How fast do you hike?

[HikerBob]

Yup - I'm hoping none of the snails who have passed me this last year are reading this... I went with 'Usually the last...' because that's where I mostly find myself. I do take a lot of photos and when the light isn't so good will drop pack and set up the tripod so that tends to put a dent in my pace. I know I'm not fit and will not improve drastically on that. However, on our recent group hike up Washington I did manage to stay in sight of a few people over most of the hike and shaved a good amount of time off my previous time up the Ammo trail. Winter is faster for sure.

To kind of quote Sli quoting me 'I maybe slow, but the mountains don't mind and they are patient.'

Now, how about a slow hikers hike where we can compete for last place?

Bob

 

[jbrown]

I picked #2, although I have learned that when I'm not hiking solo I need to situate myself at the middle/back of the group I'm hiking with if I want to maintain any company. (Unless I'm hiking with my friend and brother Mick, woah can that guy move!) I like to run the trail when I can.
I went out for a 5 mile walk with my dog the other day and almost had to carry him home, pushed the poor boy too hard...

I think that going fast actually can enable you to see more than the slower people. I'll stop and sit for a little while sometimes and just watch and listen, I couldn't do much of that in my formative years of hiking. (large groups of heavily laden, slow people, taking breaks to breathe every 5 minutes, getting to camp in the dark on a 2 mile trail...you get the picture...)

 

[Bob Kittredge]

Going both by White Mountain Guide "booktime" and passing/being passed ratios, I seem to be a bit faster than average on ascents but slower than average on descents. So it averages out to "average".

 

[dial6212000]

no justification needed

So, do I see more when I hike fast because I cover more ground? Actually, what difference does it make? I hike fast because I enjoy hiking fast. My mind focuses on the intricacies of the footing and the overhead obstructions, my body tunes in to the surrounding environment, all of life's other complications are gone...if only for a few hours. I go home and tick off my list the 2, 4, 10, 15 peaks that I've climbed that day. I am satisfied. For these few hours, this one day, it really IS all about me. I am revived.

 

[Mad Townie]

Cop out

6 is kind of a cop-out, but that was my vote. I'm all over the map (or should that be "clock"?) when I hike, depending on context.

When I'm co-leading a group, as with my kids and others, I play sweeper and take the last position in line. I end up waiting often, but that doesn't bother me a bit.

When I'm with my usual hiking partner, I'm almost always slower (except a few weeks ago on Madison where I hiked him into the ground on the way up, for no apparent reason). He starts fast and goes hard all the way to burnout, while I start slow, build up to a cruising speed, and can go forever. He prefers uphills, I prefer downhills. Can anyone tell me why we've been able to enjoy hiking together for almost 30 years?

When I'm solo, sometimes I go fast and sometimes I go slow. Photos slow me down some, and I love my breaks, but when it's wicked cold I tend to move more quickly.

When I'm with new hiking friends, I tend to match their paces. If the paces vary, I will often drop back and hike with the last person in line. I enjoy the company, which is why I rarely hike alone.

 

[Bob]

SK (-1)

My speed is -1 on the Internationally Acclaimed SK rating...but that's only if I don't lounge too much.

 

[iceNsnow]

Bob!

Bob! I had the most fun and laughs on a Blue Swiss Bob! What a blast! It turned Cascade into a thrill ride.
Where do you take your Bob, Bob?
I find that some routes are better suited than others, and some are not friendly at all - unless one likes to come home in more than one peice??

 

[Bob]

Vermont list

I am 'working the list' of all the ski areas in Vermont which are either 4K or Hundred Highest.
And there's the Big Daddy of Swiss Bobbing, Tuckerman's Ravine.
We'll be there Memorial Day.

 

[Blue]

1.5 SKU

Ok, ok, I guess I'm on the faster side... but so would you be if you tried to keep up with M.W.L.Ls (Men with Long Legs). I like the challenge of trying to keep up with folks like Tramper Al, Arm, Farmer Bob, Michele, Spencer, Swamp Yankee and Donna.

On the way up, I talk less, move more.... like to get my heart rate up and be a little breathless. Throw in a little trail breaking, and all is right in my world.

 

[MichaelJ]

By the end of summer, I will be able to cruise up and down the trails without even breathing hard.

By midwinter, I will be a snail again.

