4 ms·

I'd be pretty god damn impressed if you can head out with nothing but fruit prior to an all day hike up a mountain. Especially in the middle of summer. That's s

I'd be pretty god damn impressed if you can head out with nothing but fruit prior to an all day hike up a mountain. Especially in the middle of summer. That's some super human shit right there. Even if you could, you're providing yourself nothing in case of an emergency.

newnewpdro 8y ago
Appropriate emergency preparedness levels is something to evaluate on a case by case basis. There are definitely scenarios where I won't head out without more stuff. But what I've found is day hikes in general where I'm expected back in civilization before dark don't require anything, and are a whole lot more enjoyable that way. Recently I was surprised by a pair of trail runners out in joshua tree national park who had appeared out of nowhere at the end of a ~4-mile spur. It was a young fit couple carrying nothing with them at all, not even water, and were turning right around to run straight back with the intention of running another 8-mile loop before dark, according to our brief conversation. They had done what my group of slow midwesterners carrying piles of food and water were taking all day to do in probably ~1 hour, simply by being unburdened and running it.
- newman8r 8y ago
  what time of year did that happen in Joshua Tree? I lived there for a while and that sounds like a death wish if it was hot - but a lot of the year the temperature is pretty nice.
  - newnewpdro 8y ago
    This was late spring. It wasn't a hot day, but the aridity out there is too dehydrating for me, I always bring a water bottle hiking any distance in the desert. Just breathing in that environment dries me out. Keep in mind it only takes around 30-40 minutes to run 4 miles, so they were looking at spending a little over an hour without water before getting back to their vehicle. I regularly run a 4 mile loop near my property by JTNP, it's not that big a deal until summer arrives then I have to do it at or after dusk to not overheat. It's much more dehydrating to go slow and spend all day out there, in my experience.
    - newman8r 8y ago
      I've got a 5 acre parcel in Wonder Valley - nice to see someone else on HN from the area. I'm contemplating starting some sort of hacker community out there at some point, I think it's a great spot and one of the best areas in California for the price.
      - newnewpdro 8y ago
        It's not bad, especially outside of summer the climate is quite nice. Are you living there full-time?
        newman8r 8y ago
        I'll move there permanently at some point, but for now I go out from Nov-Feb when the weather's nice (and fewer snakes). I still need to get a proper well drilled. I was living in a trailer out there which was great but it got vandalized, so my plan is to build something more permanent. I think there's a ton of potential in the CA deserts. The low prices, relative proximity to LA, ability for people to work remotely, decreasing prices of solar - I'm predicting a boom out there in the next 2 decades. The 1950s homesteaders fled because it was too inhospitable, but technology seems to have changed that.
        newnewpdro 8y ago
        That's neat, my place is in Wonder Valley as well. I agree for the most part with everything you've said about the area's potential future. There's too much property crime out there currently though, and things could easily get a lot worse as the population grows. Wonder Valley is a pretty fragile society currently. Much of the harmless residents are elderly and unless more people like us fill in the vacuum they'll leave behind it will probably go down the crapper quite fast. Personally I'm hoping the nascent artist community takes over, but it's going to take some serious luck and effort for a sustainable economy to emerge.
- germinalphrase 8y ago
  I understand the fast and light ethos; I have also read enough Accidents in North American Climbing reports to squarely assume my risk assessment abilities are not so dialed in that I can forgo basic safety preparations. So, yes - I bring some water and appropriate weather protection in case, for instance, that day hike doesn’t end by sundown (for whatever reason). I also tell someone where I intend to go and when I intend to be back. basics.
- overcast 8y ago
  I'm all for ultralight, I get it. I travel the world with nothing but a carry on pack. I hike the Canadian Rockies with Inov8 shoes that weigh less than 250 grams. Not carrying water, and at least a little energy is dumb. The Osprey pack I carry is super light, holds 3 liters of water, and has enough pockets for essentials. Not everyone can, or wants to run up mountains. I've been hiking my entire life, and that is serious work to sustain that.
- e12e 8y ago
  It's not really about how far you can run in a day, more if you can survive long enough with a broken ancle to get help. In some climates that means having some form of basic shelter (wind sack, sleeping bag) so you won't die from exposure during the night, or due to a shift in the weather.

