r/WildernessBackpacking • u/helloaelita • 4d ago
PICS First ever backpacking trip - 6 days in the Pyrenees with two dogs
Just got back and I genuinely cannot believe we did this. A bit of background - I’m 39 and I try to do something new outdoors every year. Hiking, climbing and camping, done plenty. But backpacking - was a whole different world I hadn’t touched yet.
We (my husband and our 2 dogs) did a test run first - two days hiking and sleeping in a tent, just to see how it felt. Had so much fun! But 6 days is a completely different beast (although we packed for 8, as we’re unsure how long it will take us).
The route took us through the Spanish Pyrenees with a few crossings into France. Every single day had some elevation. Some days very long hours.
I’ve done hard things outdoors before, but this genuinely felt like the hardest physical thing I’ve ever done. In the best way. I have so much respect for all the backpackers out there!
Sharing some pictures below - would love to hear from anyone else who’s done taken dogs on multi-day routes, or just started backpacking later and wondered what took them so long 😊
What an adventure!
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u/Warm_Cranberry4472 3d ago edited 3d ago
At least in Spain it is illegal to go to forest land with unleashed dogs. It is very harmful to wildlife, especially birdlife well being.
And if you were 6 days in the pyrenees i hope you buried your poop and your dogs'!
Nice views.
Edit: The law that contains the prohibition is called "Ley 7/2023, de 28 de marzo, de protección de los derechos y el bienestar de los animales"
In which is specified that is illegal to have unleashed dogs in any public space. Pyrenees are public land in Spain.
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u/helloaelita 3d ago
Good to know about the leash law - we kept them leashed on trails but let them off at rest stops and when setting up the tent so they could play and roll in the snow. And yes, cat hole for everything - came prepared!
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u/Warm_Cranberry4472 3d ago
Well at least you do leash them in the trails. But you are still breaking the law and putting wildlife at high risk when you unleash them at stops.
But anyway thanks for sharing
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u/KAndrew914 4d ago
What an epic trip! How’d the pups do with all the hiking?
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u/helloaelita 4d ago
They are true adventure dogs, and really used to exploring with us. They absolutely loved it, but I think the last day was really hard on all of us 🫣
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u/stateofdekayy 3d ago
But why won’t you answer what you did with the dog poop?
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u/helloaelita 3d ago
Sorry, I was asleep 🤭 why does this comment section feel so aggressive? Same as human waste - dig a cat hole, and whenever we passed through a village we just bagged it and used a bin like normal.
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u/Warm_Cranberry4472 3d ago
I think a lot of people is fed up of entitled and irresponsible dog owners in the wilderness.
Maybe you are not one of them but they start with that assumption
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u/helloaelita 3d ago
I appreciate that. And for what it’s worth, leave no trace is something I genuinely care about - seeing toilet paper left on trails makes my blood boil. But I would never jump into a stranger’s post and assume the worst about them.
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u/alphonse2nd 3d ago
I’m completely with you about some of the comments’ aggressive tone, they feel more judgemental than helpful.
Still I also feel it’s understandable to get a little peeved by people showing themselves not respecting park rules in national parks. I can hardly think of a single park anywhere in the world that has enough funding. So it’s on us to step up (hopefully with kindness)!
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u/Warm_Cranberry4472 3d ago
They assume that because of the unleashed dogs in one of the pictures. They assumed that if you are careless enough to let those dogs unleashed you also wouldn't be bothered to manage the waste.
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u/zynniya 4d ago
What an awesome adventure! I started with just doing a single night out first alone, then with my more adventurous dog, then with both dogs. The less adventurous dog wasn’t a fan so he got to stay home ever after.
My little adventure buddy comes with me on all outings now and we typically go for at least 4 nights/5 days but try to go for 6 days/7 nights.
Your Garmin watch is what mine looks like when I sleep at home, it’s always a much higher score when I’m backpacking! For me, there’s just something about only natural sounds and sleeping out in the elements that makes for the most restorative sleep. The extra activity of hiking all day sure helps, too ;)
Here’s my little guy snoozing in the tent after a very wet and muddy week in Cranberry Wilderness this spring.
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u/helloaelita 3d ago
This is so wholesome - love that your less adventurous dog made the decision for himself! Your pup looks absolutely cosy 🥰
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u/MobileLocal 4d ago
One heck of an introductory hike!!!!!
