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#121834 - 10/03/09 10:47 PM Kids are a lot tougher than you think
Swimswithtrout Offline
member

Registered: 10/03/09
Posts: 48
Loc: Colorado
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





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#121844 - 10/04/09 01:16 AM Re: Kids are a lot tougher than you think [Re: Swimswithtrout]
OregonMouse Online   content
member

Registered: 02/03/06
Posts: 6799
Loc: Gateway to Columbia Gorge
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!


Edited by OregonMouse (10/04/09 01:18 AM)
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#121907 - 10/05/09 07:02 AM Re: Kids are a lot tougher than you think [Re: Swimswithtrout]
Liquid Sunshine Offline
newbie

Registered: 09/24/09
Posts: 4
Loc: New Zealand
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

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#122119 - 10/10/09 09:16 AM Re: Kids are a lot tougher than you think [Re: Liquid Sunshine]
dolomiti Offline
member

Registered: 04/13/08
Posts: 139
Loc: houston, tx
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.
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there are many plans to coordinate;
if you go hiking alone,
you can leave right now.

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#130257 - 03/06/10 06:54 AM Re: Kids are a lot tougher than you think [Re: dolomiti]
LostOutrider Offline
newbie

Registered: 02/27/10
Posts: 4
Loc: Ozark Mts.
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.

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#130290 - 03/06/10 10:06 PM Re: Kids are a lot tougher than you think [Re: Swimswithtrout]
sarbar Offline
member

Registered: 07/15/05
Posts: 1453
Loc: WA
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 wink

Ford is 12 now, considerably taller than me and can out hike me. Not a bad place to be!
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#130330 - 03/08/10 12:22 AM Re: Kids are a lot tougher than you think [Re: sarbar]
Tango61 Offline
member

Registered: 12/27/05
Posts: 931
Loc: East Texas Piney Woods

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!
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If you think you can, you can. If you think you can't, you can't. Either way, you're right.

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#131791 - 04/08/10 03:18 PM Re: Kids are a lot tougher than you think [Re: Swimswithtrout]
CamperHiker Offline
member

Registered: 04/08/10
Posts: 37
Loc: UT
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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#132523 - 04/22/10 05:40 PM Re: Kids are a lot tougher than you think [Re: Tango61]
CamperHiker Offline
member

Registered: 04/08/10
Posts: 37
Loc: UT
Tango is right with his signature
"If you think you can, you can. If you think you can't, you can't. Either way, you're right. "
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