Getting my son started

Floorguy

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Sep 26, 2012
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Palmer, AK
Well my son (age 5) has been bugging me for about the last year to take him hunting with me so I decided to start this summer with taking him out hiking and working up to some backpacking overnight trips. Today we went up the butte its not much but I don't want to crush him and have him loose interest. The butte is 1.5 miles one way 900ft elevation gain to the top. He handled it surprisingly well he said he was tired of walking once and that was once we got to 50 yards from the trailhead and he knew it was almost over. He was talking about wanting to do a "real mountain" tomorrow or the day after tomorrow." His birthday is the middle of next month and I am picking up a Diamond Atomic to give him. He also has a Camp Trails youth frame pack that I picked up for $10 when I was killing time and decided to go into a thrift store, I also got him an Enlightened Equipment 20* Protege quilt.

Here is a pic of him on the top of the butte with what he wants to do next Lazy Mtn its only a mile longer but the elevation gain is 4500feet
 

Becca

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Great job getting him out there! The Butte has a couple of steep sections, sounds like you have a little future mountain hunter on your hands... Since it sounds like you have gotten him pretty well set up on gear, have you considered making an overnight of the trip up lazy? Pretty sure that's where thru-hiker took his older two for their first overnight a few seasons back. Have been thinking about doing a trip up lazy myself, just wanted to give a little more time for snow melt off as the trail can be super muddy.

Congrats on a great hiking and hunting partner in training!
 

trk3263

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Great Story. My 6year old Daughter keeps bugging me too. (Little) Girls are a little more dramatic and whiny but she has done good on a few decent hikes so I want to try and overnight this year.
She doesn't like my Tarp/Bivy setup because she says something could come eat us so I guess I will have to use a Tent for the first overnight.
Keep us posted...
 
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Floorguy

Floorguy

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Becca - that's what I was thinking for his first overnighter, same thinking on the snow as well. I took a drive in Hatchers on the Palmer side and it is still winter there right now.

Trk3263 - I have a girl turning 4 Saturday and she has already started. That's why I was able to get the protege for my son I knew there would be someone moving into it right away after he grows out of it.
 
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Loveland, CO
Great job on getting the little guy started. I have an 8 year old son that can and will walk circles around me and 5 year old daughter who is well on her way to becoming a hiking and hunting companion. Keep updating please. I am getting some great ideas here.
 
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Floorguy

Floorguy

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For his birthday I got him a diamond atomic. Here he is on fathers day practicing in the backyard.

I added the peep and he has the Scott Hero release. Also added a small stabilizer and wrist sling
 
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Floorguy

Floorguy

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Dude is a mountain goat. His hiking clothes were in the laundry and his hiking boots he just outgrew and didn't let that stop him. 3000 ft 2.5 miles up coming back down we took a different trail adding a mile and a half down.

Here he is heading up


Victory up at the top


Snacking on the peak


We also got a treat on the second trail coming down a juvy moose decided to have a stand off with us over who would get to use the trail. Towards the end he was feeling it but I figure at 6 years old 6+ miles and 6 plus hours of walking and 3k ft of elevation if he didn't complain there was something wrong with him and really it wasn't bad he was tired and his feet were hurting with a half mile left. Dude is a beast. Meanwhile I did something to my leg now I am icing my knee. He is already talking about what and were we are going next weekend.
 

Becca

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Great stuff Floorguy!! He is a mountain goat for sure! Way to get him out there, he will be packing for you in no time :)
 

sk1

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my son turns 2 tomorrow.....cant wait until he is doing stuff like this with me. good stuff and way to introduce him at his own pace
 
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Floorguy

Floorguy

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my son turns 2 tomorrow.....cant wait until he is doing stuff like this with me. good stuff and way to introduce him at his own pace

Doing things his pace is tricky the pack was too big for him and with his quilt water and coat it was too heavy he made it half way up with it which is the hardest part of that trail, and the going was slow.I took the pack and strapped it to mine and he was literally off to the races.
 
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Floorguy

Floorguy

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Got Back out for the first hike of the year with Braden, this time his sister got to tag along. Hit the Butte again and the boy is already talking about conquering Lazy again as a "training hike." Don't see myself taking both of them on that. On a side note the Karate Monkey hydration packs are nice for what they are the bladders suck first time using them the connection from the bag to the tube was broken on one and the lid leaked on the other but for a total of 15 dollars on sale I can't really complain.

 
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I try and take my two girls as much as they will let me. Two weeks ago they tried the paratarp for the first time and really liked it. The next night they slept out under that stars. I have learned to move at their pace and let them help decide what we do when we get out there and it has really peaked their interested. Getting them good gear is spendy, but is sure is nice when it doesn't fail during the trip and I think it makes them feel more confident that they have good gear like mom and dad.
 
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Floorguy

Floorguy

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I try and take my two girls as much as they will let me. Two weeks ago they tried the paratarp for the first time and really liked it. The next night they slept out under that stars. I have learned to move at their pace and let them help decide what we do when we get out there and it has really peaked their interested. Getting them good gear is spendy, but is sure is nice when it doesn't fail during the trip and I think it makes them feel more confident that they have good gear like mom and dad.

Yep right now they are at that stage where they both are wanting to rush headlong into everything and I have to slow them down. As far as the gear I am working on that it was the first time using them so filling the first one up I realized it was leaking so my daughter got to carry a water bottle in her pack. Both are going through growth spurts right now, hopefully it will level off for the summer Braden needs to fill out a little more I haven't found a pack with a belt that will fit him.
 

60x

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What an inspirational story. My son is 4 and getting ready himself. Thanks for sharing this!!
 
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Floorguy

Floorguy

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What an inspirational story. My son is 4 and getting ready himself. Thanks for sharing this!!

Thanks, my daughter is 4 and will be 5 in June the Butte is as big as I will go with her. My boy will turn 7 in June.
 
Joined
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Milwaukee, WI
Awesome! I am having the same problems...

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Good luck!
 
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