Backpacking 101 Course
A Three-Part Series: March 2024
Note: Backpacking 101 is an online course.
If you're hoping to learn to backpack confidently on your own, this is the course for you! The course includes access to a repository of instructional content and 3 virtual Q&A sessions held via Zoom. Topics include planning, gear and clothing, food, hygiene, special considerations for female hikers, and what to expect on trail and in camp. During those workshops, you'll have the opportunity to ask clarifying questions based on your goals and plan details of a backpacking trip with guidance from your instructor.
"I completed this course and highly recommend. 5 Stars." -D.C., Backpacking 101 Workshop; Summer 2022
Cost:
$150 (All 3 workshops included)
Scholarships and sliding scale fees are available for this course. Please reach out to our office at trips@blueridgehikingco.com for more information.
This course will run if there are a minimum of 3 participants signed up. If the minimum has not yet been met, we'll contact participants two weeks before the first workshop to provide refunds. The maximum group size is 10 participants.
Sign-Up Details:
Dates are TBA. Registration will open once dates have been set. Check back in the fall!
Itinerary:
Backpacking 101 is orchestrated in Google Classroom. The course includes access to a repository of course materials and 3 virtual workshops held via Zoom. Participants will review and engage with the course content prior to each session and attend the virtual workshops for Q&A with the instructor.
Course registration will close two weeks prior to the course start date.
The course includes 3 virtual Zoom Q&A sessions:
- Session 1 will cover Planning (permitting, itinerary considerations, seasons, budget) and Gear and Clothing (the big 3, needs vs wants, fabric, layering principles).
- Session 2 will cover Food (calories per day, balanced nutrition, food storage), Safety (basic safety skills, precautions to take before leaving home, navigation), and Special Considerations for Female Hikers.
- Session 3 will cover Hygiene, What to Do Before Leaving Home (gear checklist, printing permits, last minute gear checks), and What to Expect on Trail and in Camp (timing for your hike, camp chores, nighttime worries, what to do before bed).
Backpacking 101 is geared toward trip lengths anywhere from 1 night up to 3 weeks. If you are interested in preparing to thru hike a long trail (backpacking for several months at a time), check out our thru hike prep workshops offered each winter.
Instructor:
Your instructor for this course is Nancy East. Nancy retired from a career as a vet in 2020 to pursue opportunities that took her outdoors more. She is passionate about sharing the natural world and teaching hikers how to stay "safe and found". She is a Southern Appalachian Naturalist and is on Haywood County's Search and Rescue Team. Nancy has hiked all 800 miles of trail in Great Smoky Mountains National Park four times, and co-holds the speed record for the Smokies 900 Miler Challenge. She shares stories and educational content on Hope and Feather Travels.
Nancy has completed backpacking trips all over the world including the Tahoe Rim Trail, Timberline Trail, Wonderland Trail, Trans Catalina Trail, Bartram Trail, Foothills Trail, Superior Hiking Trail, Tour du Mont Blanc, and West Highland Way.
What to Bring:
Your instructor will reach out to you in advance of the first workshop with instructions for pre-work to complete prior to each workshop. Please complete these assignments in order to make the most of your facetime with your instructor. If you are unable to attend one or more of the Zoom sessions, you will have the opportunity to email your questions to the instructor.
Cancellation Policy:
Payment in full is required to register. Course cost includes a 15% non-refundable administrative fee. Reservation may be cancelled up to 1 week before the first session for a refund (minus the 15% fee). Within 1 week, a 50% refund will be offered. Within 48 hours, no refund will only be offered.
If your instructor 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 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.
