Ok, so friends decided to go backpacking today and stay the weekend. So I have been day hiking recently on similar terrain. But backpacking it was miserable. I am 5'5" and 215 and not in the best shape but yeah. Pack was 40 lbs with tent, bag, winter cloths, food, water, everything. The trail was moderate difficulty with mostly a steady incline. It took be 1hr 20 min to go 1.2 of the 4.4 miles to camp before i said screw it and turned around. Only took me 22 minutes to get back.

The thing that killed me was these 8" diameter logs across the path like steps. Barring erosion prevention i see no benefit to these. Every time I had to go over these, it would put extra pressure on my back till the point it was unmanageable.

Any recommendation beside get in shape? And for what we were doing the pack was about as light as I could get for my gear.

Backpacking is hard work! I'd just say that my wife and I train for our longer trips, often putting in lots of road miles when we can't be out on trails. You don't have to have single digit body fat and look like your ready for the Olympics, but some degree of fitness is a necessity. Carrying a 40 lb. pack over rough terrain is asking for injury and misery if you aren't in the required shape for it. Logs set like steps sound like an easy obstacle; you're fighting gravity sounds like the real barrier to having fun . You can pair down your pack weight with some investment in lighter gear- I'm down to about a 28- 30 lb. winter pack, but taking weight off your frame will be of far more benefit. If you really want to pursue backpacking, pick some easier, flatter trails that are more in line with your level of fitness. As you gain in ability, chose harder terrain. After a near lifetime of backpacking, it's easy for me to evaluate my abilities to negotiate any given trail or terrain conditions- you may wish to ask about specific trails and their difficulty levels before attempting them. If you don't use trekking poles, they may benefit your comfort level on the trail, too. Worth looking into their use .

For lightening up ideas, see the articles on the home page of this site, left hand column. A surprising amount do not take a large $$$ investment!

I hate those big log steps, too--they are really hard on my bum knee! I've learned to avoid trails which have them!

I would never had suggested such a trip for a first outing in the first place. You certainly weren't prepared for it. When you're already overweight and out of shape, taking heavier winter gear will only make the experience worse.

Since you say the steps put pressure on your back more than the legs (assuming uphill), I'm wondering if the pack is not a good fit for you or was not packed well so that may be something to look at, too.

But, yes, getting in shape is the first step. Going in nice weather so you can carry less would be my next recommendation for someone just starting out.

Welcome to the club!

I think we've all done something similar to what you did and that's why most of us are here. I know I have. You just need to make a different plan for your next trip. Call this one a learning experience and move on to the fun part.

Coming here was really good idea because you'll find all kinds of great advice on lightning your load. To sum up the best advice look into the "Ten Essentials", the things everyone needs to bring, and then look at what you brought and set aside everything you didn't use if it's not one of the essential items. Then look at what you used and see if you can use something lighter. Don't duplicate stuff. You don't need a big Bowie Knife, and a butter knife, and a pen knife, and a Leatherman multitool in your pack. You'll find one lightweight knife will do. Try to look for things that can be used for a dual purpose.

Once you've read up and finished lightening your load make a plan that's going to be easy on you. Plan a trip where you can hike just a mile, or less, and set up camp. There's no rule that says you have to hike for miles and miles. You have the rules where you're going to be hiking, but a lot of places let you camp most anywhere you want with just a few restrictions, like being 1-200 feet from water, or trails, or protected areas, et.

Take it slow. You don't need to beat yourself up racing along the trail. So what if it takes you 3-4 hours to do that mile. If you're going out to enjoy yourself that doesn't matter a bit. If you find a great spot to sit and enjoy along the way to where you want to camp, do it. That's a really good reason to stop and a great thing to do.

From camp you can do day hikes and just carry the stuff you want for that. Or you can just laze around camp and relax and chill and enjoy being outdoors. So what if you're only 1/2 mile from the trail head. You don't need to impress anyone with how far or how fast or how high or steep you went. None of that has anything to do with the simple pleasure of getting outside and enjoying a few nights in the forest.

And hey, some people find out they just don't like backpacking. That's okay too. You might still like car camping and you can get to some awesome scenic spots from car campgrounds, and sleep outside under the stars that way too, and use pretty much all the same gear.

Aside from that, even without really pushing yourself, the more you hike the easier it will be for you. So don't give up. Just plan your trips different.

So I went back the next day and retried. Lightened the pack a few mounds since I could give the tent to someone else. Finished this time, but those 8" logs are killer. My step is not that high so it honestly worked better to walk off the trail just to avoid them at those parts.

It's true that shorter steps make going uphill more efficient even though you'll be taking more of them. I will go around a taller obstacle if it seems it will be more efficient to me and doesn't "widen the trail" unnecessarily.

Proper use of trekking poles also makes uphills easier.

Good for you for sticking to it and trying again, too.

From the sounds of the trail, an hour and twenty minutes might not be bad for 1.2 miles.

Those 8 inch logs are difficult for me and my left knee. Any other height doesn't bother it. They are for erosion and are generally found on old trails.

You didn't say if your friends went back with you. I'm hoping they did. Even though it would be a disappointment, I wouldn't let anyone go back alone.

I consider hiking on hilly trails to be about twice as hard as walking on the road.

My other suggestion, if you decide to try this again, is for you to lead and have a no passing rule. If the friends want to hike faster, let them fall behind or even start 5 or 10 minutes later. That way you get the full rest break when you take one and you aren't always playing catch up. That's the fastest way to move a group along.

You could also pick a short and a long destination. There could be a campsite a mile or so in, and another farther away. You could even car camp instead of hiking to the campsite.

If you have chronic mild back problems, I suggest getting your cholesterol and blood pressure checked. The lower back is the first place arteriosclerosis starts showing symptoms. The next symptom could be a slipped disk. It's not something you want to deal with.

I just noticed you went back the next day. Trekking poles would help on the logs.

I also hate those logs or anything of step I feel it slows me down and fatigues me faster at the same time, but I would rather go up then go down them cause they are hard on my knees. Good on you for finishing it. I hope you enjoyed it

I want to second this great point. There have been many trips for me where I've stopped to readjust my pack. Something as simple as the placement of your sleeping bag can make a tremendous difference in how heavy the pack "feels". I've had 30 pound packs that felt light and 20 pound packs that were uncomfortable. You have to figure out what works best for you.

One simple idea is to ditch the compression sacks where possible. I find my bag packs a lot easier when I just stuff my sleeping bag into a black garbage bag at the bottom of my pack. It helps fill the gaps and is much softer against my back.

And Congratulations!!! You completed a big step with your first overnight trip.

Bill has some great thoughts on this (as usual). Backpacking is a great activity, but it can be easy to get discouraged if your first trip or two turns out badly. As Bill suggests, start out with simple trips, even car camping with short day hikes. Don't try to prove anything, to your friends or yourself. This is supposed to be fun, not a survival course. Sure getting in shape is a good idea, but that can be done slowly. Don't let your friends push you into more than you can handle. I've gone winter camping just a few miles from the trailhead, but the experience was the same as if I was in the middle of nowhere. It's all relative.

Mostly people talk about weight, but the problem might be carrying too many un-needed things. So what if everything is the lightest you can get if half of them are unnecessary? Try paring down the number of items and consider whether or not each thing is required.
Jim

There is a valid point in there. As one person who had done the AT trail 4x (at least from what he told me), 'If it doesn't serve at least two or more functions it doesn't go on the trip.'