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Thread: Senior Hikers?

  1. #1
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    Default Senior Hikers?

    I am new to this forum. I am scheduling a section hike this summer on the AT in Shenandoah N P.
    with my two adult sons. I have read much of the technical (gear, training, a bit, AT culture, etc.) Being in my mid-70s, I am perhaps, among the more "elderly" members of this forum.

    I am curious to learn what other "mature" members have as advice, suggestions, experiences for someone "over the hill."

    I have done marathons, Warrior Dashes, triathlons in my late middle age, and continue to cycle, hike; but backpacking is a new experience. I summited Katahdin in 1977 (the day the fire broke out), and again in 2010. It was much easier in '77.

  2. #2

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    I am not an...experienced gentleman like yourself, but I have see many people hiking, and thru hiking older then you. My suggestion would be to do routine walks with your pack on before your trip, an overnighter or 2 with some challenging terrain and gauge that as to how far you can go on a daily basis, and possible as well, decrease the second half of your trip daily mileages if you see fit to due to wear and tear thru the hike. The good thing about SNP is that skyline drive is passed many, many, many times. If there is a big climb you don't care to do? who cares just put a thumb out and catcha ride up to the next trail head, if the sons want to do the climb, it would give you some time to relax under a shade tree while you wait for them Have a great trip and post a group photo after your hike!
    Trail Miles: 4,927.6
    AT Map 1: Complete 2013-2021
    Sheltowee Trace: Complete 2020-2023
    Pinhoti Trail: Complete 2023-2024
    Foothills Trail: 0.0
    AT Map 2: 279.4
    BMT: 52.7
    CDT: 85.4

  3. #3
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    I'm only 67, so I've a few years to reach your maturity.
    Last May, I thruhiked the 890km/500+miles of the Bruce Trail in Ontario. From hiking with Kookork, I learned early on the value of going slowly but starting at sunrise and going until supper time with lots of little breaks. Afternoon micro-naps of 20 minutes or so were very welcome too!
    Thinking back to my cross-country skiing days, the wonderful Herman "Jackrabbit" Smith-Johannsen is reported to have said something along the lines that the reason he kept skiing in his old age was so that he could keep skiing into an old age. It must have worked: he died at the age of 111+ years. (I saw him on skis when he had just turned 100 years old.)
    Like you, I'm new to hiking — and I'm continuing backpacking and walking as long as I can.

  4. #4
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    Certainly not too old to enjoy backpacking. Your physical activity is commensurate with someone in shape. Hiking uses different muscles, lots of exercise routines published, although like all sports doing it gets one into "football" shape.

    Most people find lighter pack weights lead to more enjoyment. You'll find some contrarians on this site but it's people holding on to the old days or packing for every contingency or packing their fears.

    Lot's of advice on gear, shot for a sub 12# base weight, less if you have the budget. With a group of 3, there are lots of ways to share and consolidate things, cook kits, first aid/survival kits, shared food & menu planning. Usually sleeping together is a cost effective way to lower weight per person, although it has it's challenges. Shoot for sub 2#'s per person on tents.

    If your buying gear, select your pack last. It is a major weight contributor and other gear, tent, sleeping etc, will dictate how much volume you need.

    A good place to start:
    http://www.hikelight.com/articles.html

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    I met a man in his mid 70s thru hiking the trail for his third time. And he was out walking most 20 somethings. I also met a 70 something man from Italy thru hiking who did half the trail the year before and liked it so much he came back to do the whole thing. I see lots of over 60 section hikers.

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    Take your time , dont over pack and enjoy yourself is the best advice I have.

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    get the best sleeping pad that you can!!! Over the last 60 years the ground has gotten harder and harder!!

    Seriously, today's sleeping pads offer amazing comfort at a reasonable weight.

  8. #8
    Garlic
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    You probably have many tools that younger people may not have. If you have money, use that appropriately for newer, better, lighter gear, for luxury during town stops, etc. If you have strong sons, ask them for support in carrying heavier stuff--handicap them, if you will. If you have a ton of mountaineering experience, use that to know when best to eat, rest, seek shelter, turn back, etc. You may know your body's needs better than younger people, and may have less downtime due to injury or overuse.
    "Throw a loaf of bread and a pound of tea in an old sack and jump over the back fence." John Muir on expedition planning

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    Quote Originally Posted by booney_1 View Post
    get the best sleeping pad that you can!!! Over the last 60 years the ground has gotten harder and harder!!

    Seriously, today's sleeping pads offer amazing comfort at a reasonable weight.

