This trip was awesome and I am so glad I took a risk and signed up for it. The pre-trip communication enabled me to be fully prepared from a physical, mental, and gear perspective. The trail chosen for this trip was exceptionally beautiful and challenging without leaving me totally exhausted. The trip leaders were encouraging, I never felt intimidated. They also provided a lot of opportunities to foster community within the group. There were some lovely curated touches like the welcome dinner, swag bags, a camp shower, and boiling our water for morning coffee. There was a lot of on-site education about safety, proper hiking technique, gear care, and other essential backpacking tasks. I felt completely immersed in nature and present in the moment, and a spark for backpacking was ignited in me. I feel empowered to say yes to future camping/backpacking trips that friends propose and may even plan some myself!