Newbie Hiker...going the distance

“My wife and I just got our gear in and the excitement is building. We are heading for our first camping/hiking trip on Memorial Day weekend. We are going with another couple who has some camping/hiking experience, but to what extent I am not sure. So my question...it is proposed we take on a 12 mile hike followed by a 12 mile "float" (I am thinking this may require paddling which equals more spent energy) back to the start. IS THIS TOO MUCH FOR newbies like us? We are in descent shape but can't say that we are in excellent shape. PLEASE GIVE ME ANY FEEDBACK... Many thanks.”

“Is that all in one day? What kind of terrain?”

“How fit are you?
That sounds like a lot if you haven't hiked before... :-) what are you bringing with you? and what will the weather be like? This will all affect your stamina.”

“Is that a dayhike or will you have packs? What state are you in? What's the topography. To hike 12 miles in mountains would be pretty brutal for a beginner. You'd hate it, she'd hate it worse, and you'd both be miserable.”

“Depends on the terrain and elevation change. But 12 miles is a pretty good day carying a pack.”

“12 miles is a healthy day for relatively flat terrain. If it's mountainous, it's possible but I wouldn't recommend it. You have to remember why you're going...to enjoy yourself. It's no fun being exhausted and carrying that pack and still not being to your destination.

For a relaxing day, I would shoot for 5-6 miles. For a moderate day 7-8. Add 2-4 miles for easier terrain.

Some choose to do more. I had a friend that could pump out 20 miles a day on the Appalachian trail, but he was nuts. I personally like to measure my weekend in enjoyed moments rather than miles.
last edited: 5/13/05 4:20:03 PM”

“Wow! These are all good questions I don't know the answer at the moment. Just checked and the location is in th Shenandoah River State Park. I am not familiar with this place at all.”

“If it's central VA then I'd shoot for more of a 6 mile hike and maybe 6 hr float. Preferable in seperate days.”

“A couple of words of advice if your equipment is new (some things Thinkbubelz & I've learned from experience, trial and error...)

1) Set up your tent at home to test it out... Make sure all of the poles, etc. are there BEFORE you head out on the trail. You don't want to discover a missing fly or a broken pole when trying to set up your tent...

2) Make sure you wear GOOD shoes and socks... Thinkbubelz & I like to hike with wool socks and a sock liner... they pad your feet and prevent blisters. Whatever you do, try to break in your shoes at home before leaving!!! (that way, you can find any hot spots, etc...) Also, NEVER wear cotton socks as they are more prone to giving you blisters... Bring Moleskin with you in case of hot spots.

3) Research the area before leaving... IT's always good to know where the heck you are going! Make sure you have good maps with you even if you are going somewhere that has trails... Just in case something happens and you get lost or injured, it is a good idea to be know where you are...

4) Pack your clothing in layers--and be prepared for the weather. Hiking may heat you up a lot more than you realize... It's better to wear layers that you can add/subtract as needed... AGAIN, NO Cotton (or minimize it...) It is absorbs sweat and takes a long time to dry... (The same goes for underclothing... Stay away from cotton for your overall comfort.

5) Make sure to test out your pack and adjust it before going on your hike (whether it's a little day pack or a big backpack.) Make sure it is comfortable and adjusted properly--your back will appreciate it...

6) Realize that even if you can walk 12 miles in the city, trail hiking is a lot different from walking on concrete. If you are backpacking and have a loaded pack on your back, think of it as having that much excess weight on your body... Your balance will be different, and it will present different stresses on your legs, hips and torso... Like DocNice said, you want to enjoy your experience, not be discouraged from ever doing it again!

7) Make sure to have enough water and salty snacks to replenish yourself. It's probably a good idea to carry water purifying tables with you even if you don't think you'll need them... Or, if you have a filter, bring that with you... (Trust me-- carrying large gallons of water while hiking is no fun at all!)

8) On the subject of food, bring food that tastes good to you, but that won't cause any intestinal distress... (That's no fun!)
We tend to eat a few packs of instant oatmeal for breakfast and then "graze" throughout the day (Costco & Sam's Club both carry nice big bags of Trail mix-- pre-mixed... sometimes we'll add dried fruit to the mix...) We also like some other goodies like pringles (they don't get smashed and you can use the empty can for your trash when done.) or Nutty Bars, Granola Bars, etc... We don't care for Ramen noodles, so we buy instant rice vermicelli (available at Asian Grocery Stores), dried veggies called "Just veggies" and foil packs of tuna or chicken make great additions to the noodles... :-)

8) Of course, make sure to have fun! Don't rush your experience just to get from point A to point B... Enjoy the outdoors and the nature around you... Take a small notebook to jot down notes or a camera to take photos... :-) It will make your experience more fun...


