New and experienced climbers over 50 #38

Brad, your families journey has been inspiring to say the least. And you have done such a great job chronicling it.

Best wishes to all for a spectacular finish!

Wonderful journey Brad. I'm sure that both 'stages' will be full of joy and success.

Super cool Brad. I am reading Wild right now. 

Nick Goldsmithwrote:

Super cool Brad. I am reading Wild right now. 

Nick,

I never read the book but saw the movie. And was very surprised at how accurately they portrayed the PCT and hiking on it.

It's amazing and very pleasing to me how life-shaping these long trails can be for many people. My longtime business partner has a daughter the same age as my oldest (they're lifelong friends). She met a man in the early days of a PCT through-hike. They're now married and have a beautiful daughter.

EDIT: And thanks to Phil who posts here. We climb together and I rant about how the trail might close. And rave when Tricia confirms by text that she's got time off. And all he does is give me a big grin.

I read Wild and then saw the film- it catches a lot of eyerolling shit from a lot of people for how disconnected it is from true through hiking, but the hike is really just a backdrop for Cheryl Strayed’s story and personal journey. If not seen as some kind of technical guide to the PCT, it’s actually a pretty good book (and reasonable film). In any case, these days, the definition of a ‘true’ through hike is pretty widely varying, anyway.

It probably does deserve some of the criticism for the ridiculous increase in popularity of the PCT in recent years. When I did the PCT in the late 80’s, a couple of dozen people were thought to have completed it that year (there was no means for records at the time)- in 2020, according to the PCT Association, over 7,500 people had permits for the trail. Sadly, the trail is clearly showing these impacts.

Brad, always wonderful to hear of your ongoing journey with your daughters. It’s a truly an amazing and heartwarming thing to see.

apogeewrote:

I read Wild and then saw the film- it catches a lot of eyerolling shit from a lot of people for how disconnected it is from true through hiking, but the hike is really just a backdrop for Cheryl Strayed’s story and personal journey. If not seen as some kind of technical guide to the PCT, it’s actually a pretty good book (and reasonable film). In any case, these days, the definition of a ‘true’ through hike is pretty widely varying, anyway.

It probably does deserve some of the criticism for the ridiculous increase in popularity of the PCT in recent years. When I did the PCT in the late 80’s, a couple of dozen people were thought to have completed it that year (there was no means for records at the time)- in 2020, according to the PCT Association, over 7,500 people had permits for the trail. Sadly, the trail is clearly showing these impacts.

Brad, always wonderful to hear of your ongoing journey with your daughters. It’s a truly an amazing and heartwarming thing to see.

The girls and I wink when we claim that we're setting the record for the slowest-ever through hike. But I think that the accepted definition is to do it in one season.

It's true too what you say about the trail's popularity. Enough people are getting south to north permits ("NOBOs" or north-bounders) that there's been a big increase in north to south-bounders ("SOBOS").

But it's an enormously long trail and people eventually spread out a fair amount. Overuse is only evident in a few places (residuals from wildfires are a far worse impact). And through hikers who have never known the trail as you did - closer to truly wild - don't have any basis for comparison.

By the way, if you're interested in the long trails? The newest concept in long trails is "The American Perimeter Trail." I'm not kidding. It was completed by one hiker last year, even though a decent percentage of it is still being charted/mapped out. It's estimated that, once it's fully defined, it'll be six to 8,000 miles of trail!

Oh for some more lifetimes in which to do it all ;)

I recently read A Walk in the park. By Kevin Fedarko 

 Really interesting book about hiking the length of the Grand canyon. When they did it only about 30 people had completed it. 

 I did all but 80 miles of the long trail when I was a teenager and that last 80 miles kind of haunts me. I have hiked 4 of the mountains on it as day hikes but It won't count for me unless I hike that section in one shot. I don't have any of the proper gear and uncertain about my knees... . I have been side tracked by climbing for the last 45 years and van camping for the last 26 years.. 

my old cabin it was about a half mile on a logging road through the woods to the AT. I crossed there a lot hiking, wood gathering, hunting and xc skiing. Occasionally hiking the trail to the top of blueberry hill.  I randomly met Captain Skully from the Taco at the store and met up on blueberry hill the next morning.  It was pretty wild how the trail go so busy during covid.  it went from no out of the ordinary presence where it crossed the logging road to a 5ft wide trough that you could see from 100ft away... 

