I just got back from Carmel, California yesterday. We were there for my brother’s beautiful wedding --beautiful sheep field overlooking the ocean, beautiful 55 degree weather, beautiful people full of love for the couple, beautiful words spoken at the ceremony. At the ceremony the pastor told the story of my brother and his new wife – how they fell in love hiking trails throughout Northern California. That’s a similar scenario for me. One of the main things my boyfriend and I have in common is our love of hiking and traveling and soaking in the scenery wherever we can find it. I also love hiking because of the feeling of accomplishment after a hard uphill stretch, and the reflection and introspection you’re rewarded with on long hikes.
Since I had the day off today I decided to hike Squaw. My emotions were still boiling below surface and I knew a hard hike would help me work through my thoughts. I arrived at the trailhead at noon and got started. I was about halfway up when I remembered “Hey, this is NOT Carmel. You are in the desert. In the noon sun. And you’ve only had a bowl of cereal.” I had to stop three times on my way to the top because I was still living in fantasyland and didn’t mentally prepare myself for the 90 degree Arizona sun. So much of hiking in Arizona is a mental challenge. You need to know your body, and know what to give it when it reminds you to pay attention. I had my small hydration pack with a 70 ounce water bladder so I was able to water myself at every turn. I had on my sunblock and a hat, but wore a tank top so my arms heated up quickly. There was no shade. And honestly, it wasn’t really THAT hot, as far as Arizona hot goes, but I didn’t think about the fact I was sitting at sea level yesterday with plenty of shade and it was only 50 degrees but 80 percent humidity. Hello, Arizona tourist. I had to quickly recalibrate my body and mental state to the fact it was now desert mountain time and I should have eaten more than I did. Lucky for me I keep a stash of power bars in my pack.
A lot of other people along the trail also had trouble with the heat. Which is why I’m writing this now. I highly recommend that if you want to hike any of the Phoenix area trails you get yourself a hydration pack with a water bladder and storage for the “just-in-case” moments. I’ve been on Squaw when one of the people in our party started getting dizzy and seeing blank spots, this is typically caused by low blood sugar due to exertion. You need to rest, eat something and hydrate. This happened to me today, as it sometimes does on long hot hikes. Many people might not know how to handle this. Don’t push yourself so hard you puke. Don’t push yourself so hard you pass out. Stop, wait for your heart to slow down. Sit in shade if you can find it, even a little bit of shade is good, or facing away from the sun if you have no other options. Eat a few bites, you may not be hungry but it doesn’t matter. You need some nutrients to help your body rebalance itself. When you get up, be realistic with yourself. Can you make it to the top? If you can’t, turn around. As Ed Viesturs says ---“Getting up is optional, getting down is mandatory.” Don’t be a liability to your hiking partners, others on the trail or yourself. Be prepared, be realistic, and be in tune with your body.
I ate half my power bar while I sat on a bench with shards of shade, facing away from the sun. I waited for my heart to slow, I waited until I felt better and then I waited a few minutes more. When I got back up I took it slow; if you start back up the steep steps too fast you’ll just head right back to where you were. I stopped one more time in a tiny bit of shade of a rock, right before a steep climb up steps before the last bench before the top. I took two more bites of my power bar, and finished my climb about ten minutes later.
The reward of finishing is very satisfying, but I knew that if I truly didn’t feel I could finish I would have turned around. I don’t want to be the one they call the helicopters for. I don’t want to be the cause of an emergency call to my folks or boyfriend. I feel an obligation to think twice and listen hard.
So anyway, my recommendation is a hydration pack that has a hole for the drinking tube of your water bladder. Some models come with the bladder and some come without, so be sure to know what kind you have. You can get hydration packs at most sporting goods stores. Try REI, Big 5, Sport Chalet, or Cabela’s. My pack is an Outdoor Products model I purchased probably ten years ago but there are many other brands you can choose from (Camelbak is the most popular). I purchased mine maybe 10 years ago, and I use it on every city hike. These packs are small, maybe 18-24 liters at most. Mine is lightweight but provides me a place for my keys, my first aid kit, my 70 oz of water, my emergency snacks and my phone. And it keeps my hands free so they can grab rocks, tie shoes, catch falls, and pet lizards.
I think this is mandatory purchase for any regular hiker, walker or biker or those that aspire to be regular mobilists.
Leave a comment and let us know what you carry on city hikes.
Happy hiking!
