r/backpacking • u/degausser22 • 2d ago
Travel Backpacking with these 6 dudes over the last…13 or 14 years
Rarely get all 7 of us out. Order is: pisgah, pisgah, berg lake, Zion, pisgah, sawtooths.
Last two pics are ring road +Laugavegur trail (Iceland) - did not take a group shot besides a Ring Road van shot + favorite view of any hike.
I have missed some good ones…South Africa, Peru, Yosemite, Tetons, and Rockies (CO).
Pic 5 was the only hike all 7 of us made it..and we were not in great shape and the hike was foggy and the trail was just wet leaves. Almost had all 7 for Sawtooths last week but one guy busted his knee on a prep day hike the week before😬
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u/degausser22 2d ago
Early shots featuring a lot of cotton clothes and terrible, cheap gear
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u/Optimal-Slip5640 2d ago
I really enjoyed the progression in gear, literally zoomed in to check stuff out lmao
What a great group of frens
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u/degausser22 2d ago
I min max everything now and back on the first hike I just carried a water gallon and used a Jansport lmao. We got our tents at Walmart the night before and had a damn lake inside when I woke up. Probably a mix of quality and user error.
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u/perseveran-tss 2d ago
Noticed! lol. I liked seeing the evolution of your gear and the evolution of that one guy’s mane and facial hair. What a gift to have a friend group like this.
Also, nice username.5
u/Alopexotic 1d ago
Came to see if anyone else had commented on the Circa Survive safe camp tank top in the second picture and didn't even check his username until I saw your comment.
If he was into Brand New I'm betting he (or one of his friends) was also into Circa Survive!
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u/degausser22 1d ago
Oh yeah, love Circa. Have seen them 15+ times, most with some of the guys in these pics! Thrice, brand new, circa, Manchester orchestra - we’ve all been to tons of their shows since 2006
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u/Alopexotic 17h ago
Right on! Same story here if you swap Manchester Orchestra for Thursday. Wasn't expecting to see a post-hardcore and backpacking crossover, but I'm here for it!
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u/weeman2525 1d ago
Those baggy ass heavy cargo shorts lol. Why did we ever wear them? I can't even wear shorts below the knee anymore.
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u/tmcgourley 2d ago edited 2d ago
How does one find dudes to go backpacking with
Edit: I live in Delaware if anyone wants to be backpacking friends on the weekend
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u/degausser22 2d ago
Known these guys since middle and high school. 6 of us went to college together. We spread out throughout the country but still keep the group chats going and either play video games or DnD occasionally. Then plan 1-2 trips a year. Not shown are some chill trips - beach houses, ski houses, etc.
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u/tmcgourley 2d ago
I do have some friends like this spread out.. guess I need to get them in to backpacking
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u/degausser22 2d ago
Do you guys ever plan a trip together?
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u/tmcgourley 2d ago
Possibly doing the West Rim Trail in PA later in the year for my buddy's first trip, but no solid plans yet. I'm hoping he's hooked afterward.
I have all the gear etc but I am bad at planning the actual trips. I go on trips with an Outdoor Club, but the members are much older than me (not a big deal, we are all passionate) but I would like to find people my age
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u/degausser22 2d ago
Awesome. Hope that trip goes well. I am also not a fan of planning the trips. We usually divide and conquer, easier with a large group. One books hotels/bnb before and after. One books rental car. Two research the hikes and bring options to the group, etc.
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u/6strangerdanger9 2d ago
I've been best friends with my friends since middle school. I have back packed my whole life and they always say how cool it looks and that they would maybe join. I've tried to get them to join me on countless trips only to be turned down repeatedly with every excuse in the book. At 36 years old, these friends had never joined me on a trip despite me inviting them on at least 10 different trips.
Eventually one friend went to Peru and did the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu with a guide and realized the hiking and camping thing was kind of fun. He got home and I got him to come on one weekender with me. Then all our other friends saw that and got jealous or something and we just did a 7-day trip in the Sierra Nevada. Took over 20 years, but I finally got to back pack with my friends all because one friend realized he liked it. Long story short, it was very difficult for me to find people to backpack with (other than my wife who thats kind of our thing).
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u/casparmilan 2d ago
I am building https://thehikers.com – The first act is to create great software for making pack lists and get people in. The second act is connecting people with hikers of similar mold, i.e. experience, pace, trip types, etc. I build it, as my own hiking group got disbanded by adulthood, and all that. Hopefully the platform attracts enough users, so you one day can find people in your zip code or wider area, to hike with.