Yay Brad,

Proud effort both on the PCT and parenting in general. Been following your journey for over a decade now both here and on the Supertopo.

Looking forward to the finish line report,

Tad 

Cherokee Nuneswrote:

Translation: ignore the old white guy with his head in the sand.

Sure, kid. I'm a news junkie, ok? I just happen to know there is a right place and a wrong place to wave politics in everyone's face, and this place ain't it. Its boorish. 

Disagreements about appropriate topics of discussion in online forums is as old as the internet. Older in fact since such things happened on dial up BBS's before the internet existed. But in the present day, asserting politics is boorish in a climbing forum is just silly as politics can directly affect climbing through things like policies on the use and disposition of public lands. And it's difficult to separate a discussion of such policies from the larger picture where campaign finance laws have a big impact on whose voices get heard. 

Edit: And yes, here I go getting sucked back in again!

Have you read Fedarko's other book about the Grand Canyon, Nick? The Emerald Mile.

I bought it on the recommendation of a friend and then it sat around for a few years. Once I got to it I could not put it down.

Hands down one of the ten best books about outdoor adventures that I've ever read (it is non-fiction). And it's not even about climbing!

I have A Walk in the Park sitting on my shelf, waiting for next year's southwest desert van trip. How did you like it?

Thanks as always, Tad (and apogee too). Waiting to get up there is difficult - I'm feeling a bit like a Ramones song (I wanna be sedated...). As of just now, no fires and no closures.

EDIT: Nick, how far is that remaining 80 miles from where you live? It sounds quite close?

apogeewrote:

...

It probably does deserve some of the criticism for the ridiculous increase in popularity of the PCT in recent years. When I did the PCT in the late 80’s, a couple of dozen people were thought to have completed it that year (there was no means for records at the time)- in 2020, according to the PCT Association, over 7,500 people had permits for the trail. Sadly, the trail is clearly showing these impacts.

I do see the problem, but I think it's a net positive that more people are getting outside. Yes, it puts pressure on our resources. But it also makes clear that people want these resources. If there are more and more people who use and care about them, as a nation, we are more likely to value and retain them. Both for us, and for future generations. Maybe we'll even reserve more of our resources instead of selling them off to developers. Isn't it better that people are doing this instead of going to the mall, watching TV, or playing video games?

Emil Briggswrote:

Gabe I was not referring to you or anyone in particular.... My comment about people avoiding discussions is based on my lived experience but yeah I'm fully aware that not everyone has the same motivations so my apologies if you thought I was targeting you. 

Thanks for clarifying, Emil. I think it can be fruitful and interesting to have such discussions in person. I've rarely read a political discussion on the web that didn't quickly become a dumpster fire. I don't like the smell of burning garbage, so count me out. Like GabeO, that doesn't mean I don't care.

On a different note, Bill and I got out early this morning. It has cooled down a lot. The forecast has been uncertain, it may rain, it may not rain, who knows. We decided to go for it.
We wound up just doing one pitch and bailing at the sound of thunder. It started to rain soon after we got back to the car. Nice to get out anyway!

Brad. It's an hour away. I do day hikes on it all the time. I just can't seem to pull the trigger on buying a pack, sleeping pad and allocation of a week for me to get it done. It's supposed to be the toughest section so probably take me a solid week. Mansfield to Canada. Every time I have had a spare week it's been a climbing trip. A Walk in the Park is excellent. It was a slow start for me because they were such wankers at the start but it got really good and very informative about the cultures who were forced out of the area by the Europeans and then Americans. 

I did most of the 4,000 footers in New Hampshire when I was a teenager, and hiked 200 miles of the AT in Maine at age 14, thinking that I would do the whole thing in a few years.  Then, I found rock climbing at age 15.   I only have six 4,000 footers left, but have been saving them for when I get old.  Not there yet! 

