Rest breaks on ups

[RETCW4]

What does everyone do for rest breaks on climbing up hills/mountains? On short climbs, I tough it out to the top, but on long climbs (1 mile or more) I find myself hyperventilating and having to stop several times.

I have been told that I have two sppeds; stop and all out. I have been slowing my pace to one foot in front of the other and it helps sometimes.

Just posing a question.

Thanks,


Tumbleweed

[fiddlehead]

I never stop on an uphill.
I say never although I have been on a 13 day uphill already and of course I stopped many times.

But, except perhaps Katahdin, (on the AT) I won't stop on an uphill.

It takes too long to get that rhythm going again, get the breathing, heart-rate, footsteps, all going the proper speed for my efficiency.
So, my rule of thumb is to pace my speed so that my lungs are not working more than one breath (in and out) for 4 steps.
Of course, that means I must slow down on the uphills.

Using this technique, I usually find myself going the fastest near the top (where I rest if it's a long uphill).
So, start out slow. real slow sometimes. Get into the rhythm and you'll find yourself hiking the 2nd half of the climb faster than the 1st. (read that as "more fun")

My 2 cents anyway.

[peakbagger]

It took me awhile but I found the most efficient method is to force myself to slow down and not stop except for a break every hour. If its real steep or I am just tired, I switch into the "rest step" used by mountaineers, basically take a step, extend the leg straight out and lock the knee then take another step. There really is no way to do this step fast so if forces me to slow down and catch my breath. Its basically a mny break everystep. As a section hiker, I was always getting back in shape after a hike so on the first day or so, I am rest stepping more often and then as I get back into it I do it less. I also use poles which allows me to shift some load to my shoulders but also imposes a slower pace.

I did a long winter hike (13.5 hours) this weekend with a group that was slightly faster than me, the only way I got throuhg a couple of sections was to go into the rest step and ignore the rest of the folks, I didnt get to the summit much later then they did but the alternative was to cut the hike short.

Do note the rest step looks and feels strange and almost might fit into "Monty Pythons ministry of funny walks" but it does work as a way of slowing down.

Some other general notes are that everyone has their own pace and if you are in a group, the tendency is to follow the leader who may have a faster pace. Sometimes its best to get some distance between them and you so you cant see or hear them and then go at your own pace. Just agree to meet at some point, usually on an hourly break. I am a firm advocate of an hourly break all day, its feels a bit silly after the first hour or even at the second, but it makes a big difference in the afternoon. I find skipping the morning breaks does impact my ability in the afternoon

[hikerboy57]

rest step.once you stop its hard to get back in rythym

[rocketsocks]

I usually wait for an unsuspecting hiker to wander by and after a few kind words to slow the non suspecting hiker,I quickly lack on to the ice axe loops(provided they aren't a gram weenie)and "Skitch"to the top.

[Spokes]

Popping a Jolly Rancher always helped me tough out big hills. I take a break whenever my body tells me too.

[rocketsocks]

If however I'm busted mid way,I'll inform the now suspecting hiker that I was able to remove from their Ice axe loop a potentially dangerous tick of unknown origin and became stuck in their ice axe loop.If on the other hand I make it to the top unnoticed then it's a quick leg-up for some great Ariel views on our down hill tryst.....the end.

[RETCW4]

Thanks all for the advice. I took copius notes.

Tumbleweed

[garlic08]

A couple of things to watch: You should be able to hold a conversation without pausing for breath. Adjust your pace accordingly. It's often critical to keep your insulation dry--do not sweat through any clothing you need to keep warm later on. Remove layers or slow down. I agree with those above about very infrequent stops on a climb. Whatever your normal rest breaks are, take them on climbs. Just a few minutes per hour is a good practice for me, too.

[rocketsocks]

Sorry man bordem has set in.Like Spokes said,when I get tired I rest,but have played the tough it out game too.Every hill climb is different what works on one day,may not be the order of the day,the next day.The main thing for me is to take your breaks before it becomes apparent that you need one,or you may crash.

[msupple]

Best advive I was ever given..."The slower you walk, the faster you'll get there." That always seems to work for uphills and higher altitudes.

