Preparing for First Backpacking Trip with (almost) 10-year Old

 When my almost 10-year old son asked to go backpacking to celebrate his double-digit birthday, I was ecstatic. I grew up in a camping, backpacking, hiking, canoeing, fishing and hunting family (my dad was an outdoor writer). I love to share this part of my childhood (and soul) with my kids, Niko (9) and Julia (7).

Niko’s request came in perfect time as I'm reading "Boys Adrift: The Five Factors Driving the Growing Epidemic of Unmotivated Boys and Underachieving Young Men” and in the book, the author references a term “nature-deficit disorder” in which, “You can easily find high school students in America today who can tell you about the importance of the environment, the carbon cycle…but they’ve never spent a night outdoors…nature is about smelling, hearing, tasting.”

We were ready to smell, hear and taste the backcountry around Austin, Texas!

As I was researching the best spots to take a first time backpacker (as well as a child), finding gear and making my checklist, I was hit with an overpowering feeling of gratitude – it was such an honor that my son requested (and initiated) this adventure…and wanted to experience it with me.   

The last time I went backpacking was in Wyoming with my dad and brother when I was in college…a good 20 years ago. And while I wished I could call my dad for a quick reminder on exactly where the sleeping bag should be placed in my backpack, or to borrow his single burner stove (my dad died from complications of Alzheimer’s in 2008), this was supposed to be an adventure that we navigated on our own…with help from a few great resources.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife website guided me in finding primitive camping areas around Austin. I narrowed my search to Pedernales Falls due to its 40 mile proximity to Austin, camping near a water source and the 2-mile hike.  A blog discussion on www.backpackinglight.com supported my decision.

REI was priceless for a gear checklist that included a whistle (which Niko and I both carried on handmade lanyards around our necks). I was first introduced to this idea after reading Wild. Below is our gear list and in my next blog post, I share my reviews of the equipment. Since fires were prohibited in the primitive camping area of Pedernales Falls, we were most grateful for our headlamps and single burner stove.

Backpacking Checklist

Drinks

·        Water bottles (filled) with holder or carabineer

·        Extra water bottle(s), filled

·        Purification tablets

·        Hot chocolate mix

·        Tea bags

Grilling, Fire & Eating Accessories

·        Lighter, waterproof matches

·        If fire is allowed: Grilling utensils

·        Aluminum foil

·        Aluminum cups (serves as cup and bowl)

·        Sporks

·       Hand & dish soap (if water source is available)
     Hand sanitizing wipes

·        Trash bags

·        Camp pot

·        Camp stove (single burner) + fuel

·        Towel (doubles as oven mit)
      Food bag
      Measuring cup (to measure water amount for freeze dried foods)

Medicine

·        Motrin (kids and adult)

·        Tums

·        Allergy medicine

·        Neosporin

·        Itch cream

·        Insect repellent

Outdoor & Entertainment

·        Tent lantern

·        Head lights

·        Cards & UNO  

·        books, Kindle

·        Frisbee

·        Swiss army knife

·        kids camera

·        Journal, pen

Sleeping

·        tent

·        Sleeping bags

·        Sleeping pads

·        Pillows

Clothing

·        Hat (for sleeping)

·        camp shoes

·        long underwear

·        gloves

·        extra pair of socks

·        rain gear

·        jacket/fleece

·        sunglasses

·        Extra pair of pants

Toiletries

·        Toilet paper

·        Face wipes

·        Hand wipes

·        Mirror

·        Sunscreen

·        Lotion/chapstick

Food/Menu:

·        Breakfast: Dried breakfast skillet; oatmeal

·        Lunch: Dried soup

·        Dinner: Dried beef stroganoff, spaghetti and meatballs; dried ice cream sandwiches

·        GORP, granola bars, other snacks (beef jerky…)

Other:

·        Maps of area

·        Whistle

·        First aid kit

·        Dry box

·        Fully charged phone

·        Extra batteries

·        Backpack

·        Waterproof cover for backpack

·        Watch

       Wallet 

Resources and next steps

• I plan to read "Last Child in the Woods" by Richard Louv who created the phrase, "“nature-deficit disorder”
• Washington Post article: 10 ways to get your kids out in nature, and why it matters
• I gave a customized version of 10 Things I Want My Son to Know Before He Turns 10 with Niko while we were huddled in the tent
• Blog post on gear checklist and what worked best (to come)
• Blog post on our 1-night back-country adventure (to come)

 “…only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes people to be happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature,” Anne Frank.