Backpacking in the National Forest Wilderness...a family adventure PA-585

You can break away from the permanent campfire grates and heavy rustic tables of the campground, venture into wilderness country with your home on your back, and know the joys of stopping when and where you will without thought of schedules or definite destinations.

Backpacking offers freedom found in no other type of wilderness travel. No worry about tying up the horse when you pause to brew a cup of tea or dunk in a mountain stream. No wondering if he can pick his way over the rocks or cross the snowfield. No searching for pasture when it is time to make camp or carrying oats to supplement natural feed. No caring for sore or bruised feet other than your own. Self-sufficient, you consider only the whims and comforts of your family.

Wilderness backpacking is not limited to supermen. It can be a family vacation. The Rupes took their youngsters backpacking as soon as they were old enough to hike and interested enough to want to go. Wade first clamored for inclusion in the family trip instead of staying with relatives when he was 6 years old—and he toted his own pack.

Age Is No Barrier

Another family with four children, ages 5, 7, 8, and 9, hiked 14 miles to a wilderness camp spot in the Bridger National Forest in Wyoming. When the Forest Ranger met the tired youngsters they were grinning from ear to ear, proud that they had packed in their own gear.

In Washington State, 3-year-old Katie hiked 4-1/2 miles into a wilderness in the Wenatchee National Forest where her folks were going to camp a week. It took her 6 hours, not because she got tired, but because she found so many fascinating things to examine on the way.

Hikers in the Mount Hood National Forest in Oregon were surprised when they saw an elderly woman sitting on a light metal folding chair beside a trail. "The others in the family are ahead," she said, "packing in gear for an overnight campout." She was hiking in easy stages, resting when she needed to, and thoroughly enjoying every minute of the trip.

These families have experienced the thrill of wilderness backpacking. The trips were simple ones, but carefully planned. Some day the children will grow up and the families will go deeper into the wilderness, move every day or two, explore more territory, and try more rugged terrain.

Advanced Camping

Backpacking is best described as advanced camping and should be undertaken only by those who have hiked mountain or forest trails. It requires physical stamina and a genuine liking for the isolation of remote country. The Rupes had hiked often in their California mountains, but as Jack said, "It took us a long time to get up the courage to try backpacking. The one thing that pushed me into it was fishing. I wanted a chance to tie onto those big fish people talked about."

Equipment presented some problems, but the Rupes found that by shopping around and asking a lot of questions, they could get a shelter that was rainproof; a bed that was warm; and food that was nourishing and easy to prepare at a reasonable price. "We've had to leave the best equipment and new gadgets to the purists and those who can afford them. During the 12 years we have been backpacking we have improved our equipment gradually. But we've kept costs down."

Make Trial Run

This manual for backpacking campers is designed for those who want to do it but don't quite know how. It will tell what the Rupes finally worked out for food and equipment, give other suggestions, and list organizations that might give further information. A manual of this type cannot mention all equipment a family might use, nor can it outline what will best meet the specific needs of every family. It is a general guide.

Only through experience can the backpacker refine equipment and methods. Evenings with how-to-do-it books, browsing through equipment stores, practice in putting up tents or shelters from ground cloths, and trying out dehydrated foods will spark the imagination and eliminate some of the more glaring mistakes.

Nothing, however, will be more valuable than the trial run to tone the muscles and show up mistakes in plans. During a short trip no one will suffer unduly if the master check list is incomplete and some essential has been left at home.

There are countless places to which backpacking families can go. As a starter try an overnight trip to a favorite mountain or fishing stream. Follow an unmarked trail that seems inviting or the abandoned woods road, no longer passable by car.

Within the 154 National Forests in 39 States and Puerto Rico are 182 million acres—all open to backpacking—and over 105,000 miles of trails. The Appalachian Trail winds for 2,000 miles from Mount Katahdin in Maine to Springer Mountain in Georgia. Parts of it pass through National Forests, especially in the Southern Appalachians. In the West the Pacific Crest Trail twists and turns for 2,150 miles through the Cascades and the Sierras from Canada to Mexico. Most of this trail is within 22 National Forests and 5 National Parks.

Short trails lead into the piney woods of the South, through the mixed forests of the Lake States, and onto the treeless western peaks. For many backpackers such back country provides enough challenge; for others it is merely warmup for wilderness.