[Papa D]

I really prefer not to stop - unless I'm climbing a major multi-mile uphill. The best thing to do is work on establishing a pace and a rhythm such that you don't have to stop -- for a new backpacker or for someone who hasn't been out for a while, this pace might be really super slow. Like Garlic says, you should be able to walk at a "conversation pace" without overt sweating. The more you hike, the easier the hills will be and soon you'll just feel like you are rolling over them one after another - a great feeling indeed.

[garlic08]

A couple things about preparing for a long tough climb--make sure you're rested, fed, and hydrated before you start. And one thing I often did on the AT was dump my water. There's often a guaranteed spring at a shelter just after the summit, so why haul an extra three liters (nearly seven pounds) of water up the hill? Drink deeply and lighten your pack.

Also bear in mind that most injuries happen on the descent, when you're exhausted, maybe hypoglycemic, and stumbling, and a down-hill fall is much more serious than an up-hill fall. I always rest well at the summit, eat a meal, and start down very carefully.

[rocketsocks]

A couple things about preparing for a long tough climb--make sure you're rested, fed, and hydrated before you start. And one thing I often did on the AT was dump my water. There's often a guaranteed spring at a shelter just after the summit, so why haul an extra three liters (nearly seven pounds) of water up the hill? Drink deeply and lighten your pack.

Also bear in mind that most injuries happen on the descent, when you're exhausted, maybe hypoglycemic, and stumbling, and a down-hill fall is much more serious than an up-hill fall. I always rest well at the summit, eat a meal, and start down very carefully.Exelent point Garlic.Am currently reading"Not Without Peril"about Mt Washington and the accidents that plague hikers,Falls the #1 killer statistically of hikers.

[10-K]

There are a lot of variables. I've just came through a long stretch of being anemic and I had no choice but to stop, very frequently, on almost any kind of up. At my worse, I bailed on a hike and just walked back to my truck and came home. So, what I mean to say is if there is some kind of medical issue that's unique to a hiker that should be taken into consideration.

But, under normal circumstances I do whatever I feel like. I don't have a rule to never stop or anything. Weather, how far I've already hiked, etc. all affect my hiking - uphill or down.

One thing that really bugs me is stopping at the end of the day at the bottom of a big climb knowing I'm going to have to tackle it first thing in the morning. If at all possible I try to position myself so that I can have a relatively easy first hour or so of hiking first thing in the morning.

[pyroman53]

I have to remind myself about the food energy part of climbing. Whenever I'm struggling on an uphill, I try to remember to grab a snack from my pocket. It really helps.

Then, I use whatever mental game I need to in order to keep my attitude in the right place. "Are we havin fun yet?"

[peakseeker]

A couple things about preparing for a long tough climb--make sure you're rested, fed, and hydrated before you start. And one thing I often did on the AT was dump my water. There's often a guaranteed spring at a shelter just after the summit, so why haul an extra three liters (nearly seven pounds) of water up the hill? Drink deeply and lighten your pack.

Also bear in mind that most injuries happen on the descent, when you're exhausted, maybe hypoglycemic, and stumbling, and a down-hill fall is much more serious than an up-hill fall. I always rest well at the summit, eat a meal, and start down very carefully.Great advice! I am the same way. My advice 2= Dump the water, make sure your sugared up (not eaten a heavy meal or full of water), and walk at your pace. I walk slowly trying to not stop but if it is warranted - I stop! I am not racing I am site-seeing! I have found that as you climb some of the better views and mountain sites are seen. This is the reason I hike - backpack - camp - anyway.

[4eyedbuzzard]

I can't make it up most--make that any:o--of the notch to ridge/summit climbs here in NH without breaks. Just too steep for me. I probably stop at least every 500 ft of vertical or so for a couple minute pack-on break, take a drink, look about, let the breathing and and heart rate decrease, etc. The rest step works for a while toward the end of a long climb. Sometimes it's just so steep though that I just stop whenever I have to. I'm better doing tough climbs in the morning. I hate a long uphill at the end of the day, that's when I really struggle.

[peakseeker]

I can't make it up most--make that any:o--of the notch to ridge/summit climbs here in NH without breaks. Just too steep for me. I probably stop at least every 500 ft of vertical or so for a couple minute pack-on break, take a drink, look about, let the breathing and and heart rate decrease, etc. The rest step works for a while toward the end of a long climb. Sometimes it's just so steep though that I just stop whenever I have to. I'm better doing tough climbs in the morning. I hate a long uphill at the end of the day, that's when I really struggle.I agree! and Me too!

