Forum Index > Trip Reports > Resisted Hiking Poles 7-21-2017
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Bootpathguy
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Bootpathguy
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PostMon Jul 24, 2017 8:31 pm 
I resisted getting hiking poles for many, many years. Just another thing to purchase. Another to carry. Another thing to worry about losing. Another thing to break. Another thing to replace. Another thing for Sissies I traveled a portion of this adventure a year ago. This is the bootpath that changed my attitude on purchasing a pair of poles and turned me into a Sissy. I marched my macho sissy ass over to REI. Tried out a few they had on display. Found a pair I liked. The entire time I was incognito with my cap pulled down tight and sunglasses propped onto my nose. Didn't want to bump into someone I knew. Although my answer was already planned out. "They're for my wife" At the counter checking out and trying to conceal what I was holding, with a long line of customers behind me when the cashier noticed that there was a snow basket missing from the set. He yelled over to his compadre, "HEY! CAN YOU GET THIS GENTLEMAN ( holding them high in the air ) ANOTHER PAIR OF THESE HIKING POLES!? I felt like I was standing at a busy XXX adult movie store and the cashier yelling across the store to his buddy, "HEY, CAN YOU GET THIS GENTLEMAN ANOTHER DVD COPY OF "HORNEY HILLBILLY HIKER HOTTIES?" THIS ONES BEEN OPENED! I mean, I'm just assuming that would be just as embarrassing. Gulp... I scampered out of REI as fast as I could Last time I went solo. This time I had a partner. We arrived at the dead end of the forest service road. No other vehicles. Onto the bootpath at 8:30am. Last year I couldn't find the trail from the road. Vegetation camouflaging the entrance. I bush wacked up the slope until I intercepted it. This year I knew it's approximate location but its still somewhat camouflaged. It's very inconspicuous Break out the poles! My partner didn't tease me as he had a pair of his own. I told him he'd need'em. Don't even think about the luxury of a little flat section of warm-up trail. No sir! It's a nononsensestraightupthemountainattheget-go bootpath. Bugs were pretty bad all the way to the first lake, but only if you stopped. Straight up, then a short break in a section of flat ridge walking, and then straight down to our first destination. Steep! and yes, there is such a thing as "uphill both ways". You can't convince me otherwise. What a sweet lake. I like lakes with islands. We didn't go to it's shores. We rested above this lake on the same rock I took a lunch break on last year. We noticed some goats on the far side. This is the first time for me, personally, seeing goats in this area of the Central Cascades. Next was onward and upward through some spectacular landscape. Lots and lots and lots of boulder travel. I think I French kissed my hiking poles right about this area. My partner was molesting his in a different way. I'll leave the rest to your imagination. We arrived at a pretty little tarn. Admired it's clarity and color for a bit. Took a hard left at the far end of the tarn and another steep scramble to a saddle that would allow us a view of destination # 2. Views are grand from this saddle. Again, we relaxed here gazing at the wonders we were surrounded by. Lake #2 still partially frozen. Solid granite basin. It's beautiful. Didn't go to it's shores either. But it's definitely on my list to get down into the bowl. This saddle is as far as I've ever been. Beyond was a mystery and I'll assume a mystery to many NWHikers members. WTA doesn't have a trip report on lake #3. The lake is mentioned in some TR's on NWHikers. About 7 times is all. No reports or photos that I noticed. Phew! Long monotonous boulder scramble in a ascending traverse to yet another saddle. Tremendous views keeping us entertained the entire way. I mimicked the romantic molestation to my hiking poles that my partner did to his earlier down the mountain. His romantic molestation now escalated even further. A vision I'm still trying to erase from my mind. We arrived at the saddle expecting views of lake #3 and this was where we planned on stopping. Nope! Not to be. Not satisfied we scrambled down into the basin. Bench after bench after bench. Wasn't until we got to the 4th bench that we were standing just above the lake. The travel down was a blast. It's probably the most remote place I've ever been, but yet, not that far removed from some very popular hiking areas. Pretty little tarns. One of them a infinity tarn on one of the terraces. Area surrounded by sharp, rocky, jagged, and pointy peaks. Dramatic setting. Those are some of the features that gives this place the feeling of "remoteness" It's sounds corny, but I'm going to say it anyway. Lake #3 is a lost world. We were mesmerized by the area. I'm convinced we are in a elite club of just a few visitors who've ever been back in there. Wishful thinking? Probably, but isn't that part of backcountry adventuring? Fantasizing about being the first explorers? I could be wrong and that it does gets more visitors than I'm assuming. Maybe it's just that its been a very well kept secret. We encountered nobody throughout the entire trip What a fantastic day in the mountains, and if it's not obvious already, Im in love with my hiking poles.
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Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
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Brushbuffalo
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Location: there earlier, here now, somewhere later... Bellingham in between
Brushbuffalo
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PostMon Jul 24, 2017 9:03 pm 
See, poles aren't so awful after all!
Bootpathguy wrote:
I love this picture! Looks like one of those ritsy hotel infinity pools....just like you said!

