Spend a weekend in the Mission Creek Preserve back country! This is a perfect opportunity for women who want to learn how to backpack and camp overnight to get away from the noise of car camping, but may be afraid to go backpacking alone. This class is for women interested in backpacking. We will carry everything we need for an overnight adventure in our backpacks. You will enjoy the company of other women who love exploring the outdoors. You will learn new ideas for what to eat while camping on the trail. Your instructors will also go over trail safety, backpacking gear and how to set up and tear down camp efficiently. You must be able to carry approximately 30 pounds of weight in your backpack while hiking approximately 5 miles per day in the desert with the group. If you are able to hike up to 7 miles with a daypack then you should be fine. The class will include two days of hiking and one night on the trail. We will camp near our cars on Friday night then start the overnight backpacking trip on Saturday morning and hike out on Sunday. There will be an intermediate level backpacking class in the future fo those who want more experience and may want to move at a faster pace than this beginning class. Download the course outline: Backpacking for Women Fall 2019 Hike Level: Moderate (Fitness Levels) If you are a member of JTNPA/PINE you will get a $10 discount off every Desert Institute class. If you are not a member you can become one here. Before registering, please take the time to review our General Class Information and download the Enrollment Attachments, that contain pertinent information about your class and Joshua Tree National Park. Camping reservations must be made through recreation.gov Please print and fill out the PARTICIPANT AGREEMENT. You can bring the completed form to the class. Cancellation Policy: If you need to cancel, notify us at least seven days prior to the start of the course and we will process your request minus a $25 cancellation fee. No refunds, transfers, or credits will be granted if cancellation occurs within the seven day period. Please note that we cannot make any exceptions to this refund policy for any reason, including but not limited to medical reasons, illness, travel delays, personal situations, emergencies, or weather. This program depends on registration for its funding. While inconvenient, please understand that this policy enables us to sustain our programs even with last minute cancellations.