And the list has some problems. Too many clothes, missing sleep clothes, filter instead of Philmont tablets, bear canister, and so on. Prompt was “make a backpacking gear list for Philmont”.
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Category Archives: Backpacking & Hiking
Scout Backpacking Around the SF Bay Area
I’ve written a series of articles about backpacking trips that work for Scouts ages 10 to 14. Some have a “split hike” possibility where older, stronger Scouts can take a different route to the same campsite.
- Sunol Regional Wilderness Preserve
- Coast Camp at Point Reyes
- Angel Island State Park
- Black Diamond Mines
- Berry Creek Falls in Big Basin
- Boulder Creek Scout Reservation
- Eagle Spring Camp at Mission Peak
- Black Mountain Trail Camp at Monte Bello Open Space
- Manzanita Ridge at Henry Coe State Park
- Castle Rock State Park
- Pioneer Outpost at Cutter Scout Reservation
See you on the trail!
Backpacking: Pioneer Outpost at Cutter Scout Reservation
The Hike
Not especially well-marked if you want to make it a loop, but easy to follow on a fire road if you make it an out-and-back. This campsite is a couple of miles from the main part of Cutter, past the COPE course, down into a small valley. When you hit a decent-sized meadow on the downhill side of the road, you’re there.
If you know a Scouter who’s taken the High Adventure Training (HAT) course at Cutter, they have probably hiked the whole loop. GPS tracks are available, if you ask nicely.
Backpacking: Castle Rock State Park
The Hike
This is a loop, with the trail camp 2.5 miles from the parking lot. One side of the loop is a dramatic trail along the side of the ridge. with views out to the ocean on good days. Our Scouts call it the Cliff Trail, but its official name is the Saratoga Gap Trail. The other half of the loop goes through a woods along the top of the ridge, the Ridge Trail. The elevation gain/loss for the full loop is about 1200 feet.
Backpacking: Manzanita Ridge at Henry Coe State Park
The Hike
Three miles, with elevation gain loss of +/- 500 to 600 feet depending on which group camp you stay at and which route you take.
The first part of the hike has three options. The ranch road follows the crest of the ridge, so it has more views and a bit more climbing. The Springs Trail is on the sunny south side of the ridge, going mostly through meadow. The Forest Trail is on the shady north side of the ridge. The Forest Trail also has a nature booklet and is great for doing some tree and plant identification.
I like to go out on the ridge-top ranch road and return on the Forest Trail.
There are ten group camp sites stretched out along about a half mile of trail. Personally, I like site 10, at the end. It has a big meadow to run around in and some trees for protected camping spaces. it also has a nice view to the west. Site 5 is on top of a knoll and is also a a nice spot. Several of them are nice, really.
Backpacking: Black Mountain Trail Camp at Monte Bello Open Space
The Hike
About two miles with 600 feet of up and down, just enough up and down to feel like a real hike. The trail goes through open grasslands with nice views along the headwaters of Stevens Creek.
There are a couple of options, taking the trail or the road. They are about the same distance and elevation gain/loss, so let the Scouts choose the route.
Backpacking: Eagle Spring Camp at Mission Peak
The Hike
I recommend starting at Sunol Regional Wilderness Preserve and hiking to Mission Peak from the east side. That trail is longer, 5.5 miles, but not as steep. Also, the overnight parking is much safer because the park is closed overnight.
The hike is nearly all on fire roads. That is a harder surface, but our Scouts like it because they can walk side by side and talk the whole way.
Backpacking: Boulder Creek Scout Reservation
The Hike
Loop trail, 3.5 miles total, about 600 feet of uphill to the campsite and returning.
Camp in a spacious redwood grove. I prefer the Upper Redwood campsite to Lower Redwood or Meadow. Meadows are lumpy and cold. Upper Redwood is just a little nicer.
Backpacking: Berry Creek Falls in Big Basin
The Hike
From Big Basin State Park Headquarters, hike the Skyline to the Sea Trail to Berry Creek Falls, then hike up the Berry Creek Falls Trail past Silver Falls and the Golden Cascade, then continue on to Sunset trail camp. The closest water is at Berry Creek, so fill up there before hiking to the camp.
This can be turned in to a two-night trip if you start by camping at the Jay Trail Camp in the Big Basin headquarters area.
Backpacking: Black Diamond Mines
The Hike
About three miles from the parking lot with 300 feet of climbing and 150 feet of descent, reversed on the return trip. The destination is the Stewartville Backpack Camp.
Backpacking: Angel Island State Park
The Hike
First, you take the ferry from Tiburon, so there is some driving and coordinating with the ferry schedule. Once you are on the island, your campsite is a mile or so away mostly on paved roads. Hiking all the way around the island is five miles, so you can’t go too far.
You’ll want to hike to the the top of the Island, Mount Livermore, but do that when it isn’t shrouded in fog. I’ve been to the top in the fog and it is amusing, but the views aren’t that great.
Backpacking: Coast Camp at Point Reyes
The Hike
Two mile easy hike through tall brush. The highest point of the trail is halfway there, about 300 feet higher than the start or end. The last time I was there, I realized I left something in the car, so I just hiked back and got it. That was a year after my knee surgery and I wasn’t in great shape, so yeah, easy hike.
You want to park at the Laguna Trailhead, but that parking lot fills up often. Don’t be surprised if you end up parking a quarter mile away along the road. It is still an easy hike.
You can also start at the Limantour Trailhead, but check the tide tables for your hike in and hike out times, because the beach portion of the trail can be soggy or underwater.
Backpacking: Sunol Regional Wilderness Preserve
The Hike
The hike is hard enough that everyone will feel like they’ve accomplished something, and at the end there are nice campsites with a lovely view of the valley.
This can be a “split route” campout, with the older Scouts taking the more challenging McCorkle Trail. Both trails leave from near the same parking lot and both end up a the entrance to the backpack camp area.
The campsites are spread out enough that other campers are out of sight and hearing, unless you meet at the water spigot or latrine.
You will probably be in Eagle’s Eyrie (10 people) or Star’s Rest (30 people). Those sites are at the highest elevation, both with great views.
Women at Philmont
The Philmont Advisor’s Guide had an excellent chapter for women who are backpacking at Philmont. The guide was retired after the 2019 Philmont season which makes that chapter unavailable. With the kind permission of Mimi Hatch, editor for the Philmont Advisor’s Guide, here is that chapter.
Backpacking Meal Planning: Sources for Ingredients and Meals
Tired of the same old mylar packet of freeze-dried stuff? Here are some sources for tasty prepackaged meals and for dehydrated ingredients so you can make your own. As I write this, a lot of the dehydrated ingredients are out of stock, likely due to new converts to emergency preparedness during the pandemic. I’m sure they’ll be back in stock by the time we are ready to go backpacking again.
Most Casual Observer 