Ian – Mexico to Canada 2023

Wilderness First Aid

March 16, 2023Ian

March 11-12, 2023

Over the weekend I spent two days getting certified in Wilderness First Aid. It was put on by REI and NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) out at McKinney Roughs Nature Park, one of my favorite hiking destinations in the Austin area.

I went Saturday and Sunday, 8am-5pm, for 16 hours worth of instruction. We went over the basics of first aid response and focused on all the bad stuff that can happen when you are out in the wild. It was a fairly high level overview of everything, as the point is really to just give you some idea of what you are doing and how to react so you can stabilize an injured person until highly trained help can actually get to you, if need be. Also, we were trained in determining the severity of injuries and situations so we will know when to evacuate patients or not.

We had classroom instruction supplemented with “scenarios” where we got to put on makeup and fake blood and have people try to diagnose the problem. The first day was a little awkward, but by the second day everyone felt a lot more comfortable and it was actually pretty fun.

I met some cool people, including a guy that hiked the PCT last year. It was nice being with people who all had a similar passion for the outdoors.

Despite being surrounded by medicine my whole life, I realized I’ve never had any formal training in any kind of first aid. I’m very glad I took this course, though I’m hoping to never have to use it.

In other news, I am continuing my endurance training schedule. Today I just got done with a 5 mile full pack hike around the neighborhood and I am planning on 14 miles this weekend, probably out at River Place Nature Trail, which is the best and toughest hike in Austin.

I also have dug into spreadsheet hell and started really getting resupply strategy in place today. The first few weeks are going to be a little nuts with boxes, as it’s looking like I’ll need to send my microspikes and maybe even my ice axe to Idyllwild so I can get through Mt. San Jacinto. Damn snow just won’t stop. I enjoy the planning aspect of it all, but I’m also glad that trail towns have gotten a lot better with resupply so I don’t have to send all my boxes from home. I’m going to send a few at the beginning and then start resupplying in towns and sending stuff to myself further up the trail as I get used to it and understand the nuances of it all.

Onward to the trail!

Urban Hiking

March 1, 2023Ian

March 1, 2023

I’ve started a more organized training regimen, following some advice in a great book I’ve been using, “Adventure Ready: A Hiker’s Guide to Planning, Training, & Resiliency” by Katie Gerber and Heather “Anish” Anderson.

This book, along with many others, has been a great training tool for both physical and mental preparation. The other one that I’ve now ready probably 4-5 times is Badger’s “Pacific Crest Trials”.

For a couple of weeks now, I’ve been hiking with a full pack 3-5 miles roughly every other day during the week and then doing a 12-15 mile hike on the weekends. There’s a structure to it and I’m hoping it will really get me prepared to hit the trail in good hiking shape and make getting my “trail legs” a bit easier and faster.

Despite riding my Peloton and weight training for the last two years, 5-6 days a week, actual hiking works very different muscles and is the only way to really train for an endeavor like the PCT. I’ll train with this regimen for about 9 weeks and then have a full week of rest before I fly to San Diego and hit the trail.

I got a new sun hoody from REI that I’m really liking. I’ve gotten a nice route in my neighborhood down that I can vary between 3-5 miles and even has a nice hill at the golf course that I can climb. It does feel a bit strange walking around with a full pack with my tent poles in my side pocket and I often wonder if the neighbors think I’m a homeless person, but oh well.

AT Sobo Training – Sam’s Gap to Hogback Ridge Shelter

February 15, 2023Ian

Friday, February 10, 2023

AT Southbound – Sam’s Gap to Hogback Ridge shelter

5.23 miles

We flew out to Asheville for a long weekend with friends and Greg and I got a nice hike in on the AT, southbound from Sam’s Gap to Hogback Ridge Shelter. I brought along my microspikes to hopefully test out, but the weather ended up being really fantastic with no snow at all and quite pleasant and sunny.

We parked at the highway 26 intersection with the AT and immediately started climbing up to the top of the ridge. The trees in the winter with no leaves make for an interesting contrast to the “green tunnel” most AT hikers are used to in the summer time. You get some nice views that would normally be missed. We gained a little over 1000 feet in 5.2 miles. The hike wasn’t easy, but certainly not super hard either.

