Hot Summer

[kgmolson]

What temp would you guys cosider too hot for hiking?

I always kind of say that anything over 100 is pretty hot, but would still consider going out in it... what do you guys think is too hot to hike?

[te_wa]

100 in June is fine. 100 in August is not so fine. Id prefer hikes under 90°
add 20° in direct sun.

[kgmolson]

ah, so now i see the section for weather... Thanks to whoever directed this post that way!!

I was planning on spending most of the summer up north anyway, but still feel like I havent had enough of the Supes yet, so I was trying to get a feel of how long most of you put up with it.

[wallyfrack]

I'll hike in the heat but either early (done at or before 10am) or late (after 4pm) and try to hike in shaded areas with extra water at the car. I avoid the 100+ degree part of the day but not the whole day.

[kgmolson]

sounds good... Joe had said before to do Flatiron at about 5am (the beat the sun to the ridge game) and then cap the day at Peralta at 4 for the shade.

[Jeffshadows]

Realistically, the heat is another variable that has to be trained for in order to ensure a good outcome. There are those who insist that it is unsafe to hike in 100F+ weather and I feel they are painting an overly-broad stroke. The physiology involved in this computation is far beyond what we're talking about here, but I think it could be said that a person is just as likely to succumb in 85F weather on a Class 3 route as someone out on an easy Class 1 trail in 105F weather. If you train for heat you can manage in it up to a point. The same goes for elevation, cold, etc. It's really a matter of conditioning.

The spring down here gives us a nice acclimatization period to prepare to effort in the higher temps, if one is so inclined. The trouble starts when folks that were in enjoying the A/C all summer until the monsoons come try to go hike in the afternoon because they think the rain will cool them off. Every year down here in July there are dozens of stories about people digressing into full-blown heat stroke after ten minutes on Finger Rock trail in July (or slightly longer in Sabino Canyon). Conditioning and preparation are key...

[Jim]

It could be a 115 and I would still do something. I would bring lots of water, go really slow, and probably not do more than a few miles, but I'd go. I say this with never having been in any temperature above 109. It was 109 when I got to Safford last year. I was coming from a night spent on Escudilla Mountain where the low was in the 40s. It felt damn hot in Safford.

Incidentally, the high temperature in Flagstaff last year was 96, which was 1 degree shy of the all time record high of 97. I know you all cared about that.

[kgmolson]

Thanks Jeff... I feel like i have been preping for the heat by getting my body accustomed to sun exposure and whatnot.

How do you train for the heat?

[big_load]

It varies a lot with me. I would normally draw the line around 90F (especially in the humid east), but I've often hiked at over 100F with humidity in the 80-100% range. In dry country, I've backpacked with major elevation changes at temps above 111F (where my thermometer maxes out). I must get acclimated, first, though. Otherwise it would probably kill me.

[Al_HikesAZ]

We have had threads on hiking in the heat. Here is one I remember
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2940

I was out & about that day it hit 122°, that was hot. I agree with Wally. And mostly it's about water and water management. You need to acclimate and you need to learn the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion, heat stroke, hyponatremia etc. I learned from Joe & my grandmother to carry an umbrella. I learned not to freeze a camelbak bladder solid. Even in 110° it doesn't thaw as fast as I needed it. My limit is about 10 miles at 110°. I learned this on a 12 mile hike. More than that and I can't replenish electrolytes as fast as I lose them.

[DarthStiller]

For me there's no upper limit on the heat, just limits on how long the hike should be for a certain temp. I use the 8 mile rule once you get over 110. you can push it a little, but every mile over 8 in the heat gets exponentially harder. Always take as much water as you can possibly carry, just in case. even if you dont need it, you might run into someone who might. elevation gain is also another variable to consider. best not to go too far over 1000' AEG.

