A funny story for the hikers out there....

P

Pellmel

Cathlete
A little background....
So, spring is coming - backpacking and climbing season. I have been training pretty hard for 3 or 4 months and in addition to Cathe, I am trying to do hard hikes once or twice a week (10+ miles with 3500 or more of gain) and to do them pretty fast. I have a fun group of women to hike with who have the same goals, but one of my friends will bring someone along once in a while who is not up to the task and we end up cutting things short or spending a lot of time slowing down for the extra person which kind of defeats the purpose of driving way out to find something challenging.

My girlfriend, Rae, asked if she could bring a friend who lived near the trailhead yesterday. I asked her "Well, is he tough - I really want to get a good workout." She assured me that he was pretty tough.

Well, just as we pull up to the traillhead, I ask Rae how she knows this guy who is meeting us. She says, "Well, I took an avalanche rescue class from him last year. He is the head of Mt. Rainier Mountain Rescue Team."

Hmmmm......think I got a good workout? This guy's full time job is to rush up a 14K foot mountain with about 80 lbs of gear and save people in any type of weather or situation! He and my friend Rae (who's hobby is backcountry skiing where you have to climb up and ski down all day, when she is not busy doing triathlons) had a nice time torturing the rest of us all day by leading. I was totally soaked with sweat and laughing my HEAD off all day........I guess I should be careful what I wish for!!!!!!

He was "tough enough".
Melissa
 
Woo-Hooo Melissa! But, keep in mind...you KEPT UP with him! How fun that must have been! BTW, my twin sister's middle name is Rae! :7)

Your-Friend-In-Fitness, DebbieH (AKA "Den Mother Debbie")http://www.handykult.de/plaudersmilies.de/wavey.gif[/img] If You Get The Choice To Sit It Out Or Dance...I Hope You DANCE!!!
 
That's a great story Melissa! I hike a couple times a week too and love it. I hike with a co-worker everyweek and we try to better our times as well. We see people running this trail which will never be me. Sounds like you did a great job though and he might be a great person to take with you for motivation!

Nice job!

Rhonda
 
Good story Melissa!

I'm on the same page as you about screening who joins a hike. It's easy for a hike to become a leisure activity rather than a fitness activity.

Debra
 
You lucky thing!!! I'd love to hike with this guy and your friend Rae, and you!!!

Where do you live that you can be hiking already?

Clare
 
Melissa--Where do you hike?

I know from other posts, that you, like me, live in Portland, OR.(or near it anyway) We actually live near the gorge and hike there fairly often. We have also hiked around Mt. Hood.

We did more "killer" hikes before we had children, but they are learning to love hiking also.

We vacation near Sisters, and there are many great hikes in the Jefferson, Mt. Washington, and Sisters Wilderness areas (as I'm sure you know.)

Hiking is one of my great loves. I wish we could do more.

Glad you enjoyed yourself yesterday and got a good workout. The weather could not have been better.

Maggie
 
Hi Maggie!
I live in Clackamas County near the new high school. I can be at Lewis & Clark Rec area or the Sandy Safeway (2 popular meeting places for hikes) in about 20 minutes.
I have only lived here a little over 4 years - I lived in Chicago for the last 10 and we are enjoying every bit of the NW! I had never really hiked with any gain involved until about 2 years ago. I started hiking to explore the Gorge and fell in love with it. Then I started climbing and now I am about 50/50. I *almost* climbed Hood today for the first time, but my hiking partner decided that he was too busy and too stressed - we may go next Saturday. It seems pretty safe with this goofy weather.
Of course I love the Gorge - yesterday we went to Nesmith Point. I have hiked most of the hikes in the gorge except Mt. Defiance (cause I'm into views). How about you? Did you do the trail that goes all around Hood?

I also love the Sisters area and Bend - it is so lovely there. I feel so lucky to live in such a diverse area. I only wish that I had more time to get out. My favorite area by far is the Zigzag/Mt. Hood area.

I also have little kids - almost 5 and 6 year old girls. They also love to hike and camp. My oldest has been begging me to climb Mt. St. Helens but that one is out. I do have a plan cooked up with some of my climbing/hiking buddies to take our kids up Old Snowy together. Most of our kids see us pack up to climb and they want to go, too! We'll see if it gets executed!
 
AMEN! I have gotten burned a few times. Sometimes I don't mind if it is a friend I haven't seen in a while. But when I really want a workout or want to get somewhere that is tough (but worth it) to get there, it is my pet peeve to get dragged down.
Last year I had a friend that I hiked with who wasn't in great shape yet. I used to throw a 10 lb plate in my pack and we called it "The Equalizer". After a month or so, she caught up and the day came that I was darn sorry that I had that plate!

Where do you hike?
Melissa
 
Those of us in southern California would love to send the rain back up to the Pacific Northwest where you have the storage facilities to manage it! The weather pattern has really gone south this year.

