New member introduction:

I've been poking around on this forum for some time now, and felt that without registering and introducing myself, it may be classified as stalking.

I'm Heath, and have absolutely zero experience in backpacking. I grew up in eastern Nebraska (where no one backpacks), but have recently moved to central Wyoming. I've recently gotten the itch to try out backpacking since I live in a great area for it. The problem is that I'm having trouble finding anyone else in the area that has the same interest. Surely they're out there! Is there anyone out there from central Wyoming? If not, any tips for finding them?

That's all for now, looking forward to learning more every time I come back here.

Welcome. Websites such as MeetUp may help you find someone. See if there is a local chapter of the Sierra Club in your area, it may organize outings such as day hikes or weekend trips. If you have a college or university nearby, see if they have any clubs you might join. Are there any outdoor stores in your area? If so, they may have a bulletin board for group outings or offer classes. REI stores usually offer classes at reasonable cost to learn basics and sometimes offer short evening classes for free to introduce gear that they sell.

Also, while no substitute for actual hiking experience, if you want to learn the basics, you can read books on backpacking. The Complete Walker IV, is a great start. The author of the original TCW, Colin Fletcher (who passed away a while back) is considered one of the foremost authors on backpacking. Read the articles here and on other websites. Forums are good for specific questions, but don't give you an overall picture or a base of knowledge.

Thanks Tom. While I have no exprience backpacking, I do have considerable experience in outdoor activities. I'm an avid hunter, and am an Eagle Scout during which time I learned a great deal about camping/outdoor survival, so I'm not completely clueless. I think I mostly need to learn about the packing and carrying process, and I'm slowly sifting through all of the articles that are posted on the home page (there's so much).

I appreciate the ideas for finding backpackers in the area. I'll be sure to do some of those

Heath, your situation is why I suggested reading a book like TCW. You can waste a lot of money buying gear or clothes unsuited for where you are and what you want to do. You should look at camping gear and clothing as systems. Fletcher (and now Rawlins) breaks down gear into systems such as kitchen and bedroom. The challenge is that there is so much gear out there to choose from, you need to figure out what is appropriate for your needs and that is not easy. Same for clothes and footwear.

One way to start understanding gear and clothes is to look at gear lists. There are several posted here with links from the home page of the site (not the forums, the actual home page). Members have also posted gear lists. I have mine here somewhere, but mine is for snow camping in the Sierra. With my list, you could swap out in some cases, dozens of alternatives for what I own, with a few exceptions, one being my parka.

Camping comes down to tradeoff between between the level of comfort you desire and how much you are willing to carry to accomplish that. Some people, especially on this site, focus on the lightest gear possible, which may not provide the same level of comfort as heavier gear, so keep that in mind when reading gear suggestions.

Thanks Tom...I have read through the pack lists on the home page. They seem to be quite helpful so far. I guess the decision that I'm struggling with most right now is what you hit on. How comfortable do I want to be? I'm leaning toward a heavier pack. The reason is that I'm more interested in the whole camping aspect in remote areas as opposed to covering a great deal of ground every day. In my mind, I think I'd enjoy covering 5-8 miles each day with more rest and relaxation when I reach my destination at the end of each day. Is there a forum/web site that places more focus on this style of backpacking?

I did use the meetup site to find an outdoors/backpacking group in Laramie that I'm' excited to become active with though Laramie is still a ways away from where I live. I'm still working on finding like-minded people in the Casper area.

Even lightweight sites like this one address the basics, regardless of the gear being used. My gear isn't especially lightweight, but I get a lot out of being here anyway as a lot of the knowledge here isn't necessarily about gear, but technique. Gear is only a means, not an ends, unless you are a collector. Having said that, do a Google search and you will find hundreds of backpacking sites, many about specific areas of the country or world, for that matter, plus sites about stoves, tents, skiing, snowshoeing, you name it. Just a matter of looking around.

There is no weight or mile requirement, as long as your getting out and camping. This is a great place with a wide variety of campers/ camping styles. Feel free to post any and all camping related questions. Quite a few sages on this site that can help with all.