3 Day Backpacking Course Itinerary

Day 1

We begin the course with a 6:30 a.m. orientation and gear check at our Seattle office. Developing strong backcountry skills starts with having the proper equipment, clothing, and nutrition for a safe and enjoyable wilderness experience. Guides review equipment, discuss current weather and trail conditions, and help students develop a menu plan for the trip before making any final adjustments and departing for the trailhead.

After reviewing the day’s route on the map, we begin our hike to camp. Along the way, students develop efficient pacing and backpacking techniques before learning the fundamentals of campsite selection, Leave No Trace practices, water treatment, hydration, backcountry cooking, food storage, and personal maintenance in the wilderness.

Skills Covered:

• Equipment selection and packing
• Backcountry nutrition planning
• Map reading and route planning
• Backpacking with a loaded pack
• Campsite selection
• Water treatment and hydration
• Backcountry cooking and food storage
• Leave No Trace principles

Day 2

Today is a full day of traveling through the backcountry while building the confidence and judgment needed for multi-day wilderness travel. Students break camp, pack efficiently, and continue along the trail while practicing navigation, pacing, campsite evaluation, and decision-making. Every mile provides an opportunity to reinforce expedition habits and become more self-sufficient in the outdoors.

Along the way, we’ll likely encounter some of the Pacific Northwest’s remarkable wildlife—from whistling marmots and curious pika to fields of wildflowers and, depending on the season, ripe mountain berries. Guides discuss wilderness first aid, weather assessment, risk management, and backcountry survival skills while helping students understand how to adapt to changing conditions.

Skills Covered:

• Backpacking efficiency
• Navigation fundamentals
• Wilderness decision-making
• Campsite evaluation
• Weather assessment
• Wilderness first aid
• Risk management
• Backcountry travel techniques

Day 3

Our final morning begins with breaking camp according to Leave No Trace principles before hiking back to the trailhead. Students continue practicing efficient travel, navigation, and backcountry systems while reflecting on the skills they’ve developed over the previous three days. By now, routines that felt unfamiliar at the start of the course have become second nature.

After returning to the trailhead, we head back to Seattle—perhaps stopping for a celebratory meal if time and group interest allow. Students leave with a solid foundation in backpacking, campcraft, navigation, and wilderness travel that prepares them for longer and more ambitious backcountry adventures.

Skills Covered:

• Leave No Trace
• Navigation review
• Efficient trail travel