General hooking up questions

[trailwobbles]

Was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to hook up with hikers not looking for a through hike partner. My husband and I are in the Maryland area and wanted to find buddies for day hikes/rock climbing/etc, as we train for some endurance hiking and eventual section hiking. Our immediate friend group/family isn't really interested in hiking, so we are trying to meet people who are. We are trying meetup.org but were interested in other using other avenues.

Anyways any suggestions would be appreciated.

[max patch]

Check out the AT trail club for Maryland which I believe is the PATC. Here is their calendar:

http://www.patc.net/PublicView/Calen...d-f3f3558aaaeb

In Georgia where I live the GATC has a backpacking trip and a day hike every weekend.

[Doc Mike]

I live in WV and hike every other weekend. Actually doing a 13.5 mile hike through snow on this Saturday. Pm me if interested.

[Meriadoc]

Meetup is great for meeting people who then go off on their own. I was a hike leader for a meetup group in Maryland. About half the time I led hikes with the meetup and the other half of the time I hiked and climbed outside the meetup but with friends I met from it.

Volunteering with the local parks will also involve meeting some cool people. I worked with Gunpowder Falls a little. Good luck!

[Studlintsean]

Id recommend also posting here on WB. Plenty of people from the Va/Md area. I'm often looking to do last minute weekend trips and looking for someone to go with. Thinking of doing a short 1 nighter on Sunday night in the area with my little brother.

[squeezebox]

Same question from St. Louis.

[Mobius]

There are quite a few Meetups out of the DC area that hit the trails in VA, MD, and PA. Some focus more on day hikes, some on shorter mileage weekend hikes, and some on long mileage (15-20 mile days). You can all but guarantee a trip every weekend over the spring/summer if you want.

[CoffeeBager]

Same question from St. Louis.

This meetup group in the StL area is pretty active: http://www.meetup.com/LetsHikeStL/

I've never hiked with them, but I've used the group to find good local hikes since I'm fairly new to the area. If you keep clicking the "More Meetups" box, you'll see they have some bigger hikes in the Ozarks planned for March--Bell Mountain (12.5 mi) on March 2 and a section of the Ozark Trail (11 mi.) on March 15.

I'm not a big fan of group activities, but I thought about going to a couple of events to see if anyone else there wanted to coordinate training hikes of just a couple/few people.

[michaelosborne]

Hey fellow Baltimorean! Worst case if you really can't find anyone check out the REI events, timonium is probably the closest to you but on their site they have all the locations. The only caveat being that you have to pay, but it could get your hiking foot into the door meeting other people in the group that also like to hike and then branch out from there. I leave for my thru in two weeks, but if you get out anytime before then let me know and me and my lady will be more than happy to join you ( we have absolutely zero hiking friends).

[trailwobbles]

Hi Michael, I think you and I have talked before, last year when you were planning...I'll hit you up In a PM

[Trail Ponderer]

Here are a couple places you can check out.
Mountain Club of Maryland (mcomd.org) Very active hiking group in Balto area with a range of distances.
Sierra Club - Look under outings in the Maryland chapter and then it breaks down by counties. The Howard County group is the most active in past years.
midatlantichikes.com - Very informative website about hiking and lists hikes by the leader.
Potomac Appalachian Trail Club -patc.net

[lemon b]

I've done this. Have a car. Locate tired thru's. Do and in and out. Me same people at specfic point next day with their resupplies. Give em a quick life for resupply or dry out. Repeat till your hike is done. So you have company half way.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

You could join in on any of these.....Easter weekend is in your neighborhood!


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