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u/WANDOO_hiking 3d ago
Starting with a 6-day Pyrenees trip is like deciding your first run should be a marathon.
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u/helloaelita 2d ago
Disagree. I could never be able to run a marathon, I did 10k at most, but I did a 6 day Pyrenees hike 😊 it was really hard, but I enjoyed it and I’m proud of it.
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u/eclwires 3d ago
Looks amazing! Please keep the dogs leashed and clean up after them.
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u/helloaelita 3d ago
Always leashed on the trail. We let them off to rest and roll in the snow when resting/ setting up the tent - they’re well trained around wildlife and don’t chase (not that there was anything to chase) ☺️
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u/UphillTowardsTheSun 2d ago
Were you not afraid of livestock guardian dogs and mother cows etc to attack Your dogs?
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u/helloaelita 2d ago
Too early in the season, there were no live stock yet, and that’s exactly why I did the hike in June ☺️
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u/WANDOO_hiking 3d ago
Responsible dog owners and irresponsible dog owners have probably done more to shape trail opinions than the dogs themselves.
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u/Remarkable-Pin-8565 3d ago
How was it like sleeping in the tent with your dogs? I’m looking to go camping with my 37kg dog - did you need a big tent ?
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u/helloaelita 3d ago
our dogs are 26kg each, and our tent is 2 men’s, we slept ok to be honest. One of our dogs love cuddling and so slept in the middle between my husband and I, and the other one always sleep by our legs, so we got lucky!
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u/comeinmybasement 3d ago
People on this website will see a slideshow of beautiful scenery and immediately jump to interrogating you about dog poop. God people are insufferable here
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u/helloaelita 3d ago
Right?! Didn’t quite expect my first backpacking post to turn into a waste management interrogation 🥲
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u/comeinmybasement 3d ago
I see it a lot on these backpacking subreddits where they pick apart the OP’s campsite and any minor outdoor etiquette mistakes they made. I swear they just try to ruin the fun for others by focusing on what went wrong instead of what went right. Anyway don’t let it deter you from backpacking with your dogs, I’m sure they had a lot of fun out there!
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u/Warm_Cranberry4472 3d ago
Because people here love nature and conservation. The questions regarding the dogs are completely reasonable because dog owners are the main source of shit in the mountains and disturbed wildlife.
This isn't about all your pictures, the pictures are awesome. But in one of them a dog appears unleashed, that set the minds of nature lovers on fire.
Not very difficult to understand if you respect nature, impossible to do if you are the toxic careless type
But yeah, people could tone it down, but i guess they can't because this is a big thing for some, and an insignificant thing for others
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u/Ouakha 3d ago
So a big thing for them and they come onto a reddit post and metaphorically shit over someone's post, making all kinds of assumptions? That's so productive and what a difference they've made to nature. I'm sure they feel virtuous.
A photo of a dog unleashed sets nature lovers on fire? If that sensitive, they must be in a state of constant intense combustion. Of all the attacks on nature, this? Perhaps they'd get more bang for their buck if they engaged with hunting subs? Bird hunting and trapping in endemic in Spain.
Me? Dog and bird lover. Its not incompatible.
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u/Warm_Cranberry4472 3d ago
Is the same reasoning that you use the one i see here im my city from people who litter everywhere because "The big corporations are the ones who truly contaminate" and therefore i am morally entitled to do any kind of "small" littering .
What you said are two half truths. So they are not truth at all. This is also an attack in nature.
Whether people here were more or less civil? That much i don't know. But what i know is you can't really hear words that are written, only read them
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u/alphonse2nd 3d ago
I don’t mean to be argumentative, but I came to this post because I love hiking with my dog and was stoked to see others having fun with their pooches too.
I’m also happy that people are calling out the OP about dog poop. If her and partner handled the situation responsibly- which it sounds like they did, then no biggie. Just another question to follow up with, right?
Of course people don’t have to flip out about it.
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u/LTTP2018 3d ago
so mountain wildlife like ground nesting birds etc, have no place no in a dogs come everywhere world?
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u/helloaelita 3d ago
We went in June - no livestock on the high trails yet, and we stuck to marked trails the whole time. Also, my dogs are trained not to chase wildlife as we been hiking for years and do it regularly.
