Fathers & Sons // The Patrol Series
PATROL1Brief + Packing Guide
Our first trip takes us into 6,300 acres of backcountry in the Nantahala National Forest — 30+ miles of established trail, over a dozen waterfalls, granite overlooks, and private dispersed camping. What to bring. What matters. What doesn't.
Panthertown Valley • Nantahala National Forest • Western North Carolina
Why This Place
Panthertown Valley sits on 6,300 acres of protected backcountry in the Nantahala National Forest. Over 30 miles of established trail wind through deep gorges, across granite domes, and past more than a dozen waterfalls — several with swimming holes at their base. The terrain earns the nickname "Yosemite of the East" without trying. We'll hike in roughly 3 miles, set up a basecamp, and spend two days exploring finger trails to waterfalls, epic overlooks, and creek valleys — a different destination each time we leave camp.
No permits. No fees. No designated campsites — we pick our spot. Sporadic cell service at best. No crowds once you're past the first mile. This is real backcountry, close enough to Raleigh to make it a weekend trip, remote enough that it feels like another world. It's the kind of place you remember.
Scouted in Advance
Two to three group leads — including Taylor — will have hiked this trail system in advance on a dedicated scout trip before PATROL1. We'll have identified camp areas, mapped water access, flagged the best waterfalls and overlooks, and have GPS navigation and firsthand familiarity with the trail network. We're not winging this. The goal is to give everyone a great experience while managing the inherent risks of backcountry travel with a group.
Ages 12 & Up
This trip is designed for fathers and sons ages 12 and older. The hike-in is roughly 3 miles over uneven (and sometimes steep) terrain with a loaded pack, and we'll be in remote backcountry with limited cell service, no facilities, and no quick exit. The terrain includes granite slabs, creek crossings, and elevation changes that require sure footing and stamina. It's a real adventure. If your son is mature, physically capable, and ready for a challenge, he's ready for this.
What's Next
Trip 1 focuses on the established Panthertown Valley trail system and some fun, adventurous offshoots to beautiful waterfalls and scenic views. Future trips will push into Bonas Defeat to the north and Big Pisgah to the east — wilder, less-traveled tracts of the same National Forest with unmarked routes, more rugged terrain, and fewer people. We walk before we run. But those are calling our name.
The Weekend
Three days. Two nights. One valley. Here's the shape of it.
DAY 1
INSERTION
🚗 Leave town by 5:30 AM — grab a quick bite on the road
🏔 Arrive at Panthertown by 12:30 – 1:00 PM
🚶 Hike in 3–5 miles to camp
⛺ Set up camp — tents, water filtration, bear canisters staged
🔥 Dinner, fire, and the kind of night you don't get at home
DAY 2
PURSUIT
☕ Breakfast and coffee at camp
🎒 Pack your day kit — water, lunch, snacks, towel, change of shorts/socks if you plan to hit the water. We encourage a smaller daypack, sack, or water bladder for the day hike. Main packs and gear stay at camp.
🥾 Hit the trail by 8:30 AM
This is our max adventure day. We'll traverse 10+ miles, enjoy lunch in a beautiful location, and take in the waterfalls. Good luck keeping the boys out of the water.
DAY 3
SUMMIT + EXFIL
🌅 Early morning sunrise hike for those who want it — get your headlamp ready
⛺ Back to camp by 1:30 – 2:00 PM for teardown
📦 Break camp — Leave No Trace, pack out everything
🚶 Hike out and on the road by 3:00 – 4:00 PM
🍔 Burgers at a favorite spot on the edge of Asheville to feed ravenously hungry men and properly close an awesome trip
You're carrying everything on your back for 3+ miles to basecamp. From there we'll set up and run day hikes to waterfalls, swimming holes, and overlooks. Every ounce matters on the hike in, so pack deliberately. Below is what each father-son pair needs. Each pair is responsible for their own shelter, food, water filtration, and personal kit.
Items marked MUST HAVE are non-negotiable. Everything else is strongly recommended.
Before You Buy
Invest in Your Pack
Your pack is the foundation. Everyone's body is different — load distribution and comfort on the trail are a bigger deal than most people realize. Go somewhere you can try on different packs with weight in them (REI is great for this). A pack that fits well makes 30 lbs feel manageable. A pack that doesn't will remind you every mile. Everything else in your kit is easily upgraded or swapped later. Get the pack right first.
Ounces = Pounds, Pounds = Pain
You're going to be most comfortable if your loaded pack is 20–25% of your bodyweight. Trust us. Bring the essentials and resist the urge to overpack. It's 2–3 days — you don't need backup outfits or extra "just in case" gear. Every small item adds up. If you're debating whether to bring something, you probably don't need it. The list below covers what matters. Trust it.