We got to the top of the first ridge and found a sign for High Rock, which we would find out on the way back actually had a nice view. But I just decided to try and find it where the arrow on the sign pointed.

We continued on and got to the shelter at Hogback Ridge a mile or so later. This was my first AT shelter I’ve been to. It had a bear hang and a privy nearby as well.

us trying to figure out the bear hang

We headed back northbound and found the view from High Rock that we missed on the way down.

We got back to the car and headed back to Asheville for some breweries and dinner.

I love hiking the AT, but the PCT has always had a hold on me and I’m planning on starting on April 24th! A little more than 2 months to go!

Training and umbrellas and permits and snow pack levels!

January 26, 2023Ian

Thursday, January 26, 2023

As I’m sitting at home sick today and not working, I figured I’d update the blog, since it’s been a while. I’ve been training on the Peloton and lifting weights and stretching pretty much 5-6 days a week, much as I’ve done for the past 2 years. Yes, I’m part of the Peloton cult and I love it. That said, hiking works different muscles than cycling, so I’m going to pick up the training hikes in the coming weeks.

Also, there’s some crazy snow levels right now in the Sierra, which I’ll continue to watch this spring. I’ll address that after the hike breakdown below.

I did a training hike a couple of weeks ago out at Lake Georgetown, which is one of my favorite places to hike within reasonable driving distance from Austin.

I filled my pack with a water weight training bag that I got for Christmas, but it didn’t really work as well as I would’ve liked. Pack weight, with water and food, came in at 32.5 pounds, which is probably about accurate for what I will be carrying in the desert to start off.

The weight was all at the bottom of the pack, which pulled the straps back and down too much. It didn’t simulate a true full pack weight, so I’ll need to adjust my system going forward. I may just end up packing my actual gear, where the weight is distributed much better throughout the pack.

Also, for those who followed this blog back in 2020 for my initial attempt, you’ll notice I have switched packs from the Osprey Exos 58 to the Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60. This pack fits me much better and the hip belt is much more comfortable for me. GG is also a local Austin company, which makes me happy.

Gossamer Gear Mariposa 60 – my pack for the PCT

I hit the trail and hiked about 10 miles out and back. The trail here is pretty rocky and rooty, which is good to build up my ankles and feet.

I brought along my umbrella and rain coat, since there was a slight chance of rain. Video below.

I brought along lunch that will approximate what I will probably be eating on trail most days, at least at first. Tortillas, salami, cheese, and yellowbird hot sauce!

I had planned to go about 15 miles, but the pack weight not being distributed well was wearing on my shoulders a bit too much, so I cut it a bit short. Of course, the longhorns were hanging out as usual.

I pretty much have all of my gear already, which is nice to not have to worry about too much. I’ve been collecting and testing for several years now, but I did get my microspikes in!

Hoping to get to test these out in North Carolina in a few weeks, but we’ll see if the snow and ice cooperates out there. Also, I got a pair of the updated version of my La Sportiva Ultra Raptors.

So far they fit pretty similarly to the old version, but I’m still breaking them in. Hoping I have the same good luck I’ve had with the previous pairs. Hardly any blisters ever in 5 years, though hiking 20 miles a day might change things.

Regarding the snow in California. Man, they had quite a wild December and January out there. From the flooding on the coasts (I was in Santa Barbara right before it hit really bad there) to a ridiculously high start of the snow season, things may be interesting come summer.

Right now I’m planning on starting the trail in mid to late April. I’m more or less resigned to the fact that I will likely have to flip up and skip the Sierra instead of going straight through from Mexico to Canada. This would have bothered me a lot more in the past, but I’ve learned a big part of this challenge is rolling with the punches. If the snow continues the way it is trending, it may be an all time high snow year for the Sierra. It’s just not safe to hike through in those conditions.

Current snow pack conditions as of this writing

I would hike the first 700 miles through the desert, up to Kennedy Meadows, then find a way to get to northern California or Oregon and pick up the trail again to the Canadian border, then back to finish the Sierra after that when the snow should have mostly melted out.

