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I love flat dirt
It's so much easier to walk on than boulders at a 45° incline.
"I'm too fat to walk up a mountain." "Most people are."
I don't know about most people, but I'm sure not comfortable with not being able to walk up Liberty Mountain in a day. I saw lots of people do it. I saw two couples go up and then come down in one day, and the vast majority of people we saw didn't seem to be packed for spending the night. And my coworkers were confident I could get up the mountain.
We saw one other person about as overweight as me. He was hollering obscenities.
But I spent my weekend hiking in the woods with![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
cathijosephine instead of with my butt firmly attached to my sofa, and that's awesome.
And hopefully it'll motivate me to reduce my body fat and increase my cardiovascular stamina. More.
Maybe in a month I'll try another valley trip, quite possibly Flat Mountain Pond from the West end. Let me know if you'd like to come with me.
Zeph was wonderful to have with me.
Our plan had been to hike up most of Liberty Mountain, spend the night at the designated tent site, go up to the peak, which is above tree line, maybe wander around the ridge a bit, and come back down the second day. 3.5 miles the first day. The first 0.9 miles is pretty flat, so 2.6 up the mountain.
After I was feeling pretty well done, every lift of my leg painful, one of the people we ran into who was heading down, when figuring out we were planning to spend the night, got a pained look on her face, and said we had a while to go, then said "Wait, how much farther do we have to go?" Not long after, another person we ran into said we had a mile left to go. Zeph said "She has to be wrong." She apparently didn't see the pained expression on the previous lady's face. We kept going up slowly, focusing more on attempting to find some vague approximation of a small flat spot on the side of the mountain to sleep on, preferably at least 200 feet from the trail (as regulated). I gave in and took two ibuprofen.
We came to a spot where the trail was much flatter than everything we'd seen for a while, so that seemed like a good place to scout for a camp site. I found a spot too close to the trail that looked like it would work. Zeph looked around some more while I sat with our stuff so we didn't lose it. I looked around longer. I don't know how long, could've been half an hour. Found a better spot. Turned out to be a perfect spot. Again it could've been problematic if it rained really hard, as it was a small bowl, but it turned out amazingly comfy for two snuggly people in bivy sacks. Glad I wasn't trying to pitch a tent.
I asked Zeph what she thought our chances were of getting our food in a tree this time. She said good, because she didn't want to deal with a bear. I pointed out the problem with putting your food in a tree is that it's then in a tree and you can't snack on it anymore, and our chances plummeted. After it got dark, she eventually managed to talk me into putting it in a tree. That may have significantly contributed to how well I slept and how little I jumped that night. Having a light source certainly helped, I'm very happy with my Princeton Tec Quad Tactical.
We were expecting temperatures around freezing. It didn't seem like it frosted. I've been kicking myself for not picking up that $6 combination thermometer and mini compass from REI, which is exactly what I wanted. We both ended up sleeping well. Zeph woke up a few times to cold feet, because she had taken her socks off because they were too tight. But we were otherwise warm enough.
I took two more ibuprofen as we got back on the trail.
On the way up a very large portion of the people coming down had trekking poles. I was particularly surprised by the number of them who had expedient poles (sticks). I commented on their popularity to one person who had fashioned his own, and he said he felt they were almost a necessity. Remember this was boulders at about a 45° incline. Zeph and I opted to try without, and neither regretted it at all. Slightly different muscle use, and half the time, and we were joyously back to the car. I took another ibuprofen and an aleve. I'm still rather sore.
About six hours up, three hours down.
We both slept in USGI Modular Sleep Systems (MSS). I was in the light (patrol) bag, using the intermediate bag as a sleeping pad, wearing only (heavy) socks, boxer-briefs, and polypropylene jacket. She was in the intermediate bag using a Therm-A-Rest Ridge Rest SOLite pad, wearing no socks, pants, sweatshirt, jacket.... I'm thinking I would've been fine with the intermediate bag plus pad, which would've cut my pack down, hell, 5-7 pounds, which could've been enough to get me the rest of the way up the mountain. Do not underestimate the value of hauling less crap in your pack up the mountain. I didn't, I'm just still buying gear. Zeph appreciated me talking her out of packing an extra long sleeve shirt and more socks and underwear than she would have worn.
