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looking for a solution to a camping/ hiking partner problim

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 3:56 am
by Catskillhiker
My sister is hell bent on hiking the high peaks, doing a 2-3 day trip, the regulation of no camp fire has turned her eyes from colden, tabletop, and Phelps to the sewards

with that said the sewards would be a better choice because of the flattish trail in and a hike to duck hole instead of the mountains, except shes hell bent on climbing the mountians

i have no problem climbing them, and shouldn't have an issue at all but hears the problem..................



Hurricane mountain did to her what mt. Everest would do to a fit climber, and while she summited it took about 12-13 hours to do the 6 mile round trip, (granted she had a broken toe at the time)

in the Catskills she had no problem on red hill or balsam lake mountain, and climbed giant ledge with few problems, but could not make panther mountain, on a later trip i went with my friends to hunter mountain we climbed hunter and southwest hunter from spruceton rd- devils path and looped down the sruceton trail in about 4-5 hours for roughly 11 miles distance, and she thought i was crazy for this speed

i was told by the guide she had on hurricane that she could handle cascade, porter and a few other high peaks, but would be taxed and probably fail on noonmark


so i want to know is their a alternate trip in the dacks (preferably), but possably in Vermont or Massachusetts to take her on keeping in mind that the trip could be up to 4 days of camping, and that i would like their to be 2-5 peaks in the area to hit, and relitivly easy trails in, (steepness can be up a little, but boulders hurt her) her height is about 5'3" and she is not all that fit


i have no idea what would be appropriate to take her on as most the mountains i concentrate on are to much for her

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 3:18 pm
by welle
what do you think of Escarpment in Catskills? After initial up, it's pretty much a ridge-walk, no?

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 6:57 pm
by Catskillhiker
that could work, not sure about how the blackhead section is, i know its at 3950',may be the only tough spot for her, but the trail is a lot flatter than the great rang for sure so would work, and windham HP would be to her tast as views go,

defently an option to think about, long as the camp fire is glowed and theirs good tent camping as i am unsure about sleeping in a one side open lean-too- and about if bears are prevalent down their (almost ran one over around the pepaction lake near downsville after giant ledge

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 8:50 pm
by Yeti
I'm just tossing this out there, because I've got a little sister that I love dearly that aslo wants to hike-climb with me, and has had similar problems in the pass.... Kick her ass.
In a loving way, of course.

I love taking first-timers up, but I harp on pre-climb conditioning with any and all newbies. They have to understand that they must put in the time before hand. They always take this lightly the first time, and they get thuroughly whooped. :) After my sis's first attempt at Mt Washington, she conceded that she didn't physically prepare much at all, but definately would be ready next time.

Rather than finding an easier way to go about it, get her to do some cardio/pulmonary focused excersizes. My pulled-from-my-ass rule of thumb is; You should be able to run/jog 5 miles for every 4000ft you plan to gain. Though, it should probably be a sliding scale as the air doesn't thin at a linear rate, but we're not talking about the 8000's here.
MT Washington? Thats a 5+mile mountian
Mt Rainier? Complete a half-marathon and we'll call it "squarezies".

It also beats on the legs/feet, which is exactly what you do on a long alpine hike/climb.

PostPosted: Mon Apr 26, 2010 9:46 pm
by Catskillhiker
true, my way of training is biking, i have a goal of 5 miles in 10-15 minits or less on the old lake road in my town, which gain and drops about 400-500 feet over its distance, its also dirt, and very rough, im at 30 minits right now, baring my right knee that is slow at best to condition because of cartlidge issues(which slows running till mid season), my sister is trying to walk more, outside of work (shes a nurse), but the training is not to my liking, and of course the 40 lb pack needed for a 4 day trip (not the problem, she lift's people all the time at work)

atm i would put her at 1.5-2 hours for 5 miles on a bike, and 3 hours on foot for 5 miles

defently been harping on her to condition though,

and ya Washington is a 6000 footer, reasonably thin air considering what any team who play Denver bronco's run into at the mile high stadium