Will you go gentle into that good hiking night

[ChrisB]

TOPIC ALERT- Potential buzz-kill!

Hi all,

I just read a reflection about the end of hiking career in the Nov/Dec AMC Outdoors magazine. It's not a topic we often see covered in our go-go, achieve-achieve outdoor media. And it got me thinking: How will I react when I can no longer hike?

The article (p24) is written by Maine-based Phyllis Austin. She has authored books about Buzz Caverly and Roxanne Quimby. At age 74, the effects of a skiing injury she sustained in her 40s have caught up with her and made mobility -- and hiking-- impossible. Her article is a heart-felt farewell to the hiking life. I recommend it to you all.

Those of us on this board of a certain age, and many of us around at the inception of VFTT, are facing some new realities. Former day hikes have morphed into overnights, The June 21st a presi-traverse isn't on the calendar, the mandatory stop at Roaring Brook on the way into Chimney in the winter is no longer an inconvenience, it's necessary.

All very logical and predictable and yet... somehow surprising.

I have not given much thought to what I'd do when it is finally over. But now I am at least willing to concede there might be a post-hiking life!

How about you?

cb

 

[David Metsky]

For those of you who don't get the AMC Outdoors the article is online HERE.

 

[sierra]

Nice article. I have actually given this topic a lot of thought. I'm 52, I started hiking at 13. My first hike was 7 days, traversing the Whites Mtns. in hammocks, led by a Green Beret. I was hooked. I have hiked a lot since then. I'm lucky, my family camped a lot when I was growing up. My parents would drive me to a trailhead and pick me up later that day or a few days later. I've hiked since then with great frequency. My plan is to hike until I cannot, but I don't see that day coming. If I cannot hike for whatever reason, my backup plan is fishing. I'll buy a boat and enjoy the outdoors without exerting myself. I'm already well versed in Fly fishing and it's a captivating hobby. I've climbed a lot of peaks, even if I stopped tomorrow, my count is adequate for me.

 

[Grey J]

I am so glad my parents vetoed the idea of my playing high school football. Not having suffered any knee injuries is probably a key factor in my ability to continue hiking into my 60s. I got my Medicare card in the mail just a few weeks ago. Do I think about the day I might have to stop? Yes I do and it will be a hard thing to admit when the time comes. I'm still feeling good though and have more hikes planned around here and in NH as well. I hope to do the Percy Peaks on my next trip, and also revisit either Jefferson or Moosilauke. Other than that, just keep picking off 3000 footers.

 

[jfb]

When I am no longer able to hike, I'll still be happy to ride my battery-powered wheelchair along the carriage road at the Gunks and watch the novices try to figure out the first move on Laurel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1Ar2PQVugQ

It's not so bad after the first time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoILVWgJvmQ

 

[Stan]

I've tried to extend my hiking life by diversifying my activities, paddling being one of them, and redlining instead of peakbagging. This saves some wear and tear on the body, or at least distributes it more fairly. I still believe in the tequila therapy method of arthritis prevention but, truth is, its in the genes and there is only so much ... but that's not nothing ... that we can do about it. At least our traditional tailgate keeps the spirit alive.

When I retired I figured I was going to be into a life of joy shuttling between such passions but, alas, healthcare and household management of three generations and an ongoing enthusiasm for real estate endeavors reduces my time in the outdoors, perhaps saving the body for better days. Its the conditioning I worry about. It get harder and harder to recover ... use it or lose it is not just a cliche.

No, I don't intend to go softly, I intend to go screaming with resistence ... but our intentions have nothing to do with it. So, I'll take my consolation in the tailgates and the kind of people who sing Italian love songs!

 

[Becca M]

Welllllll, I figure as long as I can walk, I can hike. There are many really flat trails, even rail trails, that don't have many rocks. As long as I'm moving, however slow, that's fine. I wouldn't mind being the slowest hiker EVER,,,,

 

[richard]

All good opinions IMO

 

[jniehof]

I intend to do what I can for as long as I can. Once I can't, I intend to do what I still can do.

