How To Plan Your FIRST Backpacking Trip! | Miranda in the Wild
How To Plan Your FIRST Backpacking Trip! | Miranda in the Wild
Planning a backpacking trip – especially your first trip – can be really daunting. In this video, I share my steps for planning a backpacking trip! There are some tips here for backpackers of all levels, so use this guide to plan your trips and share it with your friends!
Intro: 00:57
Step 1: Pick a Trail: 1:13
Step 2: Do Your Research: 2:43
Step 3: Pack Your Bag: 6:41
Step 4: Make a Plan and Share it: 8:22
BACKPACKING CHECKLIST: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/backpacking-checklist.html
Visiting a National Park? Look up conditions and regulations here: https://www.nps.gov
Find trip reports at AllTrails Trail Guide: https://www.alltrails.com/
Hiking Project Trail Maps: https://www.hikingproject.com/
Check the weather! National Weather Service: https://www.weather.gov
In WA State? Washington Trails Association: https://www.wta.org/
Need a topo map? CalTopo: https://caltopo.com/
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As an European hiker, listening all those rules and restrictions one thought comes to my mind… How the hell can Americans consider this as freedom. Looks like states do as much as possible to discourage people from hiking. They won’t let people to act as adults, they think of you as children for which you have to create rules for everything. I always thought it would be great to hike in Yosemite park. But I started to do research. Sadly all these rules are the reason why I will never consider to hike in USA.
Ato much talking !!!! Be short !
When planning a trip to Sleeping Bear Dunes a few years ago, I contacted them ahead of time and asked them specifically which numbers my wife should call if I didn’t come home. The person I contacted was really appreciative that I did that, so don’t be shy about asking!
Hardest thing to research is all the permits especially California. Seems like it’s purposely convoluted to keep people out or due to the senseless bureaucracy where overlapping and contradicting laws and regulations exist solely to keep you out or nickel and dime you into not going. I got through planning a whole hike to just to find out that my specific tent style isn’t allowed for no logical reason.
I have hiked solo in Alaska (Denali), but this will be my first time solo backpacking! I’ve got all of my gear & while a bit nervous, I am excited to give this a try. 😊
Not every word needs to be cute.
Another vote for having stuff for rain: my husband and I were car camping once on the rim of Death Valley…in July. Like no rain in the forecast. So we left the rain hood off the tent so we could see the stars. And it rained in the middle of the night. Not heavy, but enough to not want to be out in it. We made a dash for the car and spent the rest of the night there.
Always plan for rain. Always.
*Great vid, Miranda!*
"Hold for banging". ROFTLMAO. I can’t believe they didn’t cut that. Miranda didn’t even mention cutting it out. XD
BRING A RAIN JACKET! Yessssssss ALWAYS lol
Darn, that was 13 minutes and 19 seconds that were over thirty years too late.
On the plus side, half of the gear types available now didn’t exist then. ‘Lightweight" meant "not carrying much". Headlamps weren’t a thing. Flashlights had D-cell batteries with incandescent bulbs. Down sleeping bags were aspirational. We had only begun to hear of the first people being killed by cotton. Boots were just that, boots. Packs were either a book bag, a duffel bag, a surplus military pack or a giant external frame pack that resembled the early phases of a construction project. No water filters (and Smart Water hadn’t been invented). Actual canteens with the tiny openings and no way to clean them were common. Dehydrated meals didn’t exist. You bought a paper topo map the size of a desktop for each quad and used a compass. The lightest tents were about 10 lbs. You actually brought a big pot if you were going to cook. The last bit might be a dealbreaker for most current hikers. We didn’t have cell phones. Seriously. If we weren’t hiking a loop, we had to actually arrange a time and a place to meet someone days in advance, and we actually used our watches to keep track of time. We had no podcasts, downloaded movies or ebooks. With those big D-cell flashlights, there wasn’t even enough light to read. How barbaric was that? To top it off, REI was mostly mail order, and you used a catalog mailed to members twice a year.
I carry a Henry 44mag that holds 8 rounds of 240grain ammo . I’ve yet to have a run in with a bear but I’m prepared
Thank you so much for all of these tips!!!
We got grizzly bears, mooses, rattlesnakes and cougars. I have concerns
Making eye contact while hiking? Nope, staying home now. LOL
im curious. why would it be a bad idea to have a camp fire while you are backpacking?? what if it gets cold?
Any tips for us nature photographers who have a minimum of 5lbs of camera gear before we even talk about normal gear.
I carry my golf bag for 18 holes and that is 34 lbs for like 6.5 to 8 miles and don’t really feel like it’s cumbersome and a golf bag in not nearly as nice as a hiking pack for weight distribution.
https://youtu.be/KiPlIX6F4u
yep , no rain jacket and it rained LOL
The 7 P’s hahaha. My master chief taught me that in my first day in the Navy.
The 7 Ps!
what if your first ever hike is by yourself?
You acted so silly and unprofessional I couldn’t watch the whole video
If all you’re doing is a over night, then don’t sweet it! Pack the extra water, or food hopefully the wild life won’t eat it all on you. Think of this as a training trip. Make sure your phone has plenty of battery and bring a recharging cell. Take photos of things like overlooks or bears stealing your dinner! you’ll be keeping friends in aw forever!
I loved the excitement on your face when he said “hold for banging” I know where your mind was
Excellent information! I especially liked the eye contact point. I don’t think I have heard that one before. 👍
Also, is "p*ss" a bad word? Who knew?
How do you keep your self safe at night
Nice
2 years later it is still there.
Talks too much with hands freaks me out" ive already started sweating" is how you started your video. are you even trying?
People like me are serious investors! But yuck
Great advice! I think I’m gonna try solo camping first and work my way up. 🙂
Miranda in the wild needs a new introduction. “Hello I’m Miranda in the wild, backpacking enthusiast and professional belcher” 😉
Great job loved every insightful word. Thanks from South Jerrrseeey
Base weight under 25 pounds, got it, thanks! My back pack itself is already heavy, I really concern about the base weight.
Great vid
Planning out my first backpacking trip in over a decade and my first solo backpacking trip ever and appreciate all the advice! (And nice to see that a lot of the advice aligns with parts I’d already planned, like starting with a route you know you could day hike)
you’re funny. thanks for the info.
Awesome tips, Miranda! 👏
This was excellent, thank you!!
thanks for the hot tips
Hey friends! Miranda here. I hope you liked this video – it was a really fun one to make, but there’s just SO MUCH information, so I’m sure I missed something! What do you think? Any big planning steps you’d add to this? Comment below!
That dirty sock trick is a pretty good idea.
Are backpacking trips typically done on a loop or are they out and backs? How does planning for each differ? How do you figure out parking if the start and end points are at different spots?
Prior preparation prevents peepee pants
THANK YOU FOR THIS VIDEO REALLY APRICIATE IT
Leave a dirty sock in your car! Halarious but it makes sense! Miranda is the best!
Her random burping and her friends in the background laughing and cheering her on just gives so much personality to this channel and I absolutely love it. I know these people aren’t stones, they’re not pretending, they’re real
A permit to go backpacking??? Jesus I’m glad I mostly backpack in Sweden, they have a law called "every man’s rigth", that translate in to nature is for every one, you can camp EVERYWHERW, even on private land WITH OUT PERMISSION.
So why no campfire?
This was unhelpful and annoying