As far as training, just get out and do it, find what you can tolerate. I always jog at least once a week on the canals by my house and do 8 miles, rain, sun, snow, clouds, 116 in late july, you name it, I've done it. I actually kind of like getting out in the heat when I exercise. your muscles warm up quicker and arent as tight. and you dont have to do as much to exert yourself more. I've been here over 8 years and its still a different experience for me to hike or run in the heat after living in PA for almost 30 years.

its in the heat when the saguaros bloom and then shed their fruit. if you can get to some before the birds do, its pretty good, but you have to be out in the heat to do it. Summer is still a season worth enjoying in Phx, don't let the heat keep you inside, or waste all your money on gas going up north.

[Sun_Ray]

I think it's a very individual thing. Our bodies adjust differently sort of like how folks adjust to altitude. For those of us that hike all summer we've had the hike where we learned our limits. I just keep reminding myself to carry enough water to last the whole day should I get lost or injure myself. I agree with Stiller it's nice when you can help out a fellow hiker in need.

[Jeffshadows]

Thanks Jeff... I feel like i have been preping for the heat by getting my body accustomed to sun exposure and whatnot.

How do you train for the heat?

A couple of folks have said similar things; usually I'll start going to hike\run up and down stadium steps with a load over here by the college in the afternoon in the heat. That way you can really judge how much is too much in a safe place. If it gets too bad, you can stop and get away from the heat quickly. It lets you test your own limits. Another strategy for success seems to be taking the first fifteen or thirty minutes you're out in the heat on trail at a moderate pace. Some really hot days those fifteen minutes will be pure torture, then your body will adjust, suddenly you feel strength coming back, and finally you are able to work in it pretty normally. The key becomes hydration after that.

If it's going to be blistering hot and the trail is very exposed I'll usually wear long pants and sleeves and a light neck wrap. Sounds crazy, right? Actually, a lot of studies have shown that this is one of the most effective methods of controlling heat injuries. Soaking the wrap helps cool the blood going to your brain, as well.

After doing these things as the spring progressively turns to summer you find that you're better able to withstand the heat a little more each time until you really don't notice it any longer...

[wallyfrack]

If it's going to be blistering hot and the trail is very exposed I'll usually wear long pants and sleeves and a light neck wrap. Sounds crazy, right? Actually, a lot of studies have shown that this is one of the most effective methods of controlling heat injuries. Soaking the wrap helps cool the blood going to your brain, as well.

I second the long sleeves and pants. I have a few white long sleeve shirts just for sun hiking. It also reduces the amount of sun block you need to use.

[kgmolson]

my neighbor was telling me the other day he used to hike in long sleeve cotton in the summer.... I imagine this might not be that bad of an idea, but i generally stay away from cotton while on the trail.

[djui5]

Really long sleeves? I'd think you would sweat more. I tried wearing long sleeves once and got too hot.

[Jeffshadows]

I typically use something made from a light and breathable fabric; usually something like the Mountain Hardwear ultralights or the RailRiders\Royal Robbins-type pack shirts...

[chumley]

don't let the heat keep you inside, or waste all your money on gas going up north.

While we each condition ourselves differently for hiking in the heat, I think we all place different values on different things as well.

I for one would gladly spend $100 on gas for a 2 hour hike up north in the middle of July. "Waste"? Not to me. That's well-spent money for my recreational (and mental) health.

But everybody is different, and I certainly understand the viewpoints of those who don't see it the same way as I do.

[kgmolson]

I hear ya... I love hiking up north. I did everything backwards... I spent most of my winter up there, and just recently started hitting the Supes and would like to spend more time there this summer.

[Jeffshadows]

don't let the heat keep you inside, or waste all your money on gas going up north.

While we each condition ourselves differently for hiking in the heat, I think we all place different values on different things as well.

I for one would gladly spend $100 on gas for a 2 hour hike up north in the middle of July. "Waste"? Not to me. That's well-spent money for my recreational (and mental) health.

But everybody is different, and I certainly understand the viewpoints of those who don't see it the same way as I do.

Oh yea, there's no shame in escaping the heat. Only problem is, "up north" is a lot longer drive for some of us than others.