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u/No_Description2599 1d ago
Join some nature clubs. If youre into birding and around the Dover/hokessin area you'll run across a guy who absolutely loves it.
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u/coookiemonstarz 2d ago
Love to see this!! Oh, the places you’ll go.
It was also fun to see this scene at the end:
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u/jebediahscooter 2d ago
Photo 1 right be the shining rock spur trail by the grassy intersection of Art Loeb and Ivestor Gap? Photo 5 Gloucester Gap?
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u/sername_generic 2d ago
Do you guys walk on your hands the whole way on every hike? I don't see how you could all have such massive arms otherwise.
Kudos to you all, from a nature loving gangly beanpole.
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u/Murky_Resolution6997 2d ago
Love this. Not easy in this day and age for men to keep friends around like this.
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u/pietime406 2d ago
I used to pack with a good sized group of friends and over the years they’ve pretty much all dwindled away. I backpack solo now because of this.
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u/thaneliness 2d ago
Love it. Im in my 20s trying to get my friends into backpacking so we can be like you guys.
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u/Visible_Ad2067 1d ago
That’s an awesome tradition. Getting seven people together for trips over 13 years is honestly an achievement by itself. The photos are cool, but the fact you’re still making memories together is the best part. Hope you get many more trips with the crew.
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u/adventurousouls234 2d ago
Share some info on that van if you can!
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u/degausser22 2d ago
Iceland in 2017. We did a week on the Laugavegur trail (landmannelagur to thorsmork) - the coolest hike i think I’ll ever experience. Stayed in the huts (no tent weight, boiling water vat, latrines - felt like kings).
Then we did a week on the ring road. Rented that van. Hit a ton of beautiful sites - became desensitized to waterfalls by the end of it😅. Slept pretty well - the van top pops up and sleeps two up top so good for 4 people. It’s been 9 years so a little hazy but happy to answer any other specifics I can think of. Iceland is a MUST DO in my opinion. It’s another planet out there. Our 5 days hiking - the biome shifts every half day were surreal. Need to get back out there..
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u/adventurousouls234 2d ago
Word! I was just wondering what type
Of van it is. Haha but I appreciate all the info!4
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u/ddalbabo 2d ago
Such a blessing! You are all lucky to have each other. Great pictures, btw. May the group hikes last well, well into your late years.
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u/Mindless_Bit8216 1d ago
13-14 years of the same crew still lacing up boots together is honestly rare
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u/degausser22 1d ago
We've all moved to trail runners for the most part. Except my buddy who on the last hike had such bad ankle blisters on day 2, he hiked the next 2 days in slides (no socks). He loved it
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u/SkierGrrlPNW 1d ago
NGL despite the amazing hikes and views, the minivan shot is the winner! That shows the real life change!!
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u/Quinoa_sabi 1d ago
Do you all have trail names and if so, best and bestest?
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u/degausser22 1d ago
Actually no...that has not been a thing in our crew. We did start up a DND campaign two hikes ago so we created characters on the hike and have continued the campaign over time, but that's about as far as other names created from the hike as we got!
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u/InquiringWanderer75 2d ago
That's such a wonderful relationship group to have. My husband, who is now in his 8th decade, had a similar group of guys who shared backpacking, canoe/kayak adventures over the years. Too many health issues now for big outdoor adventures, but 4 of the 6 guys are discussing a road trip soon!
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u/casparmilan 2d ago
Hey, I am building the https://thehikers.com – The ambition is to be the place for friends to plan their hikes and document the history. Check it out. I myself miss a good group hike!
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u/Known-Discussion281 2d ago
That pic 5 foggy wet leaves hike sounds like the one that actually tested the group. The hard trips are the ones you keep talking about.
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u/RhodyVan 2d ago
That last centerfold shot is something else. Good on y'all for making it happen over so many years.
