Chicago backpackers on a less frightful trip earlier this year.
The Chicago Backpackers will have a ghoulish time in the Hoosier National Forest this Halloween weekend. They will be hiking in the Charles Deam Wilderness, which is part of the Hoosier National Forest. The wilderness is located 17 miles southeast of Bloomington, Indiana near the University of Indiana campus. Fifteen Chicago backpackers will be attending and dressing up on Saturday is a must.
The hike will start on Friday night as the hikers congregate at the trailhead for a two mile night hike to the first campsite. The night hike was instituted to make the vampires and werewolves among the hikers feel at ease on the trip.
For Halloween the hikers will hike 12 miles during the day in full costume. Vampires will need their Reinfield to push their coffin in a wheelbarrow until night fall. It is hoped for the vampires sake that none of the other hikers will dress up as Van Helsing (that jerk). The werewolves will hike as humans until the full moon arises. The national forest authorities have been warned as well as the local police in case any other hikers come across the ghoulish group and run away in hysteria and call 911.
The Chicago backpackers club can be joined and found on the internet. Unfortunately, this trip is closed, but for solo hikers out there in the Chicagoland area looking to find other crazy hikers this is definitely the group for you. If interested in joining sign up on the web and come out to the next meeting at the Lincoln Park REI on Monday, November 9.
The club has monthly boot camps to initiate newbies to the art of backpacking. These are finished for the year, but will start up early in 2010 probably in March or April, so check out the calendar for the next boot camp to get started.
The club mainly hikes around the Midwest at areas like Pictured Rocks, Porcupine Mountains, Superior National Forest, but also has trips farther away. The club also has a message board on their website for non-club trips. If looking for a hiking partner, but cannot attend a club trip it is always possible to post a message on the forum to see if anyone would be interested in hiking in the Great Smokey Mountains over Thanksgiving for example.
This Halloween while young kids are reaping the candy harvest and causing havoc to those that do not give a treat, 15 adult hikers will be traversing the Charles Deam Wilderness in full costume in search of who knows what. It is sure to be a good time though.
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Comments
How spooky! Hope there are no supernatural encounters on the trail.
Sounds like a fun group of hikers.
ted, i hope you go on halloween and take photos.
Nance,
I will be one of those crazy hikers. Expect articles and photos next week!
Sounds really wacky and right up your alley, Ted.
The Hoosier National Forest is beautiful all year long but especially in the fall. This year's colors are hanging on a bit longer than normal so the hikers will have plenty to see and photograph.
VAN Helsing.
That sounds like fun! (if I was hiker that is -- rather than a stroller and an appreciator of the outdoors).
Dave,
Thank you for the correction. Always thought it was Von. It must be my background studying World War II with all the German generals named Von like Von Paulus for example.
Coming into my old home territory to hike, huh? I lived south of Bloomington in Evansville for most of my life... The leaves are always beautiful in Brown County this time of year. Enjoy!
Sounds like a seasonally fun gig..enjoy!
Cheers
Halloween and hiking...sounds like a better way to spend the day than sitting home eating bags of candy.
Your hiking group really gets around and sound like they have fun.
Sounds wacky, but fun!
What a shock...you're one of the crazy hikers? Looking forward to reading the follow-up. Hope people didn't trip over their costumes.
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