Disclaimer: We are not highly skilled, extra-ordinarily fit outdoorsman: Just a middle-aged couple who enjoy taking occasional hikes in the beautiful outdoors. You'll probably find way more definitive guides than this, but for those who are just out for the fun of it, we hope you'll find this helpful.
No. We are wimpy and like soft beds. We stay in at a lodge or hotel. In Shenandoah National Park we stay at Skyland Lodge.
We plan one or two hikes a day, usually. It depends on how long or hard a hike is. We will usually do two hikes if they are shorter than 3 hours (4-5 miles) each. We may hike just one day, or 3 or 4 consecutive days, depending on where we are headed and how much time we have available.
Yes-- at least in reasonably good shape. Keep in mind that a hike with a "moderate" hike may have an elevation gain and loss of 1500 feet. A building that high would be 125 stories tall. It is a good idea to spend time at a fitness center,getting aerobically fit, including some treadmill work on an incline, and to take practice hikes. Nearby places include trails in Patapsco State Park, Cunningham Falls/Catoctin Mountain and Gunpowder Falls State Park. You can also just walk in some hilly neighborhoods. Still, practice hikes will allow you to break in your boots and get used to uneven trails.
If you have gained some weight over the past year (I must plead guilty on this one!) consider this an incentive to make amends. Remember that every 5 pounds extra you carry as fat is as if you put a bag of flour into your backpack to carry up that mountain.
It is important to remember that these hikes do not typically cross roads accessible by vehicles. You can turn back after starting a hike, or finish it, but you won't catch a bus back.
Most of the workout will be in your legs, but your shoulders and back will be bearing the brunt of your backpack, and if you use hiking sticks your elbows and arms will get a workout as well.
In truth, a huge part of hiking is mental. You can really surprise yourself with what you are capable of when you need to be.
Walking on a trail requires that you pay attention to where you are stepping, rather than Oprah's current guest on the overhead TV. Trails are often (pick as many as apply)
1. Rocky
2. Steep
3. Slippery
4. Uneven
5. Eroded.
6. Involve rock scrambles
7. Pretty enough to stop and take a picture with your mind or camera.
Any or all of those things can slow down your pace, and reduce the average stride length. Being wimpy we typically average a bit under 2 mph, but that varies with the hike and terrain. There are some very non-wimpy folks who hike do travel faster. Just not us.
Get hiking boots with nice thick soles, preferably waterproof. Tennis shoes are comfy for treadmills, but are miserable on trails strewn with sharp or slippery rocks.
We have also found hiking sticks to be a valuable aid. They help with balance, and relieve stress on kness during steeper ascents and descents -- especially if you have arthritic joints like me. You can use wooden ones or get the nice collapsible metal poles for not much more money. I like the collapsible ones. I've personally found that knee straps are helpful in giving a bit of extra support to my knees.
You should also have a daypack (backpack) to carry your water, lunch, etc.
A trail guide and/or map of the trail, unless you are familiar with the trail or know it is well marked.
Sunscreen and Insect Repellant are a MUST in any season but winter (and sunscreen is a good idea even then).
Bring water. You will need more in hot weather. If it is above 70 degrees, bring a 20-24 oz bottle of water for every 2-3 miles of hiking. More if you want. Hiking will make you sweat at much lower temperatures, especially if you are going uphill. Having once not taken enough, I tend to take one more bottle than I think I'll need.
Bring a lunch and snacks as you wish. Hiking burns a lot of calories, but our experience is that we don't generally feel much like eating on the strenuous legs of a hike. Apples make a great snack because they are sweet and juicy. Calorie dense snacks like cheese sticks, nuts, and dried fruits are easy to carry and give a boost without being too filling. Make your own trail mix if you like. Pretzel nuggets can help replenish salt. Chocolate is fine on cool days. Not particularly advisable on warm ones. We found that some trail mixes will cause plastic bags to disintegrate. Not sure why that happens, but I'll probably use containers next time.
Bring a rain poncho along if there is a likelihood of bad weather. Sunglasses are good to have as well if it will be sunny.
At least one person in the party should have a first aid kit with them. We include a snake-bite kit in ours.
Obviously, bring any medications you might need for personal conditions that might arise suddenly -- asthma inhalers, epi-pens, migraine medicine, etc.
A flashlight is good idea if you might be pushing an end of hike near sundown.
Beyond that, of course, you might bring a camera, GPS, or whatever suits your fancy.
Layer clothing as appropriate for the expected temperatures. Wear wo pairs of socks to reduce irritation and moisture on your feet. Wear a hat to discourage critters from jumping into your hair and keep your head from getting sunburned. Most hikes require you to scramble over rocks or fallen trees. I don't recommend a skirt, as it could catch and precipitate a fall (not good), so if you are determined to wear one, be very careful. Long, sturdy pants are recommended both to protect your legs from brush, poisonous vegetation and ticks, and from scrapes etc. that the scrambles involve. Long sleeves are good for the same reasons, but I have found them impossible to bear on hikes on warm or hot days. As noted above insect repellent is important.