This does inform my advocacy: while I'm a big fan of having places kept wild and minimally/unimproved, it's also important to have some nature that's accessible from a wheelchair, and a lot in between.

 

[Bob Kittredge]

72 here. Finished off my winter-48 and my 48-over-70 lists earlier this year.

Aside from torn medial meniscuses in each knee (now fully healed), I've largely avoided serious injury, and the
priority from here on out will be to stay injury free. No more lists or "challenging" myself. The emphasis will
be on enjoying nice moderate hikes on pleasant days. If that means shorter, less strenuous hikes,
so be it. I see a return to Cardigan, Monadnock, the Fells, and Blue Hills in my future.

While physical decline is inevitable, regular trips to the gym, sensible diet, and maintaining a healthy
weight can postpone it to some extent.

 

[skiguy]

72 here. Finished off my winter-48 and my 48-over-70 lists earlier this year.

Aside from torn medial meniscuses in each knee (now fully healed), I've largely avoided serious injury, and the
priority from here on out will be to stay injury free. No more lists or "challenging" myself. The emphasis will
be on enjoying nice moderate hikes on pleasant days. If that means shorter, less strenuous hikes,
so be it. I see a return to Cardigan, Monadnock, the Fells, and Blue Hills in my future.

While physical decline is inevitable, regular trips to the gym, sensible diet, and maintaining a healthy
weight can postpone it to some extent.

https://cdn.meme.am/instances/400x/65324435.jpg

 

[MikePS]

Having hit the big 6-0 this year, I do feel a little extra tug of time, each peak a little voice "how many more times on this peak?" BUT I have been fortunate with health & injuries, work to keep in shape and I do not mind the idea of a slow scale back -more 3,000 footers with a view, less trips with the big bag,etc. Thought provoking piece, hope to enjoy a few more years of hiking, maybe long walks on the beach to replace that.

 

[RollingRock]

Good topic. At 62 my right knee does bother me due to arthritis but I'm able to do 4,000 footers with a couple of Aleve before heading out and using trekking poles. Some it has to do with mind over matter and just pushing through the discomfort. My plan for right now is do as much adventure travel and trekking while I'm still fit and able to...I'm not waiting for retirement like I here some people say!

I'm hoping to continue doing what I'm doing until 80! With further medical breakthroughs the future even looks brighter. If not, still getting high to an overlook I like will suffice and if that becomes a challenge, then a waterfall. As long as I can keep moving in the greater outdoors in a forest, I can live with that.

 

[una_dogger]

Yes, but because my oldest and dearest hiking partner can no longer take long walks, we have been exploring and enjoying hiking and time together in flatter, gentler lands.

 

[Ed'n Lauky]

This past year I was heading up Albert Mt. a 5k on the AT in NC when I came across a gentleman hiking solo up the peak. He wasn't going to break any speed records but he was moving right along. We got to talking and he told me he was 85 and that all his friends were in a nursing home and as he said "Here we are out here hiking these trails." He had me by nine years but I was flattered to be included in his "we." As long as his knees and hips hold up I believe he'll be out there hiking. I've found that as the years go by it's more and more important to keep moving. Knock off for a couple of weeks and it's like starting over. Even with regular hikes I have to keep up the miles and altitude gain or a long stiff hike becomes difficult. As long as I can keep on going I will. When the day comes that I can't keep on going, I trade in my walk behind lawnmower for a riding mower and ride off into the sun.

 

[DayTrip]

This past year I was heading up Albert Mt. a 5k on the AT in NC when I came across a gentleman hiking solo up the peak. He wasn't going to break any speed records but he was moving right along. We got to talking and he told me he was 85 and that all his friends were in a nursing home and as he said "Here we are out here hiking these trails." He had me by nine years but I was flattered to be included in his "we." As long as his knees and hips hold up I believe he'll be out there hiking. I've found that as the years go by it's more and more important to keep moving. Knock off for a couple of weeks and it's like starting over. Even with regular hikes I have to keep up the miles and altitude gain or a long stiff hike becomes difficult. As long as I can keep on going I will. When the day comes that I can't keep on going, I trade in my walk behind lawnmower for a riding mower and ride off into the sun.

