Steps to Trek
Listen
Take time to go through our website with your child. Ask lots of questions. Open ended are best. Most will have some fears AND be plenty excited. Likely it will take more than one conversation to determine if their excitement balances their concerns fully. You’ll know when they’re ready. Most importantly, involve your Trekker in every step of the process.
Select
Grab your calendar and help your child pick the best Trek for them. Some trips have shorter distances between camps. Some more elevation change. If it’s their first trip, maybe start with a coastal Trek. If they are more comfortable with physical challenges, a Sierra trip in higher elevation with more climbing may suit them.
Apply
As we do a small number of trips each year, demand typically exceeds the number of spaces that we have available. Please take your time completing the application. Our hope is that we’ll experience your child (at least a tiny bit) through your eyes as we read through the application.
Prepare
Pre Trip Activities and Things to Think About
Begin walking… even if its simply walking around the block 2 or 3 times daily. Graduate to walking up, and down the closest hill. Go on some day hikes as a family. Carry a backpack. Use the shoes that you will be using to backpack. Walk every day if possible. You don’t need to be an Olympic athlete to enjoy backpacking—but being physically prepared can make it feel more fun and less strenuous. Trekkers will need to be able to hike with a heavy pack for at least a few hours, and depending on the selected Trek, possibly at a higher elevation where it may be harder to breathe. There’s no easy way to train for a backpacking trip — the best training is getting out there and doing it.
Invest in good footwear. Decide which shoes you’ll be wearing for your Trek as quickly as possible. Your shoes will be you most important piece of gear. Wear these shoes on your walks.
Bring 1 or 2 creature (small) comforts that ‘feel like home’
Write a list of the personal items that you intend to take. Do you really need each of these items for 4/5 days? Are smaller items available to replace larger items?
Learn how to layer wisely. Practice wearing your layers in different weather. This will provide an idea in advance on how to dress based on the temperature.
If you’ve never gone to the restroom in the woods (and we don’t mean using an outhouse), it can be an intimidating experience. But the procedure is pretty simple, and you can find details by visiting the Leave No Trace website. Just remember that we will be packing out virtually all of our waste, just not our human waste. You’ll need a toilet kit, too: Include a trowel for digging a cat hole, toilet paper (plus baby wipes if you’d like), hand sanitizer, a large Ziploc-style freezer bag to hold toilet paper and other toilet supplies, and a smaller bag to hold used toilet paper. It’s not the most pleasant aspect of an overnight adventure in the backcountry, but—as with everything else with your first backpacking trip—soon enough it will be second nature.
You are going to get stinky and dirty. Acceptance is best. We don’t suggest practicing this at home.
Remind yourself that this is going to be an adventure!
Questions! You will have them. Reach out to the team at Ubuntu Treks. We are happy to answer all questions.