# Any hikers/backpackers on the board?



## Outlaw9 (Jan 9, 2006)

Just wondering if there are any hikers or backpackers on the board. If so what are some of your Favorite trails. One of my Favs is the Benge Scout Trail on High Knob In Southwest Virginia. They are currently working on a trail going from Close to West Va down through Va and Ky to Cumberland gap. Should be a nice trail when Completed. 

Also does anybody know any good sites to find people to hike with? Or just any good hiking sites in general.


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

Yes, we hike and backpack. So far we've only hiked portions of the Florida Trail, but hope to start hiking the AT this summer or next.

Backpacker magazine has an excellent forums site where you can usually locate hiking partners in your area.

http://forums.backpacker.com/eve

Their main website is www.backpacker.com.


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## Outlaw9 (Jan 9, 2006)

One big Hike besides the At I would like to do is the Mountains to Sea trail. It starts in the Smokies and through Nc to the Ocean. Less than 20 people have done it so far.
I bet the Florida trail was pretty NIce. Dont guess there are many big ups and downs on it.


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

hey outlaw.....i havent packed for quite sometime.but i have done portions of the at in giles and bland and craig counties.i live up in pulaski county from you.also done a good bit of hikeing in the indian heaven wilderness in washigton state.


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## Outlaw9 (Jan 9, 2006)

Elkhound if you ever get this way The Scout trail I mentioned is about 17 miles and mostly downhill if you go the right direction. Its starts in Norton It ends at little stony falls in Scott County


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

you do any trapping?? i know a trapper down your way.


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## Outlaw9 (Jan 9, 2006)

elkhound said:


> you do any trapping?? i know a trapper down your way.



I use to when I was in school. Biggest thing I ever caught was a possum. Would love to get back into it. I still got a few traps. Does the guy Buy furs and sell traps?


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## elkhound (May 30, 2006)

outlaw..i will send you a PM..i dont want to plaster his name all over the internet.

hey clean out your PM box its full....lol


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## TNHermit (Jul 14, 2005)

I use to pack the Rockies till I moved here. Up around Estes Park, Around Berthoud pass where the avalanche was. Lived on Leadville so we were around the 14teeners a lot. Guided snowmobile up around Breckenridge. Still got most of the gear but nobody to go with and not much time. I think its the Cumberland trail that runs a few miles from me. Somebody told me that it was part of the Appalachian trail but I'm not so sure about that. i think that is farther east of here. May be an off shoot. :shrug:


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## Outlaw9 (Jan 9, 2006)

TNHermit said:


> I use to pack the Rockies till I moved here. Up around Estes Park, Around Berthoud pass where the avalanche was. Lived on Leadville so we were around the 14teeners a lot. Guided snowmobile up around Breckenridge. Still got most of the gear but nobody to go with and not much time. I think its the Cumberland trail that runs a few miles from me. Somebody told me that it was part of the Appalachian trail but I'm not so sure about that. i think that is farther east of here. May be an off shoot. :shrug:



I have heard they are gonna try and connct the trail in my first post on the KY VA border which is called the pine mountain trail to the cumberland and have almost a 500 mile trail that goes into Chatt. 

Elkhound PM's are cleaned.


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## tyusclan (Jan 1, 2005)

Outlaw9 said:


> One big Hike besides the At I would like to do is the Mountains to Sea trail. It starts in the Smokies and through Nc to the Ocean. Less than 20 people have done it so far.
> I bet the Florida trail was pretty NIce. Dont guess there are many big ups and downs on it.


There are some beautiful stretches on the Florida Trail. It's not a complete trail as yet. A lot of it still follows different highways for quite a ways. We hiked the 18 mile section along Econfina Creek, and there is quite a bit of up and down along there, at least by Florida standards.

There's one section of the trail that we haven't hiked that goes through the Bradwell Bay Wilderness Area in the Apalachicola National Forest. Backpacker magazine rated this section one of the ten toughest trails in North America. You have to wade waist-deep water for several miles along this stretch.


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## Outlaw9 (Jan 9, 2006)

tyusclan said:


> Backpacker magazine rated this section one of the ten toughest trails in North America. You have to wade waist-deep water for several miles along this stretch.


Wow most other states I wouldnt think twice about a wading through the water like that. It seems like Floridas alligator population is doing awfully well at the time and would make me a little hesitant. And not to mention the exotic pets that get free down there. Im gonna read up on that trail sound interesting.


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## Jen H (Jun 16, 2004)

My favorite trail has to be the Copper Ridge/Whatcom Pass loop in North Cascades Nat. Park. Takes a good 5 days to hike it, but the scenery is just amazing.

I second the Backpacker web site, I'm not active on that forum but there are lots of posters that are, some of whom I know. I'm one of the moderators at nwhikers.net, a west coast specific hiking site. (I'm jenjen there)


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## RipVanArkie (Jan 2, 2007)

www.hikinghq.net is a good one for those in the vicinity of the AT, I have learned a lot from them. Friendly bunch.


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## n8tureboy (Dec 14, 2006)

I've hiked extensively throughout WV, some of my favorite trails are in the Cranberry Glades portion of the Monongahela NF. The Alleghany Trail runs 300 miles from The AT through WV to the Pennsylvania state line. Did some camping and hiking in the Cascades a couple of years ago.....truly God's Country!


