[CalvinW]

I will be doing a very tough backpacking trip this wednesday-saturday, covering around 50 miles and gaining roughly 15,000 feet. I am pretty experienced in backpacking and have done all of the volcanoes in Washington, but this one worries me as the terrain is going to be very difficult and I will have to carry a lot. I know I will be able to actually survive it, but I am looking for tips on ways to make it go as well as possible, such as ways to recover overnight (some recommend things like tylenol or other pills), and other general tips to maximize my hiking capabilities.

[timberghost]

ibuprofen

[CS]

Maybe protein powder shake, just a regular after workout routine?

[Randito]

[neek]

Most important thing IMO is to pace yourself, don't exceed heart rate zone 2. Slow and steady.

[klock]

Stay hydrated. Very hydrated. Take some sports drink powder as well.

[texasbb]

[Bronco]

I don't sleep great on the trail but an Advil PM seems to help quite a bit with sleep so I can wake up feeling recovered from the prior day.

[peter707]

https://www.williswall.com/willis-wall-blog/2021/4/6/wonderland-trail-hike-prep-2021 was my main source for doing a fairly undertrained 4-day wonderland trail without any serious issues.

One big factor that's not mentioned nearly as much in the video will be replacing calories. Any time a person feels hungry, they should eat a snack (on the go if possible, assuming there's no notable terrain hazard). If the intensity is high enough to not be able to eat a snack, for me that's a good sign I'm making an error in pacing. ~200 calorie snack per hour + liquid calories tends to be ideal, or even more if hungry and the stomach cooperates. I find people generally are not eating enough backpacking, sometimes they get to camp and are too tired to cook foods and whatnot which is a bit of a downward spiral if they mostly carried dehydrated food. If it's in your price range, I recommend 200-300 calories of tailwind or equivalent per liter of water, nearly every single liter (4+ liters a day, filtering water to avoid carrying weight). Probably caffeinated for the first 5-10 scoops for the day, then non-caffeinated after. It's unreasonably effective, especially for people who are not yet adapted to long days with caloric deficit.

[zimmertr]

Bring at least three pairs of socks. Do not use the third pair for anything but sleeping or an emergency dry pair. I walked in wet socks for four days on a trip once. It was truly miserable. I got so desperate at one point I wasted half an isobutane canister heating a fist-sized rock until it was hot to the touch and then dropping it inside each sock. Over and over and over and over again until they were dry. This took over an hour. Take efficient breaks. Oftentimes someone in your party is more fit than you. This leads to them taking frequent breaks and waiting for you to catch up. When this happens, they end up taking 2x longer breaks than you. They still try and let you take a break, but it's usually only a few minutes. Use this time wisely. Drink 500ml, eat 200 calories, etc. Don't pack your fears. (Except socks, fear wet socks). Only bring what you need. Don't bring a book, you'll be too tired to read it. Two shirts and two pairs of underwear is enough. Rotate & wash them periodically in lakes and hang them from your pack via a carabiner. I have found that it is critical to never get dehydrated. If you start seeing yellow urine chug water. If you get dehydrated and walk on crampy legs you will cause more tissue damage (pseudoscience?) than normally occurs when exercising. This means the following day your legs will hurt way more than they usually do after an effort. The more your drink, the less your legs will hurt. I often find if I run on crampy legs then my recovery is 3-4 times longer than normal. Invest in a filtration system that lets you filter water quickly and efficiently. This probably means NOT a squeeze filter. Oftentimes it's best to carry a large gravity filter for the whole party and take turns filtering clean water for everyone. Squeeze filters take FOREVER and will clog after a couple days. Plus they make it so you can't take efficient breaks because you can't do anything else with your hands while you're filtering. Share gear with your friends. You don't all need separate filters, stoves, pots, fuel canisters, first aid kits, etc. If you all plan ahead you can likely shave > 10lbs off the community pack weight. Go slow. Like Neek said, stay in zone 2. (Although hiking with Neek usually means I'm stuck in zone 3). When you go for a normal day hike you have a lot more time pressure to deal with. When you're backpacking, you have like twice the amount of daylight to work with because there are no commutes, logistics, etc. There's no point in getting to camp with 5 hours of daylight left. Enjoy the time on the trail. Go slow. Explore side trails. Swim in lakes. Ultralight gear is worth it. Spend money on a lightweight down sleeping bag, Dyneema tent, etc. Plus these items usually pack smaller. I can backpack for 3-4 days in a 30liter pack. However, in my opinion, frameless packs are NOT worth it for multi-day trips. Once you start pushing 25+ lbs they can really start to hurt your shoulders. Bring chamois buttr or some form of lubricant. Wash your butt often. Chafing can make you miserable. Bring Leukotape for blisters. Bring electrolyte pills, NSAIDs, and caffeine pills. This is the holy trifecta of performance enhancing backpacking.

[slabbyd]

A midday siesta in the early-mid afternoon to avoid hiking in the heat of the day is a great way to avoid dehydration, fatigue and general discomfort. Don't forget a bug net!

[Eric Hansen]

+1 on Zimmertr's sock thoughts. Pay attention to your feet and feet hygiene (said by the guy who once had an infected heel blister cut a trip short) Stretch morning and night. Stay hydrated, consider electrolytes Eat, munch 50 calories every half hour when on the move. Have granola bars, or similar, handy and convenient. Swap out daytime briefs for sleep briefs Use wipes for body hygiene every morning. Prevent chafing. Have layers that you can easily adjust without taking your pack off. Add or subtract one or two light pile caps, or a wind vest. Lack of mindfulness over time about relatively minor issues can lead to major issues. Sock wrinkles, butt chaffing, lack of fluid or caloric intake. Mountaineers pace? What you can maintain all day long while thinking clearly, navigating and route finding well. Nuff said. Lot of good thoughts in the previous posts.

[Kim Brown]

#1 is to have dialed in a routine on trips like this before now, as it's 3 days before Pace, etc. is moot since your route and timing is already planned, for instance. But in the meantime, there's good advice give here.

[Chief Joseph]

[Brucester]

A long adventure: When you're ready to quit: Wash up in a creek or shower. Get food as in make a meal or buy dinner. Eight hours sleep in your bag or in a hotel. Get breakfast and see how you feel. Remember you may not be this way again for awhile, maybe forever. I've been here before, that's why I mention this. I followed these steps as suggested by a total stranger and completed my 2,200 mile journey! A short adventure, Dayhike: Ready to quit? Snowy? Too dangerous? Too steep? Not feeling it? It's ok! The mountain will be there if you decide to return! This guy, Ray, he helped me lighten up: www.rayjardine.com