Although I’ve sectioned-hiked parts of the John Muir Trail more times than I can count, I’ve only thru-hiked it twice. The two hikes could not have been more different.
On my first hike my base backpack weight was about twenty-eight-and-a-half pounds. On the second it was over forty-three pounds. Oh, and my packs weren’t the only difference. When I stepped off from Happy Isles in 2009 I weighed about 227 pounds. Last year, after several years of creeping weight gain, I was near 240.
I finished the hike last year in about the same number of days, but it was nowhere near as fun as the first time. It was time to make some changes.
I got to test out those changes last month on a three-day jaunt through the Desolation Wilderness, including a walk to the top of Mount Tallac. On my back was a pack a little more than twenty pounds lighter than the one I carried last year on the trail. The morning I left for the trailhead I weighed in at 198 pounds. That’s more than sixty pounds lighter—counting pack and body weight. I jokingly commented to Kathleen, my wife, “I wonder if I’ll be able to tell the difference?”
I did, but not as I had expected.
I expected the hiking to be easier. For the most part, it wasn’t, and I have a theory for why. Most people hike, for lack of a better description, as fast as they can without going anaerobic. Exercise physiologists have a name for the point where one’s heart rate rapidly increases into the anaerobic range: the Conconi Point. Stay below the Conconi Point and you can exert yourself more or less indefinitely (with obvious limitations after several hours). The same person, given two different sized packs on different days, will accelerate up to (and just short of) their Conconi Point. They will be working just as hard, regardless of the pack weight.
If the same person is hiking just as hard with a twenty-pound pack as with a forty-pound pack, something HAS to be different. You’ve probably already guessed what: their hiking speed.
That was the first change I noticed. On level terrain I’d estimate I was hiking about a third faster than I had last year—nearly four miles per hour instead of around two-and-a-half. On moderate to strenuous uphill stretches I easily doubled my previous uphill speed; in some cases I’m pretty sure I more than doubled it. Even hiking downhill I was able to walk significantly faster, especially if the trail was uneven and had lots of “steps.”
The other big difference was something that hadn’t occurred to me: wear & tear. I hit the ibuprofen pretty hard last year on the JMT, and when I weened myself off it once I was back home I found that I had almost crippled myself by carrying so much weight. Quite frankly, I’m surprised I didn’t cause more permanent problems, especially in my knees.
This time around I took nothing on the trail, and took one dosage when I got off the trail. I probably could have skipped that, but on my last day I walked as fast I as I could—probably faster than I safely should have—because the wind direction had changed and the smoke from the King fire was headed in my direction.
So, after all that work to lighten myself and my pack the only differences were hiking speed and fewer aches and pains? I suppose so, but it would be hard to overestimate just how much more fun the experience was. When you move faster you see more, get to take longer breaks, and are less affected by the climbs. I even experimented with treating short ascents as sprinter’s hills, where I would allow myself to go anaerobic for a few minutes to zip to the top.
Most importantly, though, is the less wear & tear. I’m about two years from retiring to within twenty minutes of my beloved Sierra Nevada. I think I’ve just added several years to my hiking life.
Good hiking, Ray
Awesome post…as always!
Thanks, Kathy!
You wrote: I think I’ve just added several years to my hiking life.
>> Darryl says: I like that, and I agree.
Something I’ve realized recently (I’m not sure how it fits into the context of the topic) is that the slower one walks, the more water must be carried (consumed?. This obviously increases the load if water must be carried because there is no source available in the area.
I’m interested in comments abut this.
Thanks,
Darryl
That an interesting way to look at it, Darryl, and would be especially true during dry years. I’ve always been pretty lucky about finding water, though, so it hasn’t been a problem. Thanks for the comment!
Great article, Ray! Congrats on the overall weight loss (pack and body weight), that must feel awesome. Wishing you many more healthy years of hiking. See you back home soon!
Thanks, Diane! Safe trip home for you, too!
I did a couple of 3 day hikes with my brother-in-law in Yosemite in September, an out & back to Glen Aulin & a loop via Vogelsang. After killing myself last year in the Grand Canyon with a base weight of over 25 lbs, I worked hard to lighten up (sounds like a good name for a book) and got my base weight down to 17 lbs, including tent for 2 & cook gear. What a difference!
Going light was the best thing I ever did. I know it has added years to my hiking.
Very true, Bob. Thanks for the comment.
I’m a firm believer in lightweight backpacking. But I would argue the slower you hike (up to a point) the more you see. The faster I hike the more time I spend staring at the trail planning the next step. When I hike slowly I have more time to enjoy the scenery.
No real argument, there, Jack. Although I prefer taking the time to linger in an area (on a break) and walking faster allows me to do so and still get the required miles in per day. Thanks for the comment.
I completely understand losing the excess body weight helps, but doesn’t hitting the JMT a few pounds up give you more to burn off when calories can be pretty limited by trail food and the substantial “calorie burn” of hiking so much??
I think, Carolee, that if you you arrive at the trailhead with 10% – 12% body fat, you need to make darned sure you eat a full complement of calories or you are going to “bonk.” If you are closer to 18% or above, I would suspect that it is less of a problem. Your mileage may vary, though. Thanks for the comment.
“I was hiking about a third faster than I had last year,.nearly four miles per hour On moderate to strenuous uphill stretches I easily doubled my speed”
Wow, Ray, 8 miles an hour!! 😉
Thanks, Ken. I think there is a period in that stretch of words, somewhere, but I made a small edit that hopefully clarifies my point. Eight miles-per-hour would be hauling!
Thanks for the post. I too started my JMT-thru this year weighing 240, and hauling a 60# pack. By the end of the hike I had lost 15# of fat, and had dealt with knee pain every day. While I had a blast on my hike, and wouldn’t hesitate to use all the same gear again, I keep wondering how nice it would be to only have a 25# pack. In the future, I plan to lose both some gear and body weight for my adventures. Surprisingly, it’s losing the gear weight I am having difficulty with. My whole life, I’ve been a pack mule, thinking nothing of taking a 40# pack even on a day hike. That mentality of having everything I need for any eventuality is what I need to work on most…..along with my ice cream addiction. Thanks for the motivation every week!
Good luck, Russell. I can’t begin to tell you how much it will be worth it!
Way to go, Ray! Keep it up! I see many more happy hiking years for you!
Thanks for the encouragement, Arla!
Thanks for the great site and info that you keep passing along. this is the best site i have found on the jmt to date.
Appreciate the kind words, Gary!
Ray — Congrats on your weight loss. I have a similar experience (225 pounds down to 190 pounds) and pack weight (for 7 days) dropped from 54 pounds to 38 pounds. You are right on that the hiking does not get easier, but I can sure go longer and recover faster. Great Blog.
Great job, Mike! And thanks for the comment & kind words.
As a bigger person… (ok fat!) I find the issues to do with weight are felt in lots of areas. You sweat more, so need to drink more. More risk of chaffing. You are not as supple, so things are just harder (getting in and out of a tent, collecting water from streams). Then of course you are simply slower.
Thanks for the comment, Andy!
Ray,
Great job. Don’t look now, your performance management training from your flight training is showing. Thanks for the great info.
Jim
Thank you, Jim!
[…] a few pounds off last year (you can read a little more about the difference that made in my hiking, here). There is no cheaper way to hike lighter than to be […]