View Full Version : Bringing a total beginner (of the female variety)
Bootstrap
10-06-2007, 13:54
I'm interested in bringing a total beginner with me, my girlfriend, who has done a fair amount of hiking, likes the outdoors, is not squeamish, but is a little cautious and is too small to carry a large pack. We'll probably do a first backpacking trip in the Spring.
Any hints?
Jonathan
P.S., I would have posted this in the Females forum, but it looks like guys aren't supposed to post there?
I took my wife on her first trip a few years ago. I kept it simple and focused on her having a great time. I also made sure it wasn't too far of a hike back to the car in case she decided she was ready to leave sooner than planned.
I had her carry a day pack with some water and snacks and I carried everything else for the trip.
Good luck and hope it goes well for you.
KirkMcquest
10-06-2007, 14:07
Just some ideas;
a. Don't take her on too tough a hike right away, because she might get turned off to the whole thing.
b. plan someplace really pretty with plenty of solitude to overnight, nice views, the whole nine yards ( chicks dig that stuff).
c. Plan at least one surprise i.e a bottle of wine, her favorite food, etc.
Regardless of her size, she can certainly carry a pack, they make smaller women's sizes :)
I hope you guys have a great time, she'll probably really like it once she gets used to being "out there" and meeting all the cool people you'll likely run into.
Bootstrap
10-06-2007, 19:10
Regardless of her size, she can certainly carry a pack, they make smaller women's sizes :)
Oh sure - but I figure at her weight she shouldn't carry more than 25 pounds, and I might carry 35-40, counting water and all. I'm thinking I'll let her use my ultralight pack, which I usually use as a day pack, and I'll carry the Gregory frame pack. But she's interested in exploring frame packs, and she really wants to make sure I don't try to carry everything ...
Jonathan
Bootstrap
10-06-2007, 19:12
Just some ideas;
a. Don't take her on too tough a hike right away, because she might get turned off to the whole thing.
b. plan someplace really pretty with plenty of solitude to overnight, nice views, the whole nine yards ( chicks dig that stuff).
c. Plan at least one surprise i.e a bottle of wine, her favorite food, etc.
Good tips all. I'm thinking maybe 3 miles in, stay overnight, 3 miles out. There's a place out by Dark Mountain in the Uwharries that might work well for that.
Or if y'all were to pick an ideal place on the AT near NC, where would you go?
Jonathan
Bootstrap
10-06-2007, 19:14
I had her carry a day pack with some water and snacks and I carried everything else for the trip.
Hmmm, I was thinking she'd also carry her clothes and sleeping bag and her share of the food. Thoughts on that?
Jonathan
If her knees are OK, take her someplace like Mt. Mitchell or Carvers Gap and hike downhill. Stop at a B&B after the hike, clean up, and enjoy yourselves. I'd keep her pack weight under 20 if possible.
modiyooch
10-06-2007, 20:06
I'd be content if you just carried the water and the tent. I think that spring is the hardest season due to the chance of snow and colder temps. I like the summer because I don't have to carry all the warm weather gear. She needs to carry her food; that is the best part. I like snacking all day with no regret.
btw: when i was 7 months pregnant I was only permitted to carry 25 pounds. My husband carried the rest. It worked fine.
Here's another strategy.
Take her on a ball-buster of a hike. If she likes it, marry her.
So it went OK?
Yeah, we go out on several trips each fall and spring.
Here's another strategy.
Take her on a ball-buster of a hike. If she likes it, marry her.
Well, that is certainly a good fall back position, if all else fails. However, I've found that most young people, male and female, can be trained a bit more gradually.
My wife. for instance, announced shortly after our marriage that she was not "going to lower myself to sleep on the ground."
With a bit of persuasion we ended up two years after the marriage ceremony camping in Baxter State Park, with an 11-month-old baby. That was the trip where I did my first ascent of Katahdin -- up the Hunt TRail, down the Saddle to Chimney pond, and eventually out to Roaring Brook and what was then an overflow camping site near the southern gate.
That baby, seven years later, summitted Katahdin along with her five and six year old siblings.
