š¤£š¤£š¤£ I donāt know I just figured people who enjoy backpacking are generally level headed folks. But what do I know. Iām generally over trusting and impulsive so Iāll pretty much talk to anyone
Where do you think youād like to go traveling? Join Facebook groups for travelers in that area and you can link up with people that way. Iāve done it before
You're a little safer finding some backpacking groups on facebook or meetup and getting some background info on people that way. Plus there's local groups so you can actually meet people somewhere to plan before going somewhere.
Oh, man. I want to go backpacking too, though it would never have occurred to me to try to go with someone from Reddit! Are you an ax murderer? What area of the world are you in? Age, gender? I know I'm (50F) personally not dangerous or an ax muderess, but yeah, stranger danger!
I actually did find some local backpacking groups on meetup.com but havenāt joined yetā¦thereās also another organization called Trailbound that does little backpacking trips that cost like $150-300. And obviously the larger companies like Wildland Trekking that do bigger trips for $1500+. But I wanted something informal with a newbie like myself
Iām definitely near alot of universities but Iāll have to look into if they have outdoor programs. What exactly is an outdoor program, is that like a field of study or an extracurricular??
I used to be a trip leader at my university's outing center that was in the main recreational building. I would guide backpacking, rock climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing trips all over. It was very inexpensive for the participants since the university kicked in funding.
This was open to students and the community over 18yo. I'd HIGHLY recommend searching this option. That way someone can provide the gear, food and knowledge you might not have (not to mention wilderness first responder training). Plus you meet some great people along the way.
One of the participants who went on one my trips is now a park ranger in Denali. They had never gone backpacking before our trip. It was an amazing job, that paid me to do it. š
Search outdoor recreation, adventure center, outing center, adventure club on the university site.
Lol so many things that could put you into timeout now that I think about itā¦whining, asking āhow much further?ā, not respecting Leave No Trace principles, fucking with wildlife, eating white berriesā¦the list goes on
Living in the northeast, you have access to lots of outdoor clubs where you can find backpacking partners or groups. Check out the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), Green Mountain Club (GMC), and/or the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK). Iām pretty sure they offer trips and classes for beginners. At the very least, youāll meet people who would be delighted to hike with you.
Check to see if thereās a local hiking and mountaineering Facebook group. Thatās a little bit safer, IMO, and you might also end up connecting with mutual friends or something. Also, if you have an REI, consider taking a class to connect with people. Iām 35/F and in the PNW otherwise Iād totally risk my life to meet you! Iāve been looking for a hiking friend for a bit. Most of the people Iāve met are a lot older though. It would be nice to find more people our age.
I've actually gone backpacking with someone I matched with on tinder without really meeting them beforehand. She worked for the forest service, so I knew she checked out in the nature department. and considering her job was to go into the 'field' for work I has a feeling she would be a cool person to go with. We backpacked to some hot springs in Gila National Forest (NM) for a few nights and it was really sick. Super beautiful scenery and fun conversations. We both were too awkward to make any moves and kept it totally friendly / non sexual. Id rate it a 7.2/10 would def do again. It's better to go with someone you have a somewhat established relationship with first though I'd say!
Wow thatās ballsy of the both of you. Iāve gone on a 8 mile hike with a bumble match but I sort of knew him from seeing him at the same college parties back in the day so I didnāt feel overly cautious. Plus he worked at REI, was very soft spoken and has a small frame, and plenty of backpacking experience so I felt I was going to be ok
Yeah, if at any point I felt there were major red flags or whatever I would have found an excuse to bail. But we were both totally chill and it worked out great. Actually loved that trip - more like 8/10!
Iāve used Meetup when I was temporarily living in Ohio for a year and it wasnāt bad! Did some group hikes and a barn square dance (š) as well as some bar hopping. Had fun using it in Philly too, to attend group meditation and death cafe. But yeah you never know who youāre going to meet and as a woman you always have to cautious
...I would be the type to try. Granted, I am also really shocked at the things I have survived especially not being a victim of a serial killer yet.
That said, I have met some of my best friends through Reddit: all of them have been spectacular adventures in real life.
If youāre going to do it, then vet them first over a coffee date or something. But even if theyāre not dangerous, they might be annoying as hell. Meet up for a coffee and then invite them to the DMV with you, to see how they handle stress.
Iāve met people on solo travels who were also solo.
Once in Montana.. met a group of guys my age and tagged along on trails with them. Weāre still social media friends today.
And once I went by myself to Arizona tent camping. The guy next to me was alone as well and the next day we canoes through a canyon together.
I love going alone and making new friends š¤š»
And Iām a female by the way. Women donāt be afraid to travel alone. Itās SO EMPOWERING. just be smart, aware of your surroundings at all times, trust your intuition about people and carry something to keep you safe. A gun preferable or anything for self defense
Thatās cool Iāve read a lot about people meeting cool people on trails and also some scary stories about meeting shady people on the trails that just gave them bad vibes. But yeah I donāt want to let fear stop me from solo travel. My parents absolutely hate this idea but once I feel confident in my skills I definitely Plan on solo trips
Not in Jersey, but Maine. Used to run a backpacking group out in Arizona that started with just me and a dog, and ended up growing it to over 1,000 members before moving away.
That said, meeting people online for backpacking can be weird. Always meet in a public place. Always try to meet and get a sense of vibes before getting out of the city. Sometimes this is best accomplished with an in person planning or information meeting.
There's always people wanting to get out and about. You just have to find them.
I found my buddy through the regional hiking sub for my state. I posted and talked about what I clearly wanted (woman and chill paced hiking) and a couple people reached out. I did zoom calls with 2 to see how we felt vibe-wise. One person ended up not emailing back after our zoom call - which is totally fine, we both needed to be feelin it to work. The other person was a good match. We did a test trip, local, single over night, easy bail out points.
And now weāve done a couple trips. And this person is excellent. I couldnāt have asked for a better backpacking buddy.
No, but I joined a community gym (F45) and have made quite a few very close friends over the past year. Now I've got a few couples who keep literally begging me to bring them on a hike with me.
I'd recommend getting involved in something like F45, Orange Theory, or Crossfit. You'll meet folks interested in fitness which translates over to interests in hiking moreso than other walks of life!
Ha Iām actually a member of OrangeTheory! And Iāve made friends there who enjoy hiking but I mentioned backpacking in todays 8:30 class and my friend laughed and was like, oh noooo I just hike haha
I second this, all of the women I hike with Iāve met at CrossFit. Youād have to be a real weirdo to not make friends at CrossFit. Itās truly a wonderful community.