I'm continually amazed at the ages of people I meet hiking and how much better shape they are in than I am. It reminds me of that AMC post this year about the 93 year old guy who was climbing MT Washington for the last time (after having done it like every year for 60 years or something like that). We'd all be lucky to live that long nevermind be summiting Washington while we're at it.

I think the old expression is "We don't stop moving because we get old. We get old because we stop moving." I'm a firm believer. It's amazing how quickly one falls out of shape from inactivity....and how quickly one's shape returns when you get up and get moving again. Definitely plan on hiking until it is 100% impossible.

 

[Papa Bear]

At 74, I come to this issue from the other direction. Let me explain:

When I retired in 2001 ("you're to young too retire" friends said. "better too young than too old" I answered.) I wanted to do 2 things: 1) train for a marathon to qualify for Boston as a 60 year old (and I did), and 2) hike the northern half of the AT.

I did that Boston in 2003 and hiking the AT (primarily a back packing experience) which I did in segments of 10 -14 days took till about 2005, by which time I changed from a backpacker (it's all here: Papa Bear's Bapacking) to a peak bagger (here: Papa Bear's Peakbagging. Older members of this site will remember that. I also took a side interest in finding and following boundaries and locating very remote or obscure survey markers (aka "benchmarks"). But those older members, at least the ones still here will have noticed that over the last 10 years my posts here have dwindled.

Why was that? Not because I got too old to hike or peak bag, but because more of my energy went into running. The 2001 qualifier for the 2003 Boston as a 60 year old eventually became a 2011 qualifier (St. George, Utah) for the 2013 Boston as a 70 year old. Yes I qualified and ran that Boston. But very bad things happened at that race (see this: My 2013 Boston) and my involuntary DNF led to my 2014 Boston. By then I was REALLY tired of marathons.

These old bones and muscles started complaining, so for the last 2 years or so I've been concentrating on 5K races, with an occasional 10 miler thrown in. So far so good - I'm collecting lots of 1st 2nd or 3rd place age group awards. My running career continues and I'm feeling good.

But I know that sometime in the future, a 5K, my fall back from running marathons, will get tough.

So what's my fall back when running even shorter distances becomes problematic? You guessed it: I'll go back to hiking and peak bagging! Last I heard there's still plenty of trails and peaks (and boundaries and benchmarks) out there waiting for me.

And to let you know I never really stopped those pursuits, read this from the New Yorker's website: Unearthing the City Grid That Would Have Been in Central Park. Yes, that's me that gets the credit.

 

[Tom Rankin]

A 'young man' of 80+ just finished a round of the '35', all after 80! He's not even all that slow!

I hope to keep doing whatever I can as long as I can. There are now things I know I just can't do, or shouldn't do, or better not do too many times, but once in a while, those thing still happen!

 

[Dana]

At 57 I'm not quite as "go for it" as I was 30 years ago... I'm more likely to backpack to a good campsite and do the peak as a dayhike from there than hump the heavy pack over the top, but I will [I hope] still be hiking for a long time to come. Arthritis in my hands has made the rock scrambles I love a bit tougher.

Last year I did the Baldface loop in the Whites with my daughter. At the trailhead we talked with a guy in his late 80s. He told us the route we were taking was a great hike, one of his favorites, a bit wistfully... he couldn't do it any more but was going the other direction from the trailhead with his daughter (who was about my age) on a much flatter hike. It was sad to hear him talk about it but kinda cool at the same time.

 

[Grey J]

That Baldface loop is really special. I'm so glad I got over there and did that one this year. It's one of my all time favorites.