What is the toughest part for you about planning a backpacking trip?

[Studlintsean]

Leaving my 11 year old dog I have had since 10 weeks old who can't hike more than 3 miles a day. I am planning a week in the Sierra Nevada this year but besides that I unfortunately haven't been out much more than a night or two at a time. I recently got a motorcycle to help get "time away" after day hikes with the pup.

[bayview]

Which items to bring. I stess over bring this stove or that, these clothes or those, this hammock or that one. Once the trip starts, it does not matter as I make do with whatever I have.

[Hosh]

Getting permission from the wife......


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Ah, the elusive "kitchen pass". "Best to act on instinct first and as for forgiveness later" .... Tiger Woods.

[Patriot76]

Finalizing my gear and food is my biggest challenge. I have been known to stop at a grocery store and trade out my whole menu on the way to the hike. I usually also have multiple pieces of equipment in my vehicle that I do not pack until I reach the trail head. This includes several backpacks and sleeping systems. The only consistent item is the dog packs because they haul their own food and paw covers.

[FooFooCuddlyPoops]

For me, I hate the anxiety build up of a big hike. You fret over paying bills, time off, pets, etc. Then when you get to the hike, you fret over if you planned the mileage too big, too small, how high are these mountains vs the others you have climbed, etc etc.

[Leo L.]

I love all the preparations for an upcoming trip, the planning, the maps search, the pondering what stuff to take and what to leave.
Really tough is, that clients seem to notice I'm leaving and try to squeeze in another contract. Although being half-retired now, I still have the old habit of every self-emplyed, to never say "No" to a new contract.

While it was not the original question:
The hardest part of a desert trip for me is, to come back into civilisation. The noise, the rush - for some hours I'm like a shy wild animal.

[saltysack]

Ah, the elusive "kitchen pass". "Best to act on instinct first and as for forgiveness later" .... Tiger Woods.

I assume I'll see Tiger Friday at the TPC......I'll have to ask him!! Old lady not going to be happy when I tell her I'll be gone 24 days on CT! Waiting for that perfect time to drop the bomb...


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[Venchka]

I assume I'll see Tiger Friday at the TPC......I'll have to ask him!! Old lady not going to be happy when I tell her I'll be gone 24 days on CT! Waiting for that perfect time to drop the bomb...



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You could tell her on the phone from the Denver airport.
Wayne

[saltysack]

You could tell her on the phone from the Denver airport.
Wayne

better yet a text!


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[Venchka]

You're bad. If you do that you may as well start a CDT thru.
My toughest part?
Worrying that my old tired body can't keep up with brutal pace of the leader of the expedition.
And trying to decide where to go in addition to The Expedition.
Wayne


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[Riocielo]

figuring out how to get back to my car at the end of a hike.

Me, too.

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[BuckeyeBill]

The toughest part for me is coordinating flights, shuttles, hotel, hostel or motel before setting off. My gear is dialed in and after checking weather and trail conditions, I know what to pack for the start of my trip. One other thing I do well in advance of setting off is the check condition of every piece of gear. Clothes get examined inside and out looking for failing stitches and small rips that need repair. Anything that I find that can't be repair or fixed, I replace. Never wait until the last few days to check or wait until you are on the trail and have a major equipment failure. Prior planning prevents pi** poor performance.

[Francis Sawyer]

Getting my phone set up with everything for 5-6 months. There's entertainment (e-books, music, audio books) to load on there. There are all the links to things I'll need to keep on top of (e-mail, electronic banking, recurring bills, vendor contact info for sudden gear needs, & c.). I'll need to download maps all along the AT and store them on the phone for GPS use without local data service. It seems I'll need a couple dozen apps to do all the things on my phone that I can normally do in a browser on my desktop. Managing all the photos and videos I'll take along the trek will involve some planning. (How many memory cards will I need? Where's the best place to upload them to? What photo and video editing apps will I need?)

You could just leave the phone at home. Folks been walking long distances since the dawn of time and only in the last 20 yrs has the phone become a problem .

[jcreamer]

One word - TIME.

[The Solemates]

finding a weekend when something else isnt already planned

[The Solemates]

finding a weekend when something else isnt already planned

case in point - we have 8 baseball games just this week

[Tipi Walter]

IT'S ONE PERPETUAL TRIP
** Bookmarking interesting online subjects and printing them out for the next trip---to read and burn.
** Dehydrating ample food for a 15 to 21 day trip---time consuming.
** Keeping the usual gear check-list inside my head---correlating with the fact that everything has a place inside my pack---so in effect the presence of my pack dictates what goes in it and what goes where.

** Washing last month's clothing.
** Coming up with a decent TRIP GOAL whereby I either explore a new route or form a Quest to reach a certain objective---in addition leaving a detailed daily camp/trail schedule with the significant others.

** Casual gear inspection---tent poles, tent fly, zippers, trail tools, stakes, boots, water filter cartridge---and replacing stuff BEFORE it breaks. This could be called Precautionary Maintenance.

[Longboysfan]

Trying to explain to people - when I go solo - there are other people out there on the trail.

[Tipi Walter]

Trying to explain to people - when I go solo - there are other people out there on the trail.

MAYBE . . . . Many of my solo trips are solitary. Pulled a 24 day trip once and went 23 days without seeing a human. Pulled a recent 19 day January trip and didn't see anyone.

[plexusbritt]

Getting off work, arranging livestock care (small farm), and shuttle back to my car.