Finally got the family to CO backpacking...

[bz_711]

I've grown to love CO as a great summer family vacation spot...going many times growing up, many times with large family groups. I've shared that with my wife and 4 kids and it's become a favorite of ours as well.

I also love camping, elk hunting...and anything outdoors...so I've always looked forward to the kids getting a little older to do some camping. In 2015 we did some drive in camping with large tent and the kids loved it...my ultimate goal has always been to get them out backpacking and away from it all.

2014 was the first time I even experience backpacking myself...and loved that it was my wife's idea...here is trip report I wrote at that time:http://www.rokslide.com/forums/general-discussion-forum/19227-backpacking-experience.html#post235563

That trip lit the fire. Between archery elk hunting each year and some regular camping with the family I slowly built up the gear necessary to try our first backpacking trip. (I also had to promise a nice hotel afterwards and maybe some ice cream )

The last week of July this summer we headed West from IL (and left 105 degree heat indexes)...I was excited. We only had a couple days planned to for the actual backpacking, but I was hoping this was the icebreaker trip to many more in the future.

The backroad to the spot I chose started to get a little sketchy, and with a loaded down suburban with loaded hitch-haul that rubbed on every dip, we decided to park it and walk the road the last bit.
All loaded up and ready to go on an adventure:

Clouds began to roll in so the wife/kids gathered rocks for a fire ring while I worked on setting up tents and tyvek "shelter house"

I'm glad we made quick work setting up camp because the rain started quickly...then turned to hail...then came the lightning and thunder There was a brief moment that many of the others were questioning this "backpacking"...but 30 min later the rain stopped as usual and we didn't see another drop after that.
The Tyvek lean-to worked perfect (another great tip from this website - and cheap)

 

[bz_711]

Once the weather broke we got to do what I love most...just soak it all in...

...that might mean sitting around the fire enjoying hot chocolate and sharpening a stick

...or catching fish out of the small beaver pond

The little ones were a little worried about bears and mountain lions as we went to bed (so I had my 6 year old "mark his territory" all around his tent and that seemed to help)...but I was prepared with both bear spray and glock...and as usual, had no issues.
I loved every second of it and could spend a week doing the same...but I need to build the family's tolerance up one day at a time.
The best line was while hiking out my oldest says "Dad, we haven't even thought about our screens in like a couple days" referring to phones/tablets/etc.
I said "EXACTLY!"


Some Gear info (nothing exciting but I've always appreciated all the tips and gear reviews on this site, as well as all the help via PM's from members - Rokslide is great - let me know if any questions I can help with):

-as with our 2014 trip, nearly every piece of gear has been purchased from Sierra Trading Post at very reduced prices. Only piece I do not think was from STP was my MountainSmith Shelter LT (which slept me and the 2 older boys fine)

-My wife's pack was an REI hand-me-down from James (SHTF)...thanks again - I hope it gets many more uses

-My Kifaru T2 (purchased used for $320) was stuffed to the gills and could have handled a lot more on outside if I needed to.

-I appreciate the tips on 2014 trip to get a camp chair for the wife, that worked well.

-Ate primarily mountain house but also packed in plenty of jerky, candy, hot drinks, water flavorings...and even Subway for first day's lunch. The Sawyer mini had gallon after gallon filtered thru it.

-Fishing poles were a couple cheap eagle claw collapsible poles we took hiking the last few trips

It's taken years to acquire all the gear, but really was all done on the cheap and most of it will last as long as we take care of it. And camping in Wilderness areas & National Forest is free...so just trying to urge anyone to go for it if they feel the urge.
We ended up spending a few nights in hotel after and saw some parts of state we had not done before...with one day trip to Great Sand Dunes National Park...that might have been one of my favorite days ever in CO - Highly recommend taking the time to walk the dunes!

 

[Bl704]

The above picture cracked me up. Must be the oldest on the far right that got the extra share of the load.

Thanks for sharing.

I also agree and am thankful for the numerous tips and bits of advice I've benefited from thanks Rokslide community.

 

[toddb]

Looked like a great time. Loved the pictures.

 

[Longstride12]

Awesome trip report! Gathering the gear does take time and money but like you said, camping in Wilderness areas is free. Your kids will remember this trip and hopefully many more with fondness. Spending family time outside is the best time spent hands down. No screens or electronics were harmed in the making of this great family adventure, I'm sure it felt good to re-connect with each other and nature. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Scott/IL]

Great write up Matt! Sounds like a fun time that'll be duplicated many more times.

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[AdamW]

You're a lucky man! A few weeks ago we were in CO and were about 5 miles from the trailhead. Along comes a husband and wife and their maybe 8 year old son. So cool to see and I gave the parents a kudos on getting themselves all out there together.

 

[SHTF]

Matt great trip report.... glad I could be a part of it in some small way. Great family you have there. Hope to meet you all in the years to come.

James


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[1signguy]

Awesome! This country needs a lot more families like the one you created!

 

[Fishhead]

That was awesome... I am planning the same thing next summer with my wife and two boys. I just hope it goes as well...

 

[N2TRKYS]

That's awesome. Good looking crew you got there. I liked the thumbs up in the top pic.

 

[chongo]

This is awesome! I'm tagging for later when I start planning our trip next summer. We'll have 6 kids with the youngest being 2 and oldest being 10. It will be my first trip to CO since I was a kid as well as the whole family. Hoping to be able to get 1-2 days backpacking/camping in too.

 

[elkguide]

Thanks for taking us along. Good times for sure.

 

[bz_711]

The above picture cracked me up. Must be the oldest on the far right that got the extra share of the load.

Thanks for sharing.

I also agree and am thankful for the numerous tips and bits of advice I've benefited from thanks Rokslide community.

Bill...all week prior to trip I just kept adding one more thing to my oldest's pack...gotta make a man out of him sometime. And as you can see, we even brought the cheap Amazon fly pole kit still in the package (none of us had ever tried a fly rod before)

Matt great trip report.... glad I could be a part of it in some small way. Great family you have there. Hope to meet you all in the years to come.

James

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James - Thanks again...would be great to meet sometime

This is awesome! I'm tagging for later when I start planning our trip next summer. We'll have 6 kids with the youngest being 2 and oldest being 10. It will be my first trip to CO since I was a kid as well as the whole family. Hoping to be able to get 1-2 days backpacking/camping in too.

There are many guys on here (from CO) more suited to offer advice, but I've done enough family time in CO to offer a lot of suggestions, let me know if I can be any help. With the ages you mention, think simple...it sure doesn't take much to make an adventure for them, you could even roadside camp or only pack in 1/4 mile...what's more important are the fire, drinks, snacks and just plain old exploring, a stream or water nearby adds a lot more bang for your buck as well...Good Luck!

 

[chongo]

Bill...all week prior to trip I just kept adding one more thing to my oldest's pack...gotta make a man out of him sometime. And as you can see, we even brought the cheap Amazon fly pole kit still in the package (none of us had ever tried a fly rod before)



James - Thanks again...would be great to meet sometime



There are many guys on here (from CO) more suited to offer advice, but I've done enough family time in CO to offer a lot of suggestions, let me know if I can be any help. With the ages you mention, think simple...it sure doesn't take much to make an adventure for them, you could even roadside camp or only pack in 1/4 mile...what's more important are the fire, drinks, snacks and just plain old exploring, a stream or water nearby adds a lot more bang for your buck as well...Good Luck!

Thank you. That was my plan, comfort with a little "adventure" thrown in. As it gets closer and I kick into planning mode I'll be searching and asking questions.


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