It's all about the fitness level, which for me varies wildly depending on the time of year. Right now, for example, I probably couldn't even make a summit. Gimme two weeks of biking to work and I'll be back on track.

 

[mushroomman]

Once was, my partner and i couldnt stand to be passed, or to see someone ahead on the trail, and not catch and pass them.
Now.... its ... take it easy, ill get there someday, somehow.
Steveo

 

[Periwinkle]

Couldn't resist this one, being a Periwinkle and all....

Started off a true snail, worked my way up to potentially making book time or better, then realized I'm just not made that way. Basically, I allot 1 mph, up and down to accommodate picture taking, summit lounging and general lollygagging. I will boost it up a notch or two to fit in with a group, but I'm not interested in busting my way to the top to bag and tag a summit. If conditions perrmit, I'm going to revel in my achievement for as long as possible. In my mind, why else go there????? With all due respect to speed hikers, that will never be my thing.

Generally, I do much better than 1 mph on the return. I've found that it doesn't help to take it too slow on the descent. I find my footing, commit to it, and go for it. Going too slowly seems to stress my knees and ankle out even more. At times, I find I'm boogying too much and have to stop, regroup, and slow to a safer pace. I try not to pound my way down, but putting a little steam on doesn't hurt.

As for hiking with a group, I'm very hesitant about joining up with people I don't know. Miles from home is a bad place to find out that your hiking companions are chomping at the bit (nothing personal, Chomp, just an expression! )

I too hate to think that I'm the one holding back a group -- that's why I'm very clear about my making known my hiking pace before starting out. Maybe that should be a prerequisite for any group hike: having a set "lowest common denominator sub-set" to stick together!

 

[Couchybar]

When soloing I am always the last person in my group to summit
. The more demanding days sees near constant motion at a steady pace. I never (deliberately) sit and rearly break. I find great comfort in motion.
On more leisurely hikes I have a different agenda, I seem to stop every few feet to take or delete photos. There are no hard and fast destination point just a turn arround time. I have
only recently discovered the joys of being passed by snails.

In most groups I am usually up front (particularly on the ascent) or way behind. This allow the
benefits of company while maintaining the space needed to enjoy the surroundings
and the views. In the middle of a pack (especially in the lowlands) I feel constrained. My gaze gravitates to the
boots in front of me.

 

[jfb]

For me, hiking speed depends on the situation. If I'm on a "training" hike, I'll try to get my heart rate up to about 160-180 bpm for extended periods of uphill hiking. At that pace I can meet book time for mileage regardless of the elevation change. If its an all-day hike or a multi-day backpacking trip, I'll try to maintain about 140-160 bpm on uphill sections so I don't bonk. At that pace, I'm pretty close to book time including the elevation change. When hiking with friends, we stay together as a group.

 

[Woody]

I find that my actual hiking time is pretty close to book time. I set my own pace and don't try to race. I like to start out slowly and get warmed up. After the first hour of hiking I've usually worked the kinks out of my legs and back. I just bought my son a new pair of leather boots with heavy lug soles. They are what he wanted. I just hope that the extra pound and a half will slow him down so that I don't have to sew the lead (Pb) strips into his pack!

 

[Skiddah]

Book time would be choice 3 right? I don't know if its all the photos, the photo equipment, the kid in the backpack, the gear in the pack, or the kids hand that I am holding, but I seem to be at the back of the line. I don't even mind being last anymore.

I wonder if the rest of the group minds waiting for me to catch up?

Of course, if I leave the kids home then all bets are off. good day / bad day, fast / slow, passer / passee...

I am pretty sure that I have never made "book time" on a hike though. Who the heck is figuring out those stats anyway?

 

[Nadine]

When I get there, I get there.
My dog waits for me at the top of all the steep sections

 

[JJwilliams]

7 people say they pass Pin Pin jr !?!? wow. need hip boots around here the BS is sooooo deep.

easy to say for me right? well, I'm on the couch if you need me.

 

[nazdarovye]

LOL - I was one of those speed demons.

Actually, I've never met Pin Pin and have no idea how fast he is.

Let's set up a race!

(Meanwhile, I've got to burn off some of this energy, so a few of us are going to snowshoe on Mt. Shasta this weekend - woo-hoo!)

 

[Grumpy]

How fast do I hike?

At the drop of a hat!

But beyond the trailhead, not very.

G.