    +1 on that. My Christmas present ThermaRest ProLite Plus made a real difference this past weekend.
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    Thanks for the advice so far. So far I have the Big Agnes Fish Creek HV UL2. It is light and I will appreciate the extra space. Also have Thermarest Prolite Plus. Used an older one 20 years ago and the old bones will appreciate the extra half inch.

    I am considering the Osprey Atmos AG 65 L. A bit heavier than some, but I think the fit will be worth it. Comments? I have carried with some weight on a trail for a mile and seemed comfortable.

    I like the idea of lots of breaks and their carrying my gear! Hmmm. maybe I can get them to see this thread.

  11. #11

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    Might wanna talk to this wolf guy from Damascus, hese like 97 I think?
    Trail Miles: 4,927.6
    AT Map 1: Complete 2013-2021
    Sheltowee Trace: Complete 2020-2023
    Pinhoti Trail: Complete 2023-2024
    Foothills Trail: 0.0
    AT Map 2: 279.4
    BMT: 52.7
    CDT: 85.4

  12. #12
    Springer to Elk Park, NC/Andover to Katahdin
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    I turn 70 this year and in 2010 I met a lady on Barren Mountain in the 100 mw who was 84. She was carrying a full pack.
    I am not young enough to know everything.

  13. #13
    Registered User Maineiac64's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by PGH1NC View Post
    Thanks for the advice so far. So far I have the Big Agnes Fish Creek HV UL2. It is light and I will appreciate the extra space. Also have Thermarest Prolite Plus. Used an older one 20 years ago and the old bones will appreciate the extra half inch.

    I am considering the Osprey Atmos AG 65 L. A bit heavier than some, but I think the fit will be worth it. Comments? I have carried with some weight on a trail for a mile and seemed comfortable.

    I like the idea of lots of breaks and their carrying my gear! Hmmm. maybe I can get them to see this thread.
    I like the Atmos AG 65, very comfortable, plenty of room, but it is nearly 5lbs. After doing a lot of research many people really love lighter packs by ULA and Zpacks. I am switching to zpacks arc haul zip which will save a lot of weight. I am anxious to find out how it compares comfort wise but the reviews and feedback seem to show it should be very good. The wait right now for a new zpacks pack to be built and shipped is only 1 week.

  14. #14
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    I really want to underline Garlic's advice... you should have whatever you need to be comfortable, AND you should never carry more than 20 pounds -- 10 would be ideal -- seriously. So, go for the cushiest sleeping pad and let the kids carry the food, the stove, the shelter, the first aid kit... and have a wonderful time. then tell us all your stories!
    Lazarus

  15. #15
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    ...and if you can keep your load down to 10 pounds or so, you can consider under two pound backpacks.
    Lazarus

  16. #16

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    Quote Originally Posted by 1azarus View Post
    I really want to underline Garlic's advice... you should have whatever you need to be comfortable, AND you should never carry more than 20 pounds -- 10 would be ideal -- seriously. So, go for the cushiest sleeping pad and let the kids carry the food, the stove, the shelter, the first aid kit... and have a wonderful time. then tell us all your stories!
    I completely agree, time for the kids to give back! lol
    Trail Miles: 4,927.6
    AT Map 1: Complete 2013-2021
    Sheltowee Trace: Complete 2020-2023
    Pinhoti Trail: Complete 2023-2024
    Foothills Trail: 0.0
    AT Map 2: 279.4
    BMT: 52.7
    CDT: 85.4

  17. #17
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    You sound like you're plenty active. I hiked some recently this winter with a 20000 (yes, 20,000) miler who was in his 70s. He rode his bike to the trail from Oregon.

    Carry your pack and full gear. Be sensible about your weight and mileage. Shenandoah NP isnt terrible terrain, so I think you'll be ok. People hike the trail alone older than you, in worse shape than you. Just go slow, enjoy the views, and take advantage of the waysides (not a luxury we had over the winter!) to lighten your pack load some.

    Enjoy!


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  18. #18
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    Lightbulb My advice

    Like you, I'm an older-than-average back-packer. I didn't even start this activity till I was in my 50s, but I've stuck with it despite giving myself a secondary trail name of "Snail's Pace."

    First of all, age BY ITSELF will not the problem, so much as being out of shape. After a stress electro-cardiogram, my doctor noted that he's had patients, 30 years younger than I am, who were gasping for air at a level I considered moderate. However, I have experienced the following problems:

    A. When I first started real back-packing, I kept trying to prove I was just as fast a hiker as (1) I had been decades ago and/or (2) people decades younger than I was. Neither is likely to happen! After slowly realizing this simple fact, I just adjusted my expectations for how far I can travel in a day. When I started planning my hikes with the idea that I was going to achieve 12 to 15 miles AT THE MOST, and then only by hitting the trail at 6am and continuing till it was getting dark, my hikes went a lot more smoothly. Make plans based on your PRESENT level of fitness, not on a level that you HAD or you WISH you would have today.

