by Ed » Mon Feb 22, 2021 8:16 am
Yes, good FAQ. Though I am not so sure calorie and water consumption are proportional to time on trail, which means speed. Does a slower person consume more calories and water? I am not an expert on these matters, but I am not so sure. Certainly I am slow and never consumed either the calories or the water indicated by the per hour rules of thumb given. I tend to think body size is the main determinant of calorie consumption, and temperature and body size the main determinants of water consumption, for a given hike. For water, I started out carrying 5+ quarts of water, but found that my normal consumption was 3-4 quarts, depending on temperature, sometimes as low as 2.5, and never above 4. Drinking a bottle of Gatorade on the drive to the trailhead, to stock up. I am slow, old, and average body size for a man of my age. Admittedly, I avoided hot days, but hiked the trail on quite a few days when valley highs were in the low 90's. Which I did not find particularly hot, starting 1.5 hours before sunrise.
Regarding trekking poles and microspikes, I would advise always carrying them, whenever there is any snow on the trail. You may not need them, but you do not want to be in a situation where you do and don't have them. Of course regulars have the experience and judgement to make their own decisions hike by hike. But they are not the people who seek advice on the web.