What we’re about
DC UL Backpacking hosts an average of 80 backpacking events each year, specializing in high-mileage, lightweight backpacking trips throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. Our membership structure helps backpackers gain or enhance their outdoor skills. In general, our trips are quite challenging but you’ll find a wealth of experienced backpackers who are eager to share advice. Visit our website (www.dculbackpacking.com) to learn more about our group and our membership and trip ranks, and to read our FAQs.
Our goal: To cultivate a community of independent outdoors men and women who want nothing more than to have a fulfilling backcountry experience–to wake early, to walk far, and to travel light.
Join us. We look forward to meeting you!
When applying to join our group, make sure to fill out our questionnaire fully. We also require that your profile photo is of yourself.
*** Read our liability waiver (https://dculbackpacking.com/about/liability-waiver/) and COVID-19 guidelines here: https://dculbackpacking.com/about/covid-19-guidelines/. ***
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- ONLINE (self-paced) Wilderness First Aid available ALL DAYS NOW until Nov 30thLink visible for attendees
In your own home, at your own leisure (anytime -- not just the date of this event): now you can learn a ton in the online portion of Disaster + Travel + Wilderness First Aid! COURSE TOPICS VIDEOS are almost exactly as MEDIC SOLO always presents them with the latest on disaster and wilderness medical science. Intermixed at several points we guide you to practice various skills.
Choose one of two ways to learn:
a) Take the self-guided course (no certification) $99.
b) Take the self-guided online course and attend a skills scenarios workshop (one day on-line) and get certified $249 (Early Bird).
Register here: https://solowfa.com/register-online-SOLO-disaster-wilderness-first-aid-course.html
In order to get certified, you will start watching our highly-rated, self-paced videos one month prior to your Skills Scenarios Workshop date and:- Practice skills at home before your Workshop date, send us photographs and our Instructors will provide you with kudos and constructive ideas.
- Pass the multiple-choice quiz and test is what verifies that you're ready for your workshop day with an instructor.
- Attend your online Skills Scenarios Workshop full day with a live instructor and a live human patient. Use a unique software which nearly replicates the in-person learning experience.
- Gain as much to more hands-on learning experience as compared to an in-person course.
- Instructors give individual live feedback to students while you perform hands-on skills in your own home.
- Graduates receive the internationally-renowned SOLO 2-year WFA Certification.
Upcoming online Skills Scenario Workshop dates:
November 17th, 2024
January 25, 2025
March 1, 2025
May 3, 2025
May 31, 2025
and June 14 2025.Sneak peek at the course:
https://www.solowfa.com/online-sample.htm - IO: DC UL Winter Cabin Book Club RetreatVienna Metro (North Parking Lot), Vienna, VA
Fellow Outdoorspeople and Readers!
We're going to do something a little different for this trip. The idea is for a rustic cabin weekend at the PATC's Jones Mountain Cabin in Shenandoah National Park as a winter retreat that is focused as much on reading and meditation as it is hiking. We'll still need to do at least 4-5 miles to reach the cabin, and it could be in winter-condition snow for all we know in December! You will need to backpack in and have the gear and skills to do so. But once in the cabin the idea is to settle in with each other, a good book, and anything else that'll make it special and fun. Enjoy the woods and don't worry about any extra miles. We'll be social in the evenings but there's also an inward aspect to this as well so feel free to spend Saturday during the day in any manner in which you would consider appealing for a rustic cabin retreat. The cabin is tight and cozy and for the day Saturday I would highly recommend the layers and anything else (chair, hammock, etc.) to be able to spread out into the nearby woods to read or relax.
If you've never been in a rustic PATC cabin, please know that it is VERY spartan. To get ten people in this, we will be packed quite close together in the loft and lower room. The wood stove will keep things better than outside but not necessarily much much warmer. You will want all the insulation layers and sleep system you would normally use when backpacking in the winter. And as this is still very much a DC UL outing, please note you will absolutely be fully responsible for your own eating, drinking, and gear needs. There will be no preplanned communal cooking. (If you want to surprise and delight your fellow backpackers with some food or spirits, however, by all means make our weekend and yourself into a legend.)
Application Email Instructions
As an IO -- Invitation Only -- outing, this trip has a very important extra step: once you RSVP, please send me an email at evankmccarthy @ gmail.com with the following information: 1) If you are not a DC UL Veteran Member, please note your general backpacking experience and gear summary, especially in colder conditions; 2) Please let me know why this winter retreat is interesting to you and what you intend to do for the weekend, (read, meditate, forest therapy, etc.); 3) Let me know if you plan on driving, if you can transport people from Vienna Metro, or if you are coming from a different direction; 4) Acknowledge that you truly have cleared your calendar for this event and that we can count on you from now until December 6 as a solid RSVP. We want to make sure we have 10 folks on this outing to fill the cabin. I'll confirm your attendance via reply email and change the meetup RSVP from wait list to going accordingly.