All of this could change, but right now, that’s sort of what I’m planning.

So that more or less catches us up!

I’m heading to Asheville in mid-February for Cat’s birthday and hope to get in a training hike there, as well as see some dear friends. After that, I’ll continue training in March and April, while starting to put together some re-supply boxes and generally start to plan the super detailed logistical stuff that I love so much. Stay tuned!

Alright…we’re back!

December 1, 2022Ian

My dream won’t die. I called my 2020 PCT attempt off before it even began, but it would’ve been derailed by Covid anyway. In the 3 years since, I’ve continued to train, upgrade and test gear, and work on my mental health to hopefully try again one day.

Well that day is March 8th, 2023 (as of now).

The permit process was a bit different this year and a bit more fair, I think. The PCTA (the organization that issues long distance permits) required everyone who wanted to try for a permit to pre-register an account that they used to log in with on permit day. This stopped people from using multiple browsers and devices to get multiple spots in line. Admittedly, I was one of those people in 2020, with 3 digital spots in line, but I’m glad they found a way to make it work.

That said, they also assigned people who had registered their own specific time to log in on permit day. I got a very late time, so most of the best start dates were already full. March 8th was the closest date available to my preferred early April start date, so I snagged it.

They released 35 permits per day on the November permitting day and will release an additional 15 per day on January 10th. I have an opportunity to try and change my date by getting another spot on that January day, so that’s my plan.

If I can’t, then March 8th it will be. That’s way earlier than I would like, but it also could help me get further down the trail before the wildfire season really cranks up, which has been getting worse every year it seems. I could also get through the desert earlier when the water is more plentiful. If it ends up being a high snow year, I will hit the Sierra very early, and may have to flip up to NorCal and come back to hit the Sierra later in the season. So pros and cons, but that’s one of the realities of the trail. Rolling with the punches.

ANYWAY, I wanted to officially crank the blog back up and as you may have noticed, I changed the URL to reflect the correct year now. I’ll continue to blog sporadically with training hikes and other random musings up until my start date and then try and bring everyone along as much as possible once I hit the trail.

Hike on!

Feeling that hiking itch…

June 21, 2022Ian

Pulling the Plug

February 24, 2020February 28, 2020Ian

Man, this is a tough post to make, but I am going to put this entire venture on hold.

I spent two nights at Colorado Bend State Park on a solo trip this past weekend and I had a lot of time to think out there.

The trip was great and I really got some gear and routines starting to dial in, but the time has come to step back and take myself out of the running for a thru hike this year.

A lot of factors went into this decision.

One of my main reasons for hiking the PCT was to better appreciate my off-trail life. I realized that the last year or so of my life that I’ve been planning for the thru hike has also been one of the best years of my marriage, career, and just life overall. I don’t see any reason to disrupt it right now.

Also, when I got back from Colorado Bend, I found out that my company was going through a massive transition and was laying off a sizeable portion of our employees. I am safe for now, but my work situation went from a great time to leave and hike to suddenly a horrible time to leave. I wasn’t going to have a leave of absence, so I would have had to quit and then come back and hope to get re-hired. Suddenly that seems like a much slimmer possibility.

There were other factors in play as well, but the bottom line is that now is just not the right time to attempt this.

I may decide to attempt a thru in the future or I may just section hike and take bites out of the trail over the years. There are tons of people who section hike the long trails over time and that also allows you to cherry pick sections during specific weather windows and times of year, which allows you to appreciate those parts of the trail at their best.

I’m still coming to grips with all of this, but for now, I’m staying put and continuing to visit national parks and hike as much as possible.

Thanks to anyone and everyone that supported me through the preparation for this crazy dream and I’m sorry that you won’t be able to follow along with the adventure. When and if I make further decisions, I’ll post it here.

Thanks again for believing in me.