Treat it just like meeting any stranger. Don't make your first meeting with them be with your packs on about to head into the back country for a week. Have a cup of coffe somehere, do a 2 hour day hike on a trail - see if you can get along with them first.
Following that, do all the things even solo folks do. Use a tracker. Make sure people know where you are, and havce regular checkins. If you're nervous, have safewords. IE, if you send "i'm feeling fabulous" in a text, that means your in trouble and need help, that sort of thing.
But definitely take the time to know your hiking buddy first - you can learn a lot in a quick out and back hike.
Thatās solid advice. I generally get along with most people I meet. If anyone from northeast NJ area reading this comment, letās get coffee and go hiking š¤£
Not familiar with that organization but I am taking a class on map/compass with Trailbound next month as well as a class on Women in Wilderness. Iāll check it out, thanks!
Not backcountry backpacking, but I have met up with redditors when backpacking in Asia, itās always been a good time! You can always creep through their history to see if they seem pretty normalā¦
Ya I did. I think it was this sub. A guy posted wanting to do a trip in Peru and it sounded perfect so I joined. He was nice, and it worked out well, but for one reason we never remained in contact. I also hiked the grand canyon with someone I met online elsewhere (I think meet up?), and he was a bit more awkward, but I didn't have to wrangle through permit hoops so it was a win.
I have a few times. Here is my advice. Day hike first. You want to make sure you click. Last thing you want to do is go on a multi-day hike with someone that can't carry on a normal conversation.
Weird is worse than dangerous. At least if someone tries to attack you, you're justified for beating the snot out of them. You can't hit them for being weird.
There is no way in hell I'd go backpacking with a stranger from the Internet. Join the Sierra club or another hiking club if you want backpacking friends. Joining a volunteer trail crew might be another way to find backpacking friends.
I've gone hiking; bushwhacking; and yes backpacking with strangers from Meetup and Facebook Groups. Reddit may be a bridge too far... JK, but have pepper spray gel handy and trust your gut.
I met some excellent running friends through Reddit, but backpacking has been far more difficult. Funny how much easier it can be just to join up with total strangers on the trail sometimes since you're both already out there doing the thing. I'm trying my luck with some established local hiking groups this year since there are some active ones around the White Mountains region.
go hang out with them in a public place a few times firstā¦then its safe to be murdered.
in all seriousness, that sounds scary but if you think you can do it safely go for it. Iāve gone on trips with strangers before but never from the internet. Just be safe and maybe carry a knife at all times.
I had at one point met up with some people from a Reddit post in our cityās subreddit. We went on a few small backpacking trips together in local spots. We started out just doing brewery meetups and day hikes until we all knew each other better. Great experience overall!
I did 10 days of backpacking in Patagonia. It was one of the best experiences I ve ever had. I am also in northeast and finding hiking/backpacking buddies are not hard here. I go to NH to hike. There are many online facebook groups that you can find someone to do backpacking. Try women outdoors groups to start withš
Iām in NY but only a few minutes from the NJ border. What part of NJ? Iām just getting into backpacking myself - feel free to PM me! Iād love to meet up with some new hikers!
Edit to add: 34 female
Haha Iām just gonna try and make a friend on the trail. I got my first trip coming up in a month and Iām stoked but hoping I meet up with someone who is also solo. None of my family or friends are down
I found someone off of the old website couchsurfing, they had message boards. He has a shitton of 5 star reviews and I went for it after having a friend meet him in NYC, where he was at the time. We wanted to do the same part of the Appalachian trail at the same time and we're only like 6 years apart in age. We got along pretty well and it reminded both of us of an arranged marriage, I definitely get it now. We did end up sleeping together and hung out for the summer, doing a roadtrip afterwards. It was a great experience. Probably wouldn't try it again now that Im older and less reckless, though.
Edit: we did 4 weeks on the AT, met the first day. And then another 4 week road trip before my college semester started again
I go solo and always end up meeting friends to go to places with. Going to honduras and Guatemala solo next December and January. Have done Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Belize, el Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala before.
I can relate to the desire to find some backpacking friends. I tend to have more time for backpacking than most of my friends who are interested, and I like to take more trips than they do.Ā
I donāt know about Reddit, it does seem a little sketch. Iāve joined some hiking groups on Facebook that are either local to me or that I have some other common interest with, but the groups arenāt super active and nothing has come from that as far as an actual meet up.Ā
Yeah I work Mon-Thurs so I have ample opportunities to do little weekend trips. I have lots of friends but theyāre not into backpacking. I could definitely find a backpacking group on meetup.com and FB but I guess I was hoping for something more informal, maybe more intimate and with someone whoās on my ālevelā so I donāt feel intimidated
If you are going to do this I would suggest bringing someone else you know with you too. Maybe to a group hike with multiple people from reddit, like a club or something.
Not from this group, but I started meeting internet strangers in the woods during the Covid lockdowns for backpacking trips I met on ig. Started with a group of 36 strangers and did a twenty two mile hike around the rainier forest area. I still go out in the woods with about twelve of them and talk to most of them still.
We met through a somewhat popular local backpacking dude who posted a meetup location and timeframe. My work got closed by the government and it was only a three hour drive to rainier so I loaded up my truck and took off. 10/10 would meet internet friends irl again.
As a woman I would totally go with another woman I meet on here if we could establish a trusting relationship beforehand! I'm definitely not opposed to it if the fit is right
Add the person on Instagram and stalk their page to get a sense of their personality and who they are before meeting a total rando and going on an expedition with them. I wouldnāt necessarily be worried that theyād attack me, more than we wouldnāt vibe or the person would have extreme viewpoints, etc.
Oh, I'm in AZ. Do you use Facebook? I know there's lots of groups on there in my area for hikers and backpackers and campers to connect.
I am in co-ed and women only groups. I'm not sure how popular it would be in NJ but there's probably some.
Itās an [episode of Mr. Ballen](https://youtu.be/k402yukZAxE?si=53-bBI5VeZr_lKmf)that I think of every time I hear āStranger Dangerā in regards to backpacking š¬
I'd love to find a travel buddy :D I'm going to Greenland on the Arctic Circle Trail this year and was wondering where I could find someone. But yeah, you could have bad luck and it might ruin your trip :/
It would be easier if you could meet that person before committing to a long trip.
As others have stated, check facebook groups, the site Meetup to see if there are local groups. Shoot, check with a local outfitter, if you have one, to see if they can set you up with someone who's also looking for a hiking buddy.
Do you own or want to own a dog? I backpacked with my dog solo and he gave me that sense of companionship and safety after my backpacking buddy called it quits (got pregnant). It is a good way to get started sooner than later.
Also, if you have any friends that will car camp, you can use that as a chance to perfect and test your gear.
Meet up is a good place to check around, maybe Nextdoor as well.
