LGBTQ+ Pride Backpacking Trip
September 21-23, 2022
Includes lodging at the Appalachian Trail-er on Tuesday September 20, 2022
Join us in the beautiful Smoky Mountains of Western North Carolina for a 3-day, 2-night backpacking trip celebrating LGBTQ+ hikers! This is a great way to experience the outdoors with like-minded folks and to round out a week of festivities for those who plan to attend the Blue Ridge Pride Festival in downtown Asheville, NC on September 24th. All members of the LGBTQ+ community and allies are welcome!
This itinerary in the Big Creek area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. It features waterfalls, lush green forests, wildflowers, and open blue ridge mountain views. This is one of our favorite loops in the Smokies! It is a great first backpacking trip for hikers who have a moderate to high level of fitness. There is substantial elevation gain on Day 2, so we've kept the mileage low that day.
"Not one negative thing to say about this company or our backpacking trip. Communication was great, our guide was wonderful, everything ran so smoothly. BRHC did a great job meeting our specific needs and I would recommend them to anyone." - K.M, Private Backpacking Trip, May 2021
Cost:
$655 per person.
Scholarships and sliding scale fees are available for this trip. Please reach out to our office at trips@blueridgehikingco.com for more information.
This trip will run if there are a minimum of 2 participants signed up. If the minimum has not yet been met, we'll contact participants two weeks before the first workshop to discuss options. The maximum group size is 6 participants.
In addition to your guide, this price includes all on-trail food, transportation between the meet-up location and the trailhead, any necessary backcountry permits, and lodging the night before the trip. Price also includes an insulated mug for each hiker to keep. It does not include personal items (clothing, toiletries, etc.), gratuity for your guide, or lodging/transportation associated with attending Blue Ridge Pride on Saturday.
Sign-Up Details:
To book this trip, go to our trips calendar and select the trip start date (September 21st). You will find the trip listed there.
A few weeks before the start of the trip, we will be in contact via email with an information packet for you to fill out. This includes a waiver, health form, and gear request form. Please complete and return this form at your earliest convenience. At that time we will also send a detailed packing list, and any trip-specific information.
Itinerary:
The trip meets at 9am on Wednesday, September 21 at the Appalachian Trail-er in Hot Springs, NC. Your guide will hand out your gear and food, go over necessary packing items, and discuss safety, weather, and logistics for the trip. She'll walk you through how to properly pack your pack, and may look in detail at the items you've packed to make sure you're not carrying too many extra items.
After the pack shakedown, you'll head to the trailhead at Big Creek. Daily mileage ranges from 5-7 miles per day. Your first day is flat to gradual incline passing 2 beautiful waterfalls. The second day is a challenging climb to the Mt Sterling ridge line. You'll camp near the fire tower and have the option to climb the fire tower for sunrise and/or sunset if you'd like. The last day is all downhill back to the trailhead.
Covering 18 miles over 3 days with over 5,000ft of elevation gain, this itinerary is moderate to challenging and is best suited for hikers who have some hiking experience or who have a high level of physical fitness. Hikers wishing to join should be able to walk up 15 flights of stairs without taking a break and be able to hike 9 miles with a daypack.
The hike generally finishes mid-afternoon the last day. Itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including weather, campsite availability, trail conditions, and participants needs and abilities. Please inform our admin team or your guide ahead of time if you have a time constraint the last day of your trip.
Hikers will also have the option of meeting up the following day, Saturday September 24, to attend the Blue Ridge Pride Festival together!
Elevation profile created with Gaia GPS.
Trip Difficulty Rating:
Participants on this trip should have a minimum fitness level of 4 out of 10, and this trip is ideally suited for hikers with a fitness level of 5-6 out of 10. This is a Novice trip, meaning hikers should have previous hiking experience, but may or may not have backpacked or camped before. For more information about our difficulty and experience level ratings, please see our blog - we've written posts explaining how we describe fitness levels, experience levels, and how to tell if a trip distance is right for you.