Weight Rule of Thumb
Based on our experience: you're going to be most comfortable if your loaded pack is ≤20% of your bodyweight. Trust us on this one. That's total weight including water, food, and gear. If you're 200 lbs, aim for 40 lbs or less. Weigh your pack before you leave the house.
01
Shelter & Sleep
Your tent, bag, and pad are the heaviest items in your pack. Invest in sleep — it makes or breaks the trip.
Shelter (Tent, Hammock, or Other)
Tent, hammock, or other shelter system. If going with a tent, 2-person gives you room for gear inside. Fair warning: 1-person tents barely hold 1 person and your gear. Buy accordingly.
Must Have
Sleeping Bag (30°F rated)
We'll mostly be doing spring and fall trips when the weather isn't extreme, but nights can still get cold. Keep in mind that the rating on a bag is a survival rating, not necessarily a comfort rating — so if you're expecting 30s weather, a 20°F bag will keep you more comfortable. Down or synthetic both work great. Do some research and buy something flexible across seasons. Check the packed size before you buy — a stuff sack or compression sack goes a long way in reducing the bag's footprint in your pack.
Must Have
Sleeping Pad
Recommended. You'll sleep on the ground. The pad insulates you from cold ground as much as it cushions you. R-value of 3+ minimum. Self-inflating pads are easy and affordable.
02
Water Storage & Filtration
Carry 64 oz in per person. There's frequent, easy access to creek water with filtration throughout the valley, so you can refill and keep the water weight relatively light.
Water Storage System
You need a way to store clean, filtered water. Nalgene wide-mouth bottles work great and are compatible with most pump and gravity filters. Water storage bags and hydration bladders also work. Pick what fits your setup. Important: On Night 1, we may camp some distance from water, so carry enough to cover drinking + cooking through the evening.
Must Have
Water Filtration System (per father-son pair)
Each pair is responsible for their own water filtration. You'll be filtering from creeks at camp and on day hikes. Pick one of the options below based on your budget and preference.
Must Have
Filtration Options — Pick One
There are several good options at various price points. Squeeze filters (like Sawyer or LifeStraw) are the lightest and most popular — fill a pouch, squeeze through the filter into your bottle. Gravity filters (like Platypus GravityWorks) are hands-free and great for camp. Soft flask filters (like Katadyn BeFree) are simple for boys to use independently. Pick what works for you — just make sure you have one.
Electrolytes — Don't Skip These
Water alone isn't enough when you're hiking 10+ miles in the heat. Bring electrolyte packets — they replace the sodium, potassium, and magnesium you sweat out and prevent cramps, fatigue, and headaches. LMNT and Liquid IV are the most popular options. Toss a few packets in your day kit and mix into a Nalgene on the trail. The boys especially will benefit — they won't think to manage their own electrolytes, so hand them one.
03
Food & Cook System
Keep it simple. You're boiling water, not running a kitchen.
Freeze-Dried Meals (2 per day)
Add boiling water, wait 10 minutes, eat from the bag. One for dinner, one for lunch or backup. Plan 4-6 meals per person for a 3-day trip.
Must Have
Breakfast: Instant Oatmeal + Coffee
Instant oatmeal packets, instant coffee, hot chocolate for the boys. All just need boiling water. Light, cheap, fast. Bring from home.
Must Have
Trail Snacks
Trail mix, jerky, bars, dried fruit. Enough for grazing all day on the trail. This is your fuel between meals. Pack more than you think — the boys will eat everything.
Must Have
Backpacking Stove + Fuel + Pot
One stove per father-son pair. A compact canister stove, a small fuel canister, and a pot that nests together. We may cook over a campfire when conditions allow, but don't count on fire being available for every meal. A stove guarantees hot water for freeze-dried meals. Bring a spork.
Must Have
Pack More Than You Think
You'll be hungrier than you expect. We're burning serious fuel hiking 10+ miles a day over granite and elevation. Pack on the slightly-more-than-enough side for both meals and snacks. Running low on food on Day 2 is a morale killer. An extra freeze-dried meal and a couple extra bars weigh almost nothing and could make the difference between a great day and a rough one.
Bear Country — Canisters Required
Panthertown is a designated bear sanctuary, and the U.S. Forest Service now requires bear-resistant food containers for all overnight camping. All food, trash, and scented items (sunscreen, toothpaste, soap) must go in an approved container at night — not in your tent, not in a bag on the ground. A BearVault BV500 or an Ursack both work. Both are sold at REI and other outfitters. One per father-son pair. Set it on the ground 200+ feet from camp at night.