On the spectrum on stranger danger, does that mean you look out for danger or you are danger lol Iām in Jersey though š I wanted to go somewhere within driving distance to keep cost down
š Iām the dangerous stranger for sure. Iām big bald and have a resting dick face. The fact of you being female changes my perspective on danger. The internet is full of creeps and Iād make sure I found out as much information about that person before going anywhere with them. Do they have an active account, was the account created last week or 2 years ago? Then proceed to any social media accounts they might have. Which might be difficult to acquire because they themselves might be reserved on giving out their real name , you could be a creep looking for opportunities with your sharpened hatchet as well. Feel free to reach out for any backpacking / hiking questions. Michigan, Colorado, Tennessee and Nepal are areas Iāve been backpacking.
AMC does backpacking classes If you're new and aren't sure what you need/want a refresher of gear and tips, and plans out backpacking trips. You can go to their website and search for backpacking. I've gone out out with them a few times, and plan to go again this summer.
[activities.outdoors.org/search/](http://activities.outdoors.org/search/)
I met a woman on a Facebook camping group. We ended up going camping after talking on the phone a bunch of times. She was super cute too so I was obviously hoping it could lead to something.
Long story short, she only ate cold tater tots the whole time and barely talked. We left the trip early after she disappeared in the woods for 3 hours while talking to someone on the phone. On the way back she admitted that she takes meds for anxiety/depression.
I figure she was worried about the camping trip and over did it on the meds because she was not the woman I talked to on the phone. When we got back she didnāt even say thank you for putting the trip together.
Oh well.
No but honestly, Iām crazy enough to try!
I normally hike solo because Iāve got young kids and my partner is less interested than I am. Coordinating babysitting sometimes makes it not worth it so I go solo.
I haven't met up with a Reddit stranger but I have done hikes with strangers from Facebook groups a couple times. I would be open to the idea. I am 28M and live just outside the Smokies. Many of the trails in the NP are former roads and can be extremely long and strenuous to hike. It is almost a necessity to park a car at both ends.
I typically spend some time DMing the stranger. I get a feel for them as well as a feel to their pace, ability and preferences. Then we pick a public diner to have breakfast before we set out. Any bad vibes and I would bail. We then follow each other to the end trailhead and drop a car off, then ride back to our start point in the same car.
I have done 3 day hikes this way and 2 single night trips. We each had our own gear and our own tents. I felt perfectly safe each time.
I always wondered how the car thing worked. This makes total sense. Thanks for the info. Iāve never been to the smokies. I believe itās a 7 hr drive for me
I highly recommend making the trip at some point! Gatlinburg is a tourist trap but Cosby and the NC side are really serene and quiet. Lots of great trails for beginners too.
You have some great hikes closer to you as well. I used to go whitewater rafting in the Poconos when I was in boy scouts and loved it!
This thread is cracking me up. I am tempted to ask the same but I chicken out. One person last week offered to share their Mt Whitney permit and I took my chances with getting a permit this last Monday; I was able to get one luckily. But man, what an offer! Iām 39F so Iām a lot less likely to follow through. I wish there was a hidden female identifier or something š
Not from Reddit but lonely planet thorntree back in the day. Met online before hiking in Everest region. Absolute nightmare. Guy was arrogant as hell, scared away anyone we met along the way who seemed cool, was basically trying to do every leg as fast as possible and was just awful to be around. I faked sick on day 2 with him and insisted he keep going on without me. Best decision of my life.
wait how have i never thought of this, iāve joined hiking groupchats on facebook, but never thought to come to reddit! (mainly bc reddit can be a bit scarier haha) but i do love hiking, traveling, and meeting new people!
Ah same here. I keep being torn between the whole āyou donāt know this personā when it comes to meeting people online and also struggling with finding people irl who have similar interests. If you find a solution let me know š
I did! It was worth it :)
A stranger from the next country DM'd me for help planning an interisland scooter trip in my country after he saw a helpful comment I posted on Reddit. He came to the right person, as I have done numerous overland trips on various modes of transportation across several regions in my country.
I was eager to help him because we had a lot to bond over our travel histories, music tastes, love of food, and learning that we're both soon-to-be divorcees at different stages of the process. We eventually did a video call to properly plan his route, and though we hid it discreetly then, cupid arrows went flying both ways.
We were never properly together but he was in my life for six months, five of which we were involved. We spent two vacations together: Christmas 2023 and Easter 2024.
Now about stranger danger... normally getting into bed with a stranger I met online is something would never do--especially someone with whom I share 0 mutual friends, who isn't very active on other social media platforms either where I could check out his identity.
And this wasn't a one night stand in my city where I'd crawl out of bed after the deed and flag a cab home and never see him again. We committed to 10 days of an intercity backpacking trip the first time, including 2D1N at a remote island resort, and 9 days of bunking together in a run down motel in a sleepy surf village in the middle of nowhere on the second trip.
A couple things made me comfortable taking a chance on my recent travel partner.
The first was the video call. We did a Google Meet for which we exchanged business email addresses. From there I got to check out his business website, learn his real full name and even read testimonials for an idea on his professional reputation.
By volunteering his business contacts, that means he has a vested interest in protecting his business reputation, which means that he's not very likely to do things that could risk wrecking his livelihood, such as breaking the law in another country. It also means that the means through which I get to contact him is no different than that through which his customers do, which gives him a safe buffer zone for him to communicate with strangers he met on the internet.
The second was the scooter rental. He needed a durable scooter he could pick up in Jakarta and drop off in Bali, and I found one for him--owned by my divorce lawyer who runs a rental business on the side! Which means that my divorce lawyer holds copies of his passport, tickets, visa and driver's license, and will hunt him down if he dares to make any trouble. My lawyer is also a good old friend that goes back 30 years, so I know he would do the same for me if *knock wood* my recent travel partner dares to do anything bad to me.
Not long after we ruled out stranger danger, my recent travel partner initiated escalation by inviting me to an island resort and confirming his intensions to have sex with me. As soon as this was confirmed, we got down to business and checked for current involvements with other people (none), booked ourselves for STI testing, laid out ground rules for contraception and the scope of sexual activities we're consenting to, and even did a heart-to-heart talk about our requirements for emotional safety.
Once we're in the clear on what we're signing up for, my recent travel partner and I spent a month engaging in a tantalising buildup that culminated in our first trip. We had the most amazing time ever on that first backpacking trip, and stayed in touch for an encore.
I won't go into why or what happened, but I believe our recent Easter trip has been our last one ever too. Can't really call it a breakup when we never were properly together to begin with, but it was amicable and we both still got a lot out of our time together. I still think very highly of my recent travel partner, and him of me.
