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Thread: Senior Hikers?

  1. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by RockDoc View Post
    ... The other is 55+ seniors....
    Hey wait a minute. I'm a senior???

    Backpacking takes time, money, physical ability, mental resilience, knowledge, and experience. But few people bring all these to the table. Each has their own strengths and weaknesses. What you lack in one area you make up for in another. I am hoping that when I get to be a REAL senior, what I will lack in physical ability will be made up for in all the other areas (where seniors can actually have an advantage).

  2. #22
    Garlic
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    And remember, "Old age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill!"
    "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

  3. #23

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    Here's a link to a story about 82 year old twin sisters that just completed section hiking the AT.
    http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/h...rail/96686462/

  4. #24
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    I'm 64 and am maybe slowing down a bit. Nine years ago I could still pull off consecutive 15 mile days, long-term, on the easier portions of the AT (the mid-Atlantic states.) These days I aim for 12 miles/day. But in truth it's been a couple years since I've done more than a few days in a row in the woods.

    The AT footpath can be rocky, rooty, and treacherous in places, so maybe take it slow for a bit 'till your knees and ankles get used to that stuff. Hiking poles help a lot with that, especially for us seniors, and especially with the load-on-the-back, which will be new for you.

    I'm a slow, cautious hiker. Speed is not a priority. Safety is. I want to be doing this 'till I'm really, really old.

    From your intro, I don't think you'll have too many issues with the aerobic part.

  5. #25

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    I’m 66 and attempted a thru hike in 2015, finishing it in 2016. My crash and burn at Gorham was a blessing in disguise. Here is my takeaway:

    * I wanted to hike like a young person and my marathon and half-marathon experience allowed me to think I could. There are senior hikers who can hang with the faster crowd, but not me. It took about 1,900 miles to get that through my head and caused more frustration than it should have. Your marathons, Warrior Dashes, triathlons should serve you well.
    * My 2016 finish through Maine consisted of low mileage, shelter free days. Lunch breaks were not hurried, and I would soak my feet in streams during the day on occasion. The hike was no longer a forced march, and I even was able to label Maine as “fun”.
    * A lot of time was spent preparing for my hike doing gear research on the internet. I thought everybody is hiking ultralight these days (they aren’t), so I took the “best of” gear choices from various UL lists. Most of my choices were spot on, and I still keep my pack weight down, but one has to live with the gear and have the skills to go with it. Got everything right round one but the shelter. It’s a learning process.
    * My training for backpacking trips has changed. Weight training and stretching are now an important part of my training. It has increased my enjoyment of the activity.

    You are anything but “over the hill”. This is a rewarding hobby that I’m sure you will enjoy.

  6. #26
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    And buy the best, lightest gear that works for you, keeping in mind another ancient proverb: "That IRA ain't gonna spend itself."

    Quote Originally Posted by garlic08 View Post
    And remember, "Old age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill!"

  7. #27

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    I am your age -- will be 74 in July. I try to limit my pack weight to 35 lbs, but if I am out for more than a couple of days I sometimes carry 40. I definitely agree with those who suggest that you keep your pack weight down, but some of the suggestions are too low.

    My main caution would be to be more careful about falling. At our age, bones are more brittle. When I was younger, I expected to trip and fall two or three times a year. As I have matured, I have become more careful. I always use hiking poles and have slowed my pace a bit.

    When I hike alone, which I often do, I make sure I have a way to contact my family. I often hike in areas where cell coverage is limited, so I carry a Delorme Inreach.

    To stay in backpacking shape, I walk 10,000 steps each day. Three times a week, I do high intensity interval training and 20 to 30 minutes of weight lifting.

    And, one of the best ways to stay in shape is to backpack often. For 2017, I have two Grand Canyon hikes, the Inca Trail and a section hike on the PCT scheduled. I hope to hike the Wonderland Trail again, but they are not accepting permit applications yet.

    PS: At our age it is even more important to keep body weight down than it was when we were younger.
    Last edited by Shutterbug; 01-19-2017 at 21:03.
    Shutterbug

  8. #28
    Registered User Storm's Avatar
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    Hiked through thru the park last year. Not as easy as some people say but not too bad. I started in Buena Vista, Va. and hiked to Harper's Ferry. This was my third section on the AT. Only advice I can give you is to be in as good of shape as possible and to listen to your body. I get miles in by hiking longer, not faster. Knees give me some problems but other than that I am holding up pretty good.
    Are you near East Canton? Went to high school there.
    "The difficult can be done immediately, the impossible takes a little longer"

  9. #29

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    I don't think I have anything to add that hasn't been covered but I want to echo a few things in particular. One, listen to your body and don't think you need to keep pace with any other hikers, old or young. It's your hike and you hike it at the pace you enjoy. Two, be more cautious than you might have been 30 years ago, especially on steep downhills on rocky terrain (and wet rocky terrain is the worst). Third - and you're already doing this - keep aerobically fit before your hike - you'll enjoy it more.

    It's been more than 2 years since I did a real backpack. Hoping to thru-hike the Long Trail this year but need to get in much better shape.

