Partner(s) ?

[bluffian]

Summer is for mountains, and this year its back in the sierra nevada. I dislike hiking alone more and more, so...
my schedule is flexible, anytime july thru september. prefer 5(minimum!)-14 days backcountry at a time. i like to move, i like to dawdle, i like to be outside !

got a few plans so far -

the big one, 15 days planned. wolverton start, traverse along the kings-kaweah divide to triple divide peak. then north along great western to longley pass and lake reflection. over harrison to upper kern. milestone pass, kaweah basin, big arroyo, nine lakes and out. whew.~8-10 mile days. lots of flexibility if mood or conditions sour. hit some peaks along the way and just enjoy. maybe bust it into a couple separate pieces if that seems wiser.

or ansel adams. play around in upper lyell fork or upper nf san joaquin. 9 or 10 days each.

or a black divide traverse from south lake. 8 days.
or an ionian basin wander from south lake. 7 days.
or an evolution area shin diggitty from north lake via lamarck col. 8 days.
or wherever.

i'm 48 (wtf?!? how'd that happen !?!) and in decent shape (young me would not be impressed though). been playing outside for, well, since the beginning. seriously for the last 20 years. mountains or deserts. done lots of off-trail travel, and lots of solo treks. if anyone's interested lets chat and see what sticks.

[Dave_Ayers]

I suspect a lot of hikers aren't willing to commit to week-long trips with people they don't know. You might try letting others know your approximate location and trying for some training hikes or something to meet prospective partners first. Also, there are quite a few hiking groups on Meetup (at least in my area).

[AlmostThere]

Hiking groups on meetup are generally good for meeting a lot of hikers, with a lot of different goals, however. One can occasionally find like minded folks to go on longer trips with. I find them by day hiking and going on shorter backpacking trips with them.

[rightstar76]

Short day hikes are a great way to find out if you want to spend more time with someone. I went on several and the feeling was that neither one of us wanted to go on a backpacking trip together. Just imagine if we had met up for the first time in the backcountry. We would have gone our separate ways fast. Not a good way to start a long backpacking trip. Like AlmostThere, I've gone to meetups and met lots of different types of hikers. Sierra Club too.

[bluffian]

yeah, its kinda iffy to meet a stranger for such extended travels. have done so a few times over the years and worked out fine, but the reticence is understandable. my outlook is, if you're into the trip, your my kind of person. simple minded i know, but so far so good. i'm easy going (i think..., or maybe i'm just delusional. i am trolling for partners online after all.), and as long as i'm not getting cussed out too frequently, or punched in the nads too much, i can find the fun in just about anyone. granted, some are funner than others.

appreciate the comments.

have fun n be safe !

[Jimr]

If you don't mind being punched in the nads too much, I'm sure you'll find your niche'

[Old Yeti]

Instead of finding partners to trip with, take trips and find partners for the SHR, JMT, etc. Or take the trip and enjoy the daily interactions. My brother met up with World Wide Mike (?) and his philosophy I like. Interact daily with those around you, walk, eat, enjoy. Then wake up early the next day, beat feet, and repeat. By the end of the JMT, for example, I will bet you will meet and know enough people to plan future trips with. It's kind of like college, you associate with like minded individuals. You won't meet them in bars.

[AlmostThere]

So I started out being a "just find people to go with" hiker. Then I progressed to "what the **** people???" and then to "I can't believe you just left like that" and "why the heck didn't you bring enough food wtf" and variations of "who doesn't bring X and expects the rest of us to let you borrow from us"

Some go back to solo hiking. I figured out who my tribe was over the course of a decade of meetup hikes, and now I have a pool of about fifty to go with with whom I can agree on Leave No Trace, safety planning and who's bringing the whiskey.

The task of finding good hiking buddies who enjoy week (or longer) trips is a journey in itself. Too lackadaisical? Not gonna work. Too strict in expectations? Not reasonable either. Good luck on your journey.

[bluffian]

It's kind of like college, you associate with like minded individuals. You won't meet them in bars.

absolutely. how i have always approached my social life. i actually met my best friend of the past 15 years thru a message board like this.

hike on !

[jackofall]

Where are you located? I'm in Reno. Always up for an adventure. Shootcme a message.