Free 2-day hiking and backpacking class with essential tips for beginners and beyond
Interested in long day hikes or even an overnight in the wilderness? A free two-day seminar is planned in the Tri-Cities with loads of helpful tips.
The Inter-Mountain Alpine Club is offering its annual two-day Backpacking School.
The first day is indoors on Saturday, May 6, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., in the L-102 Lecture Hall at the Student Center on the Columbia Basin College in Pasco.
The second day is an outdoor hands-on field demonstration of critical equipment at Leslie Groves Park in Richland on Sunday, May 7, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The course is designed for first-timers with little-to-no outdoors experience. Instructors are local residents with years of outdoor and professional experience.
Topics include: the essentials, clothing, conditioning, packs, tents, sleeping systems, map and topography basics, compass and route planning, navigation strategy, digital navigation using smart phones, cooking and nutrition, hygiene and water purification, using the internet, GPS, cell phones, stoves, other gear, first aid, safety, pets, children and rescue techniques.
The course culminates in an overnight backpacking trip near Mount Rainier.
The school is free and open to the public. Registration is required.
Additional information is available at bit.ly/backpackschool.
To register and reserve a spot in the class, send an email to backpacking@imacnw.org.
