043: Thru Hiking with Kids, Minimalist Backpacking + Section B of the GDT

<p>What is it actually like to <strong>thru-hike the Great Divide Trail (GDT) with kids</strong>? In this episode, I’m sharing our experience hiking about Section B, 198 km of the GDT with our three kids, including our 6-month-old baby. I’m talking about <strong>GDT preparation, hiking with kids, backpacking gear, food and meal planning, keeping kids motivated on long hiking days, baby gear, clothing, sleep, diapers, and some stories from our time on the trails.</strong> This is a very honest look at what worked, what didn&#39;t, and what it was like to do a long-distance backpacking trip as a family.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>In this episode:</strong></p><ul><li><p>What the <strong>Great Divide Trail</strong> is and where it goes</p></li><li><p>Why we decided to take on such a big <strong>family backpacking trip</strong></p></li><li><p>How we prepared physically with only a few weeks to get ready</p></li><li><p>How we planned our <strong>24-day GDT itinerary</strong></p></li><li><p>What it was actually like hiking <strong>8–12 km days with kids</strong></p></li><li><p>How we planned <strong>backpacking meals for 24 days</strong></p></li><li><p>Our breakfasts, hot lunches and dehydrated dinners</p></li><li><p>Freeze-drying vs. dehydrating food for backpacking</p></li><li><p>What was in our daily <strong>backpacking snack bags</strong></p></li><li><p>Our sleeping setup with three kids and a baby</p></li><li><p>Backpacking with a 6-month-old baby</p></li><li><p><strong>Diapers on a long-distance backpacking trip</strong> </p></li><li><p>Clothing systems for the kids, baby, Daniel and me</p></li><li><p>What the kids actually needed for entertainment—and what they didn&#39;t</p></li></ul><p><strong>Resources mentioned: </strong></p><p>Favorite Backpacking Gear Guide: <a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pUSPRn2aFl_eFRcn90IMG5qf1vsW8atk/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer nofollow">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1pUSPRn2aFl_eFRcn90IMG5qf1vsW8atk/view?usp=sharing</a></p><p>Our Complete Packing List: </p><p><a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AKb_DjegF9p406bjUQaHo8zN611jTapM/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferer nofollow">https://drive.google.com/file/d/1AKb_DjegF9p406bjUQaHo8zN611jTapM/view?usp=sharing</a></p><p><strong>Connect with Danika on IG:</strong> @besidethemountain </p><p><strong>Try Danika’s healthy snack recipes:</strong> <a href="https://besidethemountain.com/" target="_blank" rel="ugc noopener nor