[pct-l] permanent injuries from thru-hiking?

[goforth at cnw.com (Joanne Lennox)]

I've never heard anybody on this forum mention the Idaho State Centenial
Trail, which runs the length of the state north to south.  there is an
alternate near Salmon.  but it is quite long and interesting ,mountainous
terrain.  I do not know if there is a webvsite but I talked to somebody that
did it with a horse and he said that it was a very good trail.  It is marked
on the Idaho Delorme Map Gazeteer.(looks about 800 miles??)

My knees have deteriorated over the years - the rowing/sculling career and
some realinjuries from Aikido did not help.  And it is difficult to say if
all the hiking and climbing is the primary contributor, but it is these
activity that inflames them the most. The docs say I have too much arthritis
to operate and fix the problem.  Horses carrying me and my gear half the
time helps me, but this is a very different trip.

My Solution is to take LONG TRIPS.  Day hikes and shorter trips invariable
involve a a big elevation going in and a large decrease going out.  This is
what really does my knees in.  I have found that I can play the edge, which
changes as I get in better shape.  Generally, the longer I stay out, the
less large shifts in elevation I do, and I get in better shape.  The PCT is
great because it is so well graded and has relatively few large elevation
gains and loses in any single day, ONCE YOU GET ON THE TRAIL( there are a
few big exceptions of course)

Joanne.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ken Powers" <kdpo@pacbell.net>
To: "PCT-L" <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>
Sent: Tuesday, June 08, 2004 2:29 PM
Subject: Re: [pct-l] permanent injuries from thru-hiking?


> The only permanent injury that I have from thru-hiking the PCT  is that I
> can't get enough thru-hiking. I'm always looking for another long trail to
> thru-hike.
>