What would be your ultimate backpacking adventure?

[Nick Gatel]

The Desert Trail.

Never heard of it until BPL member Buck Nelson became the first person to thru hike it.

http://bucktrack.blogspot.com/2012/07/i-finished-my-hike-of-desert-trail.html?m=1

[McDowell Crook]

I found this list of long-distance trails informative:

http://www.trailjournals.com/journal_index.cfm

[Brian Lewis]

"For a single extended BPing trip I would seriously look at a PCT/CDT loop."

I think that very very (very) few people would be able and WANT to hike all of that as a single trip. The pieces sum to nearly 7000 miles of backpacking. Doing a 2000+ trip in one year is plenty and enough for me. Of the two pieces that I've done of this loop (PCT and CDT) I really wasn't inclined to walk anymore for that year when I finished, particularly after the CDT. (The AT, by contrast, after a few weeks off I went to Europe and was happy to hike a few hundred more miles there in the same year).

I might eventually hike all of the Great Western Loop pieces; certainly the 1200 mile PNW trail calls to me, and is pretty close to where I live. But do just one piece of this to get a sense for Skurka's accomplishment (and note that he's still the only one to do the loop in a single year). It's a whole lot more than "just" a yo-yo.

"Ultimate" backpacking adventure — there are so very many. I quite like hiking in Europe and hope to do more. The Te Araroa in NZ sounds great, or alternatively stitching together trail pieces there. The Trans-Canada trail is hopefully going to be fully connected by 2017. I have a friend who's doing the Annapurna circuit next year, I think, and that's no doubt spectacular. I'd like to get into Patagonia and sort of wallow in that. So very much to see and do.

[Paul Magnanti]

If I was gifted with a year of time, enough money in the bank and (this is the tough one) did not have to start over yet again working my way up at a job (the wife would esp appreciate that!!! :) ), I would not do one grand adventure but a series of mini-adventures. Cherry pick trails and routes for the best time of the year. Come back home for a month or so [1] and then set out again.

January or so? I'd backcountry ski every day or close to it. When I was unemployed a few winters ago, it is without exaggeration to say I was on skis probably 20+ days out of 30 during winter. It may not have been all day affairs (3 hrs perhaps at time), but it was skiing. Nordic backcountry or backcountry tele. I was in the best shape of my life, too. Cardio, core, upper and lower body. Balance. Large and small muscle groups. Plus it is beautiful and fun!!!

Which brings us to:

Starting in mid Feb or early March, I would "thru-ski" the 300 mile long Catamount Trail in Vermont. Always wanted to do it. Logistics (esp camping) may be interesting at times, but what a way to see New England in the winter!

Short rest and then:

early-ish to mid-April: A southwest desert trail. The Hayduke, AZT or GET would all be worthy jaunts. The AZT for the beauty of Arizona, The GET for the wonderfully easy logistics or the HDT for the sheer uniqueness of the Colorado Plateau. Decisions. Decisions.

And in May and June, I would focus on local hikes and work on my climbing more. Enjoy my town and haunt the brew pubs after post-hikes and climbing. :)

In July, time to squeeze in the High Sierra Route.

Early August? Time to hike the Great Divide Trail along the Canadian Rockies ~700 miles of some of the most scenic, stunning and awesome mountains I've ever seen.

Finish by mid-September at the very latest (and hope it does not snow ;) )and go back to my very patient wife.

Spend a month again enjoying the local area as the CO Rockies in late fall is cool, crisp and wonderful.

And in mid October or so, I'd do the Allegheny Trail just as the leaves are hitting their peak foliage. The Eastern hardwood forests are awesomely beautiful in the Fall, and I've always wanted to do this obscure trail. At 300 miles long, a nice two week journey for me.

And in November? It is car camping season in the southwest. Short days, but less people in the BLM area, national parks and national monuments. Makes for long nights in camp..perfect for what I call "base camp" car camping. Make long day hikes, come back to camp and snuggle in the ridiculously large and warm sleeping bags we have. This would be after a delicious meal we cooked on the Coleman stove. Naturally we'll see it on our camp chair in our out-of-the way primitive campsite some where off a dirt road in Utah. We'd enjoy the brilliant night sky above while sipping on a hot drink with "splash of something extra". Mrs Mags likes these types of trips and I've grown to enjoy them myself in the very late fall/early winter.

And in December? A little skiing while I get ready to start another job.

Maybe it is my age, enjoy my community or the fact that I've done some reasonably large adventures earlier in life, but the mini-adventures and cherry picking the best seasons to do them in really appeal to me at this point in my life.

[1] I actually enjoy where I live. Would not want to be away too long. See above about the wife part. ;)

[Ozzy McKinney]

Well thought out Paul. Sounds like you have thought about it a time or two!

I'll be leaving for the AT at the end of April. While this isn't my "Ultimate" backpacking adventure, I'm going for it because it is logistically/financially feasible for me at this point, and I need to get out and do something big.

More and more I feel like just "doing" is more important than all the little details. I think it is easy to fall into the "someday" trap, and it ends up being "never".

In my work, I see a lot of people who go from totally healthy to hospice in a matter of weeks, usually after being blindsided by cancer. Nobody ever says "I wish I would have worked more overtime" or "I wish I could pay off my car". It's usually "I've never been to Europe" or "I wanted to see the Himalaya". And the older folks, who have lived a long time and made plenty of mistakes, they always tell you to go for it, take chances. I think a very small number of people truly live life without regret, but it's something worth thinking about. The whole "You'll regret what you didn't do, not what you did do" sort of thing.

I think I'm just rambling now. But it's been on my mind a lot lately.

[Paul Magnanti]

>>Well thought out Paul. Sounds like you have thought about it a time or two!

More than I wish to admit. ;)

I look at my German in-laws with their copious amount of vacation time (and sick time. Whats that again??? ) that they can take with in large chunks, and I am frankly jealous.

In the past, I'd save up money, quit work and take 7-8 months off total.

Then I'd start over again.

I've done the "grad student life-style" as I call it: Room mates, everything in a storage locker, etc.

Worked for me at the time, but (at least for me) it does get to be a lifestyle that does grow tiring after a bit. Maybe that is why I don't want or need the ultimate adventure at this point, but rather a flexible lifestyle that allows a balance between paying the bills, making sure I am not selling apples on the side of the street at 75 yo, but also getting more than the standard time off found in most places.

As mentioned before, in the next two or three years I hope to be like a good friend of mine who works in an in-demand field, works 7-8 months a year and then plays for 4-6 months.

We'll see. :)

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[Justin Baker]

Walking the entire length of the Big Sur from the ocean to the base of the black cone, crossing over to the other fork and following it back.

I also want to walk the length of the Little Sur river, walking up to the window at the headwaters, crossing over the ridge (past kandlbinder) and dropping down into the south fork.

[Steve Meier]

I just knocked off #1 on my bucket list, summiting Kilimanjaro in September. What a great ride that was. I'll need to post some pics.

Next on my life list is Machu Piccu with my wife and also Everest base camp. After that, NZ and something in Europe…

[Eugene Smith]

Purely backpacking? Easy.

My "ultimate" backpacking adventure would be The Vagabond Loop- Arizona Trail, Hayduke Trail, Colorado Trail, and Grand Enchantment Trail.

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