Carrying tip: The bear canister doesn't nest well inside most packs. Many hikers strap it to the top of their pack using the lid compression straps. It rides securely, keeps your main compartment free for soft gear, and is easy to access at camp.
Trash — Your Responsibility
There are no trash cans in the backcountry, so each pair packs out everything they bring in. Bring a kitchen-size trash bag for camp and a gallon ziplock for day hikes. All trash goes in the bear canister at night — food packaging smells like food to a bear.
This is a great opportunity to model good habits for the boys. Clean up as you go, leave the campsite better than you found it, and take pride in how you treat the land.
Leave No Trace
We follow Leave No Trace principles on this trip. That means packing out all waste, camping on durable surfaces, minimizing campfire impact, respecting wildlife, and leaving the valley the way we found it — or better. If you see trash on the trail, pick it up. We're guests in this place.
Read the 7 Principles of Leave No Trace →
Campfire & Firewood
We'll have a campfire when conditions and regulations allow — it's a big part of the experience. But campfires are not guaranteed every night (wet conditions, fire bans, etc.), which is why a stove is a must-have above.
For firewood: we'll gather downed deadwood in the area. Group leads will carry wood processing tools — a lightweight folding saw, hatchet, and a fixed blade for batoning. You do not need to bring these yourself, but if you own a folding camp saw or hatchet and want to pitch in, bring it along.
04
Light
It gets dark in the valley. No streetlights. No ambient glow. Prepare accordingly.
Headlamp (per person)
Hands-free light is non-negotiable. You'll use it setting up camp at dusk, cooking dinner, night trips to the latrine, and early morning pack-up. USB-C rechargeable is ideal. Bring it fully charged.
Must Have
Spare Batteries or Backup Light
If your headlamp uses batteries, bring spares. If it's rechargeable, bring a small power bank to top it off. You'll be glad you have backup power if your headlamp dies mid-trip.
05
Rain Protection
Mountain weather changes fast. Be ready even if the forecast looks clear.
Rain Jacket or Poncho
Lightweight, packable, waterproof. This is your one piece of weather insurance. Keep it accessible — top of the pack or stuffed in an outside pocket.
Must Have
Pack Rain Cover
Fits over your backpack to keep gear dry in sustained rain. Sized to your pack. Without it, your sleeping bag gets wet and that makes for a rough night. Worth the small investment.
Must Have
PRO TIP: Line the inside of your pack with a trash compactor bag (thicker than regular trash bags). If the rain cover fails or you set the pack in a puddle, your gear stays dry. Free, weighs nothing.
06
Clothing
Wool and synthetic layers outperform cotton in every way on the trail. We strongly recommend leaving cotton at home. Layering for warmth will depend on the forecast closer to our dates — we'll communicate on that. Rain and hike essentials below are non-negotiable regardless of weather.
Hiking Pants or Shorts
Synthetic, quick-dry material. Not jeans. Not cargo shorts from Target. Actual hiking pants that can get wet and dry in an hour.
Must Have
Moisture-Wicking Shirts (2)
One to hike in, one dry for camp/sleep. Synthetic or merino wool. A long-sleeve sun hoodie is great for trail — protects from sun and bugs.
Must Have
Hiking Socks — Wool (2+ pair)
Wool hiking socks. Bring at least 2 pair. Keep one dry in a ziplock in your pack at all times. Wet feet lead to blisters fast. This is one of the most important small investments you'll make.
Must Have
Mid Layer (Fleece or Light Puffy)
For camp evenings and cold mornings. Temps can drop into the 40s at night in the valley. A fleece or light down jacket in your pack weighs almost nothing and makes a huge comfort difference.
Must Have
Camp Shoes / Water Shoes
Let your feet breathe at camp. If you plan to enjoy the swimming holes and waterfalls on the day hike (and you should), bring water shoes instead of flip flops. The creek beds are rocky and slippery. Water shoes double as camp shoes and give you way more confidence in the water. Win-win.
Warm Hat + Underwear
A beanie for sleeping if it's cold. Moisture-wicking underwear — not cotton boxers. Your future self will thank you.
Why Not Cotton?
Cotton holds water, dries slowly, and loses all insulation value when wet. A wet cotton t-shirt in 50°F wind can lead to real discomfort and even mild hypothermia. Synthetic and merino wool layers wick moisture, dry fast, and keep insulating even when damp. A couple budget synthetic shirts and wool socks go a long way.
