PONIES Round 2: MT ROGERS BACKPACKING!!

OVERVIEW

We’re gonna try this again. Why? Because this is Outdoors Club and we get outside B.

I’ve heard so much about Mt Rogers and have never been. Yikes. I could use the classic “I’m a fourth year” or “I’m not getting any younger” copout, but I really just wanna see a WILD PONY. Also, it’s October. The weather is gorgeous. The leaves are changing. I need to procrastinate. My time is now, and so is yours.

We’ll be doing the Mt. Rogers/Wilburn Ridge Hike. It’s a total of 21.5 miles through some BEAUUTIFULL scenery. Peep below for the breakdown & info on the trail.

Game Plan:

Friday 10/18/19 (no Friday classes boiiiisss, which means we blow this popsicle stand early and get as much adventure time in as we can)
-Drive ~ 4 hrs to the trailhead at Grindstone Campground
-Leave our car there, and head out into the vast wilderness, The Wood, the unknown
-Hike ~ 4.1 miles to the Old Orchard Shelter. Set up camp, chilly dog it, mingle with some thru hikers, etc

Saturday 10/19/19
– Hike 10.5 miles (+ 1 mile offshoot to the peak of Mt Rogers)
– Set up camp at the Thomas Knob shelter
– Chili dog it, grab some grub, frolic in the stream – whatever tickles your peach

Sunday 10/20/19 – “It’s gonna be a short game, and I gotta get home for lunch” — brownie points if you know where that’s from
– EARLY start — forreal I have salsa practice at 5:00
-Hike out the 6.2 miles back to Grindstone Campground
-Say goodbye 🙁 *tear*
-Drive back to Cville
-Shower, veg, sleep, blow of homework – the usge

To see a step-by-step guide of what I’m looking to do, check this out:
https://www.hikingupward.com/JNF/MtRogersWilburnRidge/

This trip is open to newbies, though some backpacking experience may be useful (especially since this trail is new to me). But 420 oz. of enthusiasm, grit, and a positive attitude can easily make up for that!! If you are new to this and want some help, text me 678-520-3016.

To Bring:
**Backpack (at least 55 L w/ rain cover)

** Sleep system (sleeping bag + mat + tent, eno, or bivy/tarp) – I’ll be bringing my 2 person tent and am down to buddy up if y’all are. We will be stopping at shelters, so you do have the option of sleeping in those if you want. But shelters are first-come-first-serve with priority given to thru hikers. According to Hiking Upward, there are lots of good tent spots around the shelters.

** Food (2 breakfasts, 3 lunches – if you count the car rides, 2 dinners, + snacks) – shoot for protein-filled & calorically dense foods. For lunches, shoot for foods that don’t need to be cooked (sandwiches, bars, etc). For dinners, it’s best to shoot for instant stuff that just requires boiling water (pasta, instant soups, ramen, dehydrated meals – Mtn Houses, Backpacker Pantry, etc). You should also bring a stuff sack to put your food in, one that’s preferably water resistant/waterproof. I’ll may hit Kroger next week, so if you wanna come or need help with food, hmu.

**Cookware (pot, pot grips, stove, fuel, bowl/spoon – whatever you need for your meals). I’ll be bringing my stove that we can use, and we can always drop overlaps in cookware before we hit the trail.

**2 Water bottles (at least 1L each) & a water dromedary bag (to carry lots of water) if you have it. We can fill up before we leave Grindstone & there should be a stream at every shelter, but we will need water throughout the day for hiking. I’ll bring my 6L drom.

**Water filtration system. There are streams near the shelters & water at Grindstone. I’ll be bringing a filter and tablets, but it’d be helpful for at least 1 other person to have a filter.

**Clothing (here’s a sample list of things; what you bring is really based on comfort and how much weight you wanna carry; I personally always bring extra stuff in case things get wet); AVOID COTTON
-shirts (1-2)
-shorts (1-2)
-leggings/ lightweight long pants (1)
-socks (2)
-underwear & sports bras (personal discretion, but I say 1-2 pairs)
-sleep clothes? – more weight, but some peeps like a clean pair of clothes to sleep in
-warm layers (beanie/ear wamer; synthetic/wool quarter zip; puffy – something to keep you warm)

**Rain Gear (jacket & pants if you want them)

**Headlamp (& extra batteries)

**Good shoes (I’m bringing my hiking shoes & Keens)
-trekking poles (if you’re old like me)
-toothpaste/toothbrush
-wilderness survival stuff: pocket knife, lighter, compass – not necessary, but if you have it, never a bad idea to bring it
-hat/sunglasses
-camp chair?
-book? cards? Crossword puzzles? Frisbee? Instruments?
-extra plastic baggies/trash bags (to carry out trash & keep things dry)

* I will be bringing group gear stuff like bear bins/rope, tarp, trowel, and first aid kits to divvy up. If we have overlaps in gear too and want to drop weight, we can always do that before we hit the trail.

DRIVERS NEEDED! I’m trying to take 1 car if we can, and preferably one with lots of trunk space to fit everyone’s stuff. Depending on interest, we might take 2 cars – that’ll just mean more $ for parking. Drivers get priority off the waitlist, gas reimbursed, and a 50% tip (capped at $20). Please show up with a full tank!