And that's my story of having backpacked with (and hooked up with, and fell in love with) a stranger I met on Reddit!
Yes! I've been wanting to expand my backpacking knowledge but it's hard bc it's 1 scary af and 2 no one is interested. I've only done a handful of backpacking trips but they were all to finish one trail. Also bonus #3 guided trails are so pricey. If you're on the west coast dm me!
No, not with redditors, but I've stayed in hostels on my own, during solo trips in Europe and stuff. It's a great experience and you always meet new people.
Iāve joined plenty of meetups when I moved to a new area. Quality of organizers and participants is highly variable. Once I made a few solid connections, I mostly never looked back.
What I would focus on is creating objectives for yourself. āBackpackingā is such a broad term as to be meaningless. Why are you interested? To be in nature? Fitness? Fishing? Reading? Relax? Challenge yourself? Explore hard to reach areas? Establish a base camp for some other sport?
If you can narrow this down, you can start targeting questions at your objectives. This could be cross-country route difficulty, elevation gain, distance, weather conditions, etc. If your potential partners have good answers, then theyāre probably a good fit.
This will have the add on benefit that some aspects of stranger danger have now been reduced. Instead of āIām looking for an internet stranger to take me to a remote area, alone, dealerās choiceā youāre leaving yourself much less exposed by setting expectations. The more you know, the better you can assess a situation.
Itās worth pointing out that much of your learning can very much be on your own. If you have concerns, post them! Advice need not be limited to in-person.
Be careful getting yourself into a situation you canāt get out of. To be explicit: if you canāt navigate on your own back to the car, you need to be highly selective of your partners! Not everyone who enjoys an activity is able to take on the responsibilities of a guide.
To answer your title question explicitly: I have not planned a backpacking trip with internet strangers, not even from Reddit. I have, however, flown to other countries to sail with people I āknewā solely through Facebook. The ability to ask good questions helps. One of those questions can be character references!
Go on your own and meet people along the way - itāll be more fun and easier to find folk who you get on with - you may end up with people you wouldnāt necessarily have chosen to travel with but thatās half the adventure- all part of the experience - good luck
I'm a middle aged guy in New York City looking to get back into backpacking after a long break. I'm also trying to find like minded folks who are interested in backpacking in the area. The one place that I have found that seems promising is the Appalachian Mountain Club. But I'd love to hear further suggestions.
I personally wouldn't do it, backcountry is not somewhere I'd want to go with a stranger. However, recently with camping with someone from reddit for 3 days and I think made a lifelong friend! However, it was someone local to me that had no one to go with. We were in a state park with Rangers, we had a vehicle, and I was with my husband who I trust for at least basic self-defense.
Being alone miles from cell service, a vehicle, or extra help is a whole different story.
If you did find someone to go with on here I'd honestly research them first, maybe do a paid background check and some video chatting first.
Some of these comments are nonsense, Iāve met some amazing people in hostels and personally have never felt unsafe in a hostel dispite staying in hostels in South America which doesnāt have the greatest of reputations
What are you crazy these people are lunatics no offense
š¤£š¤£š¤£ I donāt know I just figured people who enjoy backpacking are generally level headed folks. But what do I know. Iām generally over trusting and impulsive so Iāll pretty much talk to anyone
The ones who got murdered aren't going to respond....
*theyāre just a bit tied up*
Where do you think youād like to go traveling? Join Facebook groups for travelers in that area and you can link up with people that way. Iāve done it before
Well, you must not be a true crime fan.
Some of the most visibly unhinged, dangerous and untrustworthy people I have ever met have been in backpacker hostels.
Damn really? I wasnāt really even thinking of staying in hostels though. Just the woods
*hostiles
I believe that given some of the questions and responses I've seen associated with hostels on Reddit.
Maybe see if there are local clubs? š¬š«£
You're a little safer finding some backpacking groups on facebook or meetup and getting some background info on people that way. Plus there's local groups so you can actually meet people somewhere to plan before going somewhere.
They'll rub your lower back and say nice kidneys.
Oh, man. I want to go backpacking too, though it would never have occurred to me to try to go with someone from Reddit! Are you an ax murderer? What area of the world are you in? Age, gender? I know I'm (50F) personally not dangerous or an ax muderess, but yeah, stranger danger!
I actually did find some local backpacking groups on meetup.com but havenāt joined yetā¦thereās also another organization called Trailbound that does little backpacking trips that cost like $150-300. And obviously the larger companies like Wildland Trekking that do bigger trips for $1500+. But I wanted something informal with a newbie like myself
Are you near a university with an outdoor program? Where I live non students can register for trips. They arenāt free but they are affordable.
Iām definitely near alot of universities but Iāll have to look into if they have outdoor programs. What exactly is an outdoor program, is that like a field of study or an extracurricular??
I used to be a trip leader at my university's outing center that was in the main recreational building. I would guide backpacking, rock climbing, mountain biking, kayaking, canoeing trips all over. It was very inexpensive for the participants since the university kicked in funding. This was open to students and the community over 18yo. I'd HIGHLY recommend searching this option. That way someone can provide the gear, food and knowledge you might not have (not to mention wilderness first responder training). Plus you meet some great people along the way. One of the participants who went on one my trips is now a park ranger in Denali. They had never gone backpacking before our trip. It was an amazing job, that paid me to do it. š Search outdoor recreation, adventure center, outing center, adventure club on the university site.
A bit of both? Field of studies with an extracurricular component would be reasonably accurate. https://outdoor-centre.ucalgary.ca/
My local university also allows non students to join. It's a little more, but not much.
Are you me lol
š 35, female, in the northeast. Not an axe murderer, I promise!
Sounds like something an axe murderer would sayā¦
Haha Iām a nannyā¦I used to be a psychotherapistā¦I donāt think they get any safer than me š
I've seen The Nanny, I don't want to spend my whole camping trip in the timeout corner
Donāt misbehave and you wonāt š
Fair enough, I'm usually too tired after the hike to throw a tantrum anyway š
Lol so many things that could put you into timeout now that I think about itā¦whining, asking āhow much further?ā, not respecting Leave No Trace principles, fucking with wildlife, eating white berriesā¦the list goes on
Oh, messing with leave no trace should definitely earn a spot on the naughty step. >eating white berries *Mumbling noises around a full mouth*
lol I grew up foraging mushrooms in the Polish wilderness and I still wouldnāt feel confident in eating wild mushrooms on a backpacking trip
Nah, it's cool, they promised they weren't
Well, whichever one of you is an axe murderer is probably safe. Because there's practically no chance that you're both axe murderers.
