Pro hiker tips for beginners!

Misskcm

Hey hikers! So I am just starting to get into hiking and my family and I have a 10 miles hike in to the Colorado mountains scheduled for July. We are hiking 10 miles in, camping for 3 nights, and then hiking 10 miles back out.
I’m getting a 75 L Ariel Osprey pack, Kelly sleeping bag, and we are all bringing dehydrated meals (and clearly clothes, tent, etc)
So my question is how do I get from being able to do 5 miles with no weight in south Texas to being able to do 10 miles with 60-75 pounds on my back in Colorado in 5 months.
Also any tips on things you wouldn’t think to bring or things you think you need but really don’t would also be great!
Feel free to message me as well.
Thanks in advance!!

debrakgoogins

Things you need,: wool socks - a few pairs, good professionally fitted boots, moisture wicking clothing, a hat, a buff, bug spray, chap stick, sunblock, dry shampoo, baby wipes, and plan for it to be cold/wet in the upper elevations. It's better to have warm and waterproof clothing and not need it than need it and get caught without it. Start by taking your pack with you on your walks and getting used to having in on you. Slowly, begin to add weight to your pack and increase your distance. Try to do practice walks in areas with varied terrain and elevation. it will be important that you get a feel for gaining elevation and not just walking on flat surfaces. Also, when hiking, take the easiest route on your path. By this I mean, if you have the choice between taking three small steps around an obstruction or one big step over it, do the three small steps. It is easier on your body, reduces your chance for injury and is less taxing on your stamina. Begin eating the foods and drinks you plan to consume on your trip ahead of time. Test what works for you. The last thing you want to have is tummy issues because the food doesn't agree with you but have no alternatives with you. Wear the clothes, boots, and socks you plan to wear on your trip during your practice training. Again, you don't want to break in a new pair of boots on the trail or find out that the socks or clothes you choose to wear are uncomfortable when it is too late and you can't change it. A good pair of telescoping, walking poles are my best friend. They let you test out a surface before stepping on it. That rock may look stable but is actually wobbly.

cwolfman13

It's been awhile, but I used to do quite a bit of backpacking once upon a time.

First off, 60-75 Lbs in your pack is too much. A good rule of thumb there is keeping the weight of your pack contents to around 20% of your body weight...a 75 Lb pack would be about 41% of my body weight...more than double recommendations. Of course, it is difficult to get exactly 20%, especially if you're carrying extra stuff for kids and whatnot. I tried to never let my content weight exceed about 40-45 Lbs.

As training goes, you should start hiking with your pack...you should find a hiking area with elevation and terrain changes. Most Colorado trails I've hiked have had pretty significant elevation changes, so you want to practice walking up as well as walking down (which can actually be harder). What trail will you be hiking by the way?

I think the biggest challenge is going to be elevation and dealing with less oxygen at a much higher elevation than you're used to. Is there anyway you can arrive in Colorado a few days earlier to get at least some acclimation? I haven't been backpacking in awhile, but I still day hike quite a bit here in New Mexico and altitude sickness tends to be an issue with a lot of out of towners who want to hike the beautiful Sandia's but they're coming from around sea level to an altitude of over a mile high and aren't acclimated. You might want to google for some ideas there...I've never had to deal with it as I've lived around the mountains for most of my life.

https://www.rei.com/blog/camp/how-much-should-your-pack-weigh

earlnabby

Do you know what water sources there will be? The handiest thing I found is a filter pump so you can get purified water from streams and lakes. Water weighs a lot and if you only need to carry enough for the actual hike you will lighten your load significantly.

I concur with the wool socks . . . and plenty of them. I like to change mine halfway through a longer hike. If they don't get too damp they dry out faster. Convertible pants are great. They are long and can be zipped off to make shorts and are made of quick drying fabric.

Really think about what personal care items you actually need. I like to use individual deodorant wipes rather than take a bottle. There are soap concentrates you can get that work for anything: washing clothes, hands, hair, dishes. One little bottle will last for several hiking trips. At the risk of TMI, if you are using birth control, talk to your GYN about changing the timing so you don't get your period on the trip. Saves having to take sanitary supplies.

