Month: July 2025

In my last post, i didnt really get into this because i wanted to give a mental picture of what the trail was like, and ( briefly) describe the conditions, etc. But in keeping with my original tradition of also explaining my experiences on a more philosophical level I feel like it’s also important to pass along information and knowledge gained as well.I could probably included many more smaller things here that i learned but i’ll try to be brief.

Some of my new found knowledge is based on hiking with someone else. So i’ll start with the fact that it’s kind of important to know your partner. Let me explain:

1. Hiking pace-it’s important that you understand that their pace and style can be vastly different from your own. I hike at a pace of 1.5-2 mph on average, while my friend probably normally hikes 2-2.5mph on average. This was discussed prior to our trip, but it wasn’t fully apparent until we were on the trail.
2. Hiking style-while some people might take a lot of breaks, others may not. If this isn’t discussed ahead of time, it can be difficult to stay together and this could be frustrating( or unsafe) for both of you. Additionally, one person may need time take of photos or video while the other may wish to just enjoy the experience without that.
3. Hiking experience- if one of you has more hiking or backpacking experience, it can be a time to learn how to do things better or at least differently. Be open to learning while understanding that what works for you, may not work for someone else.
4. Camping style and experience- this also comes into play in backpacking, because, unlike just hiking or just camping, you will be carrying everything you need on your back. You will likely have different equipment, and hence different needs for setting up at camp, cooking/eating, filtering water, etc.
5. Physical/Medical conditions- for example- i am a previous smoker, and i have a heart condition. My hiking partner had a bad knee, and was shorter in stature, but was not a previous smoker. Both persons individual challenges need to be considered because it affects things like uphill climbs, steep descents and climbing over obstacles on the trail.
6. Waking and sleep times- some people are early birds, whereas others are not. Some need more sleep than others as well.
7. “Buddy Systems” should be in place – as in, definite meet up times and places if you get separated, potentially going backwards on a trail if someone doesn’t show up at a pre-determined place or time, or alerting/dealing with search and rescue if someone gets injured and or disappears. This is a huge safety factor.

All of these things should be discussed prior to the trip, especially if it will be an extended hike – as in high mileage or more than an overnight.

Outside of hiking with someone else, there are things i learned about backpacking in general:

1. Backpack weight- i tried to go as Ultralite as possible, but even so my weight was 23lbs. including food/ water. Since i had never hiked with this amount of weight on my back, much less for 24-26 miles, i learned just how much pain this caused on my neck and shoulders( something that never happened when my pack was 10 lbs or less for day hikes) and how much slower i would go up hills, over boulders and crossing streams ( without losing my balance). But i also learned that i didnt have back, leg, hip, or foot pain like i anticipated . And my recovery time from the trip was basically only 24 hrs. I didn’t have any lingering effects, but my hiking partner lost a toenail and said her body took several days to recover.
2. how wet gear can make things more difficult- while i was prepared for rain in the sense that i had a great rain jacket ( Thank goodness) i wasn’t prepared for how much moisture there would be on my tent in the morning and how much heavier my pack would be when everything was wet. I need a lighter weight, more absorbent cloth to wipe condensation off my tent.
3. I am so glad i decided to wear my trail runners (without socks) instead of my Gortex lined hiking boots.Those boots would have been emerged in water over their tops and not only become significantly heavier but would have taken days to dry out, and not at all useful on this trail.
4. i am so glad i brought my trekking poles. I didn’t have to, because even though i have trekking pole tent ,the tent brand i have does make much lighter tent poles as an alternative. But if i hadn’t taken them, i would have had to call for search and rescue. Period . There would have been NO WAY i could have safely done the stream crossings or gotten down steep rocky descents without them. That would have sucked more than actually having to do those things.Always bring your trekking poles.
5. I am also very glad i had my SOS satellite device. Even though i was lucky and didnt have to use it, it gave me the peace of mind and confidence to go on.
6. I brought too much food.My pack could have weighed about 2 lbs less.
7. Even though my new sleep pad is more comfortable, it added 2.5 lbs to my pack weight. This needs to change.
8. Hiking apps aren’t always accurate.Even if you have used one for years and it always has been fairly accurate. Stuff happens. Be prepared, be prepared, be prepared.

Hope this has been helpful to someone.Lord knows i have learned so much information that i didn’t know from other hikers( blogs and youtube), many times stuff that i just hadn’t thought of.

Thanks for reading and Namaste!