What I Learned Hiking the High Sierra Trail
Prepare for All Kinds of Weather
Yeah, sure, maybe you’ll go the entire trip without getting rained on, but one day of bad weather will have you regretting your entire life pretty fast. It’s much better to carry around one or two things you may not need than get caught in a harsh environment without them. We learned this the hard way with our sleepwear, not thinking it was going to get as cold as it did at night. Turns out, it doesn’t matter if it’s the middle of the hottest month of the summer, Wallace Creek is absolutely freezing at 2am.
2. Your First Aid Kit is NOT Overkill
While we’re on the topic of bringing extra supplies, even if you likely won’t need them, let me also assure you that having an extensive arsenal of medical supplies is more than worth it. The state of my feet by day 5 of our hike made me incredibly thankful for the amount of gauze, bandages and ibuprofen we brought along. Plus, you can never be too prepared for an emergency, especially since there’s little-to-no service in the park and you are expected to rely on your own self-sufficiency.
3. Practice Hiking is Essential
This is especially important if, like us, you live in a city that is very close to sea level. Altitude can add a whole new layer to the already challenging nature of the High Sierra Trail, so getting in as much practice as you can leading up to your trip is going to ensure that you’re both mentally and physically prepared for any obstacles you might face.
4. Mental Preparedness is the Other Half of the Battle
Once you’ve done everything you can to physically prepare yourself for the long days and steep climbs you’ll encounter on your trip, the other half of your success depends on being mentally prepared. This means knowing which stretches of the trail are notoriously difficult, having a good idea of how far you’ll be hiking each day, and having a plan for anything that could potentially pose a problem for you on your trip. The golden rule is that you can never be too prepared, so make sure you’re familiar with everything from weather, air quality, terrain, possible animal encounters and just in general what the trail conditions are like. A great place to check these things is on the All Trails App or on one of the many HST Facebook groups available.
5. Altitude Sickness is Not a Good Time
If you’re coming from your home in a lower-elevation area, this is especially relevant. Note that altitude sickness can and will affect anyone, regardless of your level of fitness. I consider myself an extremely fit person, and altitude sickness got to me on the very first day of our hike. Mind you, this was while I was already taking half a dose of Diamox, the altitude sickness medication that I’d brought on the trip. I ended up having to double my dosage, knowing that I wouldn’t be able to continue in the state I was in. Altitude sickness can put a stop to your hike in mere hours, and it would definitely be a shame to have to back out due to something preventable!
6. Bring More Snacks Than You Think You Need
HST days are long days, and it’s so nice to be able to sit down for a quick minute and have a snack every couple of miles. Not to mention the wonders it can do for your energy levels. Quick-energy snacks like trail mix and peanut butter are my favourite, and having something to munch on can help you get through those longer-mileage days a bit more easily.
7. Posted Mileages Are All Wrong, Every Singe One of Them
This was arguably the most difficult lesson for me to learn. I’m the type of person who can push myself through the harder stretches of a hike, provided I know exactly what I’m getting myself into. So when we hit the supposed mileage where we were meant to be at our campsite and then had to walk another 1-3 miles to actually get there . . . well, it was frustrating at best.
So, I’d personally just take every number you see with a grain of salt, whether it’s posted on signs or written down on your map. Chances are, it’s probably wrong.
8. Electrolytes Are Your Best Friend
This is actually something I discovered on one of my very first practice hikes, thank goodness, but I cannot stress enough how much of a difference taking in electrolytes makes. You’re losing tons of water hiking 8-15 miles per day, even if you don’t realize it. The amount of energy and hydration it takes to hike that distance from morning to evening, all while carrying all your supplies on your back means that you’ll be lagging behind and having a pretty awful time in general if you’re not replacing those electrolytes. Trust me, that’s not something you want to figure out two days in to your HST trip.
9. Everyone Is Different
Finally, my last and most important point is that every hiker is different. Some people can get by without certain luxuries, and others just can’t. That’s okay. A lot of hikers wouldn’t have bothered bringing along face wipes, like I did, but for me it was an item that seriously improved my experience. It’s important to know yourself and what you’re comfortable with.
This also means that your pace doesn’t have to be exactly the same as someone else’s. Whether that means hiking 17 miles per day, or taking it slowly and doing 7 or 8 per day, you’ll have the most enjoyable experience doing what you’re comfortable with.
Again, I’ll tie this back to going on a couple practice trips and finding out what works best for you!
Hope this list helps anyone who is planning to tackle the High Sierra Trail, and once, again,
