Backpacking 101: Lake Somerville State Park - adults only

This is a 3-part "choose your own adventure" event including multiple components. You can choose to participate in whichever parts you like. The 3 parts include:

1. Backpacking 101 (this post) with 13-mile hike (adults only), July 25-27
2. Regular Camping (anyone can participate), July 25-27
3. Horseback Trail Ride (anyone can participate as time and space allow), July 26

When you sign up, choose "Backpacking 101" or "Regular Camping." DO NOT RSVP FOR BOTH. The RSVP fee covers your tent or hammock space, but you will need to pay your own park entrance fee.

Some NEO members are doing a Havasupai backpacking trip in September. This is a practice backpacking trip that will allow attendees to test their gear in a safe environment before taking it on the big Havasupai trip. All NEO members are welcome to join us on this Backpacking 101 adventure! No experience is necessary, but this is an adults-only activity.

We will simulate our Havasupai conditions as closely as possible. This includes coming in on Friday, getting to bed relatively early with all of our gear ready to go, and setting off on a 13-mile hike with our backpacking gear starting at about 5:00 AM as we will do at Havasupai. The terrain is not terribly difficult. It's really more about the length of the hike and the weight on your back.

You do not have to pack everything with you. You will have access to your cars in the evenings if you really need something. Challenge yourselves as much or as little as you like.

Also, let's each bring a couple of the dehydrated backpacking meals so we can try them out and see which ones we like the best. Please post the meals you plan to bring here so we don't duplicate each other and all show up with the same thing. I will bring my favorite, Chili Mac!

Trail conditions in this park change frequently depending on rain, so we will decide together on Friday night which route we want to head out on Saturday morning.

Some additional people may join us to camp on Saturday evening, but we will have a separate area of camp for families and an adults-only area. The hike will be adults-only. We have some spare tents to lend out and some group stoves if anyone needs to use them.

While our campsites will have water, electric, bathrooms, and showers, I encourage everyone to test themselves as if they are primitive camping. I'll leave it to you to decide on your comfort level. This is a great park to try out hammock camping!

Come to test yourself and your gear in a safe space with backpackers of all experience levels.
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