Learned my lesson about heat

[Oneatatime]

Hi all - I've read a lot of posts here about the C2C, MMT to SJ trail, etc. & what time to start, and it seems that they all come down to heat. The effect of the heat CANNOT be emphasized enough.

On Fri 6/20, we took the tram to the top and hiked over to Willow Creek carrying 20-25#; then on Sat 6/21 hiked to Saddle Junction & took the PCT to Fuller Ridge Trailhead - great weather. On Sun 6/22, we left FR at 7am with 1 1/2 gallons each, thinking that a 16 mile downhill to Snow Creek Canyon would be no big deal. NEVER, EVER, underestimate the heat. Once we got into the canyon NW of Snow Creek Canyon, it was like a furnace. I made the 1st 11 miles by 1 p.m. (which I underestimated because of the tough downhill) and then had to rest under whatever shade I could find or make because I was baking. Because of the frequent stops and the heat, we ran out of water around 5 pm with 3 miles to go. My son went on because he's a much stronger hiker, got refreshed & came back for me. I ended up a mile from the end and could not go on because of heat exhaustion and dehydration. By the time my son came back with water and we both got down to the SCC drinking fountain, it was 9:00pm. Not a fun day, but real learning experience!

[Hikin_Jim]

Yipes!! Glad you're OK.

It is tough to cool down once you heat up when you're out there, and running out of water just makes things ugly. Thanks for the reminder to all of us about just how serious the heat really is.

[halhiker]

Having lived in the desert over twenty years, I have had people ask me how long it takes to get used to the heat. My answer always is: "When I get there I'll let you know".

The heat can be brutal and that's why I hike only in the mountains during the summer. Some people put in time hiking early in the morning but I am not a morning person. I also hate hiking downhill.

My worst experience with the heat was not with not enough water but electrolyte deficiency. I didn't have enough electrolytes to transmit the signals to my muscles and my legs would move involuntarily whenever I would try to stop and rest. I just plodded on a few miles and fell several times before making it to my car and getting home. And the temps then were only in the 90's.

Glad you made it back safe and sound.

[Rob]

Last time I ran out of water on a hike with warm temps, it took 3 days to rehydrate and restart my GI track.

[cynthia23]

Thank you so much for this sobering post. I also once made the mistake of thinking because I would be heading downhill, it would be okay to be hiking at 8.30 a.m. in July (down Skyline) Fortunately for me, it was only two hours, but by the time I made it back I had realized the severe error of my ways. Even just lying down in the sun, in these temps, is a dangerous strain on your body. Any kind of exertion in these temps, even mild downhilll hiking, rapidly puts you over the edge.

I can't emphasize enough that a decision to hike in the desert in these temps is really quite risky. People worry about mountain lions and rattlesnakes, but the risk of heat exhaustion is much more severe and much likelier. If anything goes wrong--from a blister to a slightly slower start than you planned--it can quickly cascade into a life-threatening situation. Is it really worth putting at risk the life of oneself and SAR personnel, just to hike a trail that will still be there in three months?

Thanks again for sharing your experience.

[zippetydude]

Cynthia: I have two questions.

You actually made it down Skyline in just 2 hours?

Did you mean to use the term "sobering" as if it were a good thing? ( I usually find the word "drinking" to be heading in the right direction.)

z