Welcome again to the Gossamer Gear journey report shakedown sequence! We all know our group is all the time on the lookout for new backcountry adventures to try to suggestions for getting ready and packing for them with an ultralight mindset. That’s why we’ve requested our model ambassadors to dish the small print on their newest and best travels.
On this weblog sequence, you’ll discover:
- Route suggestions
- Challenges and highlights of the path
- Recommendations on methods to plan your journey
- Gear lists from our model ambassadors
Our newest submission comes from Michelle Zhang, a path runner, fastpacker, and backpacker who splits her time between California and Colorado. Michelle has accomplished single day pushes for trails such because the Ptarmigan Traverse and Timberline Path, and has fastpacked longer trails, akin to Alta Through 2. On this journey report, she shares some background on how she ready to take her mother on her first backpacking journey within the Rocky Mountain State. We hope her insights assist encourage your subsequent journey with a pal or member of the family!
Inform us a bit about your journey and the place you went! What area did you discover? What number of days or miles did you trek?
My mother and I went to the San Juan Mountains, simply outdoors Silverton, Colorado. We did a two-day backpacking journey that lined eight miles.
What acquired you enthusiastic about this journey?
Throughout my mother’s sixtieth birthday, she instructed me she wished to go tenting not less than yet another time, earlier than her physique wouldn’t let her do it anymore. Rising up, my dad and mom all the time took us street tripping to nationwide parks and stayed at campgrounds alongside the best way. They beloved tenting! I used to be greater than excited to suggest this journey to my mother as a result of she’d by no means been backpacking earlier than, and it might be a possibility to share a peek into my life-style together with her.
Inform us a bit about the way you packed for this journey.
I gave my mother the Kumo 36, and I packed the Mariposa 60. The hike itself was at excessive elevation (going as much as 13,000 ft), so I wished to ensure my mother didn’t need to face any challenges with a heavier pack weight. I requested her to only carry water and a few layers for herself, and Gossamer Gear mountaineering poles after all!
Every thing else I put within the Mariposa, together with The Two shelter, a hotter sleeping bag for my mother, a Katabatic quilt for myself, sleeping pads, Jet Boil, snacks, dinner, and water filter.
What had been a few of the highlights of the journey?
The spotlight of the journey was exhibiting my mother the alpine lakes and the way blue they had been. Attending to share my expertise backpacking together with her was so particular, as she had by no means been backpacking, simply automotive tenting.
What had been a few of the journey’s challenges?
The altitude was undoubtedly difficult as we acquired nearer to 13,000 ft. Since my mother was coming from sea degree, this is able to be a fairly large step for her. To organize for this, we stayed on the town at about 6,000 to eight,000 ft for 3 days earlier than our journey. The night time earlier than our journey, we slept at 9,000 ft to get her physique prepared for the backpacking journey. I made positive she was hydrating as a lot as attainable on our hike. I additionally made positive she had a really mild pack and didn’t have the additional problem of carrying heavier gadgets.
Get Impressed to Take Much less and Do Extra By way of Shared Neighborhood Information
When you’d prefer to comply with together with extra of Michelle’s adventures, you could find her on Instagram.
Have your personal tales from taking somebody on their first backpacking journey? We’d love to listen to them! Share your perception with us by tagging Gossamer Gear on social media (@gossamergear) and utilizing the hashtag #takelessdomore.
On the lookout for extra out of doors journey inspiration? Take a look at a few of our different articles on the Gentle Toes weblog:
