Great link to a horror story - thank you. <note that is sincerity, not sarcasm>

Learning from other people's mistakes is one way to take note of what not to do.

Thankfully I wouldn't even dream of attemtping a trip like their original plan at our stage.

We spend at least 3 to 4 weeks a year "adventure" vacationing. From hiking, mountain biking, white water rafting on class III, IV and V rapids. But our trips usually entail campgrounds with tents or tents on wheels (popup) and lots of creature comforts at the camp each evening. Finishing off a long day of mountain biking and hiking w/ a beer and smores around a campfire.

I've been an outdoor enthusiest since I was little - same with my husband. I spent many years as a girlscout, and daughter of a boyscout leader. The hubby spent his youth summers going to a wilderness survival camp.

We don't claim to be experts - we do claim to be novice here, but we do also have some common sense.

I can only plan to research the best I can to prepare for this trip and hope that my trip report when I return will be a very pleasant one.