Trip Details
Plan is to carpool from Vienna Metro (north side parking lot) at 12:00 p.m./noon on Friday, December 6, either using Skyline Drive if open or via Rapidan Camp area approach trail if needed. We'll confirm specifics when we get closer, as well as finalize carpool details.
Remember: DCULers have maps. Some SNP map options:
Waiver: By RSVPing to this trip or any other DC UL trip, you agree to these guidelines and to DC UL's waiver liability terms (https://dculbackpacking.com/about/liability-waiver/)
COVID-19 policy: https://dculbackpacking.com/about/covid-19-guidelines/Dues: Members and above, don't forget to pay your annual dues. You can check if you need to pay dues by seeing if the current year is listed next to your name in your DC UL profile. Applicants do not need to pay dues for their first trip. To pay your dues via PayPal, use this link: https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/JenniferAdach/15 ($10 annual dues plus a $5 suggested donation to City Kids Wilderness Project.)
Carpool: As per our carpool policy, riders should pay drivers $0.10/mile. I'm anticipating this will be around $18-20 for riders.
- IO: Trans-Catalina Trail ("TCT") (38.5 miles)Long Beach Downtown Landing, Long Beach, CA
I'm scheduled to have some time off work between Christmas and New Years and have decided to use that time to hike the Trans-Catalina Trail.
The trail is 38.5 miles, located on Santa Catalina Island off the coast of Southern California. As we traverse the island, we’ll be treated to sweeping ocean views, rolling hills, and if we're lucky we may see some of the local fauna such as bison, foxes, and bald eagles. As the D.C. area begins to get cold near the end of the year, Catalina Island's temperatures usually hover comfortably in the 60s during the day and dip into the 50s at night—perfect temperatures for a backpacking trip.
I have campsites reserved, which serves as our permit to hike the trail. Each site I booked allows up to 8 campers. I'm going to allow up to 7 people onto the trip. If you're interested, feel free to hop on the waitlist.
Planned Itinerary
Day 0 - Thursday December 26 - no miles- Fly to Southern California (LAX, SNA, or LGB).
- Grab an Uber/Lyft to Marriott Long Beach Downtown near Long Beach terminal
Day 1 - Friday December 27 - 18.8 miles, 4075 ft ascent, 4052 ft descent
- Catch the 6 a.m. ferry from Long Beach to Avalon.
- The ferry ride to Avalon takes about an hour, putting us on the island about 7 a.m.
- Unless we all go stoveless for this trip, we'll grab fuel cannisters at Chet's Hardware when they open at 8 a.m., maybe snagging a quick breakfast on the way.
- Start our hike up out of town, gaining about 1500 feet of elevation over the first 3 miles. After that it's ups and down on the ridgeline.
- Get a water refill at the park at mile 5.7
- Stop for a late lunch at the Airport in the Sky Restaurant (mile 12.7)
- Get back on trail and begin our descent to Little Harbor Campground on the west side of the island.
- Set up camp at Little Harbor (Shark Harbor Site A), watch the sun set over the ocean, make a fire, eat dinner, and crash for the night.
Day 2 - Saturday December 28 - 12.1 miles (~15 with optional scenic detour), 3535 ft ascent, 3510 ft descent
- Make breakfast and break camp
- Hike into the town of Two Harbors, stopping by the Visitor Center to get the combination for our campsite locker (with firewood/water)
- Depending on timing, stop for lunch at Harbor Reef Restaurant or grab a snack at Two Harbors General Store
- After we make the ascent out of Two Harbors, there's an opportunity to take a detour loop across the Western part of the Island with some beaches or stay on the main trail.
- Make the descent down to Parson's Landing, our remote beach campsite on the north of the island. We will have access to a locker with firewood and potable water.
Day 3 - Sunday December 29 - 7.9 miles , 869 ft ascent, 915 ft descent
- Wake early to hike to Two Harbors, this time on the north of the Island.
- Catch the 11:45 a.m. ferry to San Pedro (next ferry comes at 4:45 p.m.). Arrive at San Pedro approximately 1 p.m.
- Option A: Check into a hotel to get cleaned up and catch up on sleep, scope out L.A. or Irvine, and fly out on the 30th.
- Option B: Take a Lyft/Uber to the airport, catch a red eye flight back home.
Costs
In addition to the usual backpacking expenses keep the following in mind:- Ferry fare: $93.00 (Long Beach to Avalon, Two Harbors to San Pedro)
- Camp site fees: $60 ($30/night)
- Airfare/Hotel/Ground Transportation (as applicable)
More Information about the TCT
Here are some resources to learn more about this trail:- FarOut Trans Catalina Trail
- HikingGuy.com Trans Catalina Trail (TCT) Hike Guide
- Catalina Island Conservancy Trans-Catalina Trail (detailed trail map)
- PlanetRambler.com
Waiver
More information on the club's COVID-19 policy: https://dculbackpacking.com/about/covid-19-guidelines/
By RSVPing for this trip, you acknowledge that you’ve read our COVID-19 guidelines and that you agree to DC UL's liability waiver terms. (https://dculbackpacking.com/about/liability-waiver)
