Stay on Offense Climb Mountains

Attacking Adversity

Go Hiking And Climb McClellan Butte

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Sometimes hikes are physically tough, but it is easy mentally, because I know the trail and climbed it many times before this. McClellan Butte was now this morning. So this was a mental and physically rough climb.

Lost

Well not really lost, but I could not find where the trail continued after getting to a road. There was a sign of course saying 1/4 mile up the road, the trail continued. I walked what I thought was that far and no trail so I walked back again. Then started the quarter mile one more time. This time I found a trail which I spent a while climbing, but it was a false trail. So back to the road. At this point I was thinking maybe I will just go home. But I decided to continue down the road and found the right trail. It was at least a half a mile down that road. I just know it! Half hour lost.

Deceived

Can a trail deceive you? Yes, it can start out easy and then get really difficult. That was today in a nutshell. I knew however that the trail was supposed to be a burner and kept asking myself when the hard stuff was going to start. It started about an hour and a half into the trip. Straight up!

Then as I got close to the top, the trail turned and began going downhill. I thought that maybe it would just go for a short bit and start back up, but it kept going. So eventually I decided to go back and see if I missed a turn somewhere. Back up the trail I went. I actually did this a couple times before a trail runner came by and said that the summit was in the downward direction. It eventually would turn and go straight up. Then back I went. He was right, eventually it went straight up to the top. Another half hour lost.

Scrambles

There is a scramble at the top of Mclellen Butte. It is about 100 feet with lots of hand and footholds, but and a big BUT, it is all exposed to at least a thousand foot drop. Since I am 74 and my balance not what it used to be I decided to live another day or two and forego that 100 feet. Alex Honhold could climb up it backwards blindfolded, but I am not Alex Honhold.

McClellan Butte is a “good” one as they say, and I didn’t spoil it with testosterone poisoning.

Go Hiking But Don’t Get Poisoned

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This weekend I will be climbing a new mountain. I don’t know the trail and I read that there is a scramble on top. So what is a scramble? It is a rock face that typically doesn’t need ropes and carabiners. I have climbed Haystack on the top of Mt Si and they say this one is easier than that. However, they also say that a slip could be fatal. Although there is no poison ivy there is another poison.

Testosterone Poisoning

What? I had never heard that term until the other day when I was talking to a former mountain rescue team member. He said that more people had been killed in the mountains from testosterone poisoning than any thing else. He meant that when someone gets themselves all worked up and thinks they can do anything they take ill considered risks. He calls this testosterone poisoning.

It can happen to any of us if we are not careful. If I get to that scramble and the rocks are wet I won’t do it even if it means I didn’t get to the official summit. In fact even if they are dry, I will carefully consider the risk before I attempt the climb.

Fatalities

There have been plenty of fatalities in the northwest mountains over the years. Recently a 46 year old man slipped on the Snow Lake trail and fell to his death. A couple kids were taking selfies and backed up too close to the edge of a cliff and fell to their deaths.

That same mountain rescuer was telling me that he lost a fellow rescue team member on the mountain I am going to climb this weekend and another on the one I climbed two weeks ago. Possible injury or death are not confined to places like Mt Everest. It can happen anywhere.

When you go hiking this weekend leave the testosterone at home. There is just too much of a chance you will be poisoned.

So be smart, consider the risk and go hiking!

Go Hiking In The Rain

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The trailhead parking lots are always more packed when the sun is shining, but it is better to be an “all weather” hiker especially if you live in an area of the world where it rains a lot. There are several advantages to hiking in the rain.

The most obvious advantage is just that you get more hiking done. You don’t have to scratch your head and ask yourself if you will skip this hike. It is always a go! What about the less obvious, but maybe more important?

Challenge

Hiking in in the rain is a bit of a challenge. Do you like challenges? You should because they build your resilience. With hiking you need to figure out the best clothing to wear. If you wear a rainproof poncho you will over-heat, unless you are someone who “saunters” up the mountain. Typically, people over dress in the rain or cold, sweat, and then get cold. It is better to go light and pack a couple extra jackets or pullovers. In fact even when it is hot be sure to pack warm clothing so if you get stuck somewhere overnight your all comfy.

Keep your pack dry with a cover. Put your wallet and car keys in plastic bags. If it is cold wrap them in a cloth and them put them in the bag.

Get Used to Not Being Rewarded

In life when we work hard towards something and we do not reach our goal it is easy to be disappointed. Self help folks point out that it is not the goal, but who we become in the pursuit of it that matters. I agree!

When climbing mountains we sometimes don’t get to see the beautiful mountains in the distance when it rains. When there is fog (low clouds) sometimes you can’t see ten feet in front of you. So you climb and climb thinking that the weather might change and you will be rewarded with a view. When that doesn’t happen there is a tendency to be disappointed, but get used to it. You don’t always need to be rewarded with a view. However, like in this photo you can be surprised with something sectacular. Whatever the weather, just go hiking!

