The truth about Mt. Rainier? I have the dream of climbing Mt. Rainier. Is this something that someone with no climbing experience can do? Is it hard?
Is running a marathon hard? Is passing the bar hard? YEAH IT'S HARD!!!! I've heard people who run marathons and triathlons claim that Rainier is the hardest thing they've ever done. If you're serious about this, get thee to a gym!
As far as experience is concerned, someone better have a LOT of it, but that someone doesn't need to be you. Rainier Mountaineering, Inc. is the Park Service's concessionaire on the mountain. They offer a three day package that will get you up (and more importantly, down) safely if you're fit enough and the weather cooperates. (Note for oddsmakers and gamblers: About half the people who attempt the mountain each year succeed in making the summit.)
Here's the drill:
Day one: Back to School. You learn basic mountaineering skills: rope handling, cramponing technique, ice ax use, self arrest, etc. When you get good enough at screaming "FALLING!!" while falling upside down and backwards, digging your face into the snow, and (finally) stopping, they pass you and you can climb.
Day two: Trudge. No biggie here, just a stiff hike up a big hill to Camp Muir at about 10,000 feet. You march in a nice little line. The guides like you to keep close together, so you're out of luck if you don't happen to like the pace set by the folks in front of you. Get used to it, because that's what the rest of the climb will be like. Meanwhile, the guides patrol at the outside of the line, evaluating climbers for potential laggards and klutzes.
Day 3: The showdown. Man against mountain and all that sort of stuff. You'll be awakened between 11 p.m and 2 a.m., depending on the weather. The rest is all about trying to both pace yourself AND keep up. Think of climbing the Empire State building roped behind that guy at the gym who always has the stairmaster set on Level 10.
In case I haven't been clear as mountain water: Tackle this mountain with a group of other amateurs ONLY if you have a LOT of high altitude mountaineering experience. Otherwise, go with a guide service. Avalanches, rockfall, crevasses, hypothermia, falls, and high altitude sickness are among the tragic fates that await those who overestimate themselves against this mercurial but dangerous mountain.
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I want to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. Is it safe for a woman to hike alone? Thanks, Kathy.
Backcountry safety is something that any hiker, male or female, needs to consider when planning a hike, whether it's a dayhike in your local county park or a thru-hike of a multi-thousand-mile trail. But as with so much of life, safety is a more pressing concern for women than it is for men. The Appalachian Trail is close to many small towns, and while the vast majority of interactions between locals and hikers are warm and friendly, there's always the chance of encountering a group of good ole boys with a few too many beers under their belts. Women have been harassed -- and (very rarely) even attacked -- on the AT. There is safety in numbers.
Resupplying is another problem for solo female hikers, because resupplying occasionally involves hitch-hiking into town. If you must hitch-hike, it's always safer with a partner. (Hint: carry a cell phone and call a cab, if the town is big enough to have taxis, or make arrangements to be met at a trailhead by one of the many people who shuttle hikers around to trailheads. The Appalachian Trail Conference has a list.)
Solo hiking offers a lot of rewards, but it increases the risks inherent in any wilderness activity. In a tough spot, two people's judgment is often better than one person's. If one of you is injured, the other can perform first aid or go for help. If gear breaks, you might be able to share. Or you can simply give each other moral support. Unless you are already an experienced outdoorsperson, it makes sense to have a partner.
That said, however, thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail is a little different than other backcountry adventures. More than 2000 people attempt the trail each year, and the vast majority of them hike northbound starting in Georgia between March 15 and April 15. Most people expect a thru-hike to be a wilderness adventure; they are often surprised to learn that the Appalachian Trail is also a social experience. Quite often, hikers start alone, but then fall into loose associations and partnerships with other hikers. And some of these partnerships survive the entire trail. So don't fret if you don't find a hiking partner before your trip. Even if you don't find someone you want to hike with every day, you'll probably find plenty of company along the way.
For more information about thru-hiking, check out Hiking the Triple Crown.
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What do climbing ratings mean? Hi Karen, Thanks for your time. We are three 40ish amigos taking on our second ever hiking trip this year. Last year we hiked in the Gila Wilderness and loved the solitude. This year, we are heading to the Mount Sneffels area in Colorado. We are entertaining the idea of going for the summit. I have read some trip notes on the web and people have described the ascent as a class 3 climb. I can not find any reference on the web to give me an idea what that rating means. Is this something a careful person with no mountaineering training should attempt?
Thanks,
-- Matt Atnip, St. Louis, MO
Hi Matt! You're right -- that information CAN be hard to find. Basically, the Yosemite Decimal System (which actually has its origins in Germany, but we don't need to go into all that...) is a way of rating climbs. Here's how it works:
* Class 1 climb isn't really a climb at all -- it's merely hiking (perhaps occasionally tripping over a few rocks).
* Class 2 is what people might refer to as off-trail hiking, or an easy scramble. Examples would be going off trail on scree and talus, where you might occasionally have to use your hands for balance or a little leverage.
