[pct-l] poles & bears

[conniedavis at earthlink.net (conniedavis@earthlink.net)]

I hike with poles, sometimes one, sometimes two, sometimes none and I saw 12 bears in 3 days one weekend in the Olympics, and nine bears in 4 days on another trip.  Maybe only the bears near the PCT are wary of poles or maybe I am quieter than most.

The poles are good for some like me since I have absent knee cartilage on one knee one side.  I tend to use them on downhill slopes.  

The poles also double their use on the tarptent.  

For me, it's one of those trade-offs in the hiking world.  Take oodles of painkillers, only hike on flat land or use poles.  

Connie
Olympia, WA
thru hiking this year with her 19 yr old son, meet you at the PCTA meeting or the kick-off