Gay Ponies?! Grayson Highlands Queer Backpacking (Beginner)

OVERVIEW

Are you queer? Do you want to go backpacking in Grayson Highlands w/ some other queers (and also wild ponies)? Great, this is the trip for you. Jenna & I are ecstatic to be leading another queer backpacking trip!

**We need drivers. Drivers get priority off waitlist and gas reimbursement.

Here r the deets:
Loose itinerary:
Saturday
8am- meet at echols, drive (it’s a 3.5-4 hr drive ):
12pm- get to trailhead, eat lunch
12:30pm- hike!
3:30pm- get to campsites. hang out, set up camp, see the ponies, dinner, be gay, etc etc
Sunday
8am- wake up, breakfast, pack up camp
9:30am- latest “be on trail” time
12:30pm- get to cars, lunch
1pm-5pm- drive back

Hike description: The hike we’ll be doing is an out-and-back along the Appalachian Trail that is 5 miles each way. It is something that, for beginners, I describe as “doable for almost all, but likely difficult for some.” We’ll go slow & take as many breaks as necessary.

Packing list:
You Bring:
-food for two days (plz bring meals & enough snacks that u will be nourished for our hiking etc!)
-something to cook your food in (small cookpot) & utensil
-(optional) backpacking stove & fuel
-water bottles/bladder w/ 2L capacity
-backpacking backpack
-sleeping bag (I recommend a 30deg bag. Lows should be in the low 50s, but weather in Grayson Highlands can change quickly)
-sleeping pad
-clothes (pack layers, no cotton, an outfit for hiking and an outfit for sleeping)
-fleece and/or puffy jacket
-rain jacket
-tent (I’ll make a group chat so if people want to coordinate tent-sharing they can)
-shoes you will be comfortable hiking in
-hat
-headlamp

Jenna and I will bring for the group:
-first aid kit (and our WFA knowledge, ur in good hands)
-water filter(s?)
-camp stove and fuel (depending on # of people, would recommend bringing one if you have it just so we’re not all waiting turns etc)

Gear Rooms/other:
Please utilize the gear rooms for any gear you may not have:
Mondays @ 12pm — Max St. Clair (617-780-1129)
Tuesdays @ 2:15pm — Mitch Lang (804-955-8990)
Wednesdays @ 5:30pm — Ed Aten (434-326-8868)
Thursdays @ 8:30am — Evelyn Needham (303-944-5484)
Fridays @ 3:15pm — Renee Erickson (703-850-9725)
Lmk if you can’t get to any of the gear rooms and I can either go for you or grab u gear from elsewhere (shhhh I may or may not have significant access to secret gear). Also, if you have any questions regarding gear/clothing/food, don’t hesitate to reach out.

This is an affinity trip! Plz do not sign up if you do not consider yourself to be queer or trans. If you don’t want your registration for this trip to be seen on the website, just text me (7576476745) and we can sort something out.

Looking forward to it!!!

-Carson & Jenna