zero hiking experience to a confident first overnight
the actual progression, not gear-first. roughly how long each stage took me.
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1
REI Co-op's free Backpacking Basics class (in-store or online)
covers gear, trip planning, and packing in about 90 minutes. good first stop, and it's free
2
A few dayhikes with a loaded pack, no summit goals
just walked around with weight for 2 weekends before I trusted my knees on a real trail
3
One frontcountry or car-camping night
practice the stove and the tent somewhere you can bail to the car if something's wrong
5
NOLS Leave No Trace basics, whatever version you can find
skip the multi-week expedition course unless you're going pro, the LNT fundamentals are the part that transfers
6
A shakedown overnight close to the car
NOLS structures their first 72 hours around exactly this: nav, shelter, stove, low stakes. mine was maybe 2 miles from the trailhead
7
Your actual first overnight, permit in hand
Or start a list of your own — free, it takes a minute.