Beginner backpacking classes in Tri-Cities to get you ready for the real deal
The Inter-Mountain Alpine School is conducting its annual backpacking school.
This year it will be conducted in two, all-day sessions — a combination of indoor and outdoor classes designed to teach you what you need to know to get started backpacking on your own.
The purpose of the backpacking school is to prepare students for comfortable and safe multi-day backpacking trips.
The classes introduce people with little-to-no outdoors experience to a new and exciting hobby. No prior experience in the outdoors is required.
Topics include: the essentials, clothing, conditioning, packs, tents, sleeping systems, map and topography basics, compass and route planning, navigation using smart phones, cooking nutrition, hygiene and water purification, using the Internet, GPS, cell phones, stoves, other gear, first aid, safety, pets, children and rescue techniques.
The first day, on Saturday, April 23, is 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and includes lecture-style presentations in the L101 Lecture Hall at the Student Center on the Columbia Basin College in Pasco and online live via Zoom.
The second day, on Sunday, April 24, is 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and includes all-day outdoor, field demonstrations of equipment and techniques at Leslie Groves Park in Richland.
The school culminates in overnight backpacking trips led by an I-MAC trip leader.
Each topic is taught by a dedicated I-MAC member with years of experience with the purpose of taking the mystery out of what they need to know to successfully complete a weekend backpack.
The school is free and open to the public. Registration is required.
To register and reserve your place in the class, send an email to backpacking@imacnw.org and provide your name, phone, and preferred email address for class communications and materials.
Indicate your interests and experience with hiking and backpacking and whether you will attend by Zoom or in person on Saturday, April 23, and in person for the outdoor field session on Sunday, April 24. In person attendance on Saturday is limited to 30.
In the event you have to cancel your reservation, please send an email no later than 7 p.m. Thursday, April 21.
If you are interested in attending, send an email to backpacking@imacnw.org or visit www.imacnw.org.