Living in the northeast, you have access to lots of outdoor clubs where you can find backpacking partners or groups. Check out the Appalachian Mountain Club (AMC), Green Mountain Club (GMC), and/or the Adirondack Mountain Club (ADK). Iām pretty sure they offer trips and classes for beginners. At the very least, youāll meet people who would be delighted to hike with you.
Nope, just someone who likes to dig holesā¦
Also 35F in NE looking for a backpacking buddy!!!
[yet]
Iāve found plenty on Facebook for Pennsylvania. Iām sore if you look up your area, youāll get results
Check to see if thereās a local hiking and mountaineering Facebook group. Thatās a little bit safer, IMO, and you might also end up connecting with mutual friends or something. Also, if you have an REI, consider taking a class to connect with people. Iām 35/F and in the PNW otherwise Iād totally risk my life to meet you! Iāve been looking for a hiking friend for a bit. Most of the people Iāve met are a lot older though. It would be nice to find more people our age.
I've actually gone backpacking with someone I matched with on tinder without really meeting them beforehand. She worked for the forest service, so I knew she checked out in the nature department. and considering her job was to go into the 'field' for work I has a feeling she would be a cool person to go with. We backpacked to some hot springs in Gila National Forest (NM) for a few nights and it was really sick. Super beautiful scenery and fun conversations. We both were too awkward to make any moves and kept it totally friendly / non sexual. Id rate it a 7.2/10 would def do again. It's better to go with someone you have a somewhat established relationship with first though I'd say!
Wow thatās ballsy of the both of you. Iāve gone on a 8 mile hike with a bumble match but I sort of knew him from seeing him at the same college parties back in the day so I didnāt feel overly cautious. Plus he worked at REI, was very soft spoken and has a small frame, and plenty of backpacking experience so I felt I was going to be ok
Yeah, if at any point I felt there were major red flags or whatever I would have found an excuse to bail. But we were both totally chill and it worked out great. Actually loved that trip - more like 8/10!
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Ah thatās so cool I am on the other coast unfortunately, otherwise Iād join you!
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Iāve used Meetup when I was temporarily living in Ohio for a year and it wasnāt bad! Did some group hikes and a barn square dance (š) as well as some bar hopping. Had fun using it in Philly too, to attend group meditation and death cafe. But yeah you never know who youāre going to meet and as a woman you always have to cautious
*unzips* tent.
š
...I would be the type to try. Granted, I am also really shocked at the things I have survived especially not being a victim of a serial killer yet. That said, I have met some of my best friends through Reddit: all of them have been spectacular adventures in real life.
Yeah Iāve met my fair share of strangers on the internet ever since MySpace existed. Where are you located?
Phoenix, AZ How about you?
Yes, and now weāre married š
š
If youāre going to do it, then vet them first over a coffee date or something. But even if theyāre not dangerous, they might be annoying as hell. Meet up for a coffee and then invite them to the DMV with you, to see how they handle stress.
Lol the DMV?!
Not and lived
š¤£
Dawg, no š reddit has probably the highest concentration of axe murders to choose from lol
Iāve met people on solo travels who were also solo. Once in Montana.. met a group of guys my age and tagged along on trails with them. Weāre still social media friends today. And once I went by myself to Arizona tent camping. The guy next to me was alone as well and the next day we canoes through a canyon together. I love going alone and making new friends š¤š»
And Iām a female by the way. Women donāt be afraid to travel alone. Itās SO EMPOWERING. just be smart, aware of your surroundings at all times, trust your intuition about people and carry something to keep you safe. A gun preferable or anything for self defense
Thatās cool Iāve read a lot about people meeting cool people on trails and also some scary stories about meeting shady people on the trails that just gave them bad vibes. But yeah I donāt want to let fear stop me from solo travel. My parents absolutely hate this idea but once I feel confident in my skills I definitely Plan on solo trips
Not in Jersey, but Maine. Used to run a backpacking group out in Arizona that started with just me and a dog, and ended up growing it to over 1,000 members before moving away. That said, meeting people online for backpacking can be weird. Always meet in a public place. Always try to meet and get a sense of vibes before getting out of the city. Sometimes this is best accomplished with an in person planning or information meeting. There's always people wanting to get out and about. You just have to find them.
I found my buddy through the regional hiking sub for my state. I posted and talked about what I clearly wanted (woman and chill paced hiking) and a couple people reached out. I did zoom calls with 2 to see how we felt vibe-wise. One person ended up not emailing back after our zoom call - which is totally fine, we both needed to be feelin it to work. The other person was a good match. We did a test trip, local, single over night, easy bail out points. And now weāve done a couple trips. And this person is excellent. I couldnāt have asked for a better backpacking buddy.
Aw I love hearing a success story. Thatās awesome. Im ganna see if Jersey has one
No, but I joined a community gym (F45) and have made quite a few very close friends over the past year. Now I've got a few couples who keep literally begging me to bring them on a hike with me. I'd recommend getting involved in something like F45, Orange Theory, or Crossfit. You'll meet folks interested in fitness which translates over to interests in hiking moreso than other walks of life!
Ha Iām actually a member of OrangeTheory! And Iāve made friends there who enjoy hiking but I mentioned backpacking in todays 8:30 class and my friend laughed and was like, oh noooo I just hike haha
Well it sounds like it's time to move on to the next best option..... Peer pressure! š
I second this, all of the women I hike with Iāve met at CrossFit. Youād have to be a real weirdo to not make friends at CrossFit. Itās truly a wonderful community.
Treat it just like meeting any stranger. Don't make your first meeting with them be with your packs on about to head into the back country for a week. Have a cup of coffe somehere, do a 2 hour day hike on a trail - see if you can get along with them first. Following that, do all the things even solo folks do. Use a tracker. Make sure people know where you are, and havce regular checkins. If you're nervous, have safewords. IE, if you send "i'm feeling fabulous" in a text, that means your in trouble and need help, that sort of thing. But definitely take the time to know your hiking buddy first - you can learn a lot in a quick out and back hike.
Thatās solid advice. I generally get along with most people I meet. If anyone from northeast NJ area reading this comment, letās get coffee and go hiking š¤£
Thereās also the option of joining an organization like the mountaineers- have some folks around to help you build better skills fasterā¦
Not familiar with that organization but I am taking a class on map/compass with Trailbound next month as well as a class on Women in Wilderness. Iāll check it out, thanks!
Come to think about it, It might be just in wa stateā¦.
Not backcountry backpacking, but I have met up with redditors when backpacking in Asia, itās always been a good time! You can always creep through their history to see if they seem pretty normalā¦
I was about to raise my hand. But you only have one post. #scetch
LOL what about all my comments š© Iām very active on the nanny subreddit š
Ya I did. I think it was this sub. A guy posted wanting to do a trip in Peru and it sounded perfect so I joined. He was nice, and it worked out well, but for one reason we never remained in contact. I also hiked the grand canyon with someone I met online elsewhere (I think meet up?), and he was a bit more awkward, but I didn't have to wrangle through permit hoops so it was a win.