Definitely practice with your pack with ever increasing weight and try to get to some kind of elevation if at all possible.

SuzySunshine99

First of all, you absolutely HAVE to reduce the weight in your pack, by a LOT. What in the world are you bringing for a 3-night trip that weighs 60-75 pounds? I have been on 6-night backpacking trips and my max pack weight was 40 pounds, even including a few "luxury" items.

Other than that, make sure you have sturdy boots that are well-broken in.

Hiking poles are a must in my book. They save your knees both on uphill and downhill segments, and help with your balance on uneven ground.

As far as clothes, I would bring one pair of zip-off pants, 2 short sleeve shirts, 2 pairs of socks, one fleece sweater, one light, packable puffy coat. Rain jacket and rain pants. Not much else, it's only 3 nights. You don't need a new outfit for each day.

For training, load up your pack and hike wherever you can in your area. If there's not an option with good elevation changes, find a place you can do some stairs with your pack on. Be sure to wear the boots you are planning on wearing on the trip.

SusanMcMc

We are a family of backpackers who also go to Colorado for trips. We do a two outfit method. One set of clothes (shirt, bottoms, socks, undies) for day and a second set to keep dry and put on at night to avoid hypothermia. Depending on how high you go, you may well encounter snow and ice In the mountains. Add in some waterproof pants and a jacket. A fleece jacket underneath it will serve as a decent warming coat at night. Absolutely bring a warm knit hat. Camp soap will do dishes, hair, clothes, body. Poles are awesome.

Kids can pack in their own clothes and maybe a sleeping bag. By age 10, they can carry all their gear with the right type of pack. 10 miles is a very long hike for kiddos in a single day—particularly for the first day of mountain hiking. Can you break it into two 5-mile hikes with an overnight in between?

As for training, hike regularly as a family. Hiking with kids is primarily a psychological challenge. Bring snacks that are special for hiking. Once you’re done get sundaes. Basically associate hiking with cool and yummy stuff during and after. For adults, strength train your legs and core with steps up and down, squats, etc. To overcome to altitude issue, do cardio workouts to get your heart and lungs in top shape. I like cycling intervals. I concur with going a day or so early to acclimate. We usually camp in a campground in Colorado for a night or two before hiking into the back country.

Misskcm

Thanks everyone for the feedback!!
I’m glad y’all are saying my pack shouldn’t weigh that much..
My S/O has done this same trip before and he told me my pack would probably weigh around 65 lbs... glad to know he is exaggerating a bit. I’ve never done anything like this, so it’s all new to me.

Has anyone used the life straw bottles? We will have access to a freshwater creek. Just wondering (in your opinion) the best filtering device.

I’m not sure the trail name but I know it’s near Crede.

Misskcm

SusanMcMc wrote: »

We are a family of backpackers who also go to Colorado for trips. We do a two outfit method. One set of clothes (shirt, bottoms, socks, undies) for day and a second set to keep dry and put on at night to avoid hypothermia. Depending on how high you go, you may well encounter snow and ice In the mountains. Add in some waterproof pants and a jacket. A fleece jacket underneath it will serve as a decent warming coat at night. Absolutely bring a warm knit hat. Camp soap will do dishes, hair, clothes, body. Poles are awesome.

Kids can pack in their own clothes and maybe a sleeping bag. By age 10, they can carry all their gear with the right type of pack. 10 miles is a very long hike for kiddos in a single day—particularly for the first day of mountain hiking. Can you break it into two 5-mile hikes with an overnight in between?

As for training, hike regularly as a family. Hiking with kids is primarily a psychological challenge. Bring snacks that are special for hiking. Once you’re done get sundaes. Basically associate hiking with cool and yummy stuff during and after. For adults, strength train your legs and core with steps up and down, squats, etc. To overcome to altitude issue, do cardio workouts to get your heart and lungs in top shape. I like cycling intervals. I concur with going a day or so early to acclimate. We usually camp in a campground in Colorado for a night or two before hiking into the back country.

