Anybody Here Love to Hike/Backpack?

[Freed Roger]

Wow. Old thread.

I hiked this ridge and peak in Santa Barbara's front range last week, thanks to some local guiding. The sanctioned trails in the front range are great, but all class I. This offered some class III scrambling and bouldering up one peak, then a nasty bushwhack before another scramble up to La Cumbre, the highest point in the SB front range (3985). The return was a 4-mile descent down 3,000 ft through an amazing canyon.

Looks daunting. I hear you need to watch out for cougars out there.

Lined up a late april roadtrip to the Smokies. Little Freedette is going and this time my 71 year old Mom with her two new knees. Mom is an outdoor lover, so it'll be fun to have her along. We'll get out on a longer hike together and some shorter hikes. I'll probably get up early and do some trail running in the AM. It helps to have stuff like this to look forward to in winter.

Ozark Trail, I'm a fan. Winter is nice, no bugs or ticks. Started Courtois section last weekend on a trail run -crossing the Courtois in 20 degrees was a waker upper... I have a goal to section my way down it this year.

[AWvsCBsteeeerike3]

[expletive]. That.

[thrill]

I'm going winter camping two weekends in a row. I'm going snow camping on the Mogollon Rim this weekend and desert camping in the Superstitions next weekend.

My dad and I are setting up our first big backpacking trip since he got spinal disc fusion surgery 4 years ago. We're going to Chicago Basin in Colorado.






It's not until August which sucks because I'm already daydreaming but it's good because I need to get in trail shape. Right now I'm in office shape which is at the opposite end of the scale from trail shape. Time to get at it. Can't wait to chew some trail and get some wilderness time. Could be a curtain call with my dad, but I doubt it. Just in case though, I want to make the most of it and not be gasping for air like a fish out of water.

[Hungary Jack]

Chicago Basin. I am envious. Taking the train to the trailhead?

Do you plan to summit Windom, Sunlight, and Eolus? I hope to do those someday. You probably already know about 14ers.com, but it is a great site for getting route beta on these peaks.

That ridge on Arlington looks much worse than it is. It is basically a class 1/2 walk with maybe one class 3 spot.

There are big cats in the front range but encounters are vary rare. I have found a few prints and scat during 10 years of hiking 2 weeks per year, but they are pretty shy.

[Freed Roger]

There are big cats in the front range but encounters are vary rare. I have found a few prints and scat during 10 years of hiking 2 weeks per year, but they are pretty shy.

lol, santa barbara -I was referring to these kind of cougars

[thrill]

Chicago Basin. I am envious. Taking the train to the trailhead?

Do you plan to summit Windom, Sunlight, and Eolus? I hope to do those someday. You probably already know about 14ers.com, but it is a great site for getting route beta on these peaks.

That ridge on Arlington looks much worse than it is. It is basically a class 1/2 walk with maybe one class 3 spot.

There are big cats in the front range but encounters are vary rare. I have found a few prints and scat during 10 years of hiking 2 weeks per year, but they are pretty shy.

I'm letting my dad plan it but we'll play it by ear. What do you take for cats? Just standard wilderness food containers? I'm bringing my dog and I don't know if that will help or hurt our cause keeping them away. I'll have to read up.

[Hungary Jack]

Chicago Basin. I am envious. Taking the train to the trailhead?

Do you plan to summit Windom, Sunlight, and Eolus? I hope to do those someday. You probably already know about 14ers.com, but it is a great site for getting route beta on these peaks.

That ridge on Arlington looks much worse than it is. It is basically a class 1/2 walk with maybe one class 3 spot.

There are big cats in the front range but encounters are vary rare. I have found a few prints and scat during 10 years of hiking 2 weeks per year, but they are pretty shy.

I'm letting my dad plan it but we'll play it by ear. What do you take for cats? Just standard wilderness food containers? I'm bringing my dog and I don't know if that will help or hurt our cause keeping them away. I'll have to read up.

No need to worry about big cats pretty much anywhere in the US. There are bears in the high country, so hang your food securely well away from your camp site. Don't cook or eat near your tents, and no snacks in the tent either, including dog food.

I don't know what wilderness area restrictions apply to dogs, if any, but they aren't allowed in National Parks outside day areas.

Your dog may not be able to handle the class IV stuff without your help. Remember that going up is easier than going down, especially with a dog. The standard routes on the Chicago Basin 14ers are some of the toughest ones around.

[Swirls]

In 2 weeks I'm going ice climbing for the first time in my life up in Lake Placid. Pretty excited. I'm doing it as a program w/ a guide with a bunch of friends, none of whom either have ever been ice climbing. http://www.emsclimb.com/ice/101.html

I used to go hiking all the time when I was a teenager and in Boy Scouts, but haven't really been active at it for the last decade or so. Although I did climb Diamond Head on Oahu when Mrs. Swirls and I went there for our honeymoon. Other than that, nada.

I actually had to go to Gander Mountain yesterday and stock up on supplies needed for the ice climbing trip in a couple weeks.

[Freed Roger]

The National Forests and it's subset, the Federal Wilderness Areas, generally allow dogs. Thats a bonus to going there - The Galoot s runs free-he's wild, but once he gets it out of him, he hangs close. But I am amazed he hasn't had a scrap with a wild pig.

Mountain Lions, I realize are a rarity. But the thought of them spooks me more than a bear. Mountain Lions with the stealth predatory sense.

But yeah, I try to remind myself that the skeeters, ticks etc, the drive there, lightning, probably cause more of a health concern than big mammals.

Anyhow, below is a decent book to read. The author is a naturalist who has spent a lot of time hanging out in wilderness - so he has a chapter on each of the creatures he's studied and encountered in the wild. The chapter about mountain lions is pretty good.
I wouldn't get too close to a porcupine, after reading this book.

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5 ... _OU01_.jpg

[Popeye_Card]

It appears that I am going to be spending a good amount of time in Alaska over the next couple of years for work, which I'm sure I will compliment with several excursions to nearby NP's and NF's. The concept of trail-less wildernesses to explore fascinates me, yet is kinda scary at the same time. There are a lot of [expletive] bears in Alaska.