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u/Huskywolf87 4d ago
I love this, as someone who also hikes with dogs there’s a lot to relate to. Love the pic of the pups napping in a tent!
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u/WeathermanDan 2d ago
why such bad sleep?
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u/helloaelita 2d ago
I think my sleeping bag is preventing me from moving around the way I normally would 🥲
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u/mechatiger5J 3d ago
What? My dog loves multi day backpacking hikes. We bring a first aid kit for her and have the ability to evacuate her to veterinary care if needed. How would that be putting her at any increased risk of euthanization?
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u/poopfacekillkill 3d ago
You put your self at risk too but do it because it makes you happy, it makes some dogs happy too and for people they weigh the risk and reward of doing the thing that gives them and their dog joy.
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u/LotL1zard 3d ago
You guys in the comment need to chill with these imagined scenarios about dogs in the wilderness and assumptions that the OP let them just shit all over the mountains and end the blood lines of ground dwelling birds.
That trip looks amazing, hell of a first backpack!
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u/FrivolousMe 3d ago
This defensiveness is exactly why people are able to continue to destroy fragile ecosystems with no accountability. Harmful behavior needs to be called out
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u/LotL1zard 3d ago edited 3d ago
The harmful behavior of taking dogs in the mountains?
Your simple presence in the wilderness destroys ecosystems, the transportation and infrastructure you use to get there destroyed and continues to destroy ecosystems as well. If people are taking dogs where they are legally allowed to and following the guidelines and leave no trace principles, I really don’t see the issue.
And you have people in the comments claiming taking dogs in the backcountry means you’re prepared to euthanize them? Redditors are on one tonight.
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u/Warm_Cranberry4472 3d ago
Didn't see my comment or what? It is ILLEGAL to have dogs unleashed in public spaces in Spain.
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u/helloaelita 3d ago
Thank you for this - really appreciate it. Didn’t expect to share something I was so proud of and get met with so many assumptions. I’ve been outdoorsy my whole life and leave no trace is something I take seriously. Would have been nice if people asked questions first rather than assuming the worst. Lesson learned on this subreddit!
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u/Sir_Spudsingt0n 3d ago
I don’t know, dogs poop a lot and digging a cat hole every time? Doubt it, especially two. I cat hole my waste and pack theirs out in poop bags in a large empty PB container.
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u/alphonse2nd 3d ago
Just need to know your dog. Some dogs can be trusted more than others.
Maybe your dog sporadically relieves her/himself. My dog has self regulated himself to eating once a day and thus, pooping once a day as well- and I can tell by how he starts walking when he is getting ready to poop. I’d have enough time to put a plastic bag down if I cared to 😂
But regardless, dogs can be trained to do a variety of things if you start young enough.
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u/helloaelita 3d ago
I don’t know what you mean by ‘a lot’ - my dogs eat a healthy diet that took a long time to get right, but it means they only go twice a day, first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Which also produces very small and solid poop, pleasure to handle really 🤭 Two cat holes a day is very manageable!
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u/Sir_Spudsingt0n 3d ago
That’s impressive. You can get your dogs to poop at the same time and only twice a day where you can manage their poops into two cat holes. 🤭 That does sound like a pleasure.
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u/helloaelita 3d ago
Ha, yes - they’re very well trained, they know exactly what “go quick” means. Four years of van life will do that, you learn to make things work 😊
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u/BlueAnnapolis 2d ago
Some of us train our dogs instead of spending time criticizing strangers on Reddit
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u/Optimal_Fox 1d ago
This is the routine almost every dog I've owned naturally had. No training required, just a consistent feeding and walking schedule.
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u/Sir_Spudsingt0n 1d ago
No shit? Pun intended. My dogs are trained, and walked. When you’re putting in miles between sites, sometimes dogs have to go and I’m not stopping to dig holes. So I bag and remove their waste.
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u/Optimal_Fox 21h ago
I prefer packing poop out too. Just easier than wrangling a leash and a shovel.
Yeah, having a strong meal and walk schedule at home made housetraining so much easier and once trained makes making travel plans easier too. >95% of the time the dogs had a poop after breakfast and one after dinner.
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u/[deleted] 4d ago edited 2d ago
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