My new Kelty Redwing 50 internal frame pack was magical. Last time, every time I stopped it was primarily to get my damn pack off. This time, most stops I didn't even care to take my pack off. The weight of the contents hangs from the top of the bag, which is basically suspended from the top of a single aluminum stay which runs to the bottom, to padding, then a thick padded belt that wraps snugly around the top of your hips, basically holding all of the weight. Then the shoulder straps are just there to keep it snugged to your body. I felt like a strap around my chest under my arms would've been nice (I did have the chest strap buckled).
Zeph packed much like I did last time - day pack with the MSS tied to the top.
My other gear addition was two pair of REI rag wool socks, and two pair of Merino sock liners (one REI, one SmartWool). They were great, but hard to say more great than the synthetic hiking socks I used before. I think I liked the REI liners slightly more. Rag wool socks are cheap, and I believe the best socks you can wear, with the one qualification that you be planning to wear liner socks (which reduce friction and stuff).
I also added my US GI M-65 field jacket shell, because of the cold. And swapped my cotton short and long sleeve shirts for synthetics. It was very convenient to strap my top two layers across the top of my pack with the compression straps when not in use.
We each brought a dozen hard boiled eggs, a bag of mixed dried fruit, and a bag of M&Ms. I brought a bag of "yogurt" covered M&Ms, she brought two small bags of jerky, which was a good idea. I ate eight eggs, and most of the rest. She hardly touched her eggs, at least partially because we forgot salt, finished the jerky (which she tore through) and fruit, and had a bunch of M&Ms left. I probably ate too many M&Ms.
I've been convinced to ditch my synthetic base layer stuff and switch to wool. The socks, mentioned above, and long underwear in Merino (and a balaclava). Mostly due to people raving about how much it reduces need to adjust the number of layers you're wearing. Doesn't overheat you as much when you get hot, while still keeping you nice and warm when it's cold. Also, less stench, although that's not so much of a concern for me.
I'm also really tempted to get Patagonia Men's Hiking and Trekking in Wet Weather technical clothing system except for the base layer as explained above. Although it's kind of expensive, for somebody who can't even walk up a damn mountain. But I want it. Partially for its utility in the event civilization collapses and I feel a need to wander, of course.
I was very much reminded of this:
"If you pick 'em up, O Lord, I'll put 'em down." - unknown, "Prayer of the Tired Walker", from whiteblaze.net
"I'm too fat to walk up a mountain." "Most people are."
I don't know about most people, but I'm sure not comfortable with not being able to walk up Liberty Mountain in a day. I saw lots of people do it. I saw two couples go up and then come down in one day, and the vast majority of people we saw didn't seem to be packed for spending the night. And my coworkers were confident I could get up the mountain.
We saw one other person about as overweight as me. He was hollering obscenities.
But I spent my weekend hiking in the woods with
cathijosephine instead of with my butt firmly attached to my sofa, and that's awesome.And hopefully it'll motivate me to reduce my body fat and increase my cardiovascular stamina. More.
Maybe in a month I'll try another valley trip, quite possibly Flat Mountain Pond from the West end. Let me know if you'd like to come with me.
Zeph was wonderful to have with me.
Our plan had been to hike up most of Liberty Mountain, spend the night at the designated tent site, go up to the peak, which is above tree line, maybe wander around the ridge a bit, and come back down the second day. 3.5 miles the first day. The first 0.9 miles is pretty flat, so 2.6 up the mountain.
After I was feeling pretty well done, every lift of my leg painful, one of the people we ran into who was heading down, when figuring out we were planning to spend the night, got a pained look on her face, and said we had a while to go, then said "Wait, how much farther do we have to go?" Not long after, another person we ran into said we had a mile left to go. Zeph said "She has to be wrong." She apparently didn't see the pained expression on the previous lady's face. We kept going up slowly, focusing more on attempting to find some vague approximation of a small flat spot on the side of the mountain to sleep on, preferably at least 200 feet from the trail (as regulated). I gave in and took two ibuprofen.
We came to a spot where the trail was much flatter than everything we'd seen for a while, so that seemed like a good place to scout for a camp site. I found a spot too close to the trail that looked like it would work. Zeph looked around some more while I sat with our stuff so we didn't lose it. I looked around longer. I don't know how long, could've been half an hour. Found a better spot. Turned out to be a perfect spot. Again it could've been problematic if it rained really hard, as it was a small bowl, but it turned out amazingly comfy for two snuggly people in bivy sacks. Glad I wasn't trying to pitch a tent.
