The hiking thread

**Duncan Glenday** · 03-20-2013

Riiiight!

I've never had blisters, but that isn't because I'm hardened. It's because I pay $300 for the best boots I can possibly get, I walk them in, and I wear 2 pairs of socks - silk inners, and smart-wool outers.

Between that and very tight high-top boots protecting my spindly ankles, I've never had foot issues yet.

Oh - and the other thing:

I always trim my toe nails before a hike, - regardless of how short they are. Makes a huge difference. My sister once thought her twinkle-toes looked dainty with a bit of length and a lot of paint on them. Then - she was coming down a big mountain (19,000 feet to 6,000 feet in one day), and her toes constantly impacted against the front of her boot. Twinkle-toes is no more. She had to have 3 nails surgically removed, and couldn't walk for 2 weeks!

**VickiLynn** · 03-20-2013

Originally Posted by Duncan Glenday

Riiiight!

Twinkle-toes is no more. She had to have 3 nails surgically removed, and couldn't walk for 2 weeks!

Ouch! I've lived through a similar ordeal, but nothing that drastic. Toenail clipping is excellent advice

**Duncan Glenday** · 03-21-2013

Does anyone track hikes on a GPS unit?

I'm using a system that's actually a carry-over from cycling - I have a GPS unit with me which tells me how fast (or how slowly

) I'm going, how many miles, and how long I've stopped.

When I get home, I upload it into a system that provides all sorts of facts and graphics.

Quite fun...

Oh - and techie-freak that I am, I also use a heart rate monitor

Necessary on the bike, but I think I'm the only hiker who uses one.

**Hunnibee** · 03-24-2013

I know all about the toenail thing. One friend also taught me to retie my shoes on the way down. They should be tighter to keep the feet from smashing up against the front of the shoes.

**spellbound** · 03-24-2013

Originally Posted by KerryKompost

Most welcome -- I hope you do it! Just be aware it's an 18 mile walk one-way from the nearest trailhead (Rancheria) and, after 15 miles of basically level walking, the trail drops 3700' in 3 miles. Insanely steep descent on eroding switchbacks covered in leaves and loose rock; I used hiking poles and they were a godsend. The valley floor is pretty low elevation (around 4k) and there are plenty of rattlesnakes as a result; it can get hot down there. Avoid during spring run-off season 'cause Crown Creek can be impassable and that will keep you from even getting close to Tehipite. I wouldn't consider doing it alone, you do NOT wanna wind up like this woman!

That was the first part of my trip up the middle fork and over Bishop Pass. First we had to go from Wishon Reservoir to Tehipite Valley. Thanks for the video that reminds me what it was like there. I'll never forget that downhill to the valley floor. Here is Tehipite Dome on the left and the middle fork of the Kings up the valley at center.

**Hunnibee** · 03-24-2013

Wow, that looks very middle-earthish. I can almost see dwarves scaling the upper ridge on Mt. Tehipite!

**hippypants** · 03-24-2013

I just found out about this hobby called geocaching, which mixes well with hiking and walking. At any rate, it's sort of like treasure hunting, but finding a "treasure" isn't so much the object, sometimes it's just trying to find something, or enjoying the view along the way. At any rate, I thought I'd post this to see if anyone tries this: http://www.geocaching.com/

Jefferson James · 03-25-2013

Spellbound -- awesome picture, that must've been an amazing trip!

**Progbear** · 03-25-2013

Went out to Lucas Valley Open Space in Marin County with my hiking group on Saturday. The most adventurous hike I’ve been on for quite some time (about nine miles round trip, with a fair amount of climbing), probably since my unfortunate bout of tendonitis last August. I was really feeling sore the rest of the day but I rebounded pretty quickly and felt great the next day. The hike had some pretty nice views of the San Francisco/San Pablo Bay from the summit.

-------------
MIKE (a.k.a. "Progbear")

“It doesn't get any more...like this. Than this.” --Anders Lundquist

N.P.:“Imágen III”-M.I.A./Cornonstípicum

**WHORG** · 03-25-2013

Geocach is a great sport !!! I used to geocach back in the day with a map and compass only - it took some skill . . .

There's a few mountains in the Adirondacks that are "trail-less" - with a cannister on the peak where you jot down your name/date and secret symbol (or a paper punch in the old days) - proving you actually did the hike. Some of these are just brutal - and you really need to pay attention or pay the price. Even worse - these same peaks can be tackled in the winter months - bringing a whole different set of challenges into the game. I just did my 46 in the summer/fall months - we stayed out of the mountains in the spring - or sometimes called "mud-season" - when all the winter melt turned trails into streams or rivers ! ! !