Hi! Luckily no kiddos this time around. Just 5 adults and a German Shepherd. I believe we will arrive in Co. 1.5 days before we do our hike. It does seem like I need to invest in some decent poles though!

earlnabby

Misskcm wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the feedback!!
I’m glad y’all are saying my pack shouldn’t weigh that much..
My S/O has done this same trip before and he told me my pack would probably weigh around 65 lbs... glad to know he is exaggerating a bit. I’ve never done anything like this, so it’s all new to me.

Has anyone used the life straw bottles? We will have access to a freshwater creek. Just wondering (in your opinion) the best filtering device.

I’m not sure the trail name but I know it’s near Crede.

I use a Katadyn. They make several different ones but this is the one I have. https://smile.amazon.com/Katadyn-Transparent-Lightweight-Backpacking-Preparedness/dp/B075TTTX2R/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1550534607&sr=8-3&keywords=backpacking+filter&refinements=p_72%3A2661618011%2Cp_89%3AKatadyn

lorrpb

Are you confusing volume and weight? A 75L pack refers to LITERS or volume, not weight. It is unlikely you would have 75 pounds of stuff in there and definitely should NOT. I'm not convinced your SO is completely accurate in estimating pack weight.

A straw filter is OK as a back up, but might want a pump type filter to handle larger volumes for cooking etc.

There are a few other active hiking threads on here and a couple of links to training plans.

Have fun!

SuzySunshine99

Misskcm wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the feedback!!
I’m glad y’all are saying my pack shouldn’t weigh that much..
My S/O has done this same trip before and he told me my pack would probably weigh around 65 lbs... glad to know he is exaggerating a bit. I’ve never done anything like this, so it’s all new to me.

Has anyone used the life straw bottles? We will have access to a freshwater creek. Just wondering (in your opinion) the best filtering device.

I’m not sure the trail name but I know it’s near Crede.

If the water is clear and free of sediment, you may not need to filter it, just purify it. Check with local officials to be sure about that, but to purify water on the trail, I prefer chlorine tablets. They weigh nothing, take up virtually no space, and I have never had a problem with the taste. I live in a large city that chlorinates our tap water, so I don't even notice, but if the taste bothers you, bring along some of those single serve crystal light packets to mask the chlorine taste. For cooking, as long as you boil it for 10 minutes, you should be fine.

Silent_Soliloquy

I hiked Mexico to Canada over 154 days ... I had a 12 lb. Base weight (all gear, not food and water) and people teased me for it being so heavy. Sub ten lbs is the norm now for thru-hikers.

Even for the 10 day stints between food resupplies, and with water; I carry max 45 lbs.

If you list your gear list we can look into it and give you tips on the items. Sounds like your SO was a boy scout? They teach ultra-heavy and redundancy there like crazy.

Silent_Soliloquy

First and biggest thing would be return your osprey pack and buy a ULA.

Second, return the kelty sleeping bag and get a Quilt... a good 800 fill quilt should be 15 ounces for 2 people to share. Quilting is Best advantage couples have, use it.

On the Appalachian trail I used a mountain headwear sleeping bag ... now that I've moved to a quilt I'll never go back. Even down to 0 f.

lalalacroix

Hey there. I live in the beautiful state of Colorado. I hike about 4 days per week and backpack when I can. Yes your pack is much too heavy. My backpack is about 20 pounds for a 3 day hike, with food and in the winter. You will really feel every extra pound in your pack.

Gear is a huge topic for hikers and there is a lot of disagreement about what is "best". I'm gonna disagree with your needing hiking boots. They are very heavy and do not dry easily. You may encounter storms and there should be a good bit of snow melt meaning stream crossings. I would break in a pair of lightweight trail runners. They are comfortable and dry easily. And most people don't really need ankle support from boots. Definitely get hiking poles.

