Re: Walking Poles

i went hiking to Nevada Falls this last weekend, and have to admit i'm out of shape... a buddy of mine (who went with me) bought a cheap pair of walking poles at Walmart for the both of us to try ($20.00 a pair) .. i have to tell you, i wasn't a believer at first, but after using them on the trail all day, what a huge difference! if you've never used them before, experiment by buying one at Walmart if you don't want to fork out more money for the better one's. i'm sold on them now, and plan on getting a much better pair at REI.

Amazing, ain't it?

I hiked Mount Whitney in 2001 without them and my knees hurt for about a year. In spring 2002 bought my REI poles and haven't had a problem with the knees since. Of course, once in a while in the middle of summer some smartass tourist asks me, "Going skiing?"

I told you the goat doesn't lead you astray...

(ask Queen Bee... )

Looook into his eyes.... now follow...
ok... can you pick up the pace please... daylight is burning

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bill-e-g
(ask Queen Bee... )

I've already had a report. Something about the "trial" you took her on.

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eeek

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bill-e-g
(ask Queen Bee... )

I've already had a report. Something about the "trial" you took her on.

Why take the trail when I know a short-cut?
In my defense I was under the impression that she could levitate.



Actually... the way we went was actually pretty fun.
There were some great views of Smith Meadow that you won't see anwhere else...
if we could have just skipped this little portion here it wouldn't have been bad at all...

QB made it to the top of Smith Peak... so she passed Goat Trial #1.

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bill-e-g
Why take the trail when I know a short-cut?

ODE TO A LEMMING
(Working Title, the BG Galleries)

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szalkowski







ODE TO A LEMMING
(Working Title, the BG Galleries)

Looks more like an ostrich to me.

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The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/2009 09:17AM by Frank Furter.

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eeek

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bill-e-g
(ask Queen Bee... )

I've already had a report. Something about the "trial" you took her on.

OKAY, let me say THIS about THAT: If you are gonna follow a goat straight up a mountain, you had better bring your sticks, stamina, and prayerbook (just kidding about the last one...sorta) Really, if you think Bees fly and goats walk; you have it ALLLLL WRONG...this particular goat can fly over Manzanita, while the rest of us mere mortals are left to hack and cuss our way through it (and pick out the thorns for two days)

ALRIGHT Goatie, you can post the manzanita thrash, BUT....BUT...you have to post the one with the snow AND the one on the peak (you know, the one that covers up all of the exhaustion since it was 7:00pm by then!!!!)

There was probably somebody with a brain relaxing with a nice cup of tea back at the meadow.

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Old Dude

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mrcondron
There was probably somebody with a brain relaxing with a nice cup of tea back at the meadow.

Some people just don't want to do stupid things. Sheesh!!!

We youngsters just have a yearning for a bit of adventure!!!

(okay, I got a BIG dose on this trip!)


BTW (close your eyes Gary, caution, poop commentary ahead )

The amount of bear poop was noteable...piles of it everywhere, along with shredded deadfall and other obvious signs of bear activity, but no bears (bummer)

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Bee
but no bears (bummer)

The invention and use of bear containers has greatly reduce encounters in the backcountry. (Bear poop used to be identified by the plastic and foil in it!) Best way to see one is to car camp in the Valley.

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eeek

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mrcondron
There was probably somebody with a brain relaxing with a nice cup of tea back at the meadow.

Some people just don't want to do stupid things. Sheesh!!!

Some people's brains simply forget the "fun" things they did and how much fun they had doing them:
(3 weekends prior...):
(and no, he didn't "live and learn"!) (and this trip was HIS idea.. )

A Bee on Smith Peak (GT #1).



As with El Capitan... no trail was really required...

This thread is being hijacked!

Back to the topic...
Trekking Poles or "Hiking sticks" are a big advantage in my view. I resisted using them for a long time. Now being older, they help with balance, lessen the impact to knees and joints, and also in my case, double as tent poles.

losthillsdude,
(or whoever else wants more information/dialogue on hiking sticks)
sticks were discussed in these threads also...

http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?1,10884,page=1

http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?1,9251,page=1

I think some of eeeks abuser rules are:
1) tho shalts post whatevers ones likeus as longus as the posterus endorses said postage
and
b) feel free to post any goofy question you like. such as:
http://yosemitenews.info/forum/read.php?1,7451,page=1

