HikeArizona.COM

I thought this might be fun: things we have learned the hard way. Here's a couple to get things rolling:

- Clip your toenails before going down the Grand Canyon.
- Bring a variety of food. Never try a several-day trip with nothing but power bars.
- If your toe feels funny, stop and put on a moleskin before the blister forms. Afterwards is way too late.

Okay,
- Hold your breath or exhale when passing through swarms of gnats
- Don't daydream when descending a cinder strewn trail, focus is important.
- Cactus are neither huggable nor forgiving.

-the mosquito is still active at 45 degrees
-SPF15 is not enough
-the EAST side of the hill is where you can dry your tarp,tent in the morning

Eat it up.
Wear it out.
Make it do.
Do without.
old New England adage

Don't hike when you're still recovering from injury - it just makes it worse and takes longer to heal
Don't try to park in Echo Canyon after 7:00 am - unless you're prepared to wait
Don't make fun of Hoolie unless you're prepared to reap the whirlwind

And

Speaking of whirlwinds - Don't hang out downwind of Hoolie

-Pack covers are a Good Thing

-Just because everyone says that synthetic sleeping bags are "warm when wet," doesn't mean that you should believe them

-Test out your liking for an item of hiking food before you go tucking it into 15 resupply boxes for the next three months on the trail

-In an emergency, duct tape can be used as moleskin

-Duct tape might just be the best invention EVER

-If you lose the trail, go back and find it, rather than saying "well, the map shows it on the other side of that hill, so I'll just bushwhack over to it"

-That $350 pack is going to last longer and hurt your back less than that $75 one

-Set aside a few hours to try on boots, and go somewhere with knowledgeable salespeople (i.e. not Popular). If you don't, you are likely to end up with medieval foot torture devices rather than hiking boots

- never leave your wet hiking boots in the garage in the summer, they tend to shrink.
- taking a map of where you will be hiking is a good idea, leaving it in the car is not.
- the corner of the tent is not the best place to store your only pair of shorts while sleeping, especially if it rains.

Here's a good one I learned from my brother. Put your ground cover or tarp INSIDE your tent if it's going to rain. That way you can curl up the edges all around and any sudden outside trickle of water will not get on top of the cover or get you wet. If it's not going to rain it's fine under the tent as a vapor barrier.

- The Z-Rest is about useless

If someone tells you 'just another 1/4 mile', don't believe them

If someone tells you 'just another 1/4 mile', don't believe them

Good one Cindy! I think Olesma has learned this one quite well.

That one tickled me Cindy, and reminded me of the last day of a week in the Wind River Mtns. It was pouring, we had done 6-8 miles already, and every hunter coming in that we met said, "Its only 5 miles of easy trail to the parking lot." Trouble was, we met three of them an hour apart and they all said the same thing.

YOU CAN GET RAINED ON, SUN BRUNED, RAINED ON AGAIN AND SNOWED ON THE SAME DAY HIKEING OUT OF THE GRAND CANYON

The horse/dog/well-meaning hiker does Not always know the way! "Right over there" can be in the next state!

When hiking out of the grand canyon, walking around "mule piles" is not really worth the effort.
Secondly, after walking all day, it feels kind of good to step on something soft.

- Just because you see a cairn doesn't mean it's for YOUR trail.
- Hanging a gallon jug of water off the back of your pack isn't a good idea when hiking in cactus country.
- Trade in the 3 lb, 2 D cell MagLite for a Petzl Tikka headlamp (4 oz)

snow22_5150 wrote:

If someone tells you 'just another 1/4 mile', don't believe them

Good one Cindy! I think Olesma has learned this one quite well.

Holy Cow! Somebody remembered one of my lame stories! You go Kristin.

olesma wrote: Holy Cow! Somebody remembered one of my lame stories! You go Kristin.

Groan.....And they say amnesia's a bad thing :roll:

evenstarx3 wrote:

olesma wrote: Holy Cow! Somebody remembered one of my lame stories! You go Kristin.

Groan.....And they say amnesia's a bad thing :roll:

I think you mean "Alzheimers" or "senility" don't you? I'm assuming you're referencing yourself here.

In case you're referencing me then the term would be "super-genius"

I like the way that rolls out...

(Quick - name the source of that last quote!)

Wile E. Coyote, and it's "I LOVE the way that rolls out."