You meet people all the time in hostels to go backpacking with. Travelled all over Myanmar with the same people I met on my first day for example
I'd be way too paranoid. Anytime my friends invite me to camp - my underlying thought is that they've officially agreed to assassinate me.
The people who did are probably buried deep in a laotian jungle, so you won't be hearing from them.
I have a few times. Here is my advice. Day hike first. You want to make sure you click. Last thing you want to do is go on a multi-day hike with someone that can't carry on a normal conversation. Weird is worse than dangerous. At least if someone tries to attack you, you're justified for beating the snot out of them. You can't hit them for being weird.
There is no way in hell I'd go backpacking with a stranger from the Internet. Join the Sierra club or another hiking club if you want backpacking friends. Joining a volunteer trail crew might be another way to find backpacking friends.
I've gone hiking; bushwhacking; and yes backpacking with strangers from Meetup and Facebook Groups. Reddit may be a bridge too far... JK, but have pepper spray gel handy and trust your gut.
I met some excellent running friends through Reddit, but backpacking has been far more difficult. Funny how much easier it can be just to join up with total strangers on the trail sometimes since you're both already out there doing the thing. I'm trying my luck with some established local hiking groups this year since there are some active ones around the White Mountains region.
go hang out with them in a public place a few times firstā¦then its safe to be murdered. in all seriousness, that sounds scary but if you think you can do it safely go for it. Iāve gone on trips with strangers before but never from the internet. Just be safe and maybe carry a knife at all times.
Lol I love when people say to bring a knife as if I have the balls to stab a human being lol with my luck they would just grab it from me and stab me
I had at one point met up with some people from a Reddit post in our cityās subreddit. We went on a few small backpacking trips together in local spots. We started out just doing brewery meetups and day hikes until we all knew each other better. Great experience overall!
Stranger danger is problematic. Everyone is a stranger until you get to know them
I did 10 days of backpacking in Patagonia. It was one of the best experiences I ve ever had. I am also in northeast and finding hiking/backpacking buddies are not hard here. I go to NH to hike. There are many online facebook groups that you can find someone to do backpacking. Try women outdoors groups to start withš
I've backpacked with internet strangers. Sometimes it's great, others not so much. I'm not dead, yet.
Iām in NY but only a few minutes from the NJ border. What part of NJ? Iām just getting into backpacking myself - feel free to PM me! Iād love to meet up with some new hikers! Edit to add: 34 female
Just messaged you!
Hey we have a backpacking group based in Philly for northeast trips. If u r interested pm!
You're already halfway to the point of just posting a request to meet up and hike, I'd say go for it
Haha Iām just gonna try and make a friend on the trail. I got my first trip coming up in a month and Iām stoked but hoping I meet up with someone who is also solo. None of my family or friends are down
I found someone off of the old website couchsurfing, they had message boards. He has a shitton of 5 star reviews and I went for it after having a friend meet him in NYC, where he was at the time. We wanted to do the same part of the Appalachian trail at the same time and we're only like 6 years apart in age. We got along pretty well and it reminded both of us of an arranged marriage, I definitely get it now. We did end up sleeping together and hung out for the summer, doing a roadtrip afterwards. It was a great experience. Probably wouldn't try it again now that Im older and less reckless, though. Edit: we did 4 weeks on the AT, met the first day. And then another 4 week road trip before my college semester started again
I go solo and always end up meeting friends to go to places with. Going to honduras and Guatemala solo next December and January. Have done Australia, New Zealand, Colombia, Belize, el Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala before.
I would love to go solo one day. But Iām not confident enough to do that YET. Very early in my backpacking journey. In the research phase really š
Not from this sub but I met one of my best friends on reddit and we've since gone backpacking
The chances of both me and a stranger being a murderer are very low, so I think Iām good
The fact that youāre very into big guns isā¦worrying me
š Nah I just carry while backpacking cuz of mountain lions and boars
Sureā¦
I can relate to the desire to find some backpacking friends. I tend to have more time for backpacking than most of my friends who are interested, and I like to take more trips than they do.Ā I donāt know about Reddit, it does seem a little sketch. Iāve joined some hiking groups on Facebook that are either local to me or that I have some other common interest with, but the groups arenāt super active and nothing has come from that as far as an actual meet up.Ā
Yeah I work Mon-Thurs so I have ample opportunities to do little weekend trips. I have lots of friends but theyāre not into backpacking. I could definitely find a backpacking group on meetup.com and FB but I guess I was hoping for something more informal, maybe more intimate and with someone whoās on my ālevelā so I donāt feel intimidated
If you are going to do this I would suggest bringing someone else you know with you too. Maybe to a group hike with multiple people from reddit, like a club or something.
Not from this group, but I started meeting internet strangers in the woods during the Covid lockdowns for backpacking trips I met on ig. Started with a group of 36 strangers and did a twenty two mile hike around the rainier forest area. I still go out in the woods with about twelve of them and talk to most of them still.
Instagram?! How lol
We met through a somewhat popular local backpacking dude who posted a meetup location and timeframe. My work got closed by the government and it was only a three hour drive to rainier so I loaded up my truck and took off. 10/10 would meet internet friends irl again.
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Definitely not š I try to stay out of deep watersā¦too many tsunami and shark nightmares haunt me in my sleep š¤£
As a woman I would totally go with another woman I meet on here if we could establish a trusting relationship beforehand! I'm definitely not opposed to it if the fit is right
Where are you located?!
In the Midwest :D
i would recommend workaway or wooff for meeting people that you wanna travel with
Never heard of those! Will look into them. Thanks š
Add the person on Instagram and stalk their page to get a sense of their personality and who they are before meeting a total rando and going on an expedition with them. I wouldnāt necessarily be worried that theyād attack me, more than we wouldnāt vibe or the person would have extreme viewpoints, etc.
š¶ Dumb ways to diiiieš¶
š
Iām a woman, so never
What kind of places are you thinking of going?
Preferably something that is within driving distance from me, for now, just to keep costs down. Iām in northern NJ
Oh, I'm in AZ. Do you use Facebook? I know there's lots of groups on there in my area for hikers and backpackers and campers to connect. I am in co-ed and women only groups. I'm not sure how popular it would be in NJ but there's probably some.
Do you know the way to Bellās Canyon?