Passing rocks and trees like they were standing still
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RichP
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RichP
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PostMon Jul 24, 2017 9:20 pm 
I started using poles after 20 years of hiking with a staff and I wouldn't go on a trip without them now. That's a sweet area.

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Backpacker Joe
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Joined: 16 Dec 2001
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Backpacker Joe
Blind Hiker
PostMon Jul 24, 2017 9:28 pm 
Rock, Panorama and Purvis. Nice. Great beta. Thank you. If you did this in a day, you're a stud to be sure! Nice work.

"If destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author and finisher. As a nation of freemen we must live through all time or die by suicide." — Abraham Lincoln
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zephyr
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Joined: 21 Jun 2009
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zephyr
aka friendly hiker
PostMon Jul 24, 2017 9:54 pm 
Funny because I noticed the hiking poles from a photo in your last hike. Hmmmm. All my life I have hiked with a hiking stick. Usually I had picked them up along coastlines or river beds after they had been nicely seasoned and shaped. I used to look down on the two-poled people (just a little). Thinking what's with the two poles? But I started TNAB'ing and all those folks used poles. Hmmm. Then eventually they made more sense after I realized I could collapse them and strap them on my day pack while scrambling. I got used to them pretty fast. Now they are indispensable. And sometimes I end up carrying them. I like the combo of ice axe and one pole when crossing certain steep snow areas. Your description of the terrain clued me in right away since I had tried that hike last year. There's no way I would want to cross that slippery boulder field without poles. Yikes. Great photos. Fun story about your visit to REI and the experience at the cashier. haha . ~z

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CarriesNineFires
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PostMon Jul 24, 2017 11:19 pm 
I too resisted the poles, then I picked up a set for 20 bucks at the hardware store in Cle Elum. Now I never hike without them. Extra thrust, balance in rivers and off trail, and they help me to establish rhythm. I find them indispensable when rock hopping and descending steep, loose terrain. If you ever find yourself hiking in the dark with another person and have only one headlamp, strap it to the pole and hold it up and a bit to the side, walking behind the lightless wretch. You'll want their shadow to be cast a bit to their side so it doesn't obscure where they're stepping.

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HitTheTrail
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PostTue Jul 25, 2017 7:53 am 
Beautiful photos, even without knowing where it might be. up.gif And I doubt I will make an effort to find out. Hiking a trail is becoming more appealing to me with each outing. Also, a good way to keep popping the stack is to include a controversial discussion topic in your TR. It was a stroke of genius.

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geyer
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geyer
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PostTue Jul 25, 2017 2:27 pm 
Hey I know those lakes! Lake #2 was completely covered in fog when I went last year but Lake #3 sure was Purty winksmile.gif I accidentally went up the wrong rock trying to summit Malachite but it still had good views so I didn't even bother with the actual summit. Got back to my car by noon. The next day my friend and I set out to hike Easy Pass in the NCNP and I was completely gassed thanks to this hike... Probably could've used some poles Looks like you had a good time out there!