Brad Youngwrote:

Have you read Fedarko's other book about the Grand Canyon, Nick? The Emerald Mile.

I bought it on the recommendation of a friend and then it sat around for a few years. Once I got to it I could not put it down.

Hands down one of the ten best books about outdoor adventures that I've ever read (it is non-fiction). And it's not even about climbing!

Also one of my favorite books.  And you learn something about turbulence in water and its destructive power.  Definitely one of those books that once started is hard to put down.

dragonswrote:

Thanks for clarifying, Emil. I think it can be fruitful and interesting to have such discussions in person. I've rarely read a political discussion on the web that didn't quickly become a dumpster fire. I don't like the smell of burning garbage, so count me out. Like GabeO, that doesn't mean I don't care.

On a different note, Bill and I got out early this morning. 

This is probably the best representation in writing of how I feel about this subject.  Thanks for that Dragons.

And way to get out there today and "Get After It" even with the storm coming in (and doing it safely)!

I know that this is bordering on political, but I am just saying what I am doing in real time. You all said that I was crazy for buying while the market was dumping.  Now it is back to all time highs, so I am selling everything that I bought.  That account is back to 60/40 cash/stock market.   Not financial advice, but things look over extended to me. 

Nick!  My wife and I slogged out the LT back in the summer of 1999.  We went south bound and did it in July.  Rained everyday but 3!  Took us 24 days with three of those days being zeros but every day felt so hot and humid.  After the first two days nothing was ever dry again!  Wet sleeping bags stink!

My God!  I thought that I would love it but after about five days it became a thing that was only driven by pride as we'd told everyone that we knew that we were doing it! Pride can make us do such crazy things sometimes! Wonder what Thesiger would say (my favourite line from any mountaineering/exploring book ever comes from someone quoting what ol'Wilfred said to them when they met in the wild----Quiz time:  What book and what is the line???")

Looking back, it is one of those things that I am so glad to have done but at the same time, you could not pay me to do it again!

;)

Ward!  My wife and I have did around 30 of the New England 4,000 footers (63 or something like that of them out there, right?) during undergrad and grad school at UVM from 1992 to 2000.  We've done all 5 of Vermonts, around 6 or 7 in Maine, and the rest of the ones we've done are in New Hampshire.  Then we moved with the Army career starting and haven't spent much time back in northern New England. 

I hope to finish them off in the next ten years now that I'm feeling "older"!

Buck,

I first heard about the 4,000 footers when I was 10 and we were staying at Lakes of the Clouds hut and did Monroe and Washington as our first peaks.  What a great first time!  Wonderful views and being above treeline was an amazing experience. It was August and it had been cold so we had a snowball fight at the summit with the rime ice that had fallen off the towers.  I was hooked, and that experience led to me rock climbing, as well as alpine climbs like Denali and Aconcagua.

I would like to finish them off, but most that I have left have no views.  I have climbed most of the Presidential range peaks tons of times, often in winter, but it is hard to get excited for a no view slog.  My family did Hale in the 70’s and I went to the Junior Prom with my now deceased girlfriend instead (the last time that anything like that will ever happen). They took a killer picture on top with Mount Washington covered in snow in the background.  Now, the trees have grown up and the views are gone, so the only reason to do it is for the list.  I’m thinking that winter would make it worthwhile.  Maybe when I get old.

And anyone in driving range,  do the Knife Edge to Kathadin, best hike in the East.  Nothing compares in New England.

Katahdin kicked my butt. there is certainly some great climbing up there but it would be a monster day CTC carrying a rack and ropes. Wish I had done that when I was younger.. 

When I was 13 I did Mt Mansfield to Killington with 6 other campers from Farm and Wilderness. We hiked down the ski trails to West Bridgwater and then down rt100 to the  F&W fair at Timber Lake in 9 days. our longest day was 18 miles. When I was 16 I did killington to N.Adams Mass in 6 days. after day two the adult I was with had to bail with a messed up knee so I finished solo.  Problem Is I want to hike that last section in the fall for better weather and fall is super busy for me with both of my businesses and  the best climbing weather.