Thanks for the comment and input! I have to agree, when visiting particularly good rockhounding areas, it is always nice to have a car. I had to make some really difficult decisions on what rocks to carry with me on the hike, and ended up mailing a few pounds back.

I think starting with a simple overnight and a short hike in is a good introduction, then extend that as you get more comfortable. Summer may pass quickly, but those northern summer days are so long!

There will likely be a little bit of luxury gear discussed in the series, but I plan to also consider what a minimalist approach would look like. My hike certainly was not minimalist, but I had a lot less gear than I started with by the end of the hike!