[pct-l] How to Mojave

[Jennifer Zimmerman]

Assuming you're at an abundant source and will not be depriving others of
much-needed water, wet yourself down - your head, hat, shirt, sleeves,
bandannas (worn around your neck or like a drape off your hat). The dry
heat will provide great evaporative cooling for a little while at least.

This seems to be a pretty individualized thing, but we love our sun
umbrellas and think they're well worth the extra 8 oz.  We can attach them
to our packs so we still have our hands free for poles.  Seriously, we
should get sponsorship from Golite because I think we've sold 4-5 to hikers
along the way.  It's about 20 degrees cooler under them than in the sun. We
also love our fingerless, open-palmed sun gloves.  In addition to keeping
our hands/wrists from getting fried, we can soak them and they cool the
pulse points over our wrists.

Try to hike off-hours.  Get up before sunrise, hike until 12 or until it
becomes too hard to move, then wait it out in the shade (or under your
umbrella) until 4-5.  Hike into the night.

The heat is really tough for some folks to deal with.  I can empathize - my
husband and I are from MN and have a lot of trouble with it.  The hike to
Cajon pass a few days ago was brutal in 110 degree heat. Most importantly,
listen to your body - if it tells you to stop, it's worth it to lose a few
hours instead of pushing yourself to heat exhaustion. Don't try to
move faster than it wants to go. You'll get acclimated to some degree. We
did better from Mojave Dam to I-15 than we did back in the Anza-Borrego,
but it was still hard.

Good luck!

On Wednesday, May 15, 2013, wrote:

>
>
> Drink drink and drink...if you are thirsty it is too late.  Mango makes
> agreat point about walking in the evening.   I have been following a
> cycling race in Southern Cal and its been 105-111 degrees.  Wow!
>
>
>
> Keep covered.  IF you do not want to hike at night, walk early morning,
> sleep, eat and drink in the mid-day hours, then walk until hiker
> midnight(9pm) or whenever the darkness stops you.
>
>
>
> I carry endurolytes.  Small tabs that can be bought at most all fitness,
> running and adventures stores.   I eat them regularly especially when I
> know the heat is going to wear me down and sap me.  The tabs will keep you
> from cramping up during the heat as well.   They also counter that lactic
> buildup in the muscle.  They work for me.
>
>
>
> Good luck.  MY hats off to you and your 266 miles in the extreme heat.
>
>
>
> Walk-on!  TJ
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
>
>
> From: "Jim & Jane Moody" <moodyjj at comcast.net <javascript:;>>
> To: "b j" <xthrow at yahoo.com <javascript:;>>
> Cc: pct-l at backcountry.net <javascript:;>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 2:01:03 PM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] How to Mojave
>
> Porsche,
> I was lucky in 2010; we almost froze thru there - 45* and very windy. It
> snowed on us that night at Tylerhorse Canyon. Some hikers start in the
> middle of the night, to avoid the flat walking under the hot sun. The wind
> blows almost constantly, so you may not feel as hot as you would in still
> air. But this translates to the need for much more water than you would
> normally drink per mile.
> Good luck.
> Mango
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "b j" <xthrow at yahoo.com <javascript:;>>
> To: pct-l at backcountry.net <javascript:;>
> Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2013 4:24:35 PM
> Subject: [pct-l] How to Mojave
>
> I've been offline for a while hiking Northbound and have not been tracking
> the PCT-L discussions so if this is duplicating, then pardons. I'm at Mile
> 266 and have experienced heat under different conditions. I have trouble
> with the heat -- it shuts me down and wears me out. I'm not alone -- others
> are learning in their own ways how to manage the effects of heat.
>
> I'm thinking ahead a bit down the trail of the 40 miles (?) of the hot
> Mojave portion of the trail where I anticipate even more heat than what's
> hit me up till now and was wondering what others have done to make their
> passage through more enlivening, enduring, and possibly pleasurable? What
> strategies do you use to manage the effects of heat? Hydration tips?
> Cooling tips? Umbrellas - love or hate? Hiking schedule tips? Particular
> places to hide in that section in the scorch of the midday sun? Thank you
> all in advance for sharing your experiences - I may take a while to respond
> as I'm not always wired up on the trail.
>
> -Rhiannon (now also trail-named Porsche)
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