Boots on Your Feet and a Pack on Your Back...

The most wonderful places on this beautiful planet are often the hardest to get to, and that is why we hike. Backpacking and hiking hearken to the way humankind used to travel, with our own two feet and our loads on our backs, and everyone should give it a go. It brings the immense feeling of having earned one's passage to the end of the day. One of life's greatest pleasures is chilling the sweat on your back with the wind while having lunch on a mountaintop.

Common Hiking Destinations

Common or close (<5 hours) places to hike or backpack include:

• Raccoon State Park
• McConnell's Mills State Park
• Moraine State Park
• Allegheny National Forest
• Laurel Highlands
• Monongahela National Forest
• Shenandoah National Park
• Cooper's Rock State Park
• Ohiopyle State Park
• Lost Crag/Connellsville
• Spruce Knob National Recreation Area

Hiking Gear

The Explorers Club can provide the following backpacking/hiking gear for club trips (see our Storeroom page for more information):

• Backpacks/daypacks
• Trekking Poles
• Rain Jackets
• Backpacking tents
• Sleeping bags
• Sleeping pads
• Backpacking stoves
• Cooking Gear
• Headlamps

If you'd like to get your own gear, you can check out these local stores:

• REI (South Side Works)
• Exkursion (Monroeville) - more technical gear, more knowledgeable staff, and a 10% discount with Explorers Club membership card

Explorers Club Hiking Chairs

	Elias Fatsi (esf@andrew.cmu.edu) CMU Explorers Club President I've been hiking for as long as I can remember with my family, but started backpacking and camping at the start of middle school through a summer camp I went to. I then grew up to work at the camp and would try and go on as many trips as they would let me on. I've been all over the western side of Virginia and am getting familiar with the land surrounding Pittsburgh. I'm a big advocate of getting as many people outside and into the woods as possible as I'm pretty sure everyone loves it and definitely needs it from time to time. I should be going on as many trips as I can this year rain or shine (or snow), hopefully I get to share the experience with as many people as possible.
	Lane Kurkjian (lkurkjia@andrew.cmu.edu)
	Francesca Fenzi (fenzi@cmu.edu) Born and raised in Arizona, I've been hiking for as long as I can remember. I absolutely love the outdoors, and enjoy sharing my passion with anyone who is interested in escaping the urban jungle. I'm looking forward to a fun-filled year of hiking and backpacking, and can't wait to see everyone on the trails!