Ian

Solo Overnight – Lake Georgetown 2/1/20

February 7, 2020Ian

Saturday, February 1, 2020

Went out for my first solo overnight on Saturday and it started off well, but didn’t end in spectacular fashion. I hiked in 4.5 miles from the Cedar Breaks Trail Head, as I have multiple times before. The guy at the gate said I was the only overnighter to have checked in so far when I got there around 3pm, so I was hoping to have my pick of campsites.

Twas not to be. When I arrived 1.5 hours later, there were about a dozen people already setting up camp. I inquired as to where they came from and it turns out they had entered the trail from a non-official trail head a couple of miles back. Not a huge deal, as I still scored a decent site by the lake, but I’m somewhat of a stickler for rules at times. To be fair, this site doesn’t require reservations.

I set up camp quickly and the sun started to go down around 6. My tent was fantastic. Easy to set up and very cozy. I didn’t feel too closed in (I’m used to at least a 2 person tent) and I discovered a few new interior pockets to store gear in.

I didn’t end up using my stove for dinner, as I ate a large late lunch right before I headed out, so I wasn’t super hungry and just downed a protein bar instead.

I will say, I was bored. I brought a book (which I will not be doing on trail) and also had good cell signal, so I basically read a bit and tooled around on the internet for 3 hours after the sun went down before going to bed at 9pm (also known as hiker midnight).

I learned overnight that I am a cold sleeper. The temps only got down to the low 40s, but my feet were numb. I am used to sleeping with Courtney and the two dogs when we camp, so being solo, I didn’t have the advantage of those warm bodies and I guess I need a bit more warmth than I thought.

Clearly I don’t have my quilt and sleeping pad system fully dialed in. I’m going to practice this at home over the next couple of weeks. Also, I bought some down socks to wear at night and I’m also going to put my sit pad under my feet for some extra insulation, as well as stuffing my extra clothes sack down by my feet when I sleep. Hoping this will do me well.

I tried sleeping on my side, but I woke up every hour or so with sore shoulders, so on the advice of my PCT buddy Mac, I’m going to practice sleeping on my back only. He said I’ll get used to it. I tend to sleep on my back sometimes anyway, so I don’t think this will be a huge adjustment.

By 6am I was praying for the sun to come up. I was cold and on very little not great sleep. I kept my pack under the vestibule of the tent, so it stayed dry, but my rainfly was soaked and my camp shoes as well. Not a big deal, but I think if I had been further back from the lake, maybe I could have avoided some condensation.

It’s all a learning process. Even after 7 years of hiking and camping, there is still a ton to learn, especially when it comes to back country camping. I’m looking forward to learning more when I get out on the trail!

2 Months Until Liftoff!

January 23, 2020Ian

January 23, 2020

Two months, or 8 weeks, until I start from the border. And February is a short month, so really, 59 days.

I watched the 2019 PCT Water webinar last night (for the second time) and also the 2019 Sierra webinar. These are both invaluable resources for hikers on how to use the water report (www.pctwater.com) and also just general thru hiking strategy and safety tips.

I don’t think people realize what a logistical challenge this endeavor is, at least if you want to be smart and safe about it. That is one of the more attractive things about the PCT to me. It reminds me of my tour managing days. Plan, but be flexible. It’s a weird skill that I actually do very well when I want to.

Ok, that’s all I got. Just wanted to document the negative 2 month mark!

Cake

January 21, 2020January 21, 2020Ian

January 20, 2020

Did another full pack hike today out at River Place Nature Trail and my hip belt was great. Only 6.5 miles, but a ton of stairs and elevation gain (for Texas). All things considered, I felt great and it was, as the kids say, cake.

I think the last hike I was wearing my pack way too high. It was resting at the top of my iliac crest instead of being centered on it, which I think caused the massive chafing. I should have known better, but for some weirdo reason I didn’t.

I’m also posting this from the mobile app, since I need to start getting used to posting from the trail. So far it is taking forever to load just the first three photos. I’m not on WiFi, but still, not super promising.

The water was flowing a bit and it was a very pretty January day. Luckily it was a Monday (MLK Day) so the neighborhood association wasn’t collecting the $10/person/pet troll toll.

I’m posting this on Tuesday and am actually a bit sore. Gotta keep up the longer hikes. 61 days from Campo!