Hiking Poles- Another Threat to the Environment


Just when I thought nothing more could be said about hiking poles, see section from Wikipedia on Treking Poles:

"Some hikers have complained that pole use leaves a visible impact on the surrounding trail, poking visible holes in the ground and damaging adjacent vegetation. The most common complaint is that the carbide tips leave visible white scratches on rock, and make scraping sounds. All these detract from the wilderness experience they seek.[1]

The Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC), which estimates that pole usage rates on the Appalachian Trail vary from 90% among thru-hikers to 10-15% among day hikers, recommends several measures to mitigate the environmental impact of trekking poles in accordance with Leave No Trace principles of low-impact backcountry recreation. Hikers, it says, should not only be aware of what they put their poles into, they should remove the pole baskets unless hiking in snow and use rubber tips to avoid scratch marks on rocks. On level sections, or in areas where the potential for adverse impact is high, the ATC suggests putting the poles away entirely.[1]
"

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The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

Just when I thought nothing more could be said about hiking boots, see section from Wikipedia on Treking Boots:

"Some hikers have complained that boot use leaves a visible impact on the surrounding trail, leaving visible imprints on the ground and damaging adjacent vegetation. The most common complaint is that the vibramsoles leave visible black marks on rock, and make klomping sounds. All these detract from the wilderness experience they seek.[1]

The Appalachian Trail Conference (ATC), which estimates that boot usage rates on the Appalachian Trail vary from 90% among thru-hikers to 10-15% among day hikers, recommends several measures to mitigate the environmental impact of trekking boots in accordance with Leave No Trace principles of low-impact backcountry recreation. Hikers, it says, should not only be aware of what they put their boots onto, they should remove the boot tongues unless hiking in snow and use deck shoes to avoid black marks on rocks. On level sections, or in areas where the potential for adverse impact is high, the ATC suggests putting the boots away entirely.[1]

---

Old Dude

> Mike <

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mrcondron
Just when I thought nothing more could be said about hiking boots, see section from Wikipedia on Treking Boots:

"Some hikers have complained that boot use leaves a visible impact on the surrounding trail, leaving visible imprints on the ground and damaging adjacent vegetation. The most common complaint is that the vibramsoles leave visible black marks on rock, and make klomping sounds. All these detract from the wilderness experience they seek.[1][1]

Most common complaint? As Charlie Brown would say, "Good grief!" Guess you will all know when I'm in the park from my vibramsoles klomping sounds. I promise not to hike after dark and keep fellow campers awake.

Jim

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Bee
If you are gonna follow a goat straight up a mountain, you had better bring your sticks...

Okay, I have lost it: I am now quoting myself but I cannot think of more emphatic commentary on the use of sticks than that....! Yes, absolutely, positively, wholeheartedly....STICKS ARE AWESOME!!!!

Forrest, back at you: this was the first time I have ever used sticks, too, and trust me, there were times when I felt like I was walking UP THE FACE OF EL CAP and using the sticks like little ice axes in the cracks of the granite (my apologies to Tina if I damaged her sticks in any way or form...I will gladly pay up (but not in blood, cause I probably spared all I could on the Manzanita thorns)

Okay, did I mention how AWESOME STICKS ARE????

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Bee


Okay, did I mention how AWESOME STICKS ARE????

Sure, but can you live with the guilt of trammeling the environment (see earlier post)?

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The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/18/2009 09:57PM by Frank Furter.

Those little holes in the ground were the only way that I could tell where the Goat had been (and where I needed to go...)

Seriously (is that possible after this weekend?) I just don't have enough information on the environmental impact of using poles verses a million trampling feet over the same area (I noticed that most people don't swing the poles out very far, so most of the impact is on the same area as walking)

You want to see trammeling? Follow a pack train. Oh, and throw in a cubic yard of crap and twenty gallons of piss.

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Old Dude

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mrcondron
You want to see trammeling? Follow a pack train. Oh, and throw in a cubic yard of crap and twenty gallons of piss.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but a pack train means walking in mush.

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Bee
Okay, did I mention how AWESOME STICKS ARE????

That's your story and you are sticking to it?

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eeek

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Bee
Okay, did I mention how AWESOME STICKS ARE????

That's your story and you are sticking to it?

My short term memory is shot; I was starting to loop

My anti-shock komperdells saved my knees during a week of yosemite hiking. They also saved me from a few falls while slipping down the sand-covered granite steps on the upper yosemite falls trail. One of the poles wouldn't stay out of anti-shock mode, though, which slowed my ascents a little.