[harryfred]

On long steep up's I must stop too old and done too much damage to this body. I do slow way down. pick reasonable goals. I won't stop till I reach that tree or blaze whatever. When I stop I slow count to 60 and take deep long breaths. I don't try to chase the person in front of me. we all know where our next stop is. If you are the leader of a group going up hill and you stop to let others catch up look at the face of the last one to catch up when you see that person is rested then move on.

[harryfred]

I can't make it up most--make that any:o--of the notch to ridge/summit climbs here in NH without breaks. Just too steep for me. I probably stop at least every 500 ft of vertical or so for a couple minute pack-on break, take a drink, look about, let the breathing and and heart rate decrease, etc. The rest step works for a while toward the end of a long climb. Sometimes it's just so steep though that I just stop whenever I have to. I'm better doing tough climbs in the morning. I hate a long uphill at the end of the day, that's when I really struggle.


I agree! and Me too!
Yeah me three:)

[YohonPetro]

I worked with a Park Ranger in the Cascades that had been doing trail maintenance in the back country for years. His approach to a big hill was to take tiny steps. I followed suit, and my stamina grew, the calf-burn was less and my lungs didn't work as hard.
My brother, OTOH, lights up a cig because it "numbs the lungs"... and out-paces me.
I guess try different methods until you find one that works!

[Kerosene]

When I know that I have a long climb I typically go into what I call "Low-Slow Gear": basically shorter steps at a slower but consistent pace. If the trail gets steeper I will shorten my steps still further but try to keep the pace. On a nice day when I'm feeling strong I may try to blast up moderately long climbs just to "get my workout" for the day, but it's surprising how little difference there is in my overall speed. Unlike other posters, I try to keep striding once I reach the summit, unless the trail heads straight down then I will search for a place to take a quick breather. Keeping watered and sugared up (lollipops work great for this, and reduces the chance of choking on a piece of hard candy) helps keep me going.

[atraildreamer]

What does everyone do for rest breaks on climbing up hills/mountains? On short climbs, I tough it out to the top, but on long climbs (1 mile or more) I find myself hyperventilating and having to stop several times.

I have been told that I have two sppeds; stop and all out. I have been slowing my pace to one foot in front of the other and it helps sometimes.

Just posing a question.

Thanks,


Tumbleweed

Jim Woods, of Jim Wood's Base Camp, has a very informative article that covers this subject:

http://www.jwbasecamp.com/Articles/Breathing/index.html

This should help you get up the mountain! :)

[Lyle]

I also use the four steps (two each foot) for each deep breath method of pacing myself. Most times it's a matter of shortening your stride rather than slowing your pace. On some particularly steep sections I will also make use of the rest step. After a while, it all just becomes natural, with no need to actually think about what you are doing. I have no aversion, however, of taking a couple of minute standing breathesr at a minor view or just when one feels appropriate. If a climb is truly an extended multi-mile uphill, I will take a sit-down, boots off break just like on any other terrain. Still need to add fuel and water during your exertion.

I'v never felt that it was so difficult to get moving again after a break that other folks claim. Yeah, your muscles may stiffen a BIT after a long break, but they loosen up again real quick. I take a break when I feel I want or need one, for as long as I need. Generally, I take fewer and shorter breaks when hiking alone than I do when hiking with others. I attribute that to tuning in to my exact needs instead of having to accommodate others'.

All in all, there is no hard and fast rule. I will not unnecessarily stress my mental or physical well-being and enjoyment just to cling to an arbitrary rule that I have set. Hike at the pace and rest as often as necessary to keep your hike enjoyable.

[Old Hiker]

I have to stop on the uphills to catch my breath, but I always look ahead a ways for a good spot. I always step over a root to a flat place, stop at the top of the first run of steps, wherever it will give me a psych advantage. I take some breaths, drink some water and start again. I always have a target up the trail to shoot for, as well.