Backpacking in the summer here can be hot, pretty cold and stormy. You do want rain gear, a puffy or a fleece (to bring both would be redundant, I rarely wear both together here in the winter), 2 pairs of wool socks (1 for day, 1 for night), gloves and beanie and a night outfit (I like a wool under layer). I would wear wicking pieces for your hike. I like to wear a tank and a thin long sleeve along with shorts. A buff is a great way to keep warm or block the sun if needed. Speaking of the sun, don't forget sunblock and glasses/cap.

I use a Sawyer Squeeze filter. I love that it can be twisted onto a water bottle.

There are a lot of great hiking apps with reviews of trails which might be helpful as well. I really like The Hiking Project and AllTrails.

Vegas_Mick

earlnabby wrote: »

Misskcm wrote: »

Thanks everyone for the feedback!!
I’m glad y’all are saying my pack shouldn’t weigh that much..
My S/O has done this same trip before and he told me my pack would probably weigh around 65 lbs... glad to know he is exaggerating a bit. I’ve never done anything like this, so it’s all new to me.

Has anyone used the life straw bottles? We will have access to a freshwater creek. Just wondering (in your opinion) the best filtering device.

I’m not sure the trail name but I know it’s near Crede.

I use a Katadyn. They make several different ones but this is the one I have. https://smile.amazon.com/Katadyn-Transparent-Lightweight-Backpacking-Preparedness/dp/B075TTTX2R/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1550534607&sr=8-3&keywords=backpacking+filter&refinements=p_72%3A2661618011%2Cp_89%3AKatadyn

I use the same. It has a piece that fits snugly onto the mouth of a Nalgene bottle, making it easy to just fill Nalgenes.

I'm a longtime backpacker, and don't worry too much about a lot of what's mentioned here. You can re-use clothing, you don't need "moisture-wicking" base layers, and I never carry raingear (other than a couple contractor bags that can be repurposed if needed). All my stuff is in individual kitchen trash bags or ziplocks in my bag, so I don't worry about it getting wet. My hiking clothes are a cutoff pair of Dickies, a t-shirt, and a flannel. And then I bring some weather appropriate camp clothes for night time. No need to get fancy.

I wear good hiking boots, but my gf wears cheap trail-runners and does just fine. As long as you have enough food and access to water, you'll be okay. The first trip is always a little uncomfortable, and it's an opportunity to figure out what to bring on the rest of your trips.

Mostly I recommend going to sites that specialize in backpacking, printing out a minimalist checklist, and following that. People's opinions on gear are always going to be all over the place, especially when it comes to ultralight packing (which is more religion than activity).

Have fun!

scorpio516

Silent_Soliloquy wrote: »

I hiked Mexico to Canada over 154 days ... I had a 12 lb. Base weight (all gear, not food and water) and people teased me for it being so heavy. Sub ten lbs is the norm now for thru-hikers.

+1
65lbs is insane. Even 40 lbs people are throwing around is crazy to me!
My summer base weight for trips in the White mtns is 5kg (12.2). Skin out is 7.4kg (gear + clothes worn, no food). I splurge on a comfy 1kg hammock

OP: I've got no magic bullets for you. I don't do anything unusual specifically for hiking. I run, I bike, I've hiked for the last 30 years. I wear trail runners, running shirts and kilts on the trail. I do 15-30 miles per day hiking.
Rocky and Sierra trails are easier on your body than east coast trails - lots of cut backs, nice trails, no hurricanes. Appalachian trails go straight up and straight down the mountains over boulders lol

Silent_Soliloquy

@scorpio516 makes a great point. Are you hiking a TRAIL? Or are you going to be off trail climbing up rocky mountains ?

I also wear trail runners on all my hikes... And summited Whitney, Kearsarge, etc all in trail runners. So unless you are scrambling boulders; or long lava fields (like Lassen) ...don't wear boots.

On the Appalachian trail I wore a robust pair of Vasques ... still a "shoe" but very robust and especially around Pennsylvania and I was happy to have that cushion as it is a bunch of small sharp rocks there.

lorrpb

scorpio516 wrote: »

Silent_Soliloquy wrote: »

I hiked Mexico to Canada over 154 days ... I had a 12 lb. Base weight (all gear, not food and water) and people teased me for it being so heavy. Sub ten lbs is the norm now for thru-hikers.