Winter backpacking was just too hard - too much heavy bulky/heavy gear for me to handle - much less the wicked cold temperatures . . . just not for moi.

We're getting ready for a few hikes this summer - - - good times.

JK

**Klonk** · 03-25-2013

I don't have time to hike as much as I used to, but I love it. Nothing like being out there in nature. This was last summer. Josef, you should be familiar with the area.

IMG_1610.jpg

**Klonk** · 03-25-2013

Why do I have to click on that pic to make it large?

**Klonk** · 03-25-2013

BTW Spellbound that pic is phenomenal! I'd love to be there.

**spellbound** · 03-25-2013

Le Conte Canyon, Middle Fork Kings River

**Duncan Glenday** · 03-26-2013

Originally Posted by Klonk

Why do I have to click on that pic to make it large?

The new system has a few ways to represent pictures.

If you "attach" a picture from your PC, it is loaded to the system, and is represented with the thumbnail that you have to click.

If you use the [ IMG] tag (same as the old PE), then it interactively pulls the pucture from somewhere else on the Interweb - and it displays full-size.

**Klonk** · 03-26-2013

Gotcha, Duncan...thanks.

**Shadow** · 03-26-2013

Bought a pair of snow shoes yesterday at the Goodwill store. They were $6 and I just wanted them. If anyone ever needs a pair of snow shoes you know where to find them.

**Shadow** · 04-05-2013

I just read the rescue story of the two hikers found in California. The OJ trial makes more sense than the story these two tell. How do you both get separated and end up losing your shoes, the most important part of your gear. Something just doesn't sound right here.

**Hunnibee** · 04-07-2013

Dehydration and hysteria are very possible when you are lost in the wilderness. People literally "lose their minds" if they are not prepared to survive an ordeal like this one.

**Duncan Glenday** · 04-07-2013

On Saturday morning last week, I did a very tough mile training hike - took 6.5 hours, which was way too slow

Yesterday I rode the bike 240 miles - also a training thing, trying to push my endurance. Details downloaded from the GPS here: http://app.strava.com/activities/47733335

I now have 1 month to gear up for my 42-mile 1-day hike through the mountains...

**ItalProgRules** · 04-08-2013

Duncan and thedunno, fantastic pictures. Really enjoyed those.

This summer I really want to do a hike in the Moab, Utah area. I have a coworker friend who grew up in that area. What a spectacular area.

Working up some plans right now.

Shorter term, going to do a day hike near Allegheny in the Southern Tier of NY soon as the leaves are on the trees (couple of weeks.)

**ItalProgRules** · 04-08-2013

Originally Posted by Hunnibee

Dehydration and hysteria are very possible when you are lost in the wilderness. People literally "lose their minds" if they are not prepared to survive an ordeal like this one.

Everyone who hikes should learn basic survival..there is NO reason to starve, freeze or go without water if one knows what they are doing.

I highly recommend The SAS Survival Guide. It's only about 12 bucks and tells you how to survive anything, anywhere in the world, at any time.

No pack should be without it.

Jefferson James · 04-08-2013

Originally Posted by Shadow

I just read the rescue story of the two hikers found in California. The OJ trial makes more sense than the story these two tell.

Yeah, my bullshit-o-meter is going into the red with this story; I saw a local news report last night which stated the guy "lived on plants" for 4 days, no mention of what KIND of plants but trust me, there's not a lot of plant-life to eat in the chapparral environment. You *might* eat some acorns if you're in an oak woodland but they weren't -- they were in chapparral (which is varied, dense brush growing to about 15' high; it's brutal and almost impossible to walk thru). He also said he was "hiking uphill for six hours" but that trail is nowhere near that long unless they were walking a pace of about .0005 miles an hour.

My gut feeling is these two went out there, did some mind-altering drugs, freaked out and got separated and wound up in the thick of the chapparral, confused and lost. Either that or they thought their smartphones had a water app and an app to summon them a taxi or something.

People seem to take delight in downplaying the wilderness aspects of the wildlands that surround Los Angeles but this shit is no laughing matter and anyone who doesn't respect these lands will eventually fall victim to Mother Nature.

A majorly respected mountaineer -- this guy has climbed every major peak in the Sierra and written books about it -- almost died in the local mountains in 2005.

Respect.