Generally we have found that they are not in range of cell towers (at least in Shenandoah National Park) so you should not depend on them.
These are a possibility. We actually mostly see deer, chipmunks and squirrels -- and bear leavings, but no bears yet. Once we saw a snake climbing into a tree about 20 feet above our heads. There are black bears in Shenandoah NP and the general rule is to make some noise, don't stare them down, and if they don't move off the trail then go back (or a distance around if it is reasonable to do so).
Well.... truth is you excuse yourself and meander up off the trail to a secluded spot (away from streams, rivers) and deal with it. It is a good idea to carry tissues or TP in your backpack. There are no formal facilities on any of the trails. A few might have a porta-potty at the trailhead. Most do not.
We stay on trails that are "blazed". Blazes are marks on trees (or rocks) that indicate the direction and designation of a path. There are also (on some trails) cement markers (poles) that have information on them pointing the direction where trails meet. We also carry a map of most trails that we take. Sometimes the trail is obvious. Other times you need to stay alert and do some thinking to know where you are headed. If you take off in a direction you are not sure of, be very sure you pay attention so you can retrace your steps if you realize you've erred. Sometimes you will be alone out there, and there will be no one of whom to ask directions. A compass can be helpful. And if you know ahead of time where you'll be hiking, you can actually "preview" many hikes using Google Earth or other programs that display hikes in a 3-D topographic visualization.
Probably. Hiking typically stresses muscles you didn't know you had. If you have arthritis -- you will probably be reminded of the fact. After a ride back from a challenging hike, I can sometimes barely limp out of the car. Usually, though, we can still hike on sore muscles, and after you start moving again they loosen up and we are fine. When we have opted out of a day of hiking (or substituted very easy treks) it is usually because of blistered feet or some specific injury. Advil helps, if you can take it.
If it is just a chance of occassional rain (not torrential downpours), yes. Those days are good for doing stream and waterfall hikes. Rain makes rocks and leaves on the path more slippery, so it slows us down. I wouldn't bother with hikes to mountains with panoramic views if there was a lot of fog or rain, though.
Hiking is a way to get exercise, get away from the stresses of daily life, and appreciate God's gifts of real beauty that you might not otherwise see. In some ways it can be euphoric, just knowing that you accomplished the hike. It probably is not for "everyone", but I'd encourage anyone to give it a shot. We have found it to be somewhat "addictive" -- at least we really look forward to opportunities to go.
Food, obviously. (There is a nice restaurant at Skyland, but we keep kosher so don't eat there.)
We bring along a microwave and a thermo-electric cooler as well, to give us more options for meals. Self-heating meals are fine. We like to bring bagels and a lot of pizza. Pizza travels well on hikes and you don't have to worry about keeping it cold while you hike. Be sure to bring food for breakfast. You will want to stock up on your energy before heading out. We bring along some "libations" as well. What you bring depends on what you like to eat. Just remember there is no kitchen in the room. Bring paper plates etc. to eat on.
Clothes --changes of jeans, undergarments, shirts and socks, obviously. Something to sleep in. Games to play.
Cameras. We sometimes shlep a notebook computer to download pictures from the day or to play a dvd at night if we have nothing better to do.
The lodge at Shenandoah, as most every hotel, has soap and shampoo, so you don't need that.
Here is a list we have used to help us pack in the past. Modify to meet your needs, obviously.
Clothes
Jeans (at least 2 pair)
Socks (2 pair/day)
Undergarments
Shirts (long/short sleeve -layer as appropriate)
Sweatshirt
Ski jacket if it is cold
Gloves (if cold; or leather ones if there are a lot of scrambles like on Old Rag)
Sunglasses
Hiking boots
Hat
Pajamas/Slippers
Non-hiking clothes
Sneakers (for when you are not hiking)
Useful items
Microwave
Cooler (thermo-electric is best)
Containers/plastic bags
Disposable plates/cutlery
Paper towels
GPS
Computer, DVD's
Cribbage board / Cards/ other games
Medicines (include Advil or like)
Tweezers
Comb/brush
Toothbrush & paste
Deodorant
Other personal care necessities
Backpack
First aid kit
Trail mix
Water
Medications
Lunch
Sunscreen
Insect Repellent
Hiking sticks
Gloves if needed
Trail guide/map
Compass
Tissues/wipes
Camera
Video camera
GPS
Emergency water filtration
Breakfast ideas: Muffins,bagels,cereal,juice,fruit,yogurt(cooler needed)
Lunch ideas
Sandwiches (tuna, Peanut butter,cheese,coldcuts)
Pizza (Sicilian travels well)
Whole grain bread & cheese,
Apples/snack
Dinner ideas
Self-heating meals/ microwaveable meal (if mw is available)
(stir-fry etc. can be done in electric skillet if available)
Drinks:
Non-fat milk powder
Coffee/tea
Vodka/tonic/lime etc.
Orange juice
Soda
Apple cider
Coffee/ tea
Snacks (on or off trail)
Carrot sticks
Pretzels
Popcorn
Apples
Cheese Sticks
Trail Mix