Backpacking Fundaments Workshop July 28 is Prerequisite for Holly River’s August Adventure

            HACKER VALLEY, W.Va. – A short course teaching the fundamentals of backpacking is being offered at Holly River State Park Saturday July 28. Participants will learn the methods, materials and skills to make a backpacking trip safe and comfortable.  The single day workshop will last about two hours and is a prerequisite for an overnight backpacking program scheduled for August 17-18 at Holly River. To participate in the overnight trip in August, backpackers must attend this workshop and register for the adventure. There is a $20 fee per hiker to cover food and other needs associated with the August backpacking trip.

            Backpacking is a traditional way to “get-back-in” to enjoy the natural world on a personal level. “It is about experiencing the outdoors and hiking,” said Biff Healy, event coordinator for Holly River State Park’s outdoor activities.  Healy, who will teach the backpacking workshop, is an outdoorsman with special interests in fly-fishing, fly tying and backpacking.  With 36 years of scout leadership, Healy enjoys working at Holly River in the summer months teaching outdoor skills to promote lifetime interests.

             The Fundamentals of Backpacking Overview on July 28 includes types of backpacks and packing, tents, sleeping bags, trail cooking, water sources and purification, personal etiquette, apparel, and equipment and supplies. The overnight trip August 17 includes a 3.5 mile hike,  overnight stay and meal preparation.

            Holly River State Park is located in Hacker Valley in Webster County, with vacation cabins, campground, swimming pool and extensive hiking trails. Holly River is the second largest park in the West Virginia park system with a total of 8,101 acres. Nestled in a narrow valley, the park is surrounded by heavily forested mountains some reaching heights of over 2,800 feet.

            To register to attend Fundamentals of Backpacking Overview in July and the August Overnight Backpacking package, call Biff Healy at Holly River at 304-493-6353. The website is www.hollyriver.com.