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## Rouen (Aug 19, 2004)

www.Whiteblaze.net
http://www.trailplace.com/portal/forum.php
www.Trailforums.com

they're mainly long distance hiking( AT, CDT, PCT, ADT ect.) forums but you can find people willing to hike the short trails as well.


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## DocM (Oct 18, 2006)

I used to backpack, then I got old and lazy. Then came the goats, and those cute boy goats I couldn't part with... packgoats! A strong wether can carry 50lbs. 2 people and 4 goats can stay out for over a week, no sore back. Much lower impact than other pack animals.


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## Outlaw9 (Jan 9, 2006)

DocM said:


> I used to backpack, then I got old and lazy. Then came the goats, and those cute boy goats I couldn't part with... packgoats! A strong wether can carry 50lbs. 2 people and 4 goats can stay out for over a week, no sore back. Much lower impact than other pack animals.



Packgoats huh. I think I could like that idea. Last yr i went hiking and 2 other guys brought dogs with packs to carry there beer.


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## moonwolf (Sep 20, 2004)

I've done a lot of canoe backpacking along wilderness lakes and waterways in Northern Ontario. 
I've hiked trails in the past in the lower elevation Colorado Rockies (can't take the altitude....  ), parts of the Canadian rockies in Alberta, and trails in areas around the north shore of Lake Superior, mainly east of Thunder Bay, Ontario.


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## RedEarth (Sep 21, 2005)

I grew up backpacking. As soon as we were old enough we'd have a little pack with our diapers and some snacks. Before that we got carried. Most of my experience is in Southern Utah, especially Zion, the Escalante canyons slot canyons, places like that. Anyone else love canyoneering?


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## n8tureboy (Dec 14, 2006)

I've done alot of underground Canyoneering here in W Virginia, otherwise known as Caving. The county that I was born and raised in has over a thousand known caves, some upwards of 40 miles long and 700 ft. deep! While still in school we used to go caving every weekend....I sure do miss those days.


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## FreightTrain (Nov 5, 2005)

Rouen said:


> www.Whiteblaze.net
> http://www.trailplace.com/portal/forum.php
> www.Trailforums.com
> 
> they're mainly long distance hiking( AT, CDT, PCT, ADT ect.) forums but you can find people willing to hike the short trails as well.



whiteblaze is an excellent site.

my trailname is FreightTrain, im from the class's of: AT sobo 2k, AT nobo 01, Mississippi river 02, Missouri river 04

also check out www.trailjournals.com for live updated journals from long distance hikers and river paddlers who are out there doin it now.... great source of gear and supply drop info


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## Outlaw9 (Jan 9, 2006)

n8tureboy said:


> I've done alot of underground Canyoneering here in W Virginia, otherwise known as Caving. The county that I was born and raised in has over a thousand known caves, some upwards of 40 miles long and 700 ft. deep! While still in school we used to go caving every weekend....I sure do miss those days.



Caving is something I would love to get into. I found out last yr that the deepest know cave East of the Missippi is in the County I live in But I have now clue where at. You can do a search for Omega Systems Cave and it has a few pics. N8tureboy what Part of WVa are you in?


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## n8tureboy (Dec 14, 2006)

Hey Outlaw, I live in Pocahontas cty. part time and Fayette cty. most of the time.Greenbrier is where I grew up and where the majority of caverns are.

I've heard of the Omega Cave System down there in Wise Cty VA. I did a search and perused some of the pics. Nice area!

If your interested in Cave exploration you may want to contact the NSS(National Speleological Society) to help find a local cave club, or go to a local outdoor shop they can usually help point people in the right direction. I know that Blacksburg has a local club,VPI cave club.


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## FreightTrain (Nov 5, 2005)

rose2005 said:


> We are right by the Creeper Trail and the AT. Some beautiful hiking and cycling to be had right out of our door.
> 
> Rose



thats right whre i found Midnight abandoned during traildaze 01...


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## marvella (Oct 12, 2003)

RedEarth said:


> I grew up backpacking. As soon as we were old enough we'd have a little pack with our diapers and some snacks. Before that we got carried. Most of my experience is in Southern Utah, especially Zion, the Escalante canyons slot canyons, places like that. Anyone else love canyoneering?



i went through there a couple years ago, but didn;t have time to do much. i'm going back this april to stay for a week and hike that slick rock!


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## Rouen (Aug 19, 2004)

FreightTrain said:


> whiteblaze is an excellent site.
> 
> my trailname is FreightTrain, im from the class's of: AT sobo 2k, AT nobo 01, Mississippi river 02, Missouri river 04
> 
> also check out www.trailjournals.com for live updated journals from long distance hikers and river paddlers who are out there doin it now.... great source of gear and supply drop info


My SN is the same on white blaze as it is here, I mainly stick on the dog forum and straight forward.
trailjournals is part of trailforums(or maybe trailforums is part of trailjournals?) both are great for sharing knowledge and experiences.


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## Outlaw9 (Jan 9, 2006)

FreightTrain said:


> whiteblaze is an excellent site.
> 
> my trailname is FreightTrain, im from the class's of: AT sobo 2k, AT nobo 01, Mississippi river 02, Missouri river 04
> 
> also check out www.trailjournals.com for live updated journals from long distance hikers and river paddlers who are out there doin it now.... great source of gear and supply drop info


My name is Satchmo on Whiteblaze. I hardly ever post. I did a hike with nean from there last yr.


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