My kids -- and often with my wife -- over the years have hiked most of the summits of the AT in Maine, along with a lot of other wild places that Maine, that then and now, provide bits of the wildness that Maine once had.
I spend much of my time these days making sure that such experiences will be available to future generations. If you think this is wise, please open www.matc.org and make a contribution. We truly need your help.
Weary
Just some ideas;
b. plan someplace really pretty with plenty of solitude to overnight, nice views, the whole nine yards ( chicks dig that stuff).
c. Plan at least one surprise i.e a bottle of wine, her favorite food, etc.
Can you take me on a hike... Pleaaaaaaaase?!
Yeah, where are these guys who hike in wine for you?
Bootstrap
10-07-2007, 08:28
Yeah, where are these guys who hike in wine for you?
Sigh. The sad truth is that I'd do it, if she liked wine ... I'm bringing some Belgian Trippels for my Dad's birthday this coming weekend!
Jonathan
even if she's small, she can still carry a pack with the gear she needs....i'm a pretty small female, and was even smaller when i started my first thru and i had all my own gear in my pack. of course, it's always nice when you can split tent weight and stuff like that, but i usually carried around 30-35lbs with no probs.
plus, if she likes hiking and has done a good bit like you said, then she can probably do a decent hike with no probs...
enjoy it!!!
Jim Adams
10-07-2007, 21:10
even if she's small, she can still carry a pack with the gear she needs....i'm a pretty small female, and was even smaller when i started my first thru and i had all my own gear in my pack. of course, it's always nice when you can split tent weight and stuff like that, but i usually carried around 30-35lbs with no probs.
plus, if she likes hiking and has done a good bit like you said, then she can probably do a decent hike with no probs...
enjoy it!!!
Yeah but come on Wak....you are small but we all know you are a mileage animal with that cross country background!!!LOL
geek
is too small to carry a large pack.
Ok...just me, but why do guys go on about how "their wife/GF is too small to carry a pack? Uh, hello. Unless they have a back or other injury, they can haul a pack just nicely. They have these things called "muscles". If they don't well, ya gots tons of time before spring to develop them :p
More importantly, rephrase it this way:
Keep the pack light and everyone has more fun. It has nothing to do with carrying a pack, it is the fit of the pack, and the weight of it.
My pack rarely exceeds 25 lbs, and I carry ALL of my gear. No reason to be carrying a 40 lb pack and her a 25 lb pack. You have to stop and ask "what am I carrying??".
You don't need to be carrying her stuff. You just need to pack better. You can still have a 2 man tent, a warm bag, a comfy pad, etc. But unless she is carrying 10 outifts in her pack, she shouldn't be heavy.:confused:
So if you decide to be all manly and carry the tent, etc all she has to be carrying is her half of the food, sleeping bag, pad, clothes and other stuff.
Heck, my kid at 10 can carry a 15-18 lb pack if needed. And I am sure he is smaller than 99% of the ladies:rolleyes:
And as a side note: if she says she wants to look at packs, you better take her to look at packs! Trust me on that one. Women just don't like castoffs often ;)
I agree with sarbar. Your girlfriend is probably not as small as you think, and is quite capable of carrying a backpack. Unless she's five feet tall and weighs 98 lbs, she should be able to carry 25lbs with ease.
And there's no reason for either of you to be carrying more than 25 lbs. If you're carrying 40, you need to evaluate what you're bringing! Do you really need that extra pair of shoes, ect.
Pennsylvania Rose
10-08-2007, 13:08
I agree with sarbar. Your girlfriend is probably not as small as you think, and is quite capable of carrying a backpack. Unless she's five feet tall and weighs 98 lbs, she should be able to carry 25lbs with ease.
And there's no reason for either of you to be carrying more than 25 lbs. If you're carrying 40, you need to evaluate what you're bringing! Do you really need that extra pair of shoes, ect.
My 5'3", 90 pound, 14 yo daughter carries 20-25 lbs on week long trips in the spring and fall. She still outhikes me.
So, don't overload your girlfriend or hike too many miles, but don't underestimate her, either.
Yeah but come on Wak....you are small but we all know you are a mileage animal with that cross country background!!!LOL
Mileage animal?!?! I've been called alot, but never that!! LOL! love ya Geek!
