Ramsey’s Draft Backpacking

OVERVIEW

Hello fellow forest-geeks,

I’m looking for some cool cucumbers to explore Ramsey’s Draft, this weekend, in celebration Autumn’s (unhurried) arrival. If you like a roof of stars and the whisper of katydids, this hike is for you. Beginners are welcome.

The plan:
1. Saturday: leave from Echols in the morning, hit the trail. Hike to our campsite and ~swim in the creek~ (About 11 miles).
2.Sunday: Hike back to the car, about 6 or 7 miles, then drive home.

First-timers, let me know if you have any questions. You MUST bring the items below — most of which you can find at the gear room. Our wonderful gear room folks will guide through selecting the items on this list.
Essential Items:
1. Backpacking backpack
2. Headlamp/flashlight — preferably both, with spare batteries
3. Warm clothes AND RAIN JACKET: aim for lots of layers (no cotton) plus a cleanish pair of long johns
4. 2.5 or 3L of water. (You can use my water filter if you don’t have one)
5. Food! You will need 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 2 dinners. Beginners, packing food isn’t as hard as you might think. Clif bars, trail mix, oatmeal packs, and tuna packs are great for breakfast or lunch. Ramen, beans, macaroni, summer sausage are good dinner food. If you’re a first-year, you can double-bag any dining hall meals that keep without refrigeration. Please also bring a cup and utensil.
6. A sleeping bag and pad. If you’re unsure, err on the warm side. (A 20-degree bag is plenty for this trip)
7. A tent. We can coordinate tent-buddies.
8. A stove. Not everybody needs their own, but we need more than just my single one. The gear room has some stoves, and we can coordinate.
9. Trash bags. Bring several legitimate trash bags to keep your clothes, sleeping bag, food, and maybe even your tent in. If it rains while we’re hiking, they will keep your items dry even if your pack gets soaked.
10. Supportive footwear: the trail will probably be muddy, so bring extra socks
11. Several large sturdy trash bags