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5 Tips to Help You Share Your Passion for the Backcountry


Exploring The Cloud Peak Wilderness

It’s that time of year when everyone wants to get outside, even that friend or loved one of yours that may be a little apprehensive to hit a long trail or go on a wilderness trip. We all love nature, just in varying degrees. Sometimes the adventurer inside needs a little nudge in some people. Here are a few tips to help you introduce that person to the backcountry, help them catch the adventure bug, and have a great time just like you’ve been telling them they would.

Include Them in the Planning:

Bust out a map of the area you want to explore and figure out a good route and distance they would be comfortable traveling. Have a destination like an attractive lake, a vista of peaks, a deep forest or a peaceful meadow; something significant that will make the outing worthwhile. Make sure the distance is agreeable and they know what challenges are ahead so that there aren’t any surprises and cause for overwhelming fatigue in the middle of the journey.

Supply the Gear:

Often for new adventurers the trek is enough without bearing the extra load of camping gear or even the extra items needed for a day hike or climb. So being the more experienced in the group, offer to provide the needed essentials for the journey and lighten their load by packing it in your bag. After all this is their trip, and you want them to grow in this newfound experience, right? If they insist on carrying their own weight ensure they have the proper bag to carry what they need and help them to know what they should pack.

Pack Morale Boosters:

Make the hike or climb more enjoyable by bringing snacks, music or anything else you both like that will make the experience all the more enjoyable and moreish.

Take Breaks:

You may be used to moving with ease through the backcountry but it can be difficult for your new counterpart, there’s no rush enjoy the journey. Take plenty of breaks, not only will stopping now and again keep you both fresh it will allow time to take in the surrounding scenes, which is the whole point anyway. And it will make it more of a pleasurable experience for your new hiker than the death march they’ve probably imagined hiking in the backcountry would be.

Pack the Proper Gear:

Chances are that if your new hiking or climbing partner hasn’t gone on a trek into the wilderness they may not be too familiar with what to take or wear. Make sure there’s an understanding of temps and conditions where you plan to venture and help them to now how to plan accordingly. Help them also to plan what footwear is best, some places tennis shoes will work perfectly but others require good hiking boots and of course if you’re going climbing there are appropriate footwear and attire for climbs. Also make sure they have a good backpack and know what to take, as mentioned in a section above. Trips into the backcountry are supposed to be fun and even therapeutic not miserable and by not having the right gear will only leave a bad impression on the whole event.

These are just a few ideas to help you share and spread your passion for the outdoors. If you have other ideas feel free to share them with everyone below! Get outside and enjoy the sunshine!

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