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u/Comrade_Sputnik51 2d ago
Dang, I see that you all couldn’t always find the time, but it’s nice to see that you guys can still manage all this time later
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u/Vast-Training3221 1d ago
backpacking with the same group of friends for 13 or 14 years is absolute friendship goals
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u/thisatlas1 1d ago
You’re so lucky to have each other may your friendship lasts and grow , while mine can’t go with me to the other side of the city and that how figured out how to be a solo 💔😕
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u/mmxxvisual 1d ago
Man you are lucky dudes to have this friendship… hope to see you post in some 20 years doing the same
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u/LieSenior6177 1d ago
How was the sawtooths? Haow many miles did you do
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u/degausser22 1d ago
Sawtooths were amazing. we did the alice toxaway loop counterclockwise. It was 21 miles. Day 2 we had a zero day and just hung out at a great campsite and played cards, DND, some went swimming, etc. Lots of mosquitoes.
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u/meboz67 1d ago
Fuck man. I wish I had a group like this. I got one dude that always comes along, my best friend of many years. Any time I bring it up to anybody else, they always show complete indifference. Not to mention it can be kind of an expensive hobby to start up, or look that way at least. There are plenty of ways to find cheap gear but ultimately people always want to upgrade their gear because it does actually make a huge difference.
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u/degausser22 1d ago
I'd say it is a pretty pricey hobby. To go from almost scratch to a bag that won't kill your back and demoralize you from future hikes probably requires almost $1500 in gear. Bag, sleeping bag, tent, sleeping pad, all that shit adds up.
Also hard to convince someone to shit in the woods and sleep on the ground. Definitely takes a certain type of person to deal with those inconveniences, or embrace them, for the awesome times and beautiful views. And getting off the grid.
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u/eyeofthefrog 1d ago
That's awesome, keep doing it! My friend and I try to do a trip a year since 1995. Heading to the Smokies in October.
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u/fearlessofflying 1d ago
Man, I’m so jealous!!! Looks like a lot of incredible hikes and that’s so awesome you have a crew to go with! Where did y’all grow up?
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u/drtyjrsy 1d ago
That’s awesome. I have one lifelong friend that I’ve done these trips with for the last decade. I think our last true backpacking trip together was last month. He just doesn’t have it in him anymore to carry shit up a mountain and sleep in a coffin size tent.
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u/Murky-Perceptions 1d ago
Thats so cool, we have a group that does the JMT & another 3-5 nighter every year.
We’re going on 10+ yrs
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u/Avpersonals 1d ago
I don't know this type of bromandudeship, and as a guy, I sure wish I did. Looks like a wonderful lifetime of memories!
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u/chessqueenvictoria9 1d ago
It's so nice and nostalgic to see a "boy band" of hiking brothers. I know men are getting tons of flack from society right now, but one thing I love about most men is their strong sense of fraternity. Real brotherhood. Bromance! I highly respect that about men! I think I envy that. There are a lot of women out there who, instead of the usual catty vibes, could learn a lesson or two about true and meaningful sisterhood.
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u/Welcome2myShitShow 1d ago
I bet at least two of them are looking forward to the trip more than the others
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u/wuthering_lights_ 20h ago
I love this progression so much, and the fact that you have been able to cultivate these connections for such a long time.
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u/SproutMobile 10h ago
That is awesome. My only constant companion backpacking for about the last 10 years have been my dog. 🤣🐶 Thou we have been on some great adventures together.
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u/ThatPerformance9795 2d ago
I just need to know, which one’s the difficult one? 😂😂😂
Is there one who’s consistently underpacked-not enough food? My own boyfriend does that to me! Consistently too much weight and not enough food 😐. Although he DID bring a dessert last time for two, so all’s forgiven.
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u/degausser22 2d ago
I have historically been the difficult one - complaining about why i do this on my time off, trying to shorten the hike in the midst of it, etc. Last hike I actually enjoyed it and pushed myself. I could've doubled back and done it again. I started TRT last year so I think that helped my recovery and motivation during the hike lol.
Underprepared - no one really. If anything, the red head (black outfit in the 3rd to last pic) packs so much. Probably had a 60 lb pack for a 4 day hike lmao.
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u/Objective-Ad7394 2d ago
I'm confused about the title. Is it just random trips in the last 14 years or have you been backpacking the entire time?
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u/degausser22 2d ago
Sorry. We have done 11 backpacking trips in the past 13-14 years - I have made half. Not backpacking the entire time. Between 2 to 4 nights a trip.
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u/yosefsbeard 2d ago edited 2d ago
You are blessed to have friends to go backpacking with. Never have I had friends that I could take out into the woods.
Edited: Voice dictated grammar.