Life of a Gal Named Liv

bead lake

i always love taking out first time hikers or backpackers. this last summer (2022), i got to take out 3 at once! 3 beautiful humans, who were stoked for their first night (truly) in the woods.

Here are Cam & Sierra, on the hike to the lake. Getting used to big heavy backpacks was quite the adjustment from just a day hiking pack- but they toughed it out and did great!

we talked about leave no trace, bear bags, and how to use their gear properly!

Learn more about Leave No Trace: https://lnt.org

as many of you may know, i didn’t really grow up camping or backpacking. i don’t think i have ever seen my parents sleep in a tent, actually! i am entirely self-taught, and had a very rocky start when i was 16 years old.

i had a hell of time trying to figure out stoves, waterproofing gear, and map reading- let me tell you!

I remember asking the Big 5 retail workers allllllll of the questions, and my dad just saying “are you sure this sounds like fun to you?”… my parents have always been supportive, thankfully!

Getting into camping and (especially) backpacking can be a hurdle when it comes to $$$.

While I am 100% PRO long-lasting, quality gear, (like Patagonia) there is absolutely no shame in gearing up at Walmart instead of REI (as long as you can get enough gear to keep you safe).

Walmart has some quality tents ($25), one of which I have tried to get piñon to use! They aren’t the lightest, but they are waterproof and quite roomy!

My first stove was actually a metal folding stand with one of those gel heaters that caterers use to keep food warm! It worked, was hella cheap, but also took ages to heat food. I had NO CLUE what a “butane MSR stove”, or a “Jet Boil” was at that point, so I didn’t even know what I was missing out on! I kept that stove until I was 20, actually. My buddy, Earl, went snow camping with me in Montana and I was “in charge” of the kitchen setup. He brought potatoes, and we waited an hour before giving up on boiling those suckers! He, of course, was annoyed and explained to me that I needed an actual stove ASAP. I bought one as soon as we got home 🙂

My first snowshoes? $60 on Amazon. Now I have a $300 pair (purchased after 8 years of bruised feet & rad adventures)

1st Hiking boots? $19.99 at Big 5… Now, I actually wear trail runners ($100-$160) because I don’t get blisters, they dry fast, and i love a wide toe-box.

Gear can be essential your survival, so make sure you know what you are in for. I will be transparent and tell y’all I was WAY too confident in trusting “things would work out” in high school/ college and got REALLY lucky more times than I would like to admit.

Been spoiled ever since with pro-deals and gear upgrades, but I just want to emphasize you CAN use cheap gear for a long time & be perfectly content!

i don’t really think of it too much anymore, but going out on a hike alone used to be a huge deal for me. Here i am now, prepping to hike the PCT and spend 60+ days camping by myself in the woods!

Life sure is a journey.

Anyways, we spent the first night along a creek in a cedar grove. This was maybe a 10 minute walk from a great sitting spot on the lake. We spent that first afternoon, and next morning looking at the hillsides through binoculars & cracking jokes!

the next day, we hiked to mosquito ridge (which really lived up to the name). We identified mushrooms, and had a great hike back down to camp! That night we played spoons and told ghost stories around a ripping campfire.