set up and, then explore our surroundings within the spectacular Wonderland of Rocks. Returning, we will have dinner together, then watch the near-full moon rise over the rocky monoliths.
ONE IMPORTANT NOTE: Be sure to protect your inflatable mattress from the sandy, spike-filled soil below. I lost my mattress overnight when I visited in 2019 to a prickly poke from below. I will bring my foam mattress, instead.
.DAY FOUR (4/3/26): Arise. Have breakfast. Enjoy our beautiful desert surroundings. Pack up for our morning's hike through the Wonderland of Rocks toward Willow Hole, stopping along the way for lunch atop a granite boulder. Return to our cars at the trailhead thankful for the opportunity to experience yet another National Park.
** NOTE: It is here that you may choose to head homeward and not spend the evening with us. **
Drive toward the North Entrance Station near the city of Twentynine Palms. Along the way, hike a few more trails and climb a few more boulders. Exit the park and visit the Joshua Tree National Park Visitor Center. Drive westward to our night's stay at Joshua Tree RV and Campground. Set up our tents. SHOWER!! Do laundry! Have dinner someplace in town. Return to start our campfire and enjoy our last night together. Evening in our tents in the desert edge of the Great American Southwest.
** For me, I did not want to drive another nine hours home desiring, instead, a hot shower and a restful night before driving back to NorCal. But, please let me know your plans for "Day Four."
.DAY FIVE (4/4/26): Arise. Have breakfast. Pack up. Say our "good-byes" to each other. Head home very thankful we are able to fully experience the very best our nation's National Parks.
.KEEP IN MIND:
- TO PARTICIPATE, YOU MUST CALL ME BY 3/24/26 TO DISCUSS THIS TRIP!
- KNOW that RSVP'ing DOES NOT GUARANTEE you a place on the trip. Only after speaking with me FIRST and, then, making full payment, may you participate.
- Michelle Mozell reserves the sole/unilateral right to modify the trip itinerary as she deems necessary - INCLUDING canceling the trip - at any time.
- NO food, WATER, equipment, or supplies are provided. Bring sufficient food, WATER, water storage, equipment, and supplies.
- Be sure to protect your inflatable mattress from the sandy soil below. I lost my mattress overnight to a prickly poke from below. I will bring my foam mattress, instead.
- You are responsible for all transportation TO, FROM, AND BETWEEN each stop each day. WE CAN DO THIS TOGETHER, BUT NONE is provided.
- There is a $10/car fee at Antelope Valley Reserve. You are responsible for the payment.
- There is a $35/car fee at Joshua Tree National Park. You are responsible for the payment. Therefore, if you have one, bring your NP Pass to enter Joshua Tree National to cover that payment.
- THERE IS NO WATER IN THE PARK. BRING SUFFICIENT WATER STORAGE CAPACITIES THAT YOU BELIEVE WILL BE NECESSARY FOR THE ENTIRE TRIP, especially for our overnight backpacking adventure up the Boy Scout Trail (estimated to be at least 24 continuous hours in the backcountry!).
- THERE IS NO GUARANTEE WHATSOEVER THAT WE WILL EXPERIENCE A SUPER BLOOM. IN FACT, THERE IS NO GUARANTEE WE WILL SEE FLOWERS BLOOMING AT ANY SITE WE VISIT DURING OUR ENTIRE TRIP.
- Total cost to you will be based upon your participation. I will collect the total required BEFORE the trip begins. REMEMBER: your participation is not guaranteed until we speak together and I receive full payment from you.
- There are NO refunds provided for any reason whatsoever; however, a refund could be managed on a case-by-case basis.
- Please know that the Saddleback Butte State Park Family Campground is "first come - first serve" and, therefore, despite the park ranger's assurance it will NOT be full, the possibility exists. "Plan B," in this case, would be staying in a nearby hotel or campground.
- PARTICIPATION IN THIS MEETUP AFFIRMS THAT YOU HAVE READ, UNDERSTOOD, AND AGREED TO THE FULL LEGAL DISCLAIMER AND RELEASE OF LIABILITY on Meetup’s Backpackers of the American West's website: (see: Meetup's Backpackers of the American West Rules and Regulations).
2 attendees
Sunset and Moonrise on Black Mountain
4185 Page Mill Rd, 4185 Page Mill Road, Los Altos, CA, US## Details
This is a docent led hike of ~5 miles that ends at around 10 PM.
Hike one of the peninsula’s iconic peaks while appreciating the twilight on an evening excursion led by docents. We'll climb the Canyon and Bella Vista Trails, observing flora and fauna along the way. At the summit, we'll watch the sun set and the full moon rise. Visibility permitting, we'll have extraordinary views of the Santa Clara Valley and Santa Cruz Mountains.
This hike has a ~900-foot elevation gain.I appreciate that no one wants to be the only one on a hike so please note that this hike is also posted on the Hiking & Activities Club California Meetup group where we already have 9 attendees.
Where to Meet
Meet at the Monte Bello Parking Area on Page Mill Road (across from Los Trancos Preserve), 7 miles west of I-280 or 1.5 miles east of Skyline Boulevard.
Here is a link to the trail.Equipment
A flashlight/headlamp with a red light IS REQUIRED. An optional black light is recommended as we expect to see bioluminescent animals and plants. You cannot use your cell phone as a flashlight on this hike. Bring water and layers.
Please arrive a few minutes early so you can get organized, hit the bathroom etc. before the hike starts.
Once you start on the hike, you cannot leave early as the gate to the parking lot will be locked. Please note that the hike is scheduled to end at around 10 PM.
Carpooling is cool!Parking permits are required and will be provided to attendees at the parking lot before the hike.
3 attendees
Past events
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