How Often Do You Go Camping?

[indianahiker]

grizzled - That is awesome! for me to get a 6 mile hike in I have to drive no less than 45 minutes one way to get to a trail system that even begins to get that close in length. I am hoping that changes this summer though, I am part of a Friends Group for a local National Wildlife Refuge just 10 minutes from my door and we are planning on a 7 to 10 mile trail that will be usable in early summer (I hope).

[indianahiker]

Gary M - I appreciate that winter camping is not your thing, I find the experience great. I love it when I can go to sleep and it is sprinkling/lightly raining and by morning there is snow on the ground (happened to me twice now). I will end by saying to everyone their own.

[AdventureMyk]

AdventureMyk - I feel your pain about being the defacto leader a lot of the time, at least that's how it feels at the time of the trip, but if I am honest I am the go to guy to plan the trip as to when and where we go, another friend of mine is the go to for gear and equipment and my third buddy that goes is the bushcraft one and good entertainment.

I wish in my case it were only that. Only two girls have started to acquire their own gear after they found they used it enough and wanted tailor fit to them instead of me (I'm 6'1 so use 6'6 sleeping bags/pads, hard for them to keep their feet warm without stuffing the bottoms.)

For the rest? Apparently I'm the planner for location, what we will need, dates, etc... then I'm the provider (5 kayaks, 5 hammock rigs, 5 tents, etc.), the cook, the bushwhacker (and I really need to up those skills), trail leader, camp leader, general negotiator, etc.. It's almost to the point that it's a full time unpaid job that I provide everything with...and often for free. (I'm lucky if they cover food past their snacks and the odd $20 for gas...and the gear they use isn't cheap but at least they take care of it!). I know what such people are usually called and am well aware of it but sometimes you just don't want to go solo.

[AdventureMyk]

Gary M - I appreciate that winter camping is not your thing, I find the experience great. I love it when I can go to sleep and it is sprinkling/lightly raining and by morning there is snow on the ground (happened to me twice now). I will end by saying to everyone their own.

Had that happen quite a few times. With the right gear heavy thunderstorms along the side of a lake can be a blast! Just watch out for widowmakers in the trees above. Then there is the snow which can be ever so pretty even as it taps lightly on the tent and coats the world in an iridescent sparkle. We get a little of it here in east TN but I used to camp in it regularly with much lower grade gear when I lived in Seattle.

Aside from the odd falling clumps, is there anything as serene and quiet as being out in the snow?

[toejam]

At least one weekend per month (winter is the best time locally). Usually around 30 nights/year.

(I'm bragging cuz I just joined, but I want to encourage people to push themselves into the wilderness more often)

[AdventureMyk]

Toe, you aren't likely going to find many people who object to trying to get others out into the wilderness in this group.

[Opi]

Opi - I think it is awesome you have bagged 25 nights and want 30 this year. Good Luck! However, and no disrespect intended, I do believe the backyard counts when you are not even within sight of any buildings and particularly doing this with your children and their friends (quality family time). I have a rather decent size woods behind my house that I utilize for these "backyard" camp outs and my kids love it. I have one child that is going to start backpacking with me in the near future (this Spring) but as for the others they are not sold on this idea yet.

Hey Indiana, You got green space! You can count as many back yard nights as you would like. I just don't. Nor have I ever slept in my back yard. There are just to many cool places to camp around here within a hours drive. Plus I have too many neighbors around. I would never judge what fellow outdoor enthuisate do in the outdoors. To each is own.

Out of my 30 bag nights I gather about 20 of them will be solo, which I prefer. I love my family and taking them on adventures, but it's a lot of work. Plus I need my alone time

[AdventureMyk]

I have a good spot next to my house that I could camp if it weren't for living on the river with a few paranoid neighbors. The paranoia stems from people snagging jet ski's and canoes from the river (I friggen hate thieves) and as a result they installed a bunch of huge spotlights that are on every night. It ruins any chance of star-gazing, too. If it werent' for them I'd be camping on a little spot atop a hill next to my condo where 8-10 deer live give or take the turkeys. They are used to me enough that they will come within a few feet. I have a feeling I'd get an interested visitor or two over the course of a night if it weren't for all the blazing lights.

[Graywolf]

I camp 25 - 30 nights per year and get one 6 - 8 mile hike in every weekend. From 2005 - 2007 my friend Suzanne and I backpacked every other weekend for 2 years plus 4 week long trips. We covered most of New Mexico and Southern Utah and portions of Colorado, Arizona and California.

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

As often as possible / not often enough are pretty good answers. I do like the minimum goal of heading out at least once a month - whether that be for a quick overnight or for multiple nights with, as often as possible, additional backpacking trips and day hiking excursions scattered in between...