BOSS1
Gold Member
- Joined
- Sep 16, 2008
- Messages
- 1,700
Greetings all,
Well, Tuesday I had a free morning, so I decided to try and hit a local trail. I got off to a little later start than what I had originally planned, and my buddy wasn't able to make it, so I was flying solo.
So after a couple miles up the dirt road to the trailhead, I glossed over the posted info..."You are here..." X miles to there and whatnot. Gave it a quick scan (this was supposed to be a casual few hour day hike)...the two main points were about 3 1/2 and 5 miles up the trail. No worries, right?
Now I bumped into fellow also at the trailhead that said he and his wife did it last year...it was mostly uphill but not bad is what he indicated. He was the kind of retired fellow with the lithe outdoorsy physique that just said 'active.' The kind of guy who might refer to a 10 miler as a 'little bit of a walk.'
So I wander up the trail and sign in at the register. Didn't pay too much attention to the other info...nice day, quiet trail, its all good.
I continue on, and it was one of those trails that kind of lured you in...you know you were going up into the hills, but the first 1/2 mile or so wasn't too bad...just sort of pace yourself, and it was all good.
Well, then it started getting steeper, and it stayed steep. I mean like a constant 15-30 deg. steep. No steep parts separated by plateaus or anything. Just up. It got to points where just trying to find a level place to stand to take a quick pause was a bit of work.
It wasn't hot, probably mid 60's, and I wasn't carrying to much weight...my versipack, NWA in my pocket, and Busse on my belt...with the water probably looking around 17-18 lbs? Not alot.
So after about an hour, I'm walking about 50-100 yds and pausing for a break, and still sweating pretty good. Now I know I'm not in my college wrestling shape of years gone by, but I'm hardly a lard a$$ that doesn't move much. But admittedly, its been awhile since I was on the trail.
I took a break, downed some water and a protein bar, and continued on up the trail. And I mean 'up.' The crappy thing was this was actually a pretty bland trail. It was basically a path cut into the side of a mountain, with in some places nearly a shear drop off to one side, and nothing but brush on the other. And nothing but trees. I crossed on trickle of a tiny stream, and one little muddy area. The rest, other than two little vistas, was nothing but regular ol' tree after tree after tree . No rivers, streams, open fields, animals, nothing. Don't get me wrong, it was better than being at work, but sheesh.
So all told, after about 3 hours of uphill walking, I continuing to look up the 30ish degree path ahead of me with no destination in sight as well as the down the path behind me, and thinking, I've got to work tomorrow, and my legs have to work tomorrow. Combined with knowing that kind of grade isn't much easier going down (keeping from loosing your footing to going to fast and then a$$ over tea kettle), I turned back.
On my way back down I ran into a mother and her daughter about 1/2 mile from the trailhead. The only other people on trail I saw that day, and I don't know how far they were going to make it as they were already breaking out the moleskin for some blisters starting to come up with the new boots they were trying to break in. In other words, if you went off one of those trail edges, you probably weren't going to be found too soon. Remember all those trees I mentioned, yeah, you weren't going to be spotted from overhead either.
As I signed back out at the register, I took a little closer look at the advisories: 'Narrow, steep tread' 'Max. 35% grade.' 'Water is scarce.' Umm, yeah. You ain't kidding. I still would have gone (never really got into any kind of trouble, other than sore legs)...but yeah, definitely pay attention to what those things are saying.
Unforunately, for the life of me, I can't get my photos to upload, but really there ain't much to see.
BOSS
Well, Tuesday I had a free morning, so I decided to try and hit a local trail. I got off to a little later start than what I had originally planned, and my buddy wasn't able to make it, so I was flying solo.
So after a couple miles up the dirt road to the trailhead, I glossed over the posted info..."You are here..." X miles to there and whatnot. Gave it a quick scan (this was supposed to be a casual few hour day hike)...the two main points were about 3 1/2 and 5 miles up the trail. No worries, right?
Now I bumped into fellow also at the trailhead that said he and his wife did it last year...it was mostly uphill but not bad is what he indicated. He was the kind of retired fellow with the lithe outdoorsy physique that just said 'active.' The kind of guy who might refer to a 10 miler as a 'little bit of a walk.'
So I wander up the trail and sign in at the register. Didn't pay too much attention to the other info...nice day, quiet trail, its all good.
I continue on, and it was one of those trails that kind of lured you in...you know you were going up into the hills, but the first 1/2 mile or so wasn't too bad...just sort of pace yourself, and it was all good.
Well, then it started getting steeper, and it stayed steep. I mean like a constant 15-30 deg. steep. No steep parts separated by plateaus or anything. Just up. It got to points where just trying to find a level place to stand to take a quick pause was a bit of work.
It wasn't hot, probably mid 60's, and I wasn't carrying to much weight...my versipack, NWA in my pocket, and Busse on my belt...with the water probably looking around 17-18 lbs? Not alot.
So after about an hour, I'm walking about 50-100 yds and pausing for a break, and still sweating pretty good. Now I know I'm not in my college wrestling shape of years gone by, but I'm hardly a lard a$$ that doesn't move much. But admittedly, its been awhile since I was on the trail.
I took a break, downed some water and a protein bar, and continued on up the trail. And I mean 'up.' The crappy thing was this was actually a pretty bland trail. It was basically a path cut into the side of a mountain, with in some places nearly a shear drop off to one side, and nothing but brush on the other. And nothing but trees. I crossed on trickle of a tiny stream, and one little muddy area. The rest, other than two little vistas, was nothing but regular ol' tree after tree after tree . No rivers, streams, open fields, animals, nothing. Don't get me wrong, it was better than being at work, but sheesh.
So all told, after about 3 hours of uphill walking, I continuing to look up the 30ish degree path ahead of me with no destination in sight as well as the down the path behind me, and thinking, I've got to work tomorrow, and my legs have to work tomorrow. Combined with knowing that kind of grade isn't much easier going down (keeping from loosing your footing to going to fast and then a$$ over tea kettle), I turned back.
On my way back down I ran into a mother and her daughter about 1/2 mile from the trailhead. The only other people on trail I saw that day, and I don't know how far they were going to make it as they were already breaking out the moleskin for some blisters starting to come up with the new boots they were trying to break in. In other words, if you went off one of those trail edges, you probably weren't going to be found too soon. Remember all those trees I mentioned, yeah, you weren't going to be spotted from overhead either.
As I signed back out at the register, I took a little closer look at the advisories: 'Narrow, steep tread' 'Max. 35% grade.' 'Water is scarce.' Umm, yeah. You ain't kidding. I still would have gone (never really got into any kind of trouble, other than sore legs)...but yeah, definitely pay attention to what those things are saying.
Unforunately, for the life of me, I can't get my photos to upload, but really there ain't much to see.
BOSS
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