I lived in (& loved) the Seattle area for 5 years before moving to So Cal. Other than the Inaugural Day storm (Bill Clinton's), I've never experienced such extreme storms as this winter. We've had more than one "Hundred Year Storms". Last year - wildfires.

The trail damage has been extreme. Sadly, many ancient oaks have fallen in the foothill area where we live. And many people are still losing their homes to slides.

Enjoy the weather blip.

Debra
 
Debra it must be so tough with that killer rain! I really feel for you guys and the PNW would love to take that water. This weekend Washington has "officially" declared a drought and Oregon is not far behind. I'm sure the wildfire season will be hideous. Hopefully you guys won't get both flood and fires - YIKES!

Are there lots of flash flood alerts? That would be a little scary when hiking. We had a woman drown on a Mt. Hood trail last year trying to cross a stream. Either heavy rains or a flash flood took her out.

I'm sending a little sunshine your way and begging for some rain back!
Melissa
 
Don't I wish.......

Well, I'm a pretty normal weight and only 5'2". I must have outweighed him by 20lbs and he had only about 3 inches on me!

On the mountain he is king, in a barfight - the good money is on me!

The wirey guys are the ones who do best in the altitude and taking the punishment the mountains can dish out. But, I've been humbled by many a pot-bellied guy in my day! Half of it is ATTITUDE!

Melissa
 
>
>Are there lots of flash flood alerts? That would be a little
>scary when hiking. We had a woman drown on a Mt. Hood trail
>last year trying to cross a stream. Either heavy rains or a
>flash flood took her out.
>

The media has actually been terrific about broadcasting flash flood & mudslide warnings but people do stupid things. The mudslides are the larger problem because of last year's fires. Fire authorities are actually worried about a bad fire season because of all the vegetation that's growing this year.

Sure hope the rain shifts north. The farmers & fish are going to be squabbling over water. In the mean time, enjoy your early hiking season!

Debra
 
Hi--

You've lived here less time than I and you sound like you've done more than I have in the gorge! Have you done Dog Mountain? It's on the Washington side. It's not a super long hike, but very steep and the wildflowers are beautiful this time of year.

I have never done rock or mountain climbing, but did some really nice backpacking trips before we had children. We have five children and the youngest 2 (18 months and 3 1/2 years) still have to be carried. The 3 1/2 yo has downs syndrome, so he's more like a 2 yo developmentally.

Anyway--Indian Heavens and the Goat Rocks wilderness areas in Washington are absolutely stunningly beautiful for back packing (a bit far away for day hiking, but could be done with an early start).

But our most exciting trip was in the Olympics. So georgeous. I must do it again someday, when the kiddos are older and stronger.

Oh I'm rambling--but your post has given me the old hiking bug. Been a bit home bound for a while....:p

take care
Maggie
 
I am dying to go to Goat Rocks! That is one of my goals this summer. I have been to Indian Heaven and it is aptly named. As for Dog Mountain - being on top of it on a summer day is just about as close to nirvana as you can get.

I can understand the carrying thing - we just got out of it. Carrying 2 is really tough and makes for a long day. Although last year I did most of my training with my little one on my back - adds 30 lbs to the pack and wow was I in great shape!

Now I have an almost 5 yr old and a 6 yr old. About 2 years ago when my weight was not budging, I started hiking. My husband says that I left my butt in the Gorge! I did all of the tough ones. It has kept me in wonderful shape. My kids go to Swedish school on Saturday mornings (Daddy drives) and I have almost the whole day to hike or climb.

I hope that you can get out there this summer - we really do live in a wonderful part of the country. We are just starting to introduce our kids to backpacking - but we only have 2 which makes it much easier.

See ya out there soon I hope! Where do you live in the area?
Melissa
 
Melissa--I hope you get to Goat Rocks. We actually found a gorgeous lake that had no trail on the map. We just sort of stumbled on it going cross country. It is called Gertrude Lake. Totally clear, totally isolated. We went skinny dipping.

We live in the Park Rose area--near the airport and the Columbia River. We may go on a hike this Saturday. My husband wants to hike up to Larch Mountain--up the Multnomah Falls trail.

We just bought our first house and I am loathe to leave all that needs to be done. On the other hand, there is more to life than painting and wall paper:p

Maggie
 
Hi, I live in the Seattle area and hike on Mt. Rainier and I grew up in Oregon hiking in Sisters and Mt. Hood! We do a lot of hiking in the summer - I have a picture of me up on one of the glaciers on Rainier with my Cathe hat on taken last year before they closed for the season. I LOVE to hike!

I love your story and appreciate your sharing how much hiking your doing (and I'm a little envious!)

Glad that guy gave you a great workout and you weren't disappointed! :) :)

Jo
 
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