I asked Zeph what she thought our chances were of getting our food in a tree this time. She said good, because she didn't want to deal with a bear. I pointed out the problem with putting your food in a tree is that it's then in a tree and you can't snack on it anymore, and our chances plummeted. After it got dark, she eventually managed to talk me into putting it in a tree. That may have significantly contributed to how well I slept and how little I jumped that night. Having a light source certainly helped, I'm very happy with my Princeton Tec Quad Tactical.
We were expecting temperatures around freezing. It didn't seem like it frosted. I've been kicking myself for not picking up that $6 combination thermometer and mini compass from REI, which is exactly what I wanted. We both ended up sleeping well. Zeph woke up a few times to cold feet, because she had taken her socks off because they were too tight. But we were otherwise warm enough.
I took two more ibuprofen as we got back on the trail.
On the way up a very large portion of the people coming down had trekking poles. I was particularly surprised by the number of them who had expedient poles (sticks). I commented on their popularity to one person who had fashioned his own, and he said he felt they were almost a necessity. Remember this was boulders at about a 45° incline. Zeph and I opted to try without, and neither regretted it at all. Slightly different muscle use, and half the time, and we were joyously back to the car. I took another ibuprofen and an aleve. I'm still rather sore.
About six hours up, three hours down.
We both slept in USGI Modular Sleep Systems (MSS). I was in the light (patrol) bag, using the intermediate bag as a sleeping pad, wearing only (heavy) socks, boxer-briefs, and polypropylene jacket. She was in the intermediate bag using a Therm-A-Rest Ridge Rest SOLite pad, wearing no socks, pants, sweatshirt, jacket.... I'm thinking I would've been fine with the intermediate bag plus pad, which would've cut my pack down, hell, 5-7 pounds, which could've been enough to get me the rest of the way up the mountain. Do not underestimate the value of hauling less crap in your pack up the mountain. I didn't, I'm just still buying gear. Zeph appreciated me talking her out of packing an extra long sleeve shirt and more socks and underwear than she would have worn.
My new Kelty Redwing 50 internal frame pack was magical. Last time, every time I stopped it was primarily to get my damn pack off. This time, most stops I didn't even care to take my pack off. The weight of the contents hangs from the top of the bag, which is basically suspended from the top of a single aluminum stay which runs to the bottom, to padding, then a thick padded belt that wraps snugly around the top of your hips, basically holding all of the weight. Then the shoulder straps are just there to keep it snugged to your body. I felt like a strap around my chest under my arms would've been nice (I did have the chest strap buckled).
Zeph packed much like I did last time - day pack with the MSS tied to the top.
My other gear addition was two pair of REI rag wool socks, and two pair of Merino sock liners (one REI, one SmartWool). They were great, but hard to say more great than the synthetic hiking socks I used before. I think I liked the REI liners slightly more. Rag wool socks are cheap, and I believe the best socks you can wear, with the one qualification that you be planning to wear liner socks (which reduce friction and stuff).
I also added my US GI M-65 field jacket shell, because of the cold. And swapped my cotton short and long sleeve shirts for synthetics. It was very convenient to strap my top two layers across the top of my pack with the compression straps when not in use.
We each brought a dozen hard boiled eggs, a bag of mixed dried fruit, and a bag of M&Ms. I brought a bag of "yogurt" covered M&Ms, she brought two small bags of jerky, which was a good idea. I ate eight eggs, and most of the rest. She hardly touched her eggs, at least partially because we forgot salt, finished the jerky (which she tore through) and fruit, and had a bunch of M&Ms left. I probably ate too many M&Ms.
I've been convinced to ditch my synthetic base layer stuff and switch to wool. The socks, mentioned above, and long underwear in Merino (and a balaclava). Mostly due to people raving about how much it reduces need to adjust the number of layers you're wearing. Doesn't overheat you as much when you get hot, while still keeping you nice and warm when it's cold. Also, less stench, although that's not so much of a concern for me.
I'm also really tempted to get Patagonia Men's Hiking and Trekking in Wet Weather technical clothing system except for the base layer as explained above. Although it's kind of expensive, for somebody who can't even walk up a damn mountain. But I want it. Partially for its utility in the event civilization collapses and I feel a need to wander, of course.
I was very much reminded of this:
"If you pick 'em up, O Lord, I'll put 'em down." - unknown, "Prayer of the Tired Walker", from whiteblaze.net
no subject
I've personally hiked in a few places where I found a walking stick invaluable - going up a steep incline on a track that also functioned as a small stream with smooth bedrock at its base, because it was slippery and an extra point of contact was useful. On extremely bouldery paths, coming down, again esp. if the rocks are wet and I've got a full pack on. Still, I've never owned one. If an acute need arises, I know I can probably find a stick to use temporarily.
