I've Lost My Hiking Poles

[goedde2]

Have you ever lost your hiking poles? It's easier than you think if you walk off and forget them. How could they be recovered even if they were found by someone who wanted them returned to their rightful owner? Simple solution - label maker. Sounds odd but making a label with your address and/or phone number, and attaching the label to your poles works. Help might be a phone call and only a few miles away. Works well for your phone, camera, etc. as well. An inexpensive Brother P-Touch might be a consideration.

For me at least, the poles help on the downhills and for balance, as well as for setting up using only a tarp, but it's a personal choice.

Just my thoughts. Glad to share.

[Sugarfoot]

I started a hike at Harpers Ferry heading south and walked off leaving my poles in the trunk of my friend's rental car. I was reconciled to buying new ones in Front Royal (this is when there was still an outfitter there), but the next morning there was a banner across the trail by Blackburn Center telling me to come down and phone ATC. They brought my poles to me at Bears Den later that day! Nice folk.

[Slo-go'en]

I once left my poles on the side of a road when one of my partners flagged down a pickup truck 20 seconds after we got to the road and we were so excited to get a ride that quick! Thankfully, they were still there a few hours later when we returned.

The only other time I walked off without my poles was at the Partnership shelter and that was because my hands were full of garbage someone had left and I was taking to the dumpster. I was planning on going right to town from there, so had to go back just for my poles which I suddenly realised were missing.

Leaving stuff in people's cars after a ride is a very common way to loose things. labeling is a good idea - someday I should get around to doing that to my stuff...

[Maui Rhino]

Several years ago, my wife gave me a pole for Christmas. A month later, I lost it while bow hunting when it fell off my pack during a stalk. I always knew I would find it sooner or later, and sure enough I did. Four years later, I was bow hunting with a guy from Wisconsin, and he nearly stepped on it. The wood knob on the handle needed to be sanded and re-varnished, but I still use that stick today.

["Atlas"]

I had a great pair of Black Diamond Elliptical Poles. I left them in Georgia with a Girlfriend, needless to say I had to get a new set. I found a set of ski poles in a thrift store for $5. They have been great.

[Liminal]

Thanks for the tip...
makes me remember my first hike into the Grand Canyon... I was a newbie, not prepared and rushed down South Kaibab Trail (steep). My knees fell victim half way down... one nice man along the trail gave me ibuprofen and another woman gave me her poles; this made it possible for me to finish the hike (Thank you fellow hikers!). I mailed the poles back as soon as I could get to the P.O. at the top. I now have my own and the second trip down was MUCH easier!

[Stir Fry]

I have put mine on the back of my car 2 time after a hike. Never saw them again. Now they stay in my hands untill I put them in the car.

[SCRUB HIKER]

There is another thread right now about arguments against trekking poles and I can't believe I forgot to include this--they are so easy to lose.

I brought one pole for the first few hundred miles of the AT. I wasn't really thrilled with it and I kept almost leaving it behind places, not to mention almost impaling my friends with it in town, while hitching, etc. Finally I was leaving Kincora in the morning and realized I had left it at my tent pad, which was wayyy in the back of the property by the stone bothy/sauna hut. I said, approximately, "F--- it," it wasn't worth walking back 2 minutes for, and I hiked with no poles the rest of the way to Maine.