[pct-l] On hiking shoes and preparedness

[ned at mountaineducation.org]

There is a time and place for lightweight gear. It depends on why you are going into the mountains. If we’re going in to film, our packs will be heavy. If we are going in for 3 weeks straight, our packs will be heavy. The quick weekend trip we know can be lighter (because prior experience and knowledge of the conditions ahead will teach you what you like, what you want, what you must have, and what you shouldn’t leave home without). Before your next trip, take the time to test yourself and your “systems” (food, clothing, and gear), even in your backyard, to learn these things. This knowledge will make for a safer and happier outing!

Regarding wet feet, you have to consider the old problem of “trench foot.” http://www.nols.edu/wmi/articles/archive/cold.shtml (toward the bottom of the page)

Many hikers in the spring, when they are on and off snow, wet, flowing trail, and mud, while being delayed by lots of downed trees and other obstacles like multiple creek crossings, simply say, “whatever,” and just keep on walking in their wet trailrunners. This is not good for the feet unless you can dry out between saturations. 

Solution? Lots of socks, frequent stops to dry out the feet and shoes, or just good boots and gaiters. You need to know yourself well enough and the purposes of your particular trip and decide which way you like to go. Actually, for us, all of the above works well for most of the time. Sometimes when we know that the trail will be a literal “creek between real creeks,” we plan ahead and bring the leather boots and tall gaiters. We’ve walked through mid-shin-deep creeks and not had any water get in our boots at all. The feet are happy. 

Unfortunately, the pressures of society are driving people into the mountains who have never been before. Since time is short, they rely on the words of others to guide their decisions on gear, food, and clothing (which is good), but they don’t test it all out for themselves before they launch themselves into the high country (this is bad). You’ve got to find out what “works” for you! As we know all too well on this forum/list, what “works” for one may not “work” for another. 

What’s the big deal? It’s simple, really. Take shoes for example. If I don’t know that I have weak ankles and take the masses’ suggestion to use low-topped footwear, I’m bound to get injured to one extent or another far from help. How about sleeping bags. If I don’t know that I’m a cold sleeper and take a lightweight bag to save weight, I’m bound to get little sleep and have to deal with the cognitive side-effects of that while trying to make decisions for my personal safety.

We teach mountain safety and wilderness medicine. We’ve been at it for 30 years. Since we joined two Lake Tahoe Search and Rescue groups a few years ago, we’ve had the “reality-check” of rescuing many hikers who didn’t know themselves nor the environmental challenges in where they were going well enough to be able to make wise decisions regarding their safety. Since safety directly relates to pleasure, we meet lots of folks on the trail who had such a miserable time in the backcountry, they don’t want to do it again—and this is tragic.

With a little planning and pre-hike “test-runs” of gear, clothing, and food, your next trip into the hills will be a lot more fun for every bit of you and you’ll come out at the trailhead looking forward to your next trip in!


Ned Tibbits, Director, Mountain Education
South Lake Tahoe, CA
www.mountaineducation.org