Summertime Desert Hikers

DesertDog · Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 402

I am curious as to how many of us desert residents continue to hike here in the summer months.

PageRob · Joined: 03 Mar 2005 Posts: 859 Location: Page, Az.

I hike during the summer in hot places, but I'm not sure if I skew the results since I'm already Up North.
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DesertDog · Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 402

evenstar · Joined: 03 Jan 2003 Posts: 5548 Location: SCW by way of CA

I'll play golf in 110 degrees riding my cart with ice cooler next to me, but no way will I hike in that kinda heat.
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Suz · Joined: 27 Nov 2005 Posts: 3186

Hikngrl · Posted: 7/16/2006, 2:10 pm Post subject:

Water hikes are great in the summer time, I love em!
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Al_HikesAZ · Joined: 21 Jun 2005 Posts: 263 Location: Scottsdale, AZ

If I don't have the time to head north, I will hike in the heat - up to a point. I get out at the break of dawn (or earlier) and try to finish before 11:00. I try to avoid the heat of the day. I won't hike if the forecast is for temps above 115degrees. I've also found that my max is 5 hours when the forecast is for temps above 105degrees. Anything longer than 5 hours in a 105 forecast and I can't rehydrate or replenish electrolytes as fast as I lose them. I can really feel the effects. I will also hike at night, although I've learned to slow down and watch for buzzworms. But it seems to stay warm in Phoenix even into the evenings. I've been here most of my life and this "heat island" effect seems to be getting worse. I do remember what it felt like when we hit 122degrees. You really couldn't do anything in that heat.

I agree with Hooli - I will play golf above 110degrees Rolling Eyes

. Kierland has "air conditioned" golf carts that are incredible. The current system only seems to last about 3 1/2 hours which is usually about 15 holes Mad

. They say the new system which will use block ice instead of cubes will last more than 18holes. The only problem is that I won't drink beer while playing golf in the heat. Sad

QED - Golfers are crazier than hikers. Exclamation

I think we need a crazy golfer emoticon. rofl

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cakewalk · Joined: 03 Jan 2003 Posts: 512

I love the heat and hike in the dead of the afternoon.... I just take lots of water and keep the trips short and managable..

Extra water gets poured over the head.. feels good.

DesertDog · Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 402

I'm slightly surpised by the percentage of those who will get out there in the heat (my surprise is tempered with the knowledge that most on here are a bit more hard-core than the average hiker).

The majority of my friends who hike fit roughly the same profile as al1inaz- early starts and finishes (though not too many of them will do 5 hours!).

I can't recruit any of them for a mid-day hike up Camelback or Picacho between late April and early October....... Say What?

JW · Posted: 7/16/2006, 6:34 pm Post subject:

Superstition hikes draw me no matter what the temps or time of year. But once it's above 100-110, my body weight/fitness level requires 100 ozs for three hours. A basic reserve is 100% so 200 ozs is necessary for me for three hours. How many hikes in the supes are three hours round trip? Not many, so do the math, and if you're out for six hours, you're carrying more than 400 ozs. That's close to 25 lbs of water. You can approach the backside of the curve of diminishing returns carrying that weight. So be careful. Every year it get's more "toasty" out there.

Also, electrolytes are a whole sep topic, but really crucial, if you do summer desert hikes. Be safe, but get out there!
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DesertDog · Joined: 06 Jan 2005 Posts: 402

IGO · Joined: 08 Feb 2005 Posts: 4144 Location: Las Vegas

I voted no but that was because I have a 12,000 mountain right up the road from me with many trails on it. When the temps hit 110 I don't go up there either because I prefer to hike in temps less than 80 degrees and when it goes over 110 here the trailheads on Charleston start to hit 90.
Still, if enough time passes and I want to get out bad enough, I'd find a pebble wash at Lake Mead with minimal elevation change and I'd put on light cloths and carry 2 gallons and darned tootin' I'd hike at 110 degrees. But under normal circumstances I'd just take a week-end of to get some chores done.
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azbackpackr · Posted: 7/17/2006, 7:05 am Post subject:

I voted no, too, but I used to do creek hikes in the summer around Tucson. I would have a good time swimming with my kids at Romero Pools, Hutch's Pool, Sabino or 7 Falls, or I would climb Mt. Kimball, starting extremely early when it was cool, but back to trailhead in the heat. I virtually always got a migraine headache later in the day, though. I have a tendency to get them, (especially when I was younger) and that was before Imitrex self-injections, which I now have. My husband finally asked me one evening, as I was lying in bed moaning after one of those hikes, a most reasonable question, "Why do you keep doing this to yourself?"

All that being said I am signed up for Dreams Are Works' Aravaipa hike on Sept. 9. Hope they don't have to carry me out of there on a stretcher! I will roll in the water frequently, trust me! Also will bring the Imitrex and Maxalt! And lots of Gatorade, sunscreen, etc. I have learned some coping skills over the years.

Daryl · Posted: 7/17/2006, 11:00 am Post subject:

Night hikes!
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azbackpackr · Posted: 7/17/2006, 12:08 pm Post subject:

I've done a few of those. I'm not a night person, though, so it's a rare occasion, although I have enjoyed them in the past.