tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998529652196939499.post6942031184390603431..comments2023-11-11T18:06:32.795-08:00Comments on Hiking with Gnarly, Stubby, and Gimpy: Wrightwood to Agua DulceBeckyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18347670233081879979noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998529652196939499.post-27863989162106943462017-06-14T21:22:08.943-07:002017-06-14T21:22:08.943-07:00Kevin, I agree with your son. You are doing great....Kevin, I agree with your son. You are doing great. Keep it up! My prayers are with you 😊Jenniferhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07362450713955807021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998529652196939499.post-79906036526285059842017-06-14T15:48:04.271-07:002017-06-14T15:48:04.271-07:00Praying for continued strength and favorable condi...Praying for continued strength and favorable conditions.<br />Markhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15356542060026601565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998529652196939499.post-5199196743177858032017-06-13T23:30:06.288-07:002017-06-13T23:30:06.288-07:00Kevin, you are doing fine, praying for your shoes ...Kevin, you are doing fine, praying for your shoes to last before you get some different shoes. Keep plugging away and don't give up! You can make it!!!Dave Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07398785943782799983noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3998529652196939499.post-85701767786930901672017-06-13T18:06:32.230-07:002017-06-13T18:06:32.230-07:00Some of my opinions on this post:
1. Baden-Powel...Some of my opinions on this post:<br /><br />1. Baden-Powell is one of the few climbs on the PCT that I felt slowed me down. In fact, it stands alone in that regard. Dad having a tough day there makes sense to me.<br /><br />2. There are 3 ways to get past the Endangered Species Closure: hike a short distance around the closure using the highways, hike a long distance around the closure using trails, or hike through the closure. Dad took the short detour. Last year, I took the long detour and found that it required someone with sure feet. After Dad's knee injury, he tells me that his balance isn't as good, so he made a better decision for him. I have a friend who hiked through it last year based on advice from some locals who said that the closure isn't needed or patrolled anymore.<br /><br />3. Dad is crushing it on the trail. The way you move quickly through the trail has much less to do with hiking speed and much more to do with hiking time. Dad doesn't spend a lot of time in camp or in town (unless it's in the ER) meaning that he can keep up with or even out perform many who are younger and "stronger" hikers. His method may be to grind out the miles, but I haven't seen a thru hiker in their 60s successfully hike the PCT any other way.<br /><br />4. Last year, my biggest problem on the PCT came when I tried to stretch out a pair of shoes 150 miles longer than I intended to. They fell apart and my feet got real bad as I hobbled to Cascade Locks. One of the strongest hikers I met had to quit the PCT less than 300 miles from the finish because the same thing happened to him. Dad's shoes are a potentially massive problem.<br /><br />5. Hiker Heaven is maybe the most legendary trail angel location on the PCT. The Saufleys host hikers at significant cost to them and are so good at it that any large organization should probably go study what they do. Neither Dad nor I stayed there overnight.<br /><br />6. Dad's analysis is pretty good except for his conclusion about how well he is hiking. C- is far too low of a grade. At this point, the trick is to simply stay on the trail. Trail legs typically come later and then the miles will follow. <br /><br />7. This year is an especially tough year to hike the PCT. People are dropping like flies in the Sierras or even after finishing Southern California. Snow is getting a lot of nerves on edge. Snow melt is causing stream crossings that range from just plain scary to literally deadly. That combination is causing people to drop out after what they consider the scariest moments of their lives. I personally think that with a detour, the right person can make it through the Sierras. Hopefully, with more time, the conditions improve and make it an easier trip for Dad.Pathfinderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10537678152188683322noreply@blogger.com