Wyoming: Preparations

Getting Ready for a 25-day Hike in the Wind River Range

Posted by Isaac on Tuesday, July 11, 2023

Pine Trees Near Mountain Landscape Photograph by Pixabay

On July 12th, I’m leaving with a group of nine other students for a NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) course in Lander, Wyoming, for a 25-day backpacking trip in the Wind River Range of the Rocky Mountains. During this course, we will learn outdoor skills such as orienteering and camp cooking as well as improve leadership skills such as decision-making and tolerance. Through this course, we will learn how to work together to overcome challenges and obstacles in unfamiliar territory.

Training Hike

Jack and I

Jack and I

On July 3rd, I did an overnight hike on the Birkhead Mountain and Camp 3 Trail Loop with my friend Jack Hopper. The Birkhead Wilderness is located in the northern section of the Uwharrie National Forest in Troy, NC. The trail is almost seven miles long, and although it doesn’t feature any outstanding views, it still has beautiful scenery of quintessential piedmont forest.

Our camp

Our camp

Being a short loop, it only took us a few hours (we had to stop for lunch) to reach the halfway point. Due to our obliviousness, we ended up setting camp off trail in a pretty nasty spot. The forest floor was covered with shrubs, small rocks, and other vines. We later found out that a cleared campsite existed less than a quarter mile down the trail with cleared openings, fire pits, and plenty of places to sit. In our defense, it wasn’t listed on the map.

The trail

The trail

We spent the evening discussing light topics like the difference between music and language and the issues of the contemporary church. For dinner, Jack had Velveeta mac and cheese, but I decided to be adventurous and eat curried quinoa with beans. It ended up being a delicious meal, but I didn’t think through its effects. We ended the night by playing some blackjack and lamenting our gaps in card game knowledge.

A stream

A stream

For breakfast, I had coffee and oatmeal and quickly learned that tent stakes can dig catholes when you fail to bring a trowel (but I don’t recommend relying on this method). After we packed up, the rest of the hike was tranquil. We only ran into one other hiker the entire trip (and they were leaving when we arrived) and were met with great weather.

Mysterious object

Mysterious object

We didn’t see anything too crazy, but we did cross some pretty streams, find two turtles, and stumble upon a mysterious object in a crater (if you know what that is, please let me know!). All in all, it was a nice little hike that let me break in my boots some more and get a feel for some of my backpacking gear.

Thoughts

Honestly, I’m not too nervous about this expedition. I know hubris is a tragic flaw, but after traveling the world alone for the better part of a year, a four-week group trip just seems like fun. We’ll have three group leaders with us, which means make-or-break situations won’t be left entirely up to us (although we will have some say).

Ultimately, I’m looking forward to meeting new people and being able to experience some breath-taking scenery together. I’m also excited about being able to go through yet another technology detox (I suppose five weeks wasn’t enough). Regardless, I’m sure the entire experience will provide ample opportunities to overcome challenges and grow as an individual and as a member of a larger group.

Gear

NOLS sends out a packing list with mandatory items, so there are a few items I had little say over. Still, many of the gear items I’m bringing I’ve either used before or have heard high praise about. Additionally, if there are some essential items missing from my list, that’s because I plan to rent them directly from NOLS. For example, we’re required to have an 80-liter backpack. I already own a 68-liter pack that works great for me (the Osprey Aether 65), and I have no reason to upgrade, so I’m just renting the pack from them. Regardless, the following is the bulk of the gear I’ll be bringing on my trip in the Wind River Wilderness:

  • 2 pairs of underwear
  • 3 pairs of socks

I’m sure these last two items could be seen as excessive, but how could I possibly enjoy the beauty of the Rockies with bland food and symptoms of caffeine withdrawal? With that being said, I’ll be sure to provide an update on the trip as soon as I get back. Take it easy, everyone!

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