* Class 3 means scrambling for real: You need both arms and legs, and there might be some exposure where a fall could result in broken bones.
* Class 4 means that the exposure is serious enough to require a belay.
* Class 5 means that a leader has to place protection. These are the climbs you read about in climbing magazines. Class 5 is divided into further subcategories (5.0, 5.1, and so on) depending on difficulty (basically from the merely impossible to the totally inconceivable!)
* Class 6 is aid climbing.
Deciding whether you're up for Class 3 is really a judgment call, based on your own abilities, balance, and fear of heights. You don't need mountaineering training or technical aids -- but you do need to be fit, confident, and careful. Once you've done a bunch of scrambling, you learn from your experience how to move your body so it stays in balance. But at the beginning, some people have a little difficulty. It's an individual thing, like learning math, or playing the piano: everyone is different..
An example would be the infamous Mahoosuc Notch on the Appalachian Trail in Maine -- an "easy" Class 3 for part of the way. Hikers have to scramble over, around, through, and under an obstacle course of rocks, sometimes taking their packs off and lifting them to one another. I've never seen anyone using a rope there, and plenty of beginners make it through just fine, but people do fall and injuries do occur.
You said it was only your second trip. If you're not confident of your balance, you might want to check out a climbing wall close to home just to get the feeling of using your arms and legs together.
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Help! I can't find the trail! I am a novice hiker/angler in Northern Georgia. Several times I have visited trails in the Cohutta Wilderness for a weekend of hiking and fishing never to find the "well-marked trail head". Is there something I'm missing? Is this marking a red line on a tree or a group of rocks positioned just so??? Or am I just terrible at directions (on FS roads, that is)? Thanks for any advice.
-- Tommy Owings.
Hi Tommy. I have to admit I have the same problem. There's an Appalachian Trail trailhead/parking area about 50 miles from my house. This trail crossing is one of the first places I ever saw the AT (back when I was nine years old) and I've probably driven past it more than 200 times. Nonetheless, I'm always unsure just exactly where it is. I've also had problems when I go to pick up other hikers at a trailhead: Will I find it or end up driving right by it?
So here's what I do when I'm out hunting for a trailhead. First, get directions from the Forest Service office. Often, Forest Service maps don't exactly -- uh, how to say this politley? -- match what you'll see on the ground. This may be because the F.S. maps don't include all the roads (especially those supposedly not open for vehicular traffic), or because the roads have been renumbered. I ask how far the trailhead is from the nearest junction; I also ask if there's any obvious way to know if I've gone too far.
Another part of the problem is that what may be a "well-marked" trailhead when you're traveling at 3 mph on foot is just a little blip when you're in a car. Often, "well-marked" trailheads aren't easily visible from a road, especially if you're paying attention to obstacles and ruts on a dirt road. So second, drive slowly. Stop and check out any areas that look like a lot of people have parked in the vicinity -- it may be that you'll first see some parking places, and only after looking around a bit will you notice a tiny little trail sign back in the woods a bit. Parked cars are a dead giveaway that there's a trail in the area.
Finally, don't be looking for a big fancy kiosk and picnic shelter. Some trailheads have information boards and outhouses and garbage bins, but many are little more than a few parking places and a trail sign. Trail blazes and cairns (as you mentioned in your letter) are indeed indications that there's a footpath nearby -- but a "well-marked" trailhead will always have more than just a pile of stones.
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What are some good hiking foods? Hi Karen! I am enjoying reading all of your very helpful advice for thru-hikers. My boyfriend and I are Returned Peace Corps Volunteers and are planning to thru-hike the A.T. in March 2002. My problem is that I am highly allergic to all tree nuts and peanuts. Do you have any suggestions on good trail foods that do not contain nuts? I have tried my hand at cooking but most of the stuff doesn't stay fresh. Please Help!
-Tia Schlaikjer
I can definitely answer THIS question -- because I hate peanut butter and I don't especially care for peanuts. Don't worry, there's plenty of food that works well on the trail. Cheese and/or salami on crackers is a good trail lunch food -- both will keep for as long as a week unrefrigerated, although I'd recommend hard cheeses, not soft. Another good lunch food is powdered hummus or black beans (just add water). For snacks, try nutritionally balanced snacks like Clif and Power bars, or your favorite cereal bars. I also like dried fruit.
If you want to prepare your own food, you'll probably have to dehydrate it. Dehydrating reduces the weight of food, and it keeps it from spoiling. There's a great little book called Dry It--You'll Like It!, which explains how to dehydrate just about anything -- fruit leather, vegetables, stews, sauces. Be forewarned: Dehydrating takes a lot of time. Other dinner ideas are pasta and sauce mixes, instant rice or potatoes with packaged gravy and dehydrated meat and/or veggies. You can also buy freeze-dried meals. Most outfitting stores have at least one or two good hiking cookbooks. One of my favorites is Backcountry Cooking : From Pack to Plate in 10 Minutes.
You'll find more information about food for long-distance hiking in my book
Hiking the Triple Crown.
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What's this business about "trail names" and where do I get one?
