New guy in Bay Area California

Hey everyone I'm new to backpacking but it's always looked interesting to me. Just looking for a good place to start, some good trails to test myself on, good tips to learn, etc. I'm looking to learn a TON of information from the site and start putting gear together so I can get started with backpacking more and more. I know I have a TON to learn since I grew up using a trailer and backpacking is WAY different. Just wanted to introduce myself since I didn't see an introduction area.

Welcome aboard!

One of the great ways to meet folks to backpack with is to join a group - there a bunch of hiking groups at meetup.com, and you can google the INCH hiker page as well. Tons of hikes in your area, and some meetup groups travel into the Sierra for backpacks on a regular basis. Renting or borrowing gear for a while can be helpful - I did neither and ended up with a lot of stuff I discovered did not work for me, then going to the trouble of reselling them to get gear that does work for me.

There are a bunch of great articles on the home page of this site, if you haven't already found them.

Welcome! Here's a link to the excellent articles Lori mentioned that are in the left-hand column of http://www.backpacking.net/, the home page of this site.

Please feel free to come back with more questions once you've read them!

I've been told to look at the Ultrilight Backpackers guide (believe that's the title) to get some ideas for gear if I want to get into this more and more and get the stuff I'll like in time.

I've read that INCH does some crazy hikes. I might hit some of the trails around Redwood City to San Jose area or maybe some in the East Bay with a snowboard backpack I have to start out with and then get a camping trip organized with a friend or two. I was looking at those groups a while ago but I couldn't do them with my previous schedule.

You can adapt some of your trailer/car camping gear to bping, you'll just have heavier, but paid for gear that way.:) Read up on stuff here and think out situations, like, what do I cook, eat with, sleep on, etc. Hook up with dayhikes then ask questions of those folks, not all bp.

Cooking is going to be the difficult part. I've never had to cook while camping or think about it. I've always had someone who's WAY more experienced than me prepare stuff and cook etc. I'm usually the one helping with clean up or something like that.

I'll have plenty of time to read coming up. Where I live I have a couple good places to go walk around on weekends and just start with that. Maybe pack a backpack with 10 or so pounds of "gear" to feel what it's like to hike with the stuff. I'm sure as I explore the forum more I'll stumble upon all kinds of stuff. I just know I'll want light weight stuff just because I already know what 45 lbs feels like.

They say, you can cook the same foods that you can at home. I like to boil water and add it to freeze dried food. I'll fix other stuff too, just the freeze dried food for longer trips, I am known for fixing pancakes with my home grown strawberry jam. Hit the camping gear stores too, see what is available, ask them questions. Last year, four of us guys did a minimalist trip where we only cooked in or on a woodfire. I cooked on coals, one guy threw a couple fresh caught fish in with some veggies, wrapped in foil and lay that in the coals for an hour or less, he loved it.

wow that's pretty cool!

I wasn't sure if the freeze dried/dehydrated food source was a good way to go. Thought it might be too expensive/beginners trap.

Anyone know anything about this tent I found? Thinking about using it as a beginning tent to get my toes wet. can't find anything online. Read that White Stag is the fabric.

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/pen/spo/1803088145.html


White Stag two (3) man Pack Tent in original box. This is a Gemini 24088, 3 person nylon backpack tent.
$ 45 obo

Are you going to have 3 men to carry it? I don't have to even google, that's gonna be a heavy tent, period. And the problem with old tents - they are often approaching the end of their life cycle, and the PU will peel off leaving you with a wet sleeping bag if it rains.

Food does not have to be expensive. You can find dehydrated items, shelf stable meats and many just add water items at your grocery store if you are observant. Dehydrating cooked pasta and rice yourself gives you just-add-water base starches for adding things like Just Veggies and a 3 oz foil packet of chicken or tuna, with a little spice - instant potatoes with a wide variety of flavorings and cheeses are everywhere, at the dollar store, Walmart... Trader Joes is a mecca of boil in bag, precooked and GOOD healthy trail ready foods - dried fruits and veggies, nuts, flatbread, dried mushrooms to add to your potato/rice dishes, hard cheeses... also the best prices on things like Clif or Lara bars. You don't have to spend a lot of money to eat well. But I sure seem to, there are so many good things at TJs.

You need to look for tents/shelters under 5 lbs, many are closer to 4 lbs. and way less too! I have a TarpTent Squall, under 2 lbs, not for everybody. Take small steps.

We can see who cooks here.:)

Well currently my quest is getting a SVEA 123 stove working. Holds pressure. Fuel comes out the top valve. Its just not burning hot like anything else and eventually dies. I haven't been anywhere CLOSE to the traditional sound. I guess this is what happens when you take something for free.

Unless you're winter camping and need to melt snow for water, an alcohol stove would be a lot easier and far lighter. You can make those yourself out of soda or cat food cans.

I think I'll eventually get into winter camping. I got this one running awesome. It weights 1 lb which is heavy for a stove but I can't complain when everyone says they do the job every time. I'm going to test it out at 7K ft. next weekend and see how well it does.

im from the bay area and i do a ton of backpacking in the santa cruz mountains. if you would like i can point out a few good short trails for you to start on.

Hi!
Figured I'd tag on to this thread rather than starting a new one. I'm also a newbie (to this forum; pre-newbie to backpacking) living in the Bay Area. I go hiking pretty much every weekend (usually in the East Bay park system), but have very little camping experience: one Spring Break backpacking trip in college and a handful of car-camping trips. My boyfriend and I were hoping to get out for some weekend trips this Spring, but he injured himself, so I'm working up the courage for a solo plunge. Digging and digging through all the great info here!

-Sharon

Ooooh I'll hop on the band wagon too. I'm in Sonoma County not far up from you guys. Just did a trip with a friend out to the coast and back to test out some new rain gear and next week I'll be camping somewhere along the coast. Maybe I'll see some of y'all out on the trail.