Once you qualify for AARP membership or Social Security, should you quit or at least cut back on hiking or backpacking?
Nope! With some common sense planning and updated gear, you can continue hiking well into your “golden years.”
by Leon Pantenburg
So now you’re retired, the kids are gone and you have the time and money to travel – and hike – wherever you want to. There may never have been a better time to hit the trails.
Rocky Mountain National Park – 1986. Fond memories of rigorous hikes.
An old, worn cliche’ is “Age is just a number.” There may be some truth in that – the oldest hiker to complete the entire length of the Appalachian Trail was 83-year-old M.J. “Nimblewill Nomad” Eberhart The oldest hiker to through-hike the Pacific Crest Trail was 81-year-old Al Learned, who completed the trail in 2018 (and also in 2003).
The point is, with the right preparation a senior citizen can hike long distances and enjoy it!
Here are some tips to extending your hiking life well into your later years.
Use your gym membership:
Start by staying in shape. Regular workouts and a fitness routine will keep you ready and able to hike.
The sad fact is that many of us older hikers are in better shape than some of the youngsters. As of May 29, 2024, 39.6% the U.S. adult obesity rate stands at 42.4 percent, the first time the national rate has passed the 40 percent mark, and further evidence of the country’s obesity crisis. The national adult obesity rate has increased by 26 percent since 2008. (National Institutes of Health)
Check with your doctor before starting any physical fitness program. Then emphasize core, back and legs strength.
Start a senior hikers club:
There are plenty of seniors who would love to hike with other like-minded folks. Form a senior hiking club if you can’t find one.
Establish some rules and boundaries for the group right off the bat. It’s good to know the length and strenuousness of the hike before taking off. It’s a good idea to establish a general age range of the group, so everyone can hike in comfort with people of the same age and physical ability.
Me and John Nerness on our first backpack trip in Iowa, 1971.
One of my favorite hiking partners is John Nerness, of Los Gatos, California. We started hiking together in Iowa in 1971. We still go out regularly. Our hikes are not as strenuous as they once were, thankfully, but we now have better boots, gear and food!
Slow down:
Let the youngsters blow by you on the uphills and get far ahead on the flats. You have nothing to prove. You have more time now, so stop and smell the roses, enjoy a scenic overlook, or stop and brew a cup of tea next to a rushing mountain stream.
It’s great to go out with kids and younger people, just remember that they will probably want to hike harder and longer.
Gear up:
Now is a great time to invest in the latest lightweight backpacking gear. There are marvelous featherweight items that weigh a fraction of their predecessors.
Cost? – It’s all relative. What are you saving your money for? If you can afford to smoke, enjoy fine whiskies, drink $5 lattes and play golf, you can afford great hiking gear.
Plan hikes:
John Nerness was always the planner – once we decided where we were going, John would order the topo maps and start planning food. We would decide on a route to take, the things we wanted to see, figure out the best time of year to go, and decide on any shuttles we might need.
Realistic goals: Lower your physical and elevation hiking standards.
“The older I get, the tougher I was.” That’s an attitude that is the downfall of many of us formerly young, athletic hikers. We remember hiking longer, further and harder, and the reality – today – can be discouraging.
John took this photo of me in Death Valley National Monument in 1977.
I had just turned 24 when I hiked the John Muir Trail in the California Sierras. I was in top shape, lifted weights, ran 30-40 miles a week and lacked basic common sense when it came to long-distance hiking. The John Muir still kicked my butt. A large portion of the trail is more than 10,000 feet high, including the last 30 miles. The trail crosses six mountain passes over 11,000 feet; from north to south, Donohue Pass, Muir Pass, Mather Pass, Pinchot Pass, Glen Pass, and Forester Pass.
If you’ve ever hiked at high elevations and wondered, “Why does this feel so hard?” – it’s not your imagination!
Even when the terrain is relatively tame and your pack is light, the aerobic effort required to hike at elevation is higher. The reason is simple – you’re getting less oxygen with every breath. You’re not a kid anymore. Take this into consideration when planning.
Use trekking poles:
My balance isn’t what it used to be. Trekking poles help you balance when crossing rocky areas, fording rushing streams or negotiating muddy trails. The poles also help when going uphill, and the poles might give you up to 10 percent more hiking efficiency. I don’t go hiking without my trekking poles.
Smaller pack:
I carried a Kelty Tioga external frame pack for decades. An old backpacking rule of thumb says you’ll always fill the available space. This is true for garages, hard drives, pickup trucks, closets and backpacks. In my younger, stronger, more naive days, my pack usually averaged 40+ pounds.
My Kelty Tioga was honorably retired and I went to this lighter, internal frame Thule Capstone 50.
In Death Valley, because we had to carry water (three gallons @ eight pounds each), my pack weighed about 65 pounds.
Today, there’s no way, and I don’t even want to think about packing anything more than 30-35 pounds.
Better shoes/boots:
Remember those full-grain leather hiking boots that weighed about 2-3 pounds each? Well, you can still get them, but there are lighter, more efficient models available.
John wore out these Pivettas in the western mountains over decades of hard use.
Do some research about the trail and decide if you need the sturdy hiking boots, or if some lightweight trekkers might serve you better.
So what’s the bottom line?
Well, there are still mountains to climb, trails to hike and great memories to make. Some forethought, planning and judicious shopping can make your “golden years backpacking” the best yet!
For more survival information, check out my book “Bushcraft Basics.”
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