Roughing it.....

[Weatherby]

Backpacking with a small tent. As far as the making shelter thing, did it a lot as a scout and in the .mil....so my philosophy now is the old saying: "You don't have to eat S*** to know what it tastes like." Or I guess that would be modified to "Once you eaten enough s***, you don't have to keep eating it to remember what it tastes like."

This^^^^^^^

 

[UnSafe]

Backpacking with a small tent. As far as the making shelter thing, did it a lot as a scout and in the .mil....so my philosophy now is the old saying: "You don't have to eat S*** to know what it tastes like." Or I guess that would be modified to "Once you eaten enough s***, you don't have to keep eating it to remember what it tastes like."

Agreed, and my belly had more than enough.

In milder weather, a poncho hootch (Mil poncho or cheap plastic tarp suspended from brush and branches with bungee cord and suspension line) works very well, takes up very little space and is a cheap alternative to a tent when it's rainy or you need shade. It's the only personal "Tent" / I had for years in the Army. Not so great in blowing snow...

I'll stick to hotels, but would like to take my kids out to the Wichitas for an overnight under the stars before it's too hot, next spring.

 

[SMS]

I'll stick to hotels, but would like to take my kids out to the Wichitas for an overnight under the stars before it's too hot, next spring.

Do it. My oldest boy and I did it last year. We hiked in, set up our tent and spent that day and the next scrambling around. Hiked past the "Apple and the Pear", climbed over, under, and through the "Boulder Field", filtered our own water, and found an old mine. Memory for a lifetime, makes me smile just recalling it.

We were going to do it again this year but the heat/drought and closing of the wilderness area killed that plan.

 

[twoguns?]

Wne I was a kid 12-15 yrs old several buddys would get together on a Fri afternoon.Pack up our blankets ,sleeping bags,couple cans of hash, assorted cookies and whatever,and ride or bikes out to the wichits Mts. We would ride through the montains ,climb up to the caves, go fishin, pretty much have a blast. Mom always expected us home by noon on Sundayor "she would come lookin for us", the military spotters always knew where we were?
Good times for sure. Did it with my son and daughter, about time to start the Gkids on it.
But I think well take the truck this time with the bikes in back....

 

[inactive]

Backpacking with small tent for me. Wichitas or Ouachita Trail.


Also...

After several different experiments, I use (believe it or not!) a 4' x 6' Bass Pro kids tent for my backpacking. I am about 5'10" and sleep in it diagonally with my pack and supplies to my sides. It is super light-weight, only $20 or less on sale, and works well enough for OK winters with a good sleeping bag. It works with my large internal frame Kelty bag, or if I am doing one overnight, I can even use my Camelbak day pack and just lash it to the outside of the pack.

 

[T-Baggin98]

Sounds like fun. My step dad and I have hiked in with what we could carry plus a tent and camped down on the Kiamichi river a few times when I was a kid. I would deffinately recomend a side arm down there though. Lots of pot fields and cook houses to stumble across.

 

[BallisticGuy]

research some of the trails in the Wichitas, Very good place to get started!! Lots of fun, for 1 to 3 day overnights.

 

[7stw]

I grew up in n central Arkansas and my dad used to take me out a couple times a year to the national forest with some mre's and a tent to camp in some less accessible portions during squirrel ,turkey, and deer seasons drive so far hike in the rest of the way. And camp and hunt for the weekend or so. I learned allot about the woods and myself during those trips. If I were to go antelope or mule deer hunting out west diy I'd do it exactly the same way we did in Arkansas 15 or so years ago. It's as much about the experience as anything to me. I'd love to backpack through west yellowstone or the black hills in the fall for about 10 days or so. It's a big dream of mine.

 

[dyabolical]

My wife and I have talked about going on a 3 day hike sometime in the spring. She has never really been in the wilderness and wants to give it a try. Any recommendations on where to go during the mid to late spring time?

 

[shooterdave]

Doing a two dayer this weekend as the final part of NASAR fundamentals class. Basically, whatever we can put into an 1800 cu in. pack. No sleeping bags or tents allowed, tho. Nav. by compass and have to "find" our base camp before we can bivouac. It's going to be a blast, can't wait!