Seriously though, I found out one day hiking out of town that I was carrying more of the gear and weight than Gig was...what the heck was that about??
I agree with a few others on here..just cause she's small doesnt mean she isn't able! one thing women (esp athletic/outdoorsy) women dont like is being seen as not being to pull their own....just my opinion really...
buckowens
10-08-2007, 15:06
Here's another strategy.
Take her on a ball-buster of a hike. If she likes it, marry her.
That made me laugh out loud!:D I like the way you think...
My wife has often joked that I have ruined Roo (9) for most boys when she starts to date (not a problem for me...;) ) as she is a "backpacker". She will begin by asking him how far he has hiked and it will go downhill from there...
She now tells me that because I gave her the controls in a helicopter that she can fly. She's not too bad I might add... But, boy is she going to be a handful... Hopefully, I will be able to look her future husband in the eye and say "you're welcome" with a big smile!!!!
NICKTHEGREEK
10-08-2007, 15:10
A very cave man and un enlightened approach, but "demonstrate" the wonderous impact the great out doors has on your libido and she'll be at the outfitters buying gear pdq.
To get back to the questions at hand...
For an overnight hike, y'all shouldn't need to carry too much weight anyway.
Grayson Highlands, starting from Massie Gap, would be a good choice from Durham. It's as pretty as possible, has ponies (!!! in spite of the imperative of keeping down packweight, bring some carrots and apples), and you can choose a walk of just about any length, depending on how things are going. Just make sure the weather forecast calls for a pleasant couple of days before you finalize your plans.
As far as packweight...maybe she CAN carry lots of weight, but unless she's into pain, lighter is better.
IMO, if you're trying to sell a newbie of any age or gender on the activity, you need to avoid:
1) pain
2) exhaustion
3) extreme cold or heat
4) lots of bugs
5) getting hungry or thirsty
6) frightening situations (animals, heights, whatever)
7) being cranky and impatient with your "sales prospect."
If she's at all enthusiastic about this trip, and wants to buy a piece of gear of her own, by all means do it. A new pack or sleeping bag or some other great new toy adds another dimension of fun to a trip.
Good luck with the trip!
heeeey I didn't even notice you were from Durham! I'm a student at NC State .... you're a Wolfpack fan right???? ;)
This weekend is fall break and I'm going to Fontana Lake in western NC. The AT goes right through there and I'll try to get some good miles in. But I can't recommend that hike for a beginner just yet, because I don't know how hard it is!!
Bootstrap
10-09-2007, 23:46
Grayson Highlands, starting from Massie Gap, would be a good choice from Durham. It's as pretty as possible, has ponies (!!! in spite of the imperative of keeping down packweight, bring some carrots and apples), and you can choose a walk of just about any length, depending on how things are going. Just make sure the weather forecast calls for a pleasant couple of days before you finalize your plans.
That's a great suggestion. It's very high on my list. But if we have to do it on Friday/Saturday, I might choose the Dark Mountain end of the Uwharries instead, now that tick season is behind us.
IMO, if you're trying to sell a newbie of any age or gender on the activity, you need to avoid:
Excellent list!
Jonathan
Bootstrap
10-09-2007, 23:47
heeeey I didn't even notice you were from Durham! I'm a student at NC State .... you're a Wolfpack fan right???? ;)
I actually work at Red Hat, and have an office on NC State campus, though I usually work from home.
This weekend is fall break and I'm going to Fontana Lake in western NC. The AT goes right through there and I'll try to get some good miles in. But I can't recommend that hike for a beginner just yet, because I don't know how hard it is!!
Cool! I'm doing 3 days in the Southern Balds with my Dad this weekend. He's not a beginner ;->
Jonathan
To get back to the questions at hand...
Grayson Highlands, starting from Massie Gap, would be a good choice from Durham. It's as pretty as possible, has ponies (!!! in spite of the imperative of keeping down packweight, bring some carrots and apples), and you can choose a walk of just about any length, depending on how things are going. Just make sure the weather forecast calls for a pleasant couple of days before you finalize your plans.
Love the idea. If she didn't know about the ponies in the Highlands that would be awesome. I'll have to try that if I can find a girl.