Last week we talked about my brilliant idea to dress up like famous hikers for Halloween. There are two things I love about this idea. First, it’s like a history lesson. Second, you can make these costumes at a low cost.
Did you know that a homeschooling mom’s two favorite things are adding a lesson to any activity and doing it on a shoestring? I think most moms probably enjoy those things.
Without further ado, here are three more hikers to be for Halloween.
Bear Grylls
Okay, he is not a historical figure. But he has been featured on several educational television shows. He teaches survival skills with the added shock and gross-out value that boys of all ages love.
My husband used to joke about naming a son after him. Our son is not named Bear, but this guy would still be cool to be for Halloween. He was in the British Special Forces and holds the record as the youngest person to climb Mount Everest.
To dress up as Bear Grylls you can take it a couple of different ways. You could wear camouflage fatigues, carry a toy knife, and have an assortment of fake bugs in your pockets. Randomly pretend to snack on the bugs. This would emulate the crazy survival shows featuring Grylls.
You could also make a mountain climbing suit. A snowmobile suit would work great as the base for the outfit. Make an “oxygen tank” out of some empty 2 Liter soda bottles and aquarium tubing. Lastly, carry a backpack that can double as your candy bag.
Cheryl Strayed
Cheryl is an American author who has an inspiring story. She hiked 1,100 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail alone as a young woman in 1995. She hiked from the Mojave Desert to the Oregon/Washington state line. The hike was instrumental in her journey to sobriety. You can read the whole story in her memoir Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail.
She took her hike in the mid-90s, so any wardrobe from that period would be fitting. Several photos of her show her in hiking shorts or pants with a white T-shirt. In the film Wild, her character is decked out in a plaid flannel shirt as well. Add a traditional hiking backpack with a bedroll on top and you will have completed the look.
George “Billy Goat” Woodard
George Woodard has a story to rival those of Earl Shaffer and Grandma Gatewood. After retiring from being railroad conductor in Maine, George began his now legendary hiking career. A friend dubbed him Billy Goat after seeing him scramble up a steep slope.
George hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches 2,653 miles, a total of eight times. He also hiked the Appalachian Trail and the Continental Divide. These three together are considered the triple crown of hiking. He is still adding miles to his record, hiking about 150 days a year!
Photos online show George in khaki pants, a blue button-down, and a cowboy hat. He had long gray hair and an epic beard. George is also an ultralight hiker, keeping his pack under 10 lbs. for all those miles. A small, simple pack would complete this outfit. You could add a bit of whimsy with a crown to signify George’s accomplishments too.
Mom’s Idea
Often I find that the kids are not always as jazzed up about my amazing ideas as I am. You may have noticed this too. Our kids just don’t yet possess the wisdom to see how brilliant we are.
I pitched my hikers for Halloween idea to my three darlings and they were a little less than impressed. I choose not to be deflated though. They can pick whatever costume they want anI will cheerfully make it for them. I’ll just lead by example. I’m going to be Grandma Gatewood. See you at Trunk-or-Treat!
George is alive and well. He suffered a heart attack a while back, but recovered and is still hiking!