How do you create a sense of community on a backpacking trip?

grill_gus

Having a sense of community on a backpacking trip can mean the difference between enjoyment and misery. It can also be the difference between backpacking as a team instead of as random group of people. The technical definition is, McMillan & Chavis (1986) define sense of community as "a feeling that members have of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that members' needs will be met through...

Originally asked by Charlie Brumbaugh on Stack Exchange (outdoors) (CC BY-SA 3.0).

uphilltech

Great question — answering as the UphillTech team:

There could be one who is quiet or ill at ease within a group. The group should be mature enough to not tease or make fun of one who seems ill at ease in a group setting or even more quiet or is simply less experienced on a backpacking trip. All should be made welcomed and encouraged to be part of the "family" during the trip in the great outdoors. Try walking two abreast for awhile. If the trail is not too wide, but is wide enough to walk two abreast, some people are more at ease in very small group. It might be a good idea to mix the walking partners up every so often and let the slow person set the pace, so that everyone get to communicate with everyone in the group. If you can not walk...

Full answer by Ken Graham: https://outdoors.stackexchange.com/a/15380 (CC BY-SA 3.0).

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