Guide:
Your guide for this trip will be Jenna Carroll. She is a queer-identifying, formerly Washington DC-based corporate queen turned artsy outdoor enthusiast. She completed a northbound Appalachian Trail thru-hike in 2021, and it totally changed her life. For her, hiking is one of the most joyful ways to gain confidence, channel creativity, and build community with other people. When she's not in the woods, you can find her hanging at a coffee shop in West Asheville or performing spoken word poetry at a local open mic. She is so jazzed to go hiking with you!!
What we Provide:
Food: BRHC provides all on-trail food. Your guide will pass out the food for your trip on the first morning. You will be expected to carry your own individually packaged food (such as oatmeal packets) and some shared community items (such as a jar of peanut butter or a block of cheese). We do our best to cater to requests, but options are limited because it is important to keep food lightweight and fresh foods can be heavy and bulky. If you have food allergies or dietary restrictions, please notify your guide or our admin team ahead of time.
Individual Use Gear: BRHC provides high quality, ultralight, cottage industry backpacking gear to make your experience as comfortable as possible. We offer the following five pieces of gear at no additional cost:
Backpacks - We use a lightweight 60L pack. We will ask for your height and weight in order to fit the pack appropriately to you.
Tents - We have one-person tents and two-person tents available. Please let us know if you would like to share with a friend.
Sleeping Bags - We use a 20 degree synthetic sleeping bag. We also have sleeping bag liners available.
Sleeping Pads - These will insulate you from the ground and provide some cushion and comfort. We provide hikers with a closed-cell foam pad, for its excellent combination of weight and durability.
Trekking Poles - These will provide you with some added stability while hiking, and may be used to set up your tent.
Community Gear: BRHC provides all community gear for the trip, including water filters and back-up chemical treatment; camping stoves and fuel; bowls, spoons, and cups; trowels, toilet paper, and hand sanitizer; first aid kit; and map and compass.
What to Bring:
We will send all participants a detailed packing list a few weeks before the trip. You are expected to bring your own clothing/footwear, personal gear (such as headlamps and water bottles), medications, and approved optional items. Generally, comfortable trail shoes are better than heavy hiking boots. Please do not pack any cotton - if it gets wet, it does not dry quickly and will not keep you warm. Athletic clothes are a good option. You will need only one outfit to hike in, one outfit to sleep in, a raincoat, and a warm layer. You will not need a new set of clean clothes each day. Nighttime temperatures in May can still be cool at the highest elevations, so we recommend packing a pair of lightweight gloves and a warm hat. You will not need any make-up, hair products, scented products or deodorant. Just bring a toothbrush and toothpaste and enjoy going all natural for the trip!
COVID Safety Information:
All hikers joining a Group Backpacking Trip will be expected to show proof that they are fully vaccinated against COVID -or- a 7-day health log and a negative COVID test within 72 hours of when they arrive for their trip. Masks are optional during the pack shakedown and in our shuttle vehicle.
If you have questions about our procedures or would like specific precautions to be taken, please contact our office at 828-713-5451 or trips@blueridgehikingco.com.
Cancellation Policy:
Payment in full is required to register. Trip cost includes a 15% non-refundable administrative fee. Hike may be cancelled up to 2 weeks before the trip for a refund (minus the 15% fee). Within 2 weeks, a 50% refund will be offered. Within 48 hours, a refund will only be offered if Blue Ridge Hiking Company cancels the trip due to severe weather.
We hike rain or shine! While it is incredibly rewarding, backpacking is an endurance sport, and it can be challenging and/or uncomfortable at times. Maintaining a positive mindset, even when it is uncomfortable, is key to enjoying your time in the wilderness. With our focus on lightweight gear, our goal is for your pack to weigh around 25-30 lbs (or no more than 25% of your body weight).
If your guide does an exceptional job, please show your appreciation with a tip. Our team of highly trained professional guides never expects but always appreciates a tip. Industry standard gratuity for a guided backpacking trip is 15-20% of trip cost.
If you have any questions regarding this trip, you can reach us by phone at 828-713-5451 or by email at trips@blueridgehikingco.com.