I'm not sure exactly when trail names came into being, but they are now a fast tradition on the Appalachian Trail, and more and more PCT and CDT hikers are picking up the habit, as well. Basically, they're just nicknames -- a lot like a trucker's CB handle. Philosophically, they give people more of a sense of starting a new life on the trail and being able to perhaps be a little different from the person they left back home.
Tradition has it that you "find" (or are given) your name on the trail. Sometimes, that means that your name reflects some quality that you discovered about yourself on the trail. Or it might reflect some quality others have noticed about you. Sometimes you might prefer to find your name before someone finds one for you.
Names can reflect your philosophy ("Let it Be"), your pace ("Lowgear," "Slowfoot"), your age (Lots of older hikers are "Grandpa this" or "Grandma that"), popular culture ("Forrest Gimp," "Achy-Breaky Back"), a piece of gear you carry ("Umbrella Lady"), an animal you identify with (There are always a few wolves about, along with various marmots, squirrels, and hawks), and countless other permutations and puns.
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How can snow stop me? I'm planning to dayhike in Mount Rainier in early July and have been told that it's possible that there still might be snow on many of the trails at that time. Other than slipping and falling on slippery snow or ice, what other hazards might the snow-covered trails produce? Thanks for any help you can provide. Jerry Kasten
The quick easy answer: It all depends.
The long answer: Hiking on snow and ice can be a lot of fun -- the fresh clean beauty of winter, the lack of crowds -- although you have to figure that your pace is going to drop considerably. But it can also be frustrating, and potentially dangerous. It all depends on how much snow and what kind of snow.
Let me explain: If you're hiking on a couple of inches of freshly fallen snow in a forest, you shouldn't have much of a problem if the trail is of good quality to begin with. (Good quality, incidentally, means "not too steep, not too rocky, not too eroded.") But out in the open, snow can be a major obstacle. Mt. Rainier gets a LOT of snow, and the information you've heard is dead-on right: Depending on the elevation at which you intend to hike, you can expect to see quite a bit in June. In places, snow may be several feet deep. (Note that on south-facing slopes and at lower elevations, snow melts earlier.) I have a friend who is a backcountry ranger in Mt. Rainier National Park, and I've gotten postcards from her talking about shoveling out campsites in July. Also, bridges over rivers are frequently washed away.
Here's how snow can slow you down:
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Slipping and sliding: Even a light layer of snow can be hazardous, especially on trails that have plenty of obstacles to begin with, like layers of fallen leaves (not a problem at Mt. Rainier), rocks, and roots. Slipping and sliding are major -- potentially life threatening -- hazards on steep open slopes. If you're traveling above treeline, you should have an ice ax, and you should know how to use it.
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Ice: In June and July, the combination of freezing, thawing, and rainfall can make for extremely slippery conditions. Don't be afraid to turn back.
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Avalanches: Open slopes above treeline can be avalanche chutes. While more of a winter hazard than a spring hazard, avalanches do fall in the spring, especially after periods of variable and unstable weather (lots of thawing and refreezing), which weaken the snow. Ask at the ranger station about avalanche hazards on your route.
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Navigation: Snow can also make a trail that is well-marked and obvious in August impossible to find in June, which means you've got to be able to use your map and compass. When lots of heavy construction has gone into trail building (blasting and switchbacks, for example), the route is artificial -- it doesn't follow a natural corridor of travel. These trails may be impossible to follow under snow because they are too steep and too exposed. So you'll have to find and follow your own route.
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Snow depth and texture: Spring snow tends to be hard and consolidated, which makes it possible to walk on top of it, no matter how deep. But if it's soft, you could be post-holing the whole day. Post-holing pretty much means what you think it does -- bashing through the snow, leaving a print like a post-hole -- and it's an exhausting way to get from point A to point B. In that case, snow-shoes are a good idea. Even if the snow is hard, you may encounter "sun-cups" in the morning, which are saucer-shaped depressions that deepen as the day goes on. The centers of sun-cups can be mushy, and you might find yourself falling through each time you take a step. Unfortunately, snow-shoes aren't much help in dealing with sun-cups (in fact, they are usually not helpful in consolidated late spring snow). You might also find yourself falling through snow that surrounds rocks because the rocks absorb more heat during the day and melt the snow around them.
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Stream crossings: In June you'll probably find that a lot of small and even large bridges have been washed away by snowmelt. Also note that snowmelt makes creeks and streams run faster and deeper. A crossing that barely gets your toes wet in August may be waist-high in June, possibly even impassible. Note: trails may be snow-free at a lower elevations, but the creeks may still be flooded and dangerous to cross.
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Sheer impassibility: Sometimes the mountain just says no. Listen to it.
All that said, conditions on any major mountain vary from year to year. Check with the rangers for local conditions. If it doesn't sound like the person you're talking to has been in the field lately, ask to speak to a backcountry ranger. Be specific with your questions: Do you need an ice ax? Snowshoes? Is the trail you intend to hike passable? What about the river crossings? If the trail isn't passable, are there other trails open?
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