Swim Clothes + Water Shoes
There are a number of beautiful swimming holes and waterfalls we'll pass on the day hike. If you want to enjoy the water (and the boys will), pack swim-ready shorts and water shoes in your day kit. The rocks are slippery, so water shoes are strongly recommended over bare feet or flip flops.
07
Footwear
This is the single most important gear decision you'll make. Get it right.
Hiking Boots or Trail Runners
Mid-cut hiking boots for ankle support under load, or trail runners if you're experienced and prefer them. The terrain is granite, creek crossings, and uneven trail. Break them in before the trip. New boots on a loaded hike is a recipe for blisters. Give them a few walks first.
Must Have
BREAK IN YOUR BOOTS. Wear them on at least 2-3 walks before the trip. Your feet will thank you.
08
Backpack
You need a real backpacking pack with a hip belt. Not a daypack. Not a school bag.
Backpacking Pack (50-65L)
Internal frame with a padded hip belt. The hip belt transfers weight off your shoulders to your hips — it's what makes 30+ lbs manageable over distance. For the boys, size down to 40-50L depending on their frame. Get fitted in person if possible.
Must Have
Day Hikes from Basecamp
On day two, we leave our main packs at basecamp and hike out to explore waterfalls, overlooks, and swimming holes. You'll need a way to carry day essentials: water (at least 32 oz per person — a hydration bladder is ideal but Nalgenes work fine), snacks, a light towel, a change of socks, sunscreen, TP + trowel, and any personal meds.
For carrying it all, you have options. Some backpacking packs have a detachable lid that converts into a summit pack — check yours. A large fanny pack, sling bag, or drawstring cinch sack thrown over one shoulder will all work. You don't need to buy anything fancy — just something lightweight to hold the day's essentials while your main kit stays at camp.
09
Personal Essentials
The small stuff. Don't overthink it, but don't skip it either.
Sunscreen + Bug Spray
Mineral sunscreen, SPF 30+. Bug spray with DEET or Picaridin. You're at elevation on exposed granite — you will burn. Ticks are active in the valley — spray down.
Must Have
Toothbrush + Mini Toothpaste
Travel size. Toothpaste is a scented item — it goes in the bear canister at night, not in your tent.
Must Have
Hygiene — TP or Portable Bidet
There are no bathrooms. We dig a cathole 6-8 inches deep, 200 feet from water and camp. Bring TP in a ziplock and pack out your used TP — or go upgraded with a small portable bidet (they weigh nothing). Either way, clean in style and Leave No Trace. Hand sanitizer is a must.
Must Have
Basic First Aid
Band-aids (assorted sizes), a few antiseptic wipes, ibuprofen, and any personal medications. Enough to handle a scrape, blister, or headache on your own.
Must Have
Phone + Power Bank
Not required. Cell service is light and sporadic in the valley. But a phone is still useful for photos and as a backup trail map if you choose. Bring a small power bank if you want to keep it charged.
Knife / Multitool
A basic folding knife or multitool is useful in camp. Not required — but a good skill-builder for the boys.
Trekking Poles
If your pack is on the heavier side, we found these make the uphills and downhills noticeably more stable and transfer some load off the back and legs. For sons and lighter packs, may not be necessary.
Navigation + Emergency Comms
Cell service in Panthertown Valley is light and sporadic depending on where you are in the park. Don't count on it for calls or navigation. I will be running GPS navigation for the group — you do not need to download apps or carry a GPS device. You're welcome to bring your phone and follow the trail on your own screen if you'd like, but it's not a requirement.
For emergencies: I will be carrying satellite-capable emergency communications. iPhones 14 and later also have built-in satellite SOS — if you have one, it will work even without cell service. But you don't need to rely on it. Emergency contact capability is covered at the group level.
Medical Coverage
Myself and one or two other group leads will be carrying full medical kits including stop-the-bleed gear (tourniquets, hemostatic gauze, chest seals), splinting materials, and comprehensive first aid beyond what's in a standard kit. You don't need to duplicate this — just bring basic personal first aid for everyday cuts, blisters, and headaches. We have the higher-grade medical covered.
10
Do Not Bring
Less is more. If it's not on this list, you probably don't need it.
Bluetooth Speakers
We're in the backcountry. While I don't doubt your taste in music, let's discover that on the road, not the hillside.
Glass Containers
Glass breaks on granite. Use Nalgenes and soft containers only.
Anything You Haven't Tested
Don't open new gear for the first time on the trail. Set up your tent in the backyard. Sleep in your bag. Walk in your boots. Test everything before we go.
