Note: By registering for this event, you are registering for the entire course: four weekly online sessions, in-person demo day, and trips.
Join the Loma Prieta Chapter of the Sierra Club for our
2026 Basic Backpacking Course. The course is offered as a four-part online symposium followed by a day of outdoor instruction, demonstration, and hiking. You’ll learn the essentials of backcountry travel that make it safe and enjoyable for you, and sustainable for the places you visit. We will place special emphasis on the gear, skills, and planning required to be responsible stewards of our precious wilderness ecosystems.
Each evening installment will cover several related topics followed by an open discussion and question session. We will then convene at Huddart Park in Woodside, CA for a Saturday of additional instruction, skills demonstration, and a day hike in our backpacking gear. The course will culminate in overnight backpacking trips in Henry Coe State Park in Morgan Hill, CA in May and Sierra trips in June (space limited; dates may be affected by the snowpack).
The Basic Backpacking Course has been offered by the Loma Prieta Chapter for over five decades.
Class FormatThe course consists of four online sessions, an in-person Saturday demonstration and group day hike, and overnight class trips. The online portion will be given via Zoom each Wednesday evening in April. The in-person demonstration and day hike will take place on Saturday, April 25 at Huddart Park near Woodside, CA. The course trip options are Saturday-Sunday, May 2-3 and Saturday-Sunday, May 9-10, both at Henry Coe State Park near Morgan Hill, CA. We currently plan to offer several options for Sierra trips in June. Additional trips may be offered depending on interest, weather, and instructor availability.
Course ScheduleWednesday, April 1, 7pm (Online)
Topics: Welcome and the Ten Essentials; Backpacks; Shelter; Sleep Systems
Wednesday, April 8, 7pm (Online)
Topics: Clothing Systems; Footwear and Hiking Poles; Food and Cooking; Hydration and Water Treatment
Wednesday, April 15, 7pm (Online)
Topics: Leave No Trace, Sanitation, Waste, and Garbage; Navigation
Wednesday, April 22, 7pm (Online)
Topics: Backcountry Hazards, Emergencies, and First Aid; Trip Planning
Saturday, April 25, 9am (in-person)
Skills Instruction, Demonstrations, Gear Check, and Day Hike in Your Gear
Werder Shelter, Huddart Park, Woodside, CA
Saturday-Sunday, May 2-3
Class Overnight Trip, Option 1
Henry Coe State Park
Saturday-Sunday, May 9-10
Class Overnight Trip, Option 2
Henry Coe State Park
Thursday-Sunday, May 28-31 (pending)
Sierra Trip, Option 1
Kaiser Wilderness
Thursday-Sunday, June 4-7 (pending)
Sierra Trip, Option 2
Kaiser Wilderness
Thursday-Sunday, June 11-14 (pending)
Sierra Trip, Option 3
Kaiser Wilderness
Full details at
https://www.sierraclub.org/loma-prieta/basic-backpacking-course
Cost: $200
Signup Instructions: Payment will be collected separately after signup via PayPal or Venmo.
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