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graywolf
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graywolf
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PostTue Jul 25, 2017 3:54 pm 
I started using my XC ski poles to climb Rainier (Paradise to Muir) back in the late 1970's before "hiking poles" were invented. They offered much more support than my ice axe. At Muir, I would stash them, switch to my ice axe and proceed with the climbing. I've been a faithful user of poles ever since; I converted over to a pair of Black Diamond Contour poles for hiking, and have been using them for years. I use them hiking, on snowfield approaches, low gradient glaciers, etc. They're perfect for boot skiing off of the Snow Dome on Olympus - shorten them to downhill pole length and do figure 8 turns down as far as possible.

The only easy day was yesterday...
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trestle
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PostWed Jul 26, 2017 8:05 am 
Congrats on finding suitable poles, they make life a little easier at times and blah, blah, blah. What I really want to know, and I know I'll draw the ire of those around here with no humor in their lives, is
Quote:
HORNEY HILLBILLY HIKER HOTTIES
any more copies available? You can shout if you need to. lol.gif

"Life favors the prepared." - Edna Mode
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texasbb
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texasbb
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PostWed Jul 26, 2017 6:43 pm 
I think I was 49 when I went sissy. Shoulda gone years before.

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Chief Joseph
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Chief Joseph
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PostWed Jul 26, 2017 9:03 pm 
I went from using two Black Diamond flick lock poles (which I left at the Lake 22 TH and never recovered) to using a wooden staff for a period of time. A staff has the advantage of being stronger, easily obtainable, and no worries if you forget it somewhere, (unless like some you develop a weird attachment to it as some are wont to do)...the disadvantage is that they are much heavier than a graphite pole. Lately I have been using a single Leki pole that a friend gave me after he broke the other one. I like using just one because it allows my other hand to be free to catch myself in the event of a fall, ability to hold a camera, beer, etc. Another advantage to hiking with a trekking pole is that it is adjustable. I will typically lengthen it on the descent, it gives you stability and takes the pressure off your knees. On the uphill climb, the poles allow you to use your arms to climb, thus giving your tired legs a bit of a break. So there...nice photos BTW.

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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mbravenboer
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PostWed Jul 26, 2017 9:48 pm 
I also use one pole, keeping the other hand free to grab bushes or whatever else is more likely to safe me, or an ice axe when on snow. I do prefer to only get out the pole when it gets tricky though. First of all I tell myself this helps with my balance/footing, and second I find figuring out continuously where to put my two feet already challenging enough wink.gif. Nice pics btw smile.gif.

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drm
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drm
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PostThu Jul 27, 2017 9:03 am 
I've never understood the resistance / embarassment factor. I understand that some people do fine without, but as we see above, many people resisted and think they should have used them years earlier. I went on a backpack with an old friend. We had backpacked a lot in our 30s but that was 20 years earlier. He had not been out much since but refused to use an extra pair I offered him. He said it made him look old and he suffered seriously for it (we did the Rainier Northern Loop). Only on the last day was he willing to accept one of my poles. I know it's partly in jest, but the use of the word "sissy" here baffles me. I've never seen that word used when people with a bad knee use some kind of supportive sleeve, for example. My brother said it looks like a cane. Is that it?

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Chief Joseph
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Chief Joseph
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PostThu Jul 27, 2017 9:41 am 
It's simply a tool to aid in hiking, nothing to be ashamed of...if you want to be a "Manly Man" hike with a huge wooden staff like the forest gnome does. We went on a backpack trip once and his staff was so long it barely fit in my Toyota Celica. I asked him why he needed such a long staff and he replied, "By the end of the hiking season, it will be worn down to nothing". I call BS, pretty sure he just has a small man complex, akin to the little guys who drive huge trucks. ymmv

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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