Meet Up.com

Does anyone uses this social media website for finding people to go backpacking and hiking with? I'd like to meet people within my age group (I'm 24) to go on trips with me. I know Lori's thought on using social medias for scheduling group hikes , but has anyone else ever had lot of good success? I don't mind hiking with people who are older than me, but it would be nice to mix it up with guys and gals are who are closer to my age.

Depends entirely on the group. There is one group in Seattle that has horrible leadership and has been involved in several really bad situations. I haven't heard anything against the Portland-area groups, though. You've had enough experience to know the difference, so try out your local groups! Just don't let them talk you into uncomfortable situations (like a "beginners' winter campout" with 3-season gear into an avalanche-prone area and with the local forecasters predicting "the winter storm of the century.")

I've given up on group hikes because my pace is now too slow to keep up. I don't want to hold others back, but if I force my pace to keep up, I'm going to end up with an injury. I am actually safer hiking alone at my own pace, and I prefer it. That's of course, me--YMMV!

We use meetup for a lot of different activities like kayaking, hiking, backpacking, etc. It is a great way to meet a lot of folks of all ages

I'm with OM on the Seattle debacle. It was a few years ago and I can't find the thread in our archives. May have been longer ago than I remember. In any event, the bottom line is be careful and vet whom you may be trusting with your life. Not to be too dramatic, but when your trip ends with a huge SAR response in a raging storm because your group leader is a moron and you are stranded in heavy snow with inadequate gear and clothing, that's not a good thing.

I love meetup for getting in touch with people with shared interests. Having said that, I would agree with all other posters about exercising caution. I think it would be best to start with a hiking group and join some short hikes. This gives you a change to check out the group and find out whether you want to backpack with them, what their pace is like etc.

IC.