Yosemite Forum

Talk about confronting your mortality. This hike up Ralston Peak in Desolation Wilderness knocked me for a loop. I took it slow. I had all day to hike six miles, but I wasn't really prepared for my 72-year-old legs to need two hours to climb 2,000 feet. And in the sun I used up much of my water, as well. I made it another mile (one half-mile contours around the peak, the other climbs another 500 feet in half a mile) in time for lunch. I drank the rest of my water and thanked my stars that I was done with the hard climbs for the day. From the top of a mountain, it's all downhill, right?

Almost. A nasty little 150-foot climb to go over a knoll on the way to the PCT gave me one more chance to flex those quads and hamstrings. Ugh. (Why not just contour AROUND the knoll? Only trail makers will know the answer to that one...)

But I did make it to zone 39 and set up camp by the middle of the afternoon. The first thing I did was filter some water, because I was showing clear signs of dehydration. And the rest of trip was delightful—until I had to climb back down those bobsled runs the next day on my way home. That hurt.

The whole story is here, complete with more photos and a link to the whole photo log: https://www.backpackthesierra.com/post/ ... -adventure

I am with you, I never even thought I would reach this point in life where I had trouble physically reaching a destination. I am 76, have run 50+ marathons and so on. Around 73 started to deal with a serious decline in my ability to reach a previous destination. Very frustrating for me, but discovered I am dealing with an inherited Cardiac issue. UGH!!! Nothing I can do to get it under control, so my days of 20 mile days are over.

All we can do is to keep limping along. It sure as hell beats the alternative. But I have to admit a certain longing for the ability to tackle something with more aggressive mileage. Oh well, my daughter sometimes joins us, and I can live vicariously through her...