[Lyle]

Another thing that I forgot to mention is that your mental state also plays a huge role in how comfortably and persistently you can climb. I psych myself up for the longer, steeper climbs and they usually end up much less daunting than they seemed initially. Expect you will have some discomfort, but adjust to avoid agony.

[Slo-go'en]

One thing that really bugs me is stopping at the end of the day at the bottom of a big climb knowing I'm going to have to tackle it first thing in the morning. If at all possible I try to position myself so that I can have a relatively easy first hour or so of hiking first thing in the morning.

Shelters are almost always located in low spots, so that almost always means a stiff climb first thing in the morning. About the only good thing to say about that is it does warm you up quick on a chilly morning.

On steep climbs I take two steps, rest a few seconds, repeat as needed. The trick is to keep a pace which you don't run out of breath and keeps the heart rate down. Otherwise you'll find you need to take longer and more frequent breaks.

[shelb]

Hiking with my kids, I found that when we had to stop to rest on an uphill, their attitude would be negative. They usually tried to go too fast up the hill and tired easily. We found out that it helped them to take "baby Smurf" or "mama Smurf" steps (depending on slope and length of uphill) to get them to slow down. This way they could make it the entire way without stopping. After a couple days of hiking, their Smurf steps would begin to lengthen as they got their trail legs.... and confidence.

[RoundEye]

I really prefer not to stop - unless I'm climbing a major multi-mile uphill. The best thing to do is work on establishing a pace and a rhythm such that you don't have to stop -- for a new backpacker or for someone who hasn't been out for a while, this pace might be really super slow. Like Garlic says, you should be able to walk at a "conversation pace" without overt sweating. The more you hike, the easier the hills will be and soon you'll just feel like you are rolling over them one after another - a great feeling indeed.

Couldn't agree more... AKA getting your trail legs. To some degree that's what it's all about for me.



Here today, gone tomorrow.

[Seatbelt]

Another thing that I forgot to mention is that your mental state also plays a huge role in how comfortably and persistently you can climb. I psych myself up for the longer, steeper climbs and they usually end up much less daunting than they seemed initially. Expect you will have some discomfort, but adjust to avoid agony.
I'm glad somebody brought this up, because I have found that if I don't allow myself to become "obsessed" with summiting or exactly where the summit is, then I don't have the accompanying "let-down" at the realization there is further to go. By just enjoying each step and moment, I keep my mind off of this and realize that it is ALL worth it! Just don't try to "keep up" with some-one else. You may or may not be able to.

[RETCW4]

Thanks for all of the good advice. I now know that it just wasn't me. I just have to remember to slow myself down. Hope to see you on the trail.

Tumbleweed

[BlakeGrice]

I take a knee or sit down for @ 20-30 seconds and am always surprised how much my legs will recover in that time.

[English Stu]

+1 for the rest step. Helps to know your pulse rate by checking at the throat. Use the pulse rate as a guide when to rest. If really steep I try to maintain the same pulse level on the ups as on the the level, which means slowing down, therefore the oxygenating of the muscles will be maintained.

[rusty bumper]

At the beginning of my "almost-thru", I found I needed to stop periodically on the steep climbs and when I felt the urge to stop, I'd look ahead for a landmark (blaze, rock, tree limb, etc.) and push on 'til I got there. A few seconds of rest was about all I needed and I'd move on from there. Just before Damascus (around the 400 mile mark), I realized that I was no longer making those stops on any climb and right then and there, it was clear to me that I'd finally gotten my trail legs. Of course, the nonstop speed I maintained on a climb was completely dependent on the steepness...the steeper the climb, the slower I moved, but I could keep going without a stop. For the steepest climbs, I just shifted into the lowest gear I had, and went right on up...nonstop!

[canoehead]

Long story short. Your not walking at your comfortable pace. If you're breathing hard-heavy or worse simply slow down. My way of helping out with this is to say. If you can't walk and talk with gulping for air you're simply walking to fast. SLOW DOWN.

[leaftye]

My hiking speed is limited by:

Chafing
Heart rate
Injury (ankle)
Hourly breaks

I usually don't have to stop while going uphill because I moderate my speed so that my heart rate doesn't get too high, but if I hit the one hour mark on the way up, then I'm plopping down on my butt for a short break.

