Wore steel toe boots once. After a few miles down hill, my big toes felt broken.
Had to call the toe truck.
I'm not really a hiker, I just play one on White Blaze.
I was wearing sweatpants, used a white gas stove, used an army A.L.I.C.E pack with an old pair of timberland boots.
Had a five pound pack, 3 change of clothes, huge sh** kicker boots, 2 person tent, deck of cards, 10 days of food for Smokies!
Fish hooks and line in my "survivor" kit. I always thought I needed stuff if I got lost for a week.
Man, this is bringing back some bad memories. I think my classic mistake was wearing Levi's with a spare pair in the pack. Even better I thought things had gone pretty well if I stayed clean enough not to need the second pair.
Sooo, what does a pair of Levi's weigh?
Definitely went out with a 50lb plus pack. Didn't weigh it, Mistake one. Cotton Flannel combo pants (really warm though) Mistake two. Hatchet and collapsible bow saw, mistake 3. Food bag was mistake 4....lets just say the 2 lb bag of white rice might have been enough for the week...had it not had many friends.
First time I went hiking as an adult I used all my canoe gear.
In a 7000ci duluth pack.
My first time ever strapping on a fully loaded backpack was at the trail head preparing for a 42 mile hike.
Single burner propane stove, cans of corned beef hash, poptarts, tuna, bread, 4lb sleeping bags, no pads, all in a large military duffel.
Originally Posted by Totem
Lets just say I am lucky to be alive after my first winter hike. Closing tent vents to keep in warm air, Lighting Coleman lantern to create warm air. All kinds of heavy gear. We all lived and it is a funny story to look back on.
Pootz 07
It maybe not be a mistake. But I take my PSP in the woods all the time and watch movies after dark.
64lb pack that was enough food to get me from Amicalola to N.O.C what a buffoon
My first overnight hike was with a few friends, I took 2 cans of soup for dinner to heat up over a sterno stove. I also forgot breakfast for the next morning.
Then I "wised up". I planned a 10 day trip. Took the dog (who gave me a horrible case of poison ivy so I had to go home 5 days early), 2 ponchos, everything I had double bagged in Ziplocks (weighed them when I got home - there were 6 pounds of ziplocks). Made Logan Bread for lunches - 10 lbs worth, 1 lb for each lunch. First day out, the Logan Bread made me gag - I hadn't eaten it at home to try it out. I was still rockin' the Sterno stove from my last trip and took 7 cans of Sterno in the bottom of my pack. Oh, and who could forget my 4 rolls of TP. I don't know what I was planning on catching in the woods, but by Golly, I'd be able to wipe it up!
Where do I start?
I've made more mistakes than Private Snafu. And, after forty years of hiking, I've barely started backpacking!
1) I estimated time for a day hike in Rocky Mountain NP, based on the distance of the hike. Was 2/3 of the way done when I realized that I made my calculation using the ONE-WAY mileage. Got to Bierstadt Lake when it was pitch dark -- without a light, of course -- walking around it by looking where the sky was reflecting off the water. Continued on the trail, and followed the trail down the mountain by noting where the path was lighter than the other ground.
2) Thought I could purify water by boiling it with a kerosene store. Getting a filter became a big priority after that trip.
3) Took my brand-new filter on an over-nighter during a drought. Got to the shelter when I realized I had left the intake hose back home. Fortunately, I had completely filled my canteen.
4) Thought I FINALLY had it all on an over-nighter last year. Thank you again to the person who loaned me his spoon for my meals!
Not enough water, once.
No gloves, in winter, twice.
-Omar Morales
Future AT hiker
I walked from Springer almost to Neels without using my hip belt.
- AT: Springer to Daleville (714.3 miles) in 2007
- Bibbulmun Track: End-to-End (600 miles) in 2008
1972 or 3. High School (ex-boy scout), climbed Old Rag Mt in VA, carrying a case of beer (we had a reason for doing this). The descent was much better!
For a couple of bucks, get a weird haircut and waste your life away Bryan Adams....
Hammock hangs are where you go into the woods to meet men you've only known on the internet so you can sit around a campfire to swap sewing tips and recipes. - sargevining on HF
My first time ever backpacking I didn't make any mistakes. Learned all I needed to know right here on Whiteblaze.
"It was on the first of May, in the year 1769, that I resigned my domestic happiness for a time, and left my family and peaceable habitation on the Yadkin River, in North Carolina, to wander through the wilderness of America." - Daniel Boone
Tell us again about the girl who thought the alchohol was water.
I'm not really a hiker, I just play one on White Blaze.
Ouch and damn, that had to hurt.
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