[pct-l] Will we really do anything?

[Donna Saufley]

You bring up some very good points, which I can second from countless
observations.  People who come from more humid climates can have a very
difficult time with the dryness (itchy eyes and skin, and problems with heat
bordering on heat exhaustion). Drinking plenty of water and getting
electrolytes, moisturizing and protecting the skin, and carrying saline
solution for dry sinuses can help a lot.  Take siestas in the shade during
the heat of the day (make your own shade if you can't find any), and hike in
the cooler morning and late afternoon hours. 

While the deserts and chaparral are indeed beautiful (my husband and I are
desert lovers and live in the high desert), there's a whole lot of it
between the border and Kennedy Meadows.  What tends to get to people is the
monotony of the chaparral -- especially those who have visions of Sierra
grandeur as their aspiration.  Personally I think the trick is to appreciate
where you are, and look for the beauty it has to offer.  700+ miles is a
long time to feel deprived of what you really want to see, which can wear
you down mentally.

Interestingly, Europeans tend to favor the deserts, perhaps because they
have spectacular mountains where they come from and the desert is so
different from anything back home.  

The concept of feeling exposed in the wide open spaces, or claustrophobic in
densely forested areas, has been discussed at Hiker Heaven on more than one
occasion.  It seems we are generally most comfortable with what we've grown
up with.  My husband, who grew up in Tucson, gets very uncomfortable when
he's in any kind of tree tunnel without a view (like up in the deep green
forests of Oregon).  Others, who are accustomed to forested areas, feel
unsafe somehow when they're exposed in vast, open places. Of course, neither
is safer than the other, but our sense of safety isn't necessarily built on
facts but from the comfort taken from our own experiences.

L-Rod


-----Original Message-----
From: pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net [mailto:pct-l-bounces at backcountry.net]
On Behalf Of Ezperanza
Sent: Monday, April 21, 2008 12:44 PM
To: pct-l at backcountry.net
Subject: Re: [pct-l] Will we really do anything?


On Apr 21, 2008, at 12:34 PM, Diane Soini of Santa Barbara Hikes wrote:
>
> The last thing bothering me is this fear of the desert. I imagine we
> all fear what we're not used to. I fear the snow and raging rivers
> myself. However, this dread of the "desert" section, as if it's an
> ugly hell on earth one has to endure to get to the good stuff, kind
> of baffles me. The desert is beautiful. I'm sure you'll see more
> variety of life there than anywhere else.
>
> Most of this so-called "desert" people are dreading isn't desert at
> all. Chaparral isn't desert. It's an elfin forest. I promise if you
> go in to the desert -- even the real desert -- with an attitude of
> gratitude you'll see the beauty.
>
> And if it is heat you're fearing, you can survive the heat. 100
> degrees really isn't that bad when you are in good physical shape.
>
> I sometimes hike in hot, waterless conditions and the key (for me) is
> not to stop too much -- especially not in the sun, to sip (not chug)
> water all the time so I don't dehydrate (at least not too much),
> protect myself from the sun, and take advantage of any breeze and any
> shade. The reason I don't stop very much is because sometimes it
> feels hotter to stop than to keep going if there's no breeze. But
> when I do take a break it's somewhere breezy and shady if at all
> possible.
>

Hi all,

I don't feel able to comment on the "anything" issue because all my  
hiking has been on trips of less than 10 days, not (yet) on the epic  
scale of the PCT.

But I did want to talk about the desert issue.  As a fellow Southern  
Cal person, I grew up and have done most of my hiking in the Southern  
Sierras and Mojove deserts.  Whether it's the heat or the emptiness,  
I don't fear it -- just love its beauty.  However, last year I went  
on a late Spring Joshua Tree weekend backpacking trip with a friend  
from Ohio.  She's in MUCH better shape than me, having recently  
competed the New Zealand ironman and section hiked at the rate of  
about 17 miles a day, most of the AT.  Having hiked with her  
throughout West Virgina, I expected her to, as usual, totally  
outclass me in speed and distance and for me to struggle to keep pace.

Quite the opposite ended up being true.  My friend is used to hiking  
in warm but humid weather (weather which lays me out) and the dryness  
at 90+ degrees in Joshua Tree flattened her so much we ended up  
cutting our milage down.  Though she was staying hydrated and  
drinking more than our other friend and me combined, the first day  
she was flushed so red I thought she was severely sunburned only to  
discover that evening her body had just been reacting to the heat.

She also was totally impressed by the beauty (who wouldn't be) but  
kept saying how exposed the landscape made her feel and how anxious  
she felt about our water situation even though we were never very far  
away from a hike out point, something she also knew.

On the other hand, I know that when I lived in Louisiana, the first  
year I could barely walk a mile once the heat and humidity set in.  I  
marveled at people who could garden in it.

My point is that I believe we're all used to different conditions and  
for people who live most of their lives in climates where heat =  
humidity, the desert can be an alien experience that some find it  
hard to prepare for and takes some time to adapt to.

Pax,

Ezpy
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