[quilteresq]

Wow! I stop whenever I need to. You could have been writing about my tactics for getting up mountain passes on my bike ride 9 years ago, though. I learned not to stop too often because it was just too darned hard to get going again. On the other hand, my brother-in-law said we were carrying "boxcars" of stuff on our bikes. And, compared to what I'm planning on taking on the AT, he was right.

[MissMagnolia]

+1 for the rest step. Helps to know your pulse rate by checking at the throat. Use the pulse rate as a guide when to rest. If really steep I try to maintain the same pulse level on the ups as on the the level, which means slowing down, therefore the oxygenating of the muscles will be maintained.

A caution on checking pulse rate at the throat. You can actually make yourself pass out, though I don't know the odds of that, and I've never done it to myself. I like to check the pulse rate at my temple, just in front of my ear, but now I wear a heart rate monitor to make sure I can stay in a pre-determined range no matter what anybody else is doing. I need to do this because I usually start off way too fast and have trouble knowing where to set my pace without the HR info, though not being able to carry on a conversation is a dead give-away that I'm going too fast.

[Del Q]

My $.02

If you are huffing and puffing, slow down! We are not out there to over-stress or have a medical issue.

What helps me on the ups is a really slow, steady pace, and when I start wearing out, I take a 20-30 second break, a few great breaths of fresh air, laugh at how hard this (again), pick a spot 50-100 steps forward and start counting............50 or 75 or 100 steps, then 20-30 second break, repeat

100% of the time when I keep putting one foot in front of the other I get to the top............and its always great.

[Blissful]

A couple of things to watch: You should be able to hold a conversation without pausing for breath. Adjust your pace accordingly. It's often critical to keep your insulation dry--do not sweat through any clothing you need to keep warm later on. Remove layers or slow down. I agree with those above about very infrequent stops on a climb. Whatever your normal rest breaks are, take them on climbs. Just a few minutes per hour is a good practice for me, too.

Just follow this advice.
Take rest breaks.
You'll find as you get in to shape you'll need them less often and you'll recover quicker as the lactic acid is more efficiently moved out of your muscles

[prain4u]

I can't make it up most--make that any:o--of the notch to ridge/summit climbs here in NH without breaks. Just too steep for me. I probably stop at least every 500 ft of vertical or so for a couple minute pack-on break, take a drink, look about, let the breathing and and heart rate decrease, etc. The rest step works for a while toward the end of a long climb. Sometimes it's just so steep though that I just stop whenever I have to. I'm better doing tough climbs in the morning. I hate a long uphill at the end of the day, that's when I really struggle.

This is pretty much my style too (especially on very steep up hills). I rest when I need to rest. I catch my breath when I need to catch my breath.

To quote Forrest Gump: "When I got tired, I slept. When I got hungry, I ate. When I had to go... you know... I went."

[Summit]

I try to go slow enough to keep going. Sometimes I under estimate the climb and wind up stopping for a breather. No big deal. I don't beat myself up over having to do that. I also make it a point to know where water is over the top and frequently carry only a half liter as a reward when I reach the top, if more water isn't much further. On some of the longer, multi-week hikes I've been on, I find I rarely have to stop going uphill. It's the shorter, week or less hikes when I don't have trail legs that is challenging.

[bflorac]

Relax, take your time, there is no hurry! I try to get a even pace so I can breath normally as opposed to one breath per step (pant). What I watch for and take a break for is stress on my joints. Downhill will beat up on you joints but uphill will stress everything else. Stop, drop you pack, have a seat, take in some water at least every hour. Take some time to look at the views behind you. Sometimes they are the best!

[JAK]

It depends. Sometimes stopping for a few seconds with straight legs can do alot of good. Some switchbacks are quite steep, getting around trees, especially at the turns. Depending on how much weight you are carrying it can pay to stop sometimes to lower your average heart rate. Half way up a steep hill is also the best place to stop for a foot check and water break. No big deal. Play it by ear.

[SCRUB HIKER]

Hike slow enough that you don't have to breath through your mouth, assuming you're naturally a nose-breather. I did this the whole AT. At the beginning, it meant I was a little slower than my (young) hiking buddies, but after not much time at all my cardio improved and I kept up good speed that way and didn't have to take breaks. Nose-breathing keeps you controlled and focused.