Slo-go'en
07-16-2012, 12:49
After (mostly) completing the Glacier NP section of the CDT (from Chief Mt), I decided it would best if I just called it good and went home. The park was fantastic. The hike was worth every penny to get there and back. The views were simply mind blowing.
We had to shuttle around one section, Many Glacier to St Mary, skipping Piegan pass. About 3.5 miles in we came to a ragging stream crossing which didn't have the bridge installed across it yet. Fording it looked life threating, so we turned around. Good thing, as we learned later the next bridge had been washed out, the bridge above that was still under snow and the pass it's self was still a dangerous snow traverse.
I decided to end the hike at E. Glacier and go home for a number of reasons.
1. Gear problems. My pack was way too heavy. I brought too much stuff, thinking it would be cold and wet most of the time. Instead, it was very hot and dry most of the time.
2. Boot problems. Just my right boot. I don't know if the boot was defective or if my foot just didn't fit it well. Although it didn't really cause any problems like blisters, it wasn't all that comfortable. I should have taken the boots back to the store earlier when it seemed not to fit too well, but I was hoping it would get better after a while. Of course, it didn't.
3. Weather. Man it was hot. 90+ in the shade and there is no shade to speak of. It's a "dry heat", but it's still wicked hot! I was drinking gallons of water a day. I don't do well in the heat. I needed a better sun hat too. A baseball cap type hat does not cut it.
The above problems could have been solved if it weren't for the next problem on the list. I could have sent stuff home to lighten the load and/or had a friend go to my house, pick up and mail me some different gear. I might have been able to buy some new boots and a wide brimmed hat to deal with the sun.
Problem #4 - My hiking group.
It turns out that having four woman as hiking partners and being the only male in the group was not a very good idea. One of the problems was simply that there were 5 of us, which doesn't work out well logistically. Group of 4, okay. More than that, things get complicated. I really think if the 4th woman hadn't joined the group, things might have worked out better for me.
Second problem was hiking style. Turns out all four woman were strong hikers with light packs, they all had a quick pace, didn't like to stop for anything and hiked in a pack, toe to heal. Meanwhile, I like to stop and rest a little every so often and enjoy the view, so I ended up trailing well behind the girls most of the time.
The third problem and the deal breaker was simply the fact I couldn't intergrate into the group. As the only male and not emotionally attached to any of the woman, I was an outsider simply tagging along. I was excluded from most conversations and decision making. Although they were polite enough not to come out and say it, it became apparent to me after a few days that they really didn't want me around.
So, when on our last camp in the park I overheard the girls planning to get up at 5 am, run to town as quick as possible to resupply and then head into "the Bob" the day after without a zero rest day (which I needed just to re-adjust my gear and food situation - which was complicated by the fact we'd get back to town on a Saturday), I decided enough was enough and to divorce myself from this group. When I told the girls I wasn't going to follow along with them any farther, I suddenly didn't exist for them at all. No good-bys, no hugs, no "it was great, sorry to see you go, can't we make this work somehow?" type of thing. That comfirmed I made the the right decision.
I suppose I could have pushed on my myself, but I really didn't want to tackle the rest of Montana all by myself and the train station was right there, so it wasn't hard to decide to throw in the towel and go home. A number of leasons were learned and if I decide to attempt this again, I'll have a better idea how to go about it.
We had to shuttle around one section, Many Glacier to St Mary, skipping Piegan pass. About 3.5 miles in we came to a ragging stream crossing which didn't have the bridge installed across it yet. Fording it looked life threating, so we turned around. Good thing, as we learned later the next bridge had been washed out, the bridge above that was still under snow and the pass it's self was still a dangerous snow traverse.
I decided to end the hike at E. Glacier and go home for a number of reasons.
1. Gear problems. My pack was way too heavy. I brought too much stuff, thinking it would be cold and wet most of the time. Instead, it was very hot and dry most of the time.
2. Boot problems. Just my right boot. I don't know if the boot was defective or if my foot just didn't fit it well. Although it didn't really cause any problems like blisters, it wasn't all that comfortable. I should have taken the boots back to the store earlier when it seemed not to fit too well, but I was hoping it would get better after a while. Of course, it didn't.
3. Weather. Man it was hot. 90+ in the shade and there is no shade to speak of. It's a "dry heat", but it's still wicked hot! I was drinking gallons of water a day. I don't do well in the heat. I needed a better sun hat too. A baseball cap type hat does not cut it.
The above problems could have been solved if it weren't for the next problem on the list. I could have sent stuff home to lighten the load and/or had a friend go to my house, pick up and mail me some different gear. I might have been able to buy some new boots and a wide brimmed hat to deal with the sun.
Problem #4 - My hiking group.
It turns out that having four woman as hiking partners and being the only male in the group was not a very good idea. One of the problems was simply that there were 5 of us, which doesn't work out well logistically. Group of 4, okay. More than that, things get complicated. I really think if the 4th woman hadn't joined the group, things might have worked out better for me.
Second problem was hiking style. Turns out all four woman were strong hikers with light packs, they all had a quick pace, didn't like to stop for anything and hiked in a pack, toe to heal. Meanwhile, I like to stop and rest a little every so often and enjoy the view, so I ended up trailing well behind the girls most of the time.
The third problem and the deal breaker was simply the fact I couldn't intergrate into the group. As the only male and not emotionally attached to any of the woman, I was an outsider simply tagging along. I was excluded from most conversations and decision making. Although they were polite enough not to come out and say it, it became apparent to me after a few days that they really didn't want me around.
So, when on our last camp in the park I overheard the girls planning to get up at 5 am, run to town as quick as possible to resupply and then head into "the Bob" the day after without a zero rest day (which I needed just to re-adjust my gear and food situation - which was complicated by the fact we'd get back to town on a Saturday), I decided enough was enough and to divorce myself from this group. When I told the girls I wasn't going to follow along with them any farther, I suddenly didn't exist for them at all. No good-bys, no hugs, no "it was great, sorry to see you go, can't we make this work somehow?" type of thing. That comfirmed I made the the right decision.
I suppose I could have pushed on my myself, but I really didn't want to tackle the rest of Montana all by myself and the train station was right there, so it wasn't hard to decide to throw in the towel and go home. A number of leasons were learned and if I decide to attempt this again, I'll have a better idea how to go about it.