[gcahal]

AH cool cool. now if only i could figure out this gps thing.........a posting i will go

[te-wa]

we're only nice 'cause Joe makes us behave.

good call on the GPS. Cant go wrong with Garmin, now just click on Nonot's link and upload away...

LNT principles suggest a 200 yard distance from water source, but make sure your business wont run downhill into a water source as well. And, only going to suggest that you can find sticks/rocks to dig your hole - no weight penalty there. Trust me, a little "ounce" here and there becomes pounds really quick. You'll want to stay below 30 pounds with everything you need, but like you said that may take a while to whittle down your gear selection, find the stuff you bring but dont use after a few trips and remove them from your pack permanently. Did you know that needle nose pliers are more likely to break the small spines off in your skin but a section of panty hose will remove them easily?
also, a bit of Nair hair remover will take out the invisible ones. (right there, youre able to shave off 8-10 ounces)

[gcahal]

I saw that linkyou referred too but i seem to ba having issues with it. they come up as IMG files and i can not open them. Im currently working on that right now. OH YEAH i can see it now. Channel 3 news find missing hiker and all he has left is panty hose and Nair..........

[rushthezeppelin]

crap! pad, yeah i did forget that. ugh another trip to wally world LOL.

Glad I caught that one

[gcahal]

So realistically, what can i expect sleeping out there by me self alone in the dark...... i have lived in AZ for 28 years and have only come across 2 rattle snakes my whole life. I saw a gila monster once.....at a zoo. and what are the chances of my truck being messed with sitting at the trail lot all night?????

[big_load]

It can be hard getting to sleep the first night out alone. You'll hear many sounds outside, mostly deer and little critters. A mouse scrabbling around in leaves and dry grass 20 yards away sounds like a deadly beast creeping up on you. Just remind yourself that thousands of people spend tens of thousands of nights out every year, and practically nothing ever happens to of them while they're sleeping unless there's food in the tent. No matter what happens, eventually you'll get tired of listening and conk out. Anyway, enjoy yourself. Most of us have great memories of our first trip. Even things that didn't go well don't seem so bad in hindsight.

[azpride]

Hearing noises outside makes me sleep better. I camped on a game trail near Reavis Ranch and kept hearing things scurry by at night. Lulled me to sleep...

Don't bring any food in your tent ever. Ever, ever, ever. Water only.

[gcahal]

Well this was a learning experience to say the least. I have also confirmed I AM OUT OF SHAPE. oncei fgiure out how to post a hike i will but lets just say it wasnt what i expected..

[azhiker96]

Glad you made it back safe. I've had many learning experiences and managed to survive them all.

[azpride]

Well this was a learning experience to say the least. I have also confirmed I AM OUT OF SHAPE. oncei fgiure out how to post a hike i will but lets just say it wasnt what i expected..

It never is. It's often like ordering too much food because your eyes are bigger than your stomach. I still get in over my head all the time when planning trips, that's one of the reasons I enjoy going solo. I can change plans on a whim and don't have to worry about what my partner wants.

[gcahal]

Looking back, it was fun. I tested out my new gps, got some decent photos. working out the bugs i guess. I ended up going to Lost Dutchman park. went up that way towards flatiron. Drive around Aj a little bit. Forgot the gps was on so it picked all that up as well LOL.. ended up at a buddies house drunk and passed out. SHHHH the wife thinks i camped out......

[pencak]

IM on a tight budget. heres my list so far.

Here's the pack list that I actually use.
http://hikearizona.com/mypack.php?ver=3&PID=233

For the clothes, ignore most of that on the list think about how comfortable you are with the cold and bring something to cover your head.
For food, forget about the OutSak but remember you need to pack enough food to be comfortable. BTW Walmart has the best price on freeze dried food.
Walking sticks, personal preference but I list two because I absolutely need them and I also use them for the tarp.
The Gear/Camp Sleep stuff... you can dump all of that except the sleeping bag, sleeping pad and ground cloth. Sleeping under the stars is great!
Cooking stuff... for me, most of this is mandatory except for the StrePen because I have the ceramic filter. You just need a stove, a pot, a cup, a spoon and a water container. You'll boil water and dump it into the freeze dried food bag and won't have any cleanup.
Gear/Packs... None of that is negotiable for me. You need pretty much every item like that in that listing. GPS is maybe optional but I bring it as a matter of course.
Hygiene... Another area where every item listed is necessary.

You can get stuff pretty cheap at Walmart. Sportsman's warehouse is a pretty good place. I'd pick and choose things over time and research it. Get one really good item that you know will work every few months when you've saved up enough. Having the right equipment really helps make the experience a pleasant one. The biggest expenses are the sleeping bag and pack. Research the pack and try a bunch of brands. Go to places where you can try them out with weight in them and the people selling them know how to adjust them. The other one is the sleeping bag. IMO you need to get the best possible one you can afford if you're going to do any backpacking when it's even remotely cold. There is a price on comfort in this department. These are the two places you want to think about spending a little more to get something good that will last.

As you start hiking you'll come across camps that are heavily used and people leave trash around etc. It's always good to try and leave a minimal trace. The goal is to camp in such a way that if someone were to come upon the place in a week or so, they wouldn't be able to tell you camped there. Try to always use existing fire rings and submerge any fire you've enjoyed under water and make sure it's dead out. You don't want to be blamed for something flaring up later and burning the forest down after you've left.

The good thing is you've probably stumbled across the best hiking resource in the Western United States with this website. Have fun. I hope to see you on the trail sometime.