It seems to me what changed such that they've become so very common on the trail is that they became a cheap commodity item from China. I saw them selling for $3 when I was there, and soon after that I noticed they were bargain-priced at every outdoor store here too. I suspect if they were still only a fancy brand name item with a $40 price tag, as they once were, you'd see far fewer out there today.
Also, I suspect that the 200 foot rule in that area is violated by most folks who end up sleeping outside of designated camping areas above the valleys, unless it's also near or above treeline. Thick undergrowth and steep terrain make compliance a matter of great luck and/or effort most times, and if you're searching for one up there it's often because you're tired or it's getting late. The one time I camped up there deliberately (so I could scramble up above treeline in the dark to watch a meteor shower) I searched for a long time in the area I wanted to stop and finally had to settle for a spot that was only about 50 feet from the trail. Either the rule was carried over from other forest areas where campsites are easier to find, or they *know* it's darned difficult a lot of the time up there but they want you to do your best to spread out anyway - just to reduce impact on the few spots near the trail.
no subject
And yeah, I was firmly of the opinion that the 200 foot rule was not worth stressing over in my situation. But I made an attempt to comply, and ended up very happy with the results.
I don't think of you as overweight
Glad you had a good time. Sadly I'm allergic to wool and wearing much of it, particularly when sweating, would necessitate much Benadryl.
Re: I don't think of you as overweight
no subject
I think Zeph could've made it to the top.
I've taken two extra strength ibuprofen and two aleve so far today, and every step around the office still hurts. So I am satisfied with my effort on the mountain :)
no subject
no subject
For me personally I really like hiking poles for up and down (or down and up, a la Grand Canyon). They really save my knees on the downhill, and allow me to use my arms to assist my legs on the uphill. They are also good for helping with stability if your hike has you wading or going over uneven terrain. I was using a pair of Leki antishocks but one of them broke (they use a twisting mechanism to adjust the height, and the twisting doesn't work anymore; I can make them work but it's a pain). I recently got a pair of these poles: http://www.rei.com/product/798296/black-diamond-trail-shock-trekking-poles-pair They have a different locking mechanism and good reviews overall, so I'm hoping they will work out better, though I haven't yet taken them on a hike.
Actually if you're ever out West you might like to try the Grand Canyon. I can recommend a good first-time route for someone who wants to spend a few days hiking and camping (down South Kaibab, up Bright Angel; camp at Phantom Ranch campgrounds for one or two nights at the bottom, and camp halfway up the Bright Angel at Indian Garden). It's a good route because, while it is a challenge, it is also relatively well-traveled and has amenities such as outhouses and even water, so you don't have to pack all your water (I used a two-liter Platypus and two extra liters of emergency water and didn't run out, being able to refill as needed at campsites, and used the water for cooking/cleaning/etc as well). I camped two nights at Phantom when I did this, which for me was a good idea, though someone in better shape would probably do fine with just one (but who wouldn't want to spend the "extra" day running around and doing little sidehikes? Lots to explore down there). I am overweight but still did just fine on the trail simply knowing my limits and not trying to go fast, about 30 miles total over the four days, though my hips started to hurt towards the end of the uphill slog on the last day (and continued to hurt for a little while after, maybe two or three weeks).
I'm a bit of a camping/hiking gear whore and love, love, love REI. I use Keens for hiking (two pairs of boots, one for desert hiking and a water-proof pair as well, and a pair of water sandals that are appropriate for shorter hikes that involve wading in warm weather). I use the REI brand wool socks. I have a Marmot down sleeping bag which is light and warm, and an REI sleeping pad. I have this camp stove http://www.rei.com/product/643058/snow-peak-giga-power-stove-with-piezo and I love it. I use an Osprey back pack, definitely a good pack, and a Deuter day pack, also a good pack. I haven't worried as much about clothes as you have, but perhaps I should. I use synthetic fisherman pants that zip off at the knee (or even just gym shorts for day hikes), and synthetic shirts that are for working out. I figure as long as one sticks to wool and synthetics, and avoids cotton, it's all good. I will wear cotton on short casual dry hikes though.
Anyway, enough rambling for me. Did you take pictures?
no subject
I'm sure, from what you said, that your clothing is fine. For me it's kind of an entire additional hobby.
Thanks for reminding me about pictures. Only got two, of us going to sleep, but made a new lj post with them.