  10. #30
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    There are plenty of us "coots in boots" out there. I met a couple on the Wonderland Trail last fall, 65 and 75, having a great time. Keeps weight reasonable, don't over push on miles, and have fun. And don't be shy about using the offspring as pack stock. On the WT trip, my son carried some extra at times. It helped, especially as motivation.
    My son and me Chris and Rich
    P1010006.jpgP1010097.jpg
    "It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss

  11. #31
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    I thru-hiked at age 67. Most of the time my pack would weigh 28-34 lbs. It took me a little longer, 201 days, but my hike was problem free. My advise would be; Limit your daily miles to around 10 for the first few weeks. Eat something often, every 2 hrs or so. Listen to the aches and pains that will come. It's your body telling you to change something you are doing wrong. Take care of your feet. Foot problems put a lot of hikers off the trail. Don't hike more than 8-10 hours a day. You will need the extra rest. Don't use trail runner type shoes. Use a boot with mode support and a stiffer soul. Happy trails on your adventure.
    Grampie-N->2001

  12. #32
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    [QUOTE=Grampie;2120746 … a stiffer soul … [/QUOTE]

    I know this is a misspelling of "sole" — but as is, I thinks it's also apt.

    I think of a 'stiff' soul as hopefully coming with maturity and wisdom, a strong stable resilient inner core.

    I'd stress that resilience idea as well. A 'stiff' tree also survives because it is flexible, bending but returning, adapting yet growing, always developing.

  13. #33

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    Quote Originally Posted by Grampie View Post
    ... Don't use trail runner type shoes. Use a boot with mode support and a stiffer soul. Happy trails on your adventure.
    Different people have different perspectives. My advice would be just the opposite. I wear only Vibram 5 Finger shoes. Ditching the heavy boots was the smartest thing I have done.

    You are new here, so you haven't heard my story. A few years ago, I was in the bottom of the Grand Canyon wearing some very expensive hiking boots with a stiff sole. My feet were killing me. I had a pair of Vibram 5 Fingers Shoes in my pack for camp shoes. I took off the heavy boots and put on the Vibrams. I have never gone back to boots. I didn't realize what a difference it makes!! Getting rid of those heavy weights on my feet has been liberating. My advice is to at least try some minimalist footwear before you make up your mind.

    I have hiked thousands of miles in Vibram 5 Finger shoes without any problems.
    Shutterbug

  14. #34
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    On the issue of boots... I'm with Shutterbug on this. Mostly.

    Every ounce of weight on the feet works against you. Much, much more so than ounces on your back. On a typical AT day, you lift your feet 20,000 times or more.

    The notion that stiffer boots give "ankle support" doesn't hold up. Your ankles need full flexibility in order to walk, especially over irregular terrain, which is most of the AT. The only boots that offer real ankle support are ski boots, and you can't walk properly in those, for exactly that reason. The best ankle support is a pair of trekking poles.

    The one place where I miss those old stiff leather boots, with their deeply lugged Vibram soles, is on slippery, steep rock ledges.

    These last few seasons I've gone with a compromise: mid-height fabric boots. Vasque Breeze, specifically, but there are many similar boots in other brands.

    Dealing with mud, muck and days on end of wet trail, there's no good solution. Trail runners will soak through quickly, but won't get that much heavier when they do, and will dry out quickly. Heavier boots will take longer to soak through, but will hold more water weight when they do, and will take much longer to dry out again. Pick your poison.

  15. #35

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    On the subject of "ankle support"...

    I learned something when I visited a podiatrist for my right foot tendonitis which had been bothering me for months. The pain was on and around the ankle, meaning on the sole and also the sides of the back part of my foot. The first thing he did was squeeze the back sides of my (walking/cross-training) shoes and recommend that I replace them with firmer sides.

    The important thing for "ankle support" wasn't high tops - rigid or otherwise - but rather firmness of the sides at the bottom on either side of the ankle, below the ankle bone. Along with some other recommendations, I changed my shoes and noticed a lessening of the pain before long.

    I recently needed a pair of winter hiking shoes and settled on Keens. While they happen to be high-cut, the important feature was the firm lower sides. That is now my first criteria when purchasing shoes of any kind - squeeze the back lower sides.

  16. #36
    Registered User ldsailor's Avatar
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    I'm 67 and did 530 miles of the AT last year from Springer to Marion, VA. If there is one overwhelming regret I have about the hike, it is the weight of my backpack. I had an Osprey Atmos 65. It is a great backpack with plenty of room for everything, and therein lies the problem. You don't want to take everything with you. Besides having difficulty hiking up mountains with as much as 43 pounds on my back (after reprovisioning), it was also hard going down the mountains. I sprained my ankle and one of my knees hurt like crazy.

    From my experience I learned what every experienced hiker already knew and told me, but I didn't listen. The lesson is go light. Find a light backpack, a light sleeping bag, leave most of what you think you need at home and if you can keep your backpack to no more than 32 lbs with water and provisions, you will have a much better time of it with much less chance of injury.

    I'm going back this year, and believe me, my backpack will be much lighter.

  17. #37
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    As Idsailer mentions, the downhills are where you are likely to do damage, and heavy packs compound this. A reasonably light pack and great care help a lot.
    "It's fun to have fun, but you have to know how." ---Dr. Seuss

  18. #38

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    This thread -- Senior Hikers -- causes me to miss Weary. For years, he was the authority on all senior issues. I miss his posts.
    Shutterbug

  19. #39

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    Quote Originally Posted by Shutterbug View Post
    This thread -- Senior Hikers -- causes me to miss Weary. For years, he was the authority on all senior issues. I miss his posts.
    Agree - I always found his perspective wise and useful. I count myself blessed that I met him once in person.

  20. #40
    Registered User 4eyedbuzzard's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Feral Bill View Post
    ... And don't be shy about using the offspring as pack stock.
    As the OP is 74, his "pack stock offspring" could be well into their 50's - not exactly spring chickens themselves.
    "That's the thing about possum innards - they's just as good the second day." - Jed Clampett

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