Women's "Level Up" Backpacking Trip
in the Roan Highlands
featuring Guest Guide Arlette "Apple Pie" Laan
October 17-19, 2024
Join Arlette "Apple Pie" Laan - the first woman to hike all 11 US National Scenic Trails - on this 3-day backpacking trip in the Roan Highlands. This trip is designed for women with some previous backpacking experience to level up their backpacking skill and gain the confidence to backpack on their own. Experience the awe-inspiring beauty of the Roan Highlands, known for its panoramic vistas, rolling meadows, and the highest elevation shelter on the Appalachian Trail. We've chosen a high elevation itinerary with some exposure and a couple of challenging climbs to encourage hikers to step outside your comfort zone.
"After 3 days of hiking and camping, we came back tired but immensely happy with the memories we built on our
trip. We are already planning our next backpacking trip!" - M.G., Private AT Backpacking Trip October, 2023
Cost:
$675 per person
Payment Plans, Scholarships, and Sliding Scale Fees are available for this trip. Please email 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 about a month before the trip to discuss options. The maximum group size is 4 participants.
In addition to your guide, this price includes transportation between the meet-up location and the trailhead and any necessary backcountry permits. Backpacking gear and food are not included, but can be rented as an add-on option. The price does not include personal items (clothing, shoes, toiletries, etc) or gratuity for your guide.
Sign-Up Details:
In order to sign up for this trip, please go to our trip calendar and select the trip start date (October 17, 2024). You will find the trip listed there. When you register for the trip, please include whether you'll need the add-on food or gear packages in the Special Instructions field.
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. At that time we will also send a detailed packing list and any trip-specific information.
Itinerary:
This trip meets at 9am on Thursday October 17 at the Carvers Gap Trailhead (where your trip will end). Your guide will discuss safety, weather, and logistics for the trip. If you've added the optional gear and/or food package, you'll take a few minutes to pack your pack. Once everyone is packed, a shuttle will take you to Hugh's Gap, where your hike will begin.
Over the course of 3 days, you'll hike 22 miles from Hughes Gap to Little Hump Mountain, and back to Carvers Gap. Highlights of the trip include camping at Roan High Knob Shelter, the highest shelter on the Appalachian Trail, and the sweeping 360-degree views from Grassy Ridge Bald and Jane Bald. This area is quintessential Southern Appalachian hiking - rocky, rooty trails, lots of ups and downs, and rhododendron tunnels. Daily mileage ranges from 5 to 11 miles. The trip has 6,500ft elevation gain and 5,000ft of elevation loss. Because you are camped above 6,000ft, hikers should be prepared for cold temperatures and the chance of winter precipitation.
Hike generally finishes in the afternoon on the last day. Itinerary is subject to change based on a variety of factors, including weather, 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.
Elevation profile created with Gaia GPS.
Trip Difficulty Rating:
Participants on this trip should have a minimum fitness level of 5 out of 10, and this trip is ideally suited for hikers with a fitness level of 6-7 out of 10. This is an Intermediate trip, meaning hikers should have some previous backpacking experience. For more information about our difficulty and experience level ratings, please see our Trip Difficulty Page.
Guide:
Your guide for this trip is Arlette "Apple Pie" Laan. Arlette grew up in the Netherlands and is currently a long distance hiker and backpacking guide based in Massachusetts. She is the first woman to hike all 11 US National Scenic Trails, which include the Appalachian Trail, Pacific Crest Trail, and Continental Divide Trail. On her guided trips, she loves sharing her knowledge and hopes participants will leave with more confidence for their future backpacking trips.
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 backpacking gear, clothing/footwear, a headlamp, two 1L water bottles (Nalgene or disposable Smart Water bottles are good options), personal medications/toiletries, and approved optional items. Generally, comfortable trail shoes are better than heavy hiking boots. Please pack synthetic or wool athletic clothing rather than cotton. Cotton does not dry quickly and will not keep you warm when wet. You will need one outfit to hike in, one outfit to sleep in, a raincoat, and a warm layer. All hikers should also bring baselayers, a warm hat, and a pair of lightweight gloves. You will not need a new set of clean clothes for each day, make-up, hair products, scented products or deodorant. Just bring a toothbrush and toothpaste and enjoy going all natural for the trip!
Add-on Options:
Food: BRHC's food package includes all on-trail food, from lunch Day 1 to lunch Day 3. You will have the ability to choose your own food from a wide selection of trail-friendly foods; options vary throughout the year. We can accommodate most dietary requirements with advanced notice.
The add-on food package costs $60 per person
Gear: BRHC's add-on gear package includes high quality, ultralight, cottage industry backpacking gear to make your experience as comfortable as possible. Gear will be delivered to the trailhead at the start of your trip. It can either be returned to one of our locations (Asheville NC or Hot Springs NC) at the end of your trip or mailed back with a pre-paid return shipping label.
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 provide a one-person tent for solo hikers or a two-person tent if you are sharing with a hiking partner.
Sleeping Bags - We use a 20 degree synthetic sleeping bag with sleeping bag liners. Depending on the weather, we may include a 0 degree down blend sleeping bag instead.
Sleeping Pads - We provide hikers with an insulated inflatable sleeping pad.
Trekking Poles - These will provide you with some added stability while hiking, and may be used to set up your tent.
Water Filter - includes Sawyer Squeeze filter and CNOC dirty water bag
Cookset - includes Stove, Pot, Fuel, Cup, and Spork
Bear Bag
The add-on gear package costs $215 per person, which includes a pre-paid return shipping label.
A la carte gear rentals are available if you do not wish to rent our full gear package. Please reach out to our office for more information.
Cancellation Policy:
Trip cost includes a 15% non-refundable administrative fee. Hikes may be cancelled up to 1 month before the trip for a refund (minus the 15% admin fee). Within 1 month, a 50% refund will be offered. Within 1 week, a refund will only be offered if Blue Ridge Hiking Company cancels the trip due to severe weather. We are unable to offer exceptions to this policy due to extenuating circumstances; we strongly recommend all hikers purchase travel insurance to cover their trip.
Hikers may reschedule their trip once (at least 2 weeks before their trip) free of charge. Additional changes to their reservation date may result in rescheduling fees.
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 25lbs (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 20% of trip price.
If you have any questions regarding this trip, you can reach our office by phone at 828-713-5451 or by email at trips@blueridgehikingco.com.