    B. As you get older, you can no longer take your body for granted. Your fitness level will decline (has declined?) pretty precipitously unless you exercise regularly. So take up the exercises that will improve your fitness for the hikes that you plan to take. Last year I bombed out in my first attempt to hike in the Whites,
    http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/entr...itle!-(Part-1)
    mostly because I was fit ONLY for relatively flat terrain, but NOT for constant uphill & downhill. This year I'm getting my legs in shape BEFORE I hit the Whites again.

    C. I don't know if this a problem or not, but the inevitable recognition of my mortality caused me to be a LOT more cautious. I remember being on top of Old Rag in Shenandoah a few years ago, practically clinging to the rocks lest I fall to my death -- and then remembering that, as a kid, I would have been running on these cliffs. Whether this heightened fear is an impediment to your speed, or a good way to survive, I don't know.

    D. A problem I avoided, but COULD have had, is the temptation for elders to "prove" that we aren't elders. This can manifest itself in acting as if our bodies or minds are just like the ones we had -- and others have today -- in younger days. Hey, if getting drunk during an all-night party IS something you enjoy doing, then go ahead -- but DON'T do so to pretend you're still able to party like you did in your teen years.


    I should mention some pluses that I've found for people hiking in our golden years:
    A. If you're financially comfortable in retirement, you can hike without either having to count pennies or dread a loss of working days. Want to spend a night in a motel by yourself -- go ahead, you can actually afford it! Don't want to hike in an area because of bad weather -- no problem, just go another week! In other words, your deficit of fitness is (somewhat) balanced by your surplus of money and free time.
    B. The $10 Senior Pass (my college buddy calls it the "Codger Card") covers admission to all federal lands for the rest of your life -- meaning you never have to worry about federal admission fees. If (like me) you don't think being old (and nothing else) entitles you to any monetary privileges, simply pay for the senior card and then donate the cost of an American the Beautiful Pass to a national parks charity.
    C. Whether or not you actually DO know more about the outdoors when you have grey hair, people will THINK you are more of an expert. So people are a little more willing to listen to your reminisces. Just don't EVER begin with the words, "When I was your age..." -- those five syllables cause immediate shutdown of listening.
    D. It is inevitable during one's golden years that one will give lots of thought to "what world will I be leaving to the young children of today?" For elderly back-packers, this will (well, at least it SHOULD) lead to a greater desire to NOT destroy the experience of natural beauty. Vandalism, littering, disturbing the peace, leaving a large trace -- all of these become less & less tolerable, particularly for one's own actions. Being a good steward of the lands that others have passed on to you becomes a MUCH easier habit.


    I will end with my opinion that Shenandoah is the PERFECT place to do a section hike. If you find you're in over your head at any point in your hike, just walk ten minutes to Skyline Drive and call it quits -- no harm, no foul. But if, like me, this back-packing thing gets in your blood, in a few years you'll be giving advise to other seniors!
    Last edited by GoldenBear; 01-20-2017 at 20:33.

  19. #19

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    You will find much company in our age group, my friend.
    Age groups on the AT fall mainly into two groups because of the way our society works. One is young, 20's mostly, hiking during a break from school and jobs. The other is 55+ seniors, including a lot of retired folks. Both of these groups are quite large. I think in many cases the elder group is the larger one.
    It's a bit peculiar because there are big cultural/generation differences between the two groups, but there they are spending a lot of time together. I know which one that I prefer to spend time with, the one with long life experience and great appreciate for everything.
    I've hiked with Cimmaron, who was 83, and Attilla the Hun, who was well into his 70's and quite ill. But both covered a lot of miles and I think had great enjoyment of every step.
    So please go hike. You might no be the oldest hiker on the trail, perhaps to your surprise.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Maineiac64 View Post
    I like the Atmos AG 65, very comfortable, plenty of room, but it is nearly 5lbs. After doing a lot of research many people really love lighter packs by ULA and Zpacks. I am switching to zpacks arc haul zip which will save a lot of weight. I am anxious to find out how it compares comfort wise but the reviews and feedback seem to show it should be very good. The wait right now for a new zpacks pack to be built and shipped is only 1 week.
    I would agree, Osprey is a fine Colorado company, makes good products and stands behind them. However, they're heavy and you might find 65 liters is too much volume. Based on your tent and selections, you're going light and little. Figure out a sleeping bag/quilt and then consider a pack. I used a cardboard box to figure out my total cubic inches after stuffing it with my base gear. I then used 1.5 to 2.0 liters per day for food (pretty sure, couldn't find my notes, maybe others have input.)

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