I'm sure there are other words of wisdom from more experienced hikers, but these are some things we've found to be very helpful to us... This may be a lot, but good luck... You will find a lot of great advice here at Trail Talk (TT)!
last edited: 5/13/05 4:48:48 PM”

“EGADS! Thinkbubelz & pinkbubelz are two different entities? I did not know that. I kinda feel stupid now.”

“who's thinkbubbles?”

“dat's her sherpa.”

“If you are young and fit and jog weekly this length of hike should be do-able, but still a challenge.

Blisters are the bane of newbies.

I recommend two extra pairs of thick socks, two extra pairs of thin dress socks, foot powder, alcohol and duct tape. Wearing a thin sock against your foot and a thicker sock over it transfers some of the friction between the two layers of sock and less against your skin.

Wet/sweaty feet blister quick. Powder your feet before you put on your socks and boots. If you feel a hot spot STOP! Clean/dry your feet with alcohol and apply duct tape to the sore spot. More powder once the tape is applied and change your socks.

Repeat as needed.”

“LOL!!! Roam Around, I will have to tell him you said that...

Thinkbubelz doesn't post very often... he mostly just lurks... but Tarabull and several others from Michigan have met him (yes, he does exist!)”

“bacpac--is the alchohol only for drying the feet? can you do without it? How about using hand sanitizer? I'm guessing the duct tape is basically used like the moleskin? I would be afraid of is peeling off the skin on my foot when removing the duct tape from my feet!

Thinkbubelz and I have always done the wool sock with the thin liner...

Aside from a tiny bit of tightness on my pinky toes (due to new shoes and some swelling in the feet from hiking)... I have been lucky not to have ever gotten any blisters...

Word to the wise-- if you are buying hiking shoes, make sure you try them on at the end of the day, after you've been walking...AND with the same socks that you are wearing on the trail... otherwise, you could run into problems with the shoe being too tight... :-)”

“There is no such place as Shenandoah River State Park. There is Shenandoah National Park, which includes the highest peaks in northern Virginia. Six to eight miles a day would be a good bet if you are new to hiking. Even in decent shape, carrying a pack up and down those trails can wear you down if you're not used to it.

The Shenandoah River runs up the valley on the fringe of the park. If the hiking is in the lower elevations, 12 miles might be doable.

The park will be crawling with people over Memorial Day weekend. Baltimore, Washington, and Richmond empty out and a good percentage end up in the park.”

“Alcohol will dry the feet. Dry is better. Removing the oil and dirt is the only way to get tape or mole skin to stick to skin.

Getting duct tape or mole skin to stick to dry skin is iffy. If you put tape or mole skin on wet skin your blister will only get worse.

I use mole skin instead of duct tape also, but for someone on their first trip duct tape seems to work better. Newbies never do get their feet dry and their boots are too tight to begin with. The thickness of mole skin can make the problem worse.
last edited: 5/13/05 9:53:38 PM”

“bacpac... I understand what you are saing about the shoes being too tight. Mine took me a while to break in when I first started hiking.

Now that I'm training for the Breast Cancer 3-Day, I realize that when I buy my hiking shoes I need to go up a 1/2 size or enough that the shoe is a little bigger than normal shoes-- due to the swelling of the feet from the walking... :-)

You meant that getting the duct tape to stick ot wet skin, not dry right (beginning of your 3rd sentence.)
So the Alcohol is to clean the "wound".... Does that mean hand sanitizer won't work? or is it okay as long as it doesn't have any moisturizer in it?”

“pink, I find that my hiking boots inevitably end up being a half size larger than what I normally wear. I like thick(ish) wool socks and like a little bit of room in my hiking foot wear. It takes a 1/2 size larger to accommodate this. I know this isn't true for everyone, but I agree with ya. : )”

“OH and I wonder how this trip went for the guy...”

“I hope they had a good time!
Maybe he will post a trip report when he gets back... :-)”