Frequently Asked Questions

Nothing in life is easy. During your hike you will be carrying roughly 20-30 lbs of gear. This will cause pain and exhaustion. It is highly recommended that every one in the group is in good health and able to keep up with the groups plans. You will be climbing thousands of feet of elevation every day and the hard part is going back down the mountain. The extra weight of the backpack will put extra strain on your bones and joints.

I hope every group has fun. Nature is the best classroom to learn about life and yourself. Of course things can happen during your hike to kill the joy such as an injury, gear failures or even rain. You will be provided tips and tricks I learned during my thru-hike to help minimize the troubles and enjoy every step of your journey.

• Osprey Exos 58L Backpack

• Big Agnes Tent

• Big Agnes Sleeping Pad

• Big Agnes Sleeping Bag

• Big Agnes Pillow

• Black Diamond Headlamp

• Black Diamond Trek Poles

• Sea2Summit Dry Sacks

• Toaks Titanium Pot

• Toaks Titanium Spork

• Alcohol Stove

• Fuel

• SPOT GPS Tacking Device (Group Leader Only)

• Maps

• Bear Spray (Group Leader Only)

• First Aid Kit

• Water Filter

• Lighter

• Hand Sanitize

• Bear Bag Rope

• Carabiner for Bear Bag

I have created YouTube videos explaining every aspect of the gear. Please See Inspiring Hikes YouTube Channel for all videos.

This will be a rain or shine event. The weather is an unpredictable force that we have no control over. Tips are provided for dealing with rain on the Inspiring Hikes YouTube channel. You may re-sale your ticket. No cash refunds are available for any reason.

Leave No Trace is a 7 step program to help preserve the wilderness and prevent unnecessary damage.

1. Plan Ahead & Prepare

2. Travel & Camp on Durable Surfaces

3. Dispose of Waste Properly

4. Leave What You Find

5. Minimize Campfire Impacts

6. Respect Wildlife

7. Be Considerate of Other Visitors

A hostel is an establishment which provides inexpensive food and lodging for a specific group of people, such as students, workers, or travelers. In this case almost every trail town has one or more hostel options. These typically are $20 per person per night and includes a bed in a group bunk house and showers. Some hostels provide more expensive options that include a private room. These options will be covered and provided to each group. Staying at a hostel is a great way to experience some of the culture on the trail.

This factor will depend where the hike is and what the total miles are.

A SPOT GPS will be carried in the group. This will give you and your loved ones piece of mind that we have access to a satellite SOS system.

https://www.findmespot.com/en-us/

Due to the nature of the business I will require each person to sign a liability waiver stating that Inspiring Hikes is not responsible for any damages or bodily harm to you or a third party. This is a simple gear rental company and not a guide service. The information provided is inspiration and the responsibility of what you do lies with ones self.

The group leader will also be required to sign an agreement regarding the SPOT GPS.

One of the largest hazards of hiking is the smallest thing you'll encounter. Tick awareness, prevention, and treatment information is covered here : https://www.cdc.gov/features/stopticks/index.html

More Info can be found here:

https://appalachiantrail.org/explore/plan-and-prepare/hiking-basics/safety/ticks/

The gear will have a permethrin treatment applied.

A tick removing device will be provided to the group leader.

You will encounter countless animals and hazards on your journey. Bears, Snakes, and even "Widow Makers" are discussed on the Inspiring Hikes YouTube Channel.

Shelters are a 3 sided, open faced, cabin and are roughly 10 miles from the previous shelter. These are a great options for locations to sleep. Typically each shelter is built near a privy and water source. These vary in size and quality. Some are infested with mice and privy can be over used and disgusting. A more in depth video is provided on the Inspiring Hikes YouTube Channel.

Due to food allergies, picky eaters, and the endless food options, each person will be required to bring their own food. This will be up to each individual and depend on what you like. Some people may want to spend extra money on dehydrated meals such as Mountain Houses while other people on a budget can cook Ramen or Instant Potatoes. An Inspiring Hikes YouTube video covers more details about food options.

The more you bring the heavier your pack will be. Obviously the heavier your pack, the harder the hike. With that being said the following is a list of suggested items to bring. *Some items can be shared with the group to help reduce weight.

• Food

• Toothbrush

• Small Toothpaste (share)

• Sunscreen (share)

• Sunglasses

• Personal Medications

• Toilet Paper

• Light Rain Jacket

• Light weight Jacket (preferably down)

• 2 shirts (long & short)

• 2 pair of socks

• Shorts

• Long pants (not blue jeans, preferably a synthetic lightweight pair that can dry quick) *for tick prevention*

• Chaffing powder / body glide

• Shoes/ Boots

• Camp shoes (crocs or sandels)

A YouTube Video covers how to properly pack the bag. The last thing you want is your toilet paper on the bottom of the bag. I will also provide a hands on tutorial packing your own bag the day your hike starts. There will be a "Shake-Down" where I scrutinize what you bring and weigh each persons total bag weight. If you over pack food or unnecessary items then its only going to hurt you. Do you really need deodorant???

If something breaks during your hike you're stuck with broken gear during your hike. and for this I apologize for in advance.

There will be no charge for broken or damaged gear. This is a big risk I am personally willing to take. If you get a rip in your tent, your treking poles break, or your air mattress leaks, I will be sad due to the fact its going to effect your hike. I will be providing quality name brand gear that hopefully will not break or malfunction during your adventure. These name brands have good customer support with warranties. I will go after them not you. I hope this will promote honesty and allow each person to report lost or damaged gear without fear of extra charges. This will prevent the next person from receiving damaged gear.

Please respect gear and treat it like your own. - Thanks

You will need to drive to the starting trail head parking lot and a return shuttle will be included with each rental.

Each person will receive a topographical map along with a detailed chart showing mileage, elevation changes, side trails, water sources, camping locations, land markers, and much more.

This will be a small standard first aid kit. Each person will be offered one but it can be an item that is shared within the group and such only one person will carry the weight.

Only the gear is covered in the price of the rental. Other expenses to expect would be things like Hostels, travel costs, and town food.

While I can not make you watch everything, it is highly recommended that each group member watch all the videos. These will provided the tips and tricks to enjoy your hike.

This questions has many variables. Service providers and location will depend. For me personally with Verizon I had good service in most locations. Although most National Parks do NOT have service. So depending on the location you decide to hike can impact this. If you plan to listen to music, a pre loaded play list is recommended. Ear Buds show respect to others but cauitioned do to not being able to hear your surroundings.