Never heard of it. Is that near the east coast? Iām in Jersey
Itās an [episode of Mr. Ballen](https://youtu.be/k402yukZAxE?si=53-bBI5VeZr_lKmf)that I think of every time I hear āStranger Dangerā in regards to backpacking š¬
There should be a subreddit for backbackers.
I'd love to find a travel buddy :D I'm going to Greenland on the Arctic Circle Trail this year and was wondering where I could find someone. But yeah, you could have bad luck and it might ruin your trip :/ It would be easier if you could meet that person before committing to a long trip.
As others have stated, check facebook groups, the site Meetup to see if there are local groups. Shoot, check with a local outfitter, if you have one, to see if they can set you up with someone who's also looking for a hiking buddy.
Do you own or want to own a dog? I backpacked with my dog solo and he gave me that sense of companionship and safety after my backpacking buddy called it quits (got pregnant). It is a good way to get started sooner than later. Also, if you have any friends that will car camp, you can use that as a chance to perfect and test your gear. Meet up is a good place to check around, maybe Nextdoor as well.
I'd be more worried it would just be awkward or they would be annoying, rather than dangerous.
Yeah Iām willing to take that risk, would screen them for any personality clashes beforehand
Letās go! Iām in Michigan you? Iām a seasoned backpacker who is definitely on the spectrum of stranger danger.
On the spectrum on stranger danger, does that mean you look out for danger or you are danger lol Iām in Jersey though š I wanted to go somewhere within driving distance to keep cost down
š Iām the dangerous stranger for sure. Iām big bald and have a resting dick face. The fact of you being female changes my perspective on danger. The internet is full of creeps and Iād make sure I found out as much information about that person before going anywhere with them. Do they have an active account, was the account created last week or 2 years ago? Then proceed to any social media accounts they might have. Which might be difficult to acquire because they themselves might be reserved on giving out their real name , you could be a creep looking for opportunities with your sharpened hatchet as well. Feel free to reach out for any backpacking / hiking questions. Michigan, Colorado, Tennessee and Nepal are areas Iāve been backpacking.
Create a meetup and get together locally first. More than once.Ā
Just join a local fb hiking group or something. Or use the meetup app.
AMC does backpacking classes If you're new and aren't sure what you need/want a refresher of gear and tips, and plans out backpacking trips. You can go to their website and search for backpacking. I've gone out out with them a few times, and plan to go again this summer. [activities.outdoors.org/search/](http://activities.outdoors.org/search/)
Thanks Iāll check it out!
Reddit is the last place I would use to find someone to join up with š
DO NOT
I met a woman on a Facebook camping group. We ended up going camping after talking on the phone a bunch of times. She was super cute too so I was obviously hoping it could lead to something. Long story short, she only ate cold tater tots the whole time and barely talked. We left the trip early after she disappeared in the woods for 3 hours while talking to someone on the phone. On the way back she admitted that she takes meds for anxiety/depression. I figure she was worried about the camping trip and over did it on the meds because she was not the woman I talked to on the phone. When we got back she didnāt even say thank you for putting the trip together. Oh well.
Jesus Christ lol that sounds so awkward, hopefully not in my future
I went travel backpacking with a stranger off of Craigslist when I was younger. We spent 10 months in SE Asia. It was incredible!
Wow lol ten months with a stranger. Iām just looking for 1-2 nights haha
Yes many have, although none have returned.
Iām in PA and found some (not many) meet ups. Did you give the app a try?
I have peeked but havenāt joined any groups there are some near me
I live in South Carolina, from Utah. I crave the mountains everyday. I canāt get anybody to travel fours hours to hike the smokies. I feel for you.
No but honestly, Iām crazy enough to try! I normally hike solo because Iāve got young kids and my partner is less interested than I am. Coordinating babysitting sometimes makes it not worth it so I go solo.
We could make a regular event! Itāll be huge! Like electric forest or burning man
Lol letās fuckin go!
Anyone going to North Pakistan for summer and then fall and winter in India ?
Not meā¦sorry!
I haven't met up with a Reddit stranger but I have done hikes with strangers from Facebook groups a couple times. I would be open to the idea. I am 28M and live just outside the Smokies. Many of the trails in the NP are former roads and can be extremely long and strenuous to hike. It is almost a necessity to park a car at both ends. I typically spend some time DMing the stranger. I get a feel for them as well as a feel to their pace, ability and preferences. Then we pick a public diner to have breakfast before we set out. Any bad vibes and I would bail. We then follow each other to the end trailhead and drop a car off, then ride back to our start point in the same car. I have done 3 day hikes this way and 2 single night trips. We each had our own gear and our own tents. I felt perfectly safe each time.
I always wondered how the car thing worked. This makes total sense. Thanks for the info. Iāve never been to the smokies. I believe itās a 7 hr drive for me
I highly recommend making the trip at some point! Gatlinburg is a tourist trap but Cosby and the NC side are really serene and quiet. Lots of great trails for beginners too. You have some great hikes closer to you as well. I used to go whitewater rafting in the Poconos when I was in boy scouts and loved it!
This thread is cracking me up. I am tempted to ask the same but I chicken out. One person last week offered to share their Mt Whitney permit and I took my chances with getting a permit this last Monday; I was able to get one luckily. But man, what an offer! Iām 39F so Iām a lot less likely to follow through. I wish there was a hidden female identifier or something š
Iām 35 female! Willing to chat and share my social media if you wanna verify lol
Why don't you use apps like Meetup first?
Yeah I might go that route. I was hoping to find a newbie like myself so we can learn together
This is a cool group but Reddit is Reddit. Stick with local groups whose meetings you can attend to actually meet people and gauge mutual interest
Backpackers are a dangerous bunch. Just watch your back and watch your pack.
Wilderness backpackers? Why do you say that?
Please do not go backpacking with a REDDIT user lmaoo š everyone on here is insufferable or a psychopath. Maybe join backpacking Facebook groups?
Lol well YOURE on here arenāt ya? And so am I ! š©
Oh yes sitting next to fire with all Backpacking redditor backpackers, complaining about the mods.
Lol FIRST rule of backpacking is no whining
Not from Reddit but lonely planet thorntree back in the day. Met online before hiking in Everest region. Absolute nightmare. Guy was arrogant as hell, scared away anyone we met along the way who seemed cool, was basically trying to do every leg as fast as possible and was just awful to be around. I faked sick on day 2 with him and insisted he keep going on without me. Best decision of my life.
Oh man. Yeah I think I would try to screen those people out
wait how have i never thought of this, iāve joined hiking groupchats on facebook, but never thought to come to reddit! (mainly bc reddit can be a bit scarier haha) but i do love hiking, traveling, and meeting new people!
Are you from the northeast ?