Hiking poles are a great investment.

Ignoring the silliness of the thread (you know who you are)

Holes? So what. Scratches? You've noticed scratches? Are you walking on marble?

Don't bother with the anti-shock, just something else to break and they're more expensive anyway.

I like to spear old leaves to see how many will stay on the pole during the hike.

I carry them and don't use them on flat ground. I use them a little uphill and a lot downhill.

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Vince
Ignoring the silliness of the thread (you know who you are)

Exactly!

Cmon people... get serious!

If you want to discuss poo then you should go over to the Whitney Forum!

(wink wink... Hey Bee... so exactly HOW much poo DID you see?)

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bill-e-g
If you want to discuss poo then you should go over to the Whitney Forum!

Is that thread still around? I don't see it.

It got unflushed...

<http://www.whitneyportalstore.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/60791/page/5#Post60791>;

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bill-e-g
It got unflushed..

Again? That's pathetic.

The Whitney Toilet Discussion has been resurrected thru the link that Goatie provided, BUT, you have to follow two more links to get there. Its buried beneath a pile of bear poop.





Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/19/2009 11:39AM by Bee.

shillelaghs on my mind:

http://backpacking-gear.suite101.com/article.cfm/using_trekking_poles

Additional uses:
ninja self-defense weapon
back scratcher
as a prod to speed up the hiker ahead of you
makeshift splint for hip or femur fractures
place to rest your head when sleepy while sitting
with appropiate magnetism, can be floated in a still pond to create a giant compass
combined with sticks from many other hikers, can be used for giant "Pick-up Sticks" game
use as a foil during re-enactment of scenes from Cyrano de Bergerac
stuck between the back and backpack, can serve as a flag pole to display white surrender flag during difficult uphill climbs

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The cure for a fallacious argument is a better argument, not the suppression of ideas.
-- Carl Sagan

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Bee
The Whitney Toilet Discussion has been resurrected thru the link that Goatie provided, BUT, you have to follow two more links to get there. Its buried beneath a pile of bear poop.

Holy Crap Batman!

IS THAT A HIKING STICK?

What did the bear eat that did this?

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joe_schmo
What did the bear eat that did this?

Cross country hikers?

I use poles for climb-hikes. Meaning, whenever the primary goal of my hike is to get to the top of some hill, I'll use them. They are so helpful, and it lets me last so much longer. I don't feel like I get much out of them on cross-country hikes, or mostly flat hikes though. I'd rather have my hands free for snacking, or using my GPS or whatever. It's kind of a hassle sometimes when your hands are full of poles...can't really do much else with your hands.

Though most of us agree, I do sometimes get into discussions with people about the effectiveness of poles. It can even turn into the same kind of argument between surfers and bodyboarders. Some people I think, feel like it's cheating or something silly like that. Most of these people are older, and I guess they are stuck in their ways and their "...when I was young, I had to walk 5 miles through snow to get to school" type of attitude

My nephew with my trekking poles:

How many pairs of sticks do you need?

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bill-e-g
How many pairs of sticks do you need?

You mean including my bird legs?

Usually what I do is go off on a hike, coming back close to TH I strap the poles to the backpack and start collecting firewood, strap that to the backpack (I can collect enough for the evening in a short while) and use the longer sticks for fire pokers, around 10 p.m. burn those, too, then start over the next day.

No.. I just meant you have 2 sets o walking sticks.
I thought you were in the anti-stick camp. And you got 2 sets o sticks...
I guess you were just in the anti-shocky-absorber-but-stickys-ok camp.

Yes, I'm in the anti-shock camp but definitely not the anti-stick camp. The hiking poles will save your knees big time. Anti-shock might save your elbows a little but I don't see any advantage to the extra money on them because they will wear out before your 10 bucks extra does.

My poles be over 10 years old with bazillions of miles on them...
Shocky worky just as good as ever... plus... they are guaranteed for life...

OK, I'll take that under advisement, but since I already own two pairs of shockies...I'll wait till the economy gets better.

I have two pairs because I bought a pair for another nephew years ago and he decided hiking wasn't his thing. One pair REI komperdell the other Leki. I've been using the Leki but that really doesn't matter, the REI pair are just fine. If you need to borrow a pair, they're there in the Bronco with all the other stuff I hardly ever use like...well most of it. Cya at Devils Postpile evening of June 5