+1
65lbs is insane. Even 40 lbs people are throwing around is crazy to me!
My summer base weight for trips in the White mtns is 5kg (12.2). Skin out is 7.4kg (gear + clothes worn, no food). I splurge on a comfy 1kg hammock

OP: I've got no magic bullets for you. I don't do anything unusual specifically for hiking. I run, I bike, I've hiked for the last 30 years. I wear trail runners, running shirts and kilts on the trail. I do 15-30 miles per day hiking.
Rocky and Sierra trails are easier on your body than east coast trails - lots of cut backs, nice trails, no hurricanes. Appalachian trails go straight up and straight down the mountains over boulders lol

I found this to be true as well, east vs west coast hikes!

SusanMcMc

Overall, a good hike is about hiking. What I mean is that it makes much more sense to get some hikes, backpacking trips, and campouts in between now and your big Colorado hike than to spend that time, effort, and money optimizing your gear setup. There's lots of places to go in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas for weekend adventures. And you don't need new or top of the line gear, clothing, etc. to have a fantastic trip.

Over the past 10 years or so, we've encountered a lot of newbie backpackers attempting thruhikes on the longer trails. The ones that are going to make it just put in the time to learn how to hike and enjoy it. But there's a lot who have fantastic, ultralight kits that don't seem to be really getting what hiking is about.

earlnabby

JustinAnimal wrote: »

So much gear... am I the only one who's done a 10-mile hike and then just kind of walked away and went on with my day? .

You missed the part of the OP where they were planning to camp for 3 nights in between the two 10 mile hikes.

ellyseb1

Don't forget the moleskin or blister bandages. Even if you've worn the boots before, it can happen and really ruin your walk!

earlnabby

SusanMcMc wrote: »

Overall, a good hike is about hiking. What I mean is that it makes much more sense to get some hikes, backpacking trips, and campouts in between now and your big Colorado hike than to spend that time, effort, and money optimizing your gear setup. There's lots of places to go in Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas for weekend adventures. And you don't need new or top of the line gear, clothing, etc. to have a fantastic trip.

Over the past 10 years or so, we've encountered a lot of newbie backpackers attempting thruhikes on the longer trails. The ones that are going to make it just put in the time to learn how to hike and enjoy it. But there's a lot who have fantastic, ultralight kits that don't seem to be really getting what hiking is about.

Agreed. A few overnight practice trips will help you decide what gear is essential FOR YOU and what you don't need. I get teased because I always make space for my mini peppermill, but I am weird that way.

The common sense stuff like first aid and water purifying supplies (and bug repellent), something to heat water and/or cook with, food, and shelter are essential. The rest is personal preference.

cwolfman13

I've done 10 mile day hikes and longer, but I probably wouldn't enjoy a round trip 20 mile hike in a day...I could do it, but it wouldn't be all that fun. I've also done a short hike in backpack camping trip like this just to get away for the weekend and enjoy the mountains. It's also a good way to aquatint one's self with backpacking and make mental notes of things you want/need, stuff you brought but don't need, etc. When I first started backpacking it took me a few trips to dial in my gear, so something like this is perfect for that.
[edited by mods to remove quote]

earlnabby

cwolfman13 wrote: »

I've done 10 mile day hikes and longer, but I probably wouldn't enjoy a round trip 20 mile hike in a day...I could do it, but it wouldn't be all that fun. I've also done a short hike in backpack camping trip like this just to get away for the weekend and enjoy the mountains. It's also a good way to aquatint one's self with backpacking and make mental notes of things you want/need, stuff you brought but don't need, etc. When I first started backpacking it took me a few trips to dial in my gear, so something like this is perfect for that.
[edited by mods to remove quote]

I have done 24 miles in a day but it was a walk with gentle ups and downs, not a hike. When I hike I am there for the nature and to get away, so trying to get as much mileage as possible just doesn't appeal to me. 10 miles in, camp, and 10 miles out seems perfect to me.