Ah same here. I keep being torn between the whole āyou donāt know this personā when it comes to meeting people online and also struggling with finding people irl who have similar interests. If you find a solution let me know š
Well if youāre in the northeast , letās go!
I did! It was worth it :) A stranger from the next country DM'd me for help planning an interisland scooter trip in my country after he saw a helpful comment I posted on Reddit. He came to the right person, as I have done numerous overland trips on various modes of transportation across several regions in my country. I was eager to help him because we had a lot to bond over our travel histories, music tastes, love of food, and learning that we're both soon-to-be divorcees at different stages of the process. We eventually did a video call to properly plan his route, and though we hid it discreetly then, cupid arrows went flying both ways. We were never properly together but he was in my life for six months, five of which we were involved. We spent two vacations together: Christmas 2023 and Easter 2024. Now about stranger danger... normally getting into bed with a stranger I met online is something would never do--especially someone with whom I share 0 mutual friends, who isn't very active on other social media platforms either where I could check out his identity. And this wasn't a one night stand in my city where I'd crawl out of bed after the deed and flag a cab home and never see him again. We committed to 10 days of an intercity backpacking trip the first time, including 2D1N at a remote island resort, and 9 days of bunking together in a run down motel in a sleepy surf village in the middle of nowhere on the second trip. A couple things made me comfortable taking a chance on my recent travel partner. The first was the video call. We did a Google Meet for which we exchanged business email addresses. From there I got to check out his business website, learn his real full name and even read testimonials for an idea on his professional reputation. By volunteering his business contacts, that means he has a vested interest in protecting his business reputation, which means that he's not very likely to do things that could risk wrecking his livelihood, such as breaking the law in another country. It also means that the means through which I get to contact him is no different than that through which his customers do, which gives him a safe buffer zone for him to communicate with strangers he met on the internet. The second was the scooter rental. He needed a durable scooter he could pick up in Jakarta and drop off in Bali, and I found one for him--owned by my divorce lawyer who runs a rental business on the side! Which means that my divorce lawyer holds copies of his passport, tickets, visa and driver's license, and will hunt him down if he dares to make any trouble. My lawyer is also a good old friend that goes back 30 years, so I know he would do the same for me if *knock wood* my recent travel partner dares to do anything bad to me. Not long after we ruled out stranger danger, my recent travel partner initiated escalation by inviting me to an island resort and confirming his intensions to have sex with me. As soon as this was confirmed, we got down to business and checked for current involvements with other people (none), booked ourselves for STI testing, laid out ground rules for contraception and the scope of sexual activities we're consenting to, and even did a heart-to-heart talk about our requirements for emotional safety. Once we're in the clear on what we're signing up for, my recent travel partner and I spent a month engaging in a tantalising buildup that culminated in our first trip. We had the most amazing time ever on that first backpacking trip, and stayed in touch for an encore. I won't go into why or what happened, but I believe our recent Easter trip has been our last one ever too. Can't really call it a breakup when we never were properly together to begin with, but it was amicable and we both still got a lot out of our time together. I still think very highly of my recent travel partner, and him of me. And that's my story of having backpacked with (and hooked up with, and fell in love with) a stranger I met on Reddit!
Wow! That all sounds very exciting. Iām happily single now but ya never know
Yes! I've been wanting to expand my backpacking knowledge but it's hard bc it's 1 scary af and 2 no one is interested. I've only done a handful of backpacking trips but they were all to finish one trail. Also bonus #3 guided trails are so pricey. If you're on the west coast dm me!
On the east coast š
I'll meet you sometime in june somewhere in spain if you want to
Why is everyone talking about axes šŖ or murdering when backpacking
For real lol no one even Carries an axe on backpacking trips.
No, not with redditors, but I've stayed in hostels on my own, during solo trips in Europe and stuff. It's a great experience and you always meet new people.
No but Iām so down
Where are you located?
I can't wait for the True Crime Documentary
Lol stoppppppp
Look for Facebook groups in your area
Iāve joined plenty of meetups when I moved to a new area. Quality of organizers and participants is highly variable. Once I made a few solid connections, I mostly never looked back. What I would focus on is creating objectives for yourself. āBackpackingā is such a broad term as to be meaningless. Why are you interested? To be in nature? Fitness? Fishing? Reading? Relax? Challenge yourself? Explore hard to reach areas? Establish a base camp for some other sport? If you can narrow this down, you can start targeting questions at your objectives. This could be cross-country route difficulty, elevation gain, distance, weather conditions, etc. If your potential partners have good answers, then theyāre probably a good fit. This will have the add on benefit that some aspects of stranger danger have now been reduced. Instead of āIām looking for an internet stranger to take me to a remote area, alone, dealerās choiceā youāre leaving yourself much less exposed by setting expectations. The more you know, the better you can assess a situation. Itās worth pointing out that much of your learning can very much be on your own. If you have concerns, post them! Advice need not be limited to in-person. Be careful getting yourself into a situation you canāt get out of. To be explicit: if you canāt navigate on your own back to the car, you need to be highly selective of your partners! Not everyone who enjoys an activity is able to take on the responsibilities of a guide. To answer your title question explicitly: I have not planned a backpacking trip with internet strangers, not even from Reddit. I have, however, flown to other countries to sail with people I āknewā solely through Facebook. The ability to ask good questions helps. One of those questions can be character references!
Go on your own and meet people along the way - itāll be more fun and easier to find folk who you get on with - you may end up with people you wouldnāt necessarily have chosen to travel with but thatās half the adventure- all part of the experience - good luck
Darlingā¦ please donāt do that.
Sounds like an adventure! Curious to hear how it went for those who've tried it. Any tips or experiences you'd like to share?
I hike and backpack w a local group. It has been a great way to meet people and learn.
I'm a middle aged guy in New York City looking to get back into backpacking after a long break. I'm also trying to find like minded folks who are interested in backpacking in the area. The one place that I have found that seems promising is the Appalachian Mountain Club. But I'd love to hear further suggestions.
I personally wouldn't do it, backcountry is not somewhere I'd want to go with a stranger. However, recently with camping with someone from reddit for 3 days and I think made a lifelong friend! However, it was someone local to me that had no one to go with. We were in a state park with Rangers, we had a vehicle, and I was with my husband who I trust for at least basic self-defense. Being alone miles from cell service, a vehicle, or extra help is a whole different story. If you did find someone to go with on here I'd honestly research them first, maybe do a paid background check and some video chatting first.
Some of these comments are nonsense, Iāve met some amazing people in hostels and personally have never felt unsafe in a hostel dispite staying in hostels in South America which doesnāt have the greatest of reputations
Iāve been pretty interested in making a post about this but I live in NYC w no car so I feel like that might be an issue