Kids are a lot tougher than you think

I'm a grandfather now, but these are a few shots of my kids way deep in the Wind Rivers.

Mid way on a 120 mi thru trip






And some earlier trips to the Wind's

Aren't the Wind Rivers spectacular? Heaven on earth, IMHO, despite the "interesting" weather.

My parents took me there when I was 9. I've been back a couple of times trying to recreate the experience; hopefully next summer I can make up for what I missed last summer with a sick dog. Maybe I'll take my grandson who will be 10!

Beautiful pictures! Thank you!

Great pictures, looks like great trips!

It's very encouraging to see that there are others who do or have done what we're starting to do now - no matter what age the children are.

Don't listen to the naysayers!

Cheers,

Matt

I agree. Kids are tough. Mine is at the awkward stage between being too heavy to pack, but still too small to walk long distances by himself. Maybe when he gets 6 or so.

When my oldest boy was 4, I'd take him on 3 to 4 mile hikes and expect to carry him on my shoulders for the last mile or half-mile. He is 5 now and after a growth spurt, has graduated to a waist-pack that can carry his snacks, a quart of water, and whatever gear he wants to bring (usually a head-lamp for caving and a walkie-talkie and whistle for if he gets lost). In another year or two, I'll let him carry a small pack on overnights.

I'd agree - with Ford I saw in him that he had an energy/toughness level that many kids didn't have - so I exploited it. The summer he was 4 I started him on harder hikes and by end of that summer he had been on many 10+ mile hikes often with 2-3K of elevation gain. I never carried him (I couldn't!) and he always had a pack on.
He started backpacking with me the next year and by 7 had done trips with up to 18 miles in a 24 hour period.

Is that for all kids? No! But if you get a natural hiker, take it for all you can get

Ford is 12 now, considerably taller than me and can out hike me. Not a bad place to be!

I started serious camping with my son when he was 10 years old as a Webelos Scout. He is now a Life Scout and should earn his Eagle in the next 3 months. He's very skilled in the woods and I would take him backpacking anywhere now. He's done a 70 mile hike at Philmont and done 100+ canoe trip in the BWCA. His remaining goal is to do tall ship sailing in the Caribbean.

Two weekends ago we did a 23 mile hike in a day (it was a killer).

He's 16 years old now, taller than me and put on 19 pounds since his last check up 6 months ago.

If he didn't have the outdoors, he'd go insane!

Wind Rivers huh? that looks amazing, maybe I'll have to make a trip. I was near there a few years ago, I should have made it a camping trip.


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