Hello! I`m new to this forum

Hey, not to worry. Lewis and Clark used 27 different spellings of mosquitos when describing their hiking trip in their journals. So, I guess members of the forum can be as creative.

Guys!
You are so welcoming! Thank you a lot for your help and advice!
Our group will be not more than 14 people, I`m sure, and I`ll see more accurate figures by Jan-Feb when we get closer to the actual decision.

We plan to have a long trek hiking in and high above the trees, no cars duirng the hike, except some extreme cases and arrival-departure.

As for the region - I really don`t know yet. I need to read around much more, that is why I`ve started gathering information that early.

Thanks for mosquitoes warning! Our land, where we hike most of the time, is damp lowland with bogs, rivers and lakes. So we don`t mind fighting mosquitoes.

We also review an option of contacting an instructor that may take all the hike organization duties for him/herself. Are there any ?
I usually organize everything by myself, but this case is far more unknown for me, because of the variety of zones-parks-regions.

Our very own "null" organizes weight loss focused backpacking trips: fitpacking.com/

I believe there is another member "walkinman" that organizes trips in Alaska but am not sure he has posted on this new forum...

I thought most of those spellings were on the order of #$%^#%$&#$%^&

By June, its too hot to hike in desert areas in Southern Utah, and too early for high mountains in the Western U.S. Possibilities are along ocean coasts, and along lakes. Lake Chelan in WA is a 60 mile long lake, and the lakeshore trail from Prince Creek to Stehekin would be open in June. Along the Olympic coast in WA is one possibility. Canoeing Ross Lake in WA is a possibility. Canoeing the Columbia River in N. Washington is a possibility. Kayaking the San Juan Islands in Puget Sound is a possibility.

Maybe there are high desert mountains that would be open in June, like in Arizona, Nevada, New Mexico. I'm not familiar with those places. August September is the ideal time to hike high mountains.

Probably not the kind Lewis and Clark were cussing at...unless they teach some really amazing flying tricks in the Army!

I once hiked with a Norwegian and found that he had a very different set of rules that apply in Norway but not in the U.S. In the U.S. the general rule is you can't cut down live trees or bushes. Period. Especially in high elevations. You have to carry out all trash, including micro trash. You should carry out garbage, like uneaten food. Fires may be allowable, but can be restricted in fire season, above a certain elevation, or in heavily used areas. A hiking sauna would have to be inside a tent or tarp, not using cut branches.

If you can do your hike from mid July thru late September, lots of great places are possible.

See backpackingtechnology.com for trip reports in the Wind Rivers, Sierras, Sawtooths, White Clouds, and Uintas.

For 15 people, do a loop hike where half of your group goes one way, the other half goes the other way. The best areas to hike (high altitude above treeline alpine areas) will all have a group size limit.

Loop hikes are available in the Sawtooths, White Clouds, and Sierras. Permits and bear canisters are a hassle in the Sierras.

If you want to hike 70-100 miles, in 8-10 days, some options are

Idaho: 8-10 days in the Sawtooths, almost as good as the Sierra, no permit hassles but group size 12 max.  No bear problem at all. You hang your food to keep the mice out. See Sawtooth Slowpoke. 

One good option: 5 days in the Sawtooths, followed by 5 days in the White Clouds which is the mtn range across the valley. 

Wind Rivers: Awesome country, many such routes available. Permits are "as you enter" the trail, food must be hung in trees. Group size 12 max.

Sierras: The gold standard in backpacking, but permits are an impediment, and bear canisters are mandatory in many places.