newnewpdro 8y ago

Appropriate emergency preparedness levels is something to evaluate on a case by case basis. There are definitely scenarios where I won't head out without more stuff. But what I've found is day hikes in general where I'm expected back in civilization before dark don't require anything, and are a whole lot more enjoyable that way. Recently I was surprised by a pair of trail runners out in joshua tree national park who had appeared out of nowhere at the end of a ~4-mile spur. It was a young fit couple carrying nothing with them at all, not even water, and were turning right around to run straight back with the intention of running another 8-mile loop before dark, according to our brief conversation. They had done what my group of slow midwesterners carrying piles of food and water were taking all day to do in probably ~1 hour, simply by being unburdened and running it.

newman8r 8y ago
what time of year did that happen in Joshua Tree? I lived there for a while and that sounds like a death wish if it was hot - but a lot of the year the temperature is pretty nice.
- newnewpdro 8y ago
  This was late spring. It wasn't a hot day, but the aridity out there is too dehydrating for me, I always bring a water bottle hiking any distance in the desert. Just breathing in that environment dries me out. Keep in mind it only takes around 30-40 minutes to run 4 miles, so they were looking at spending a little over an hour without water before getting back to their vehicle. I regularly run a 4 mile loop near my property by JTNP, it's not that big a deal until summer arrives then I have to do it at or after dusk to not overheat. It's much more dehydrating to go slow and spend all day out there, in my experience.
  - newman8r 8y ago
    I've got a 5 acre parcel in Wonder Valley - nice to see someone else on HN from the area. I'm contemplating starting some sort of hacker community out there at some point, I think it's a great spot and one of the best areas in California for the price.
    - newnewpdro 8y ago
      It's not bad, especially outside of summer the climate is quite nice. Are you living there full-time?
      - newman8r 8y ago
        I'll move there permanently at some point, but for now I go out from Nov-Feb when the weather's nice (and fewer snakes). I still need to get a proper well drilled. I was living in a trailer out there which was great but it got vandalized, so my plan is to build something more permanent. I think there's a ton of potential in the CA deserts. The low prices, relative proximity to LA, ability for people to work remotely, decreasing prices of solar - I'm predicting a boom out there in the next 2 decades. The 1950s homesteaders fled because it was too inhospitable, but technology seems to have changed that.
        newnewpdro 8y ago
        That's neat, my place is in Wonder Valley as well. I agree for the most part with everything you've said about the area's potential future. There's too much property crime out there currently though, and things could easily get a lot worse as the population grows. Wonder Valley is a pretty fragile society currently. Much of the harmless residents are elderly and unless more people like us fill in the vacuum they'll leave behind it will probably go down the crapper quite fast. Personally I'm hoping the nascent artist community takes over, but it's going to take some serious luck and effort for a sustainable economy to emerge.
germinalphrase 8y ago
I understand the fast and light ethos; I have also read enough Accidents in North American Climbing reports to squarely assume my risk assessment abilities are not so dialed in that I can forgo basic safety preparations. So, yes - I bring some water and appropriate weather protection in case, for instance, that day hike doesn’t end by sundown (for whatever reason). I also tell someone where I intend to go and when I intend to be back. basics.
overcast 8y ago
I'm all for ultralight, I get it. I travel the world with nothing but a carry on pack. I hike the Canadian Rockies with Inov8 shoes that weigh less than 250 grams. Not carrying water, and at least a little energy is dumb. The Osprey pack I carry is super light, holds 3 liters of water, and has enough pockets for essentials. Not everyone can, or wants to run up mountains. I've been hiking my entire life, and that is serious work to sustain that.
e12e 8y ago
It's not really about how far you can run in a day, more if you can survive long enough with a broken ancle to get help. In some climates that means having some form of basic shelter (wind sack, sleeping bag) so you won't die from exposure during the night, or due to a shift in the weather.