The Pinchot Trail
The Pinchot Trail is a roughly 26 mile loop tucked into Pinchot State Forest, and located in Northeastern Pennsylvania. It serves as an absolutely PERFECT choice for beginner backpackers to"cut their teeth on" as the old saying goes, with minimal elevation changes, well-managed trails, and a plethora of camping close to typically flowing water sources. We will hike at a medium pace, focusing on backcountry education and Leave No Trace Principles along the way and at camp each night. I'll be packing in campfire desserts, fun games, and extra gear for newbies to try! There are currently two seperate trip dates for this section , but I may add more depending on how they fill up!
Dates & Pricing
There are currently two sections of this trip, one in late spring and one in early fall. I chose these dates intentionally to avoid the bugs! Water is plentiful on the route.
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A: June 28th - June 30th (FULL)
B: September 20th-22nd (5 spots left)
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Cost: $345/person
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*Bring/refer a friend and get 5% off per sign up!
Skills & Ethics
On this trip we will dive into basics, aimed at preparing and educating the beginner backpacker for all the journeys ahead! Here are just a few things we'll cover:
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Backpacking the Leave No Trace Way
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Gear talk: when, how, and why we use it
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Reading topographic maps
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Navigating using a compass
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GPS devices for navigation & Safety
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How to choose the best campsite
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Water collection and filtering
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Camp & Trail Etiquette
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Hygiene in the Backcountry
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Blister prevention and care
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First aid & injury prevention
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and much more!
What's Included?
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Wilderness Skills & Pre-Trip Planning Program, a self-paced course via google classroom that starts 8 weeks prior to trip date. (see more below)
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Breakfast & Dinner on trail (optional)
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Guidance on Fitness and Nutrition (intention is to be adventure ready!)
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One-on-One pre-trip planning call or, if local coffee date meet up!
Difficulty & Expectations
This trail is rated easy to moderate. The biggest obstacle we might encounter on this journey would be ticks and/or muddy conditions from rainfall. ​
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Max Elevation Gain: < 1,000 ft
Expect day one to be moderate, as most of the elevation is in the beginning, but gradual and relatively easy. Days 2 and 3 will be relatively flat terrain.
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Average mileage/day: 9 miles
Due to it's mostly flat terrain, it is likely we will cover miles pretty quickly on day 2 and 3.
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Average pace: 2-2.5 mph
Pace is set by the group. We will generally aim to keep this pace or faster. However, it is totally okay if we keep a slower pace. In this case, it's about the journey and the destination.
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