Backpacking

Ohiopyle 2022

This was my first formal backpacking trip, and part of a larger trip: college “pre-orientation.” The trip also included biking, kayaking, and white water rafting.

This is when I discovered my love for backpacking. After getting slightly lost, we made our way to camp, which was a lean-to. It was infested with camel crickets and mice, but the experience still didn’t put me off.

Dolly Sods 2023

Later that year, I joined my school’s outdoors club as an instructor. As a part of this, I attended HOLT (Hopkins outdoor leadership training). It was a 12 day backpacking trip. The first few days were as a group with our more experienced instructors in Dolly Sods, then a couple days of recovery at a lean-to with plenty of professional development and a “bush push” (6 miles off trail, navigating only with maps and compasses), and finally the new instructors were set off on their own to Cranberry Wilderness for the last few days.

During the first segment, pairs of instructors took turns leading the group. I started our longest day out strong with a quick one mile detour (we got lost) and the rest of the day was spent moving very slowly through some trails that just barely existed- if you looked hard enough. We got caught in the rain for the last few miles, and when we got to our lean-to for the night, it was already taken. We set up tarps nearby, and struggled to start a fire in the wet conditions until we finally gave up and went to bed. Despite all of this, that was my favorite day of the trip! It was much more fun than I make it out to be.

Quehanna Trail 2024

Much to my mom’s dissatisfaction, this was my first solo journey. I could see why a nearly 80 mile trail in the winter would seem scary to her, but I was very competent at this point and even more determined.

I drove the 5 or so hours from Michigan and got to the trailhead at noon. I hiked 18 miles and set up camp in the dark.

On the second day, I walked about 26 miles through some pretty intense elevation changes, and couldn’t find water when it was time to set up camp. It snowed throughout the day, which created some beautiful winter scenery.

The third day, I woke up and my boots were frozen solid. It took me 20 minutes just to get my feet in. I went back and forth throughout the day, but eventually decided to walk the 36 miles back to my car. Six of those ended up being in the complete dark, guided by my trusty D4V2 (see tools).

This trip left me with a record five blisters (some of which were very large) and some very bruised shoulders and hips. I estimate my bag was nearly 50 pounds.

This trip was a huge physical challenge for me, and I can’t explain the feeling of getting back to your car after something like this. You just have to experience it.

AT Section 2023

I worked my way up the leadership scale after HOLT, and led a watered down version of pre-o, which was cancelled in 2023. This trip was during labor day, and allowed me to meet tons of new people, many of whom went on to also become outdoors instructors at our university. It was a 3 day backpacking trip on a section of the AT not to far from campus (Chimney Rocks area).

I unfortunately have no pictures from this trip, but here is the aftermath of a tie-dye recruiting event that the outdoors club had.

Raven Rocks 2024

This was the outdoors club trip that had me officially promoted to a full lead. The walk was short, only seven miles or so. The two day trip went very smoothly, and was defined by the people we met along the way.

There was an overlook along our path where we met “Soggy” who is a hiker and trail angel for that section of the AT. It was incredible to hear his stories, and the people he helped along the way. He was there to pick up a dog with an injured paw from a backpacker.

We also met “Viking” at the shelters that night. He brought tons of stuff with him, and chatted with us throughout the night. He gave us tons of tips and tricks he had, and made our lives a bit easier with a small hatchet and saw. He had been hiking with a larger group, but had stayed at the shelter due to an injury.

Once again, no pictures here, but here is one of solar eclipse that happened just a day after. You should totally ask me about the trip I took to see it- it was incredible.

Mt. Washington 2024

This page is supposed to be about backpacking, but I can’t help but put this “day-hike” on here.

Ben, my recently graduated friend (who also taught me much of what I know about engineering), texted me a week or so prior that he wanted to go on a trip. After forgetting for several days in a row, and eventually giving my MAPC boss (see engineering section) three days notice, I took Monday off. Myself and one of other recently graduated friends, Eleni, drove out to Ben in Philly where we slept for the night.

That morning, we woke up and drove to Wings airport where Ben flew his Cirrus SR20 up to New Hampshire. Words can not describe how incredible this experience was, it was my first (and only) time in a small aircraft. We got in the airports courtesy car and drove to the trailhead at Mt. Washington.

We hiked the vertical mile up to the top, seeing some incredible views along the way, but were unfortunately covered in fog at the peak. After acknowledging how weird it was that there were also people who just drove up the mountain, we enjoyed “Snickers Quesadillas,” which are just tortillas with melted snickers in them.

We hiked down, and flew home.

Big Schloss 2024

This was my second solo trip. I got to the trailhead at about 7pm after driving there from Costco where I enjoyed a chicken bake.

I walked about two miles before setting up camp, and hiked the remaining 26 the following day, where I got to see Big Schloss, which is one of the best views in the Appalachians.

Ohiopyle 2024

In the summer of 2024, I returned to Ohiopyle with Samuel, a friend from high school. Him and I did a 20 mile point to point after driving in on Friday night after work. It was a very wonderful trip, and nice to see one of my best friends that I hadn’t seen in a while. It rained hard Saturday morning, but we managed to stay mostly dry. We got to camp pretty early that day, and overall had a relaxed trip. Except for when I got bit by a spider (I think…) on the walk out, but it wasn’t that bad.