Go Hiking Early

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Frankly I did not want to write about this. I thought I would bury it somewhere deep in these posts. Why? Because it is a secret. It is the secret to a great hike.

Solitude

People are expected at the mall or on busy streets in downtown. Not on top of a mountain. I am writing this a few weeks after several climbers were killed on Mt Everest while waiting in line to summit. That is not right. It should not have happened. When you go hiking up your local mountain you are usually not faced with life and death situations, but that is still no reason to put up with people. The fewer the better.

When you are the first one on top of the mountain, it is quiet. You can hear God whisper. It is just you and nature. No distracting sounds of peoples voices.

Best Photographs

Do you like the picture I took in the Grand Cayon? I took that early too! You also can stand anywhere you want and get the best photographs. Who wants someone standing on top and there is no room for you? Who wants someone else in their photograph? You can choose where to stand and choose what scenery looks best without having to consider the crowd.

I have done commercials for products on top of a mountain. I couldn’t have taken those videos if there were people mulling around.

The Reality

You might ask yourself, “How can it be that bad?” Oh, it is bad. How do I know? It is because I count people coming up the mountain as I am going down. When I get to around twenty I stop counting. Those summits must be crawling with people. And then once I get back down to the trailhead there are no parking spots left. People are parked illegally.

The only way to avoid this nightmare is to get up very early. How early? Early enough so that you begin your hike at least an hour before sunrise. At least. Two hours is ideal. So go hiking early!

Go Hiking and Hug A Tree

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Am I kidding? No, nature is healthy for you. The air is saturated with more oxygen in the forest. You should be thankful for the trees. But do you really need to hug one? Well, don’t actually hit a tree, but I pat one every time I pass. I see this tree as a symbol for all the trees and because I go by it week after week, and because it is so majestic I just have to recognize it some way.

At first I thought I was the only crazy person out here having fond thoughts about trees until I listened to Hal Elrod, author of the Miracle Morning series of books, talk about the trees in his back yard. He went so far as to make faces for the trees and decorate them.

A Little Magic

Baseball players are known for being superstitious and having rituals before games or clothing they wear. It could be a pair of socks or a wrist band that they thought gave them luck. You could say that patting or even hugging a tree as you pass by is like rubbing a lucky stone you have in your pocket. Maybe if I pat that tree I will have a successful hike with no accidents.

Incorporating a little magic in your hike gives it a surreal feeling. It might be my imagination taking hold of me. I wrote a story about magical mountains so that might be part of this habit I have developed.

Trees Are Older

Most trees are much older than myself. This particular one is ancient for sure and there are fewer and fewer people and things that are older than me these days. I respect that. Maybe the tree could impart some wise advice that I am just too young to know. But trees can’t talk you say! Well, I read once that they do talk but just much slower than we do so we can’t hear them. You think? So they are older and they talk slow. Learning something from a tree might take some time, still, I think it is worth the effort. Now go hiking and hug a tree!

Go Hiking Every Week

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Most hikers, even avid hikers, don’t climb a mountain every week. At most they might hike once every couple weeks. That isn’t too bad if you are hiking all year long, but let’s consider the advantages of weekly hiking.

Climb More Mountains

This is pretty obvious. If you are going every week you can climb more in less time. There are so many mountains here in the Picnic Northwest that it is hard to exhaust them.

Enter the hypocrite. Even though I go hiking every week from March through September I do not climb different mountains. I have my favorites and keep gong back to those over and over and over again. Especially in March, April and May when I climb Mt Si again and again.

Your Legs Will Thank You

Consistent weekly hiking will build your legs and lungs. If you wait too long between hikes your legs are going to be sore constantly. It builds your endurance. Your ability to exercise for long periods of time so then you are ready for anything, even the Zombie Apocalypse.

This is an appropriate time to advocate for a little self care. Please, after your hike be sure to use a foam roller on your legs as well as stretching them. This may seem common sense but it is not. In fact, an epsom salt bath or ice bath can help early in the season when your legs have not adapted.

It Becomes A Habit

Now I have to admit that when hiking day rolls around I don’t always “feel” like going. Maybe it is raining. Maybe it’s snowing. It is probably cold. However, going weekly establishes a habit. Then of course you need to establish some “rules” for yourself. Mine are always begin the hike before sunrise, go hiking no matter what the weather happens to be, and always time yourself.

Maybe I should qualify that last rule. Yes, always time yourself, because you want to get better and to get better you have to measure your progress. However, there may be a day on the trail when you want to stop and take a picture or you just decide to take it a little easy. That’s ok. I approve! Now, go hiking every week!