How far can you really hike? (water, the wild, good, light)

[jamies]

Here's a question many people don't think about when talking about the end of the world or whatever.

How far can you actually hike, with a load. And how much can you REALLY carry?

I'm good for about a mile, maybe two but I'll be sore, and I could probably carry about 15 lbs. Then I'll have a heart attack and someone younger will take my stuff.

So let's be realistic. Probably 70% of the population couldn't make it 5 miles from home, ten at most. And half of those will be hopelessly lost by then anyway. Even on a straight road.

When I was a kid my dad and I hiked the 250 mile John Muir Trail from Yosemite to Mt. Whitney, in about a month. I doubt I could make it to the top of Vernal Falls these days.

Now add on having to run to cover and fight your way against hooligans and criminals, or taking circuitous routes for stealth, or low crawling long distances, in the dark, without lights, without sleep, for days or weeks on end.

It's a LOT harder than writing about it online.

Where do you stand? Have you tried?

[MTSilvertip]

I hunt elk every year, which means moving stealthily through very rugged terrain, hiking for miles usually in snow or freezing conditions, carrying about 20-40 lbs. of gear, (If you're camping it's a bigger load than day hunts), and on the way out you're carrying up to 80 lbs. of meat in your pack, turning around and going back to the kill site and repeating until you've moved 300-600 lbs. of meat.

Yeah, I've tried it and can do it.

I couldn't for a couple years because of damage to my hip, but it's healed now, so I'm good for another 100,000 miles until my next tune up!

[stiffnecked]

I have no problem with 15 miles a day. My longest was 24 but not by choice, had to go that far to the next cabin. I do not travel heavy. A lot of thought goes into what I pack.

[Nor'Eastah]

I can do more than a mile or two, and I'm an old man of almost 70.

Besides that, I have 2 artificial knees - but they don't hurt like the originals did! I can't sit on my heels like I used to, but I can kneel. I can still carry 75 to 80 lbs. I know this because I had to put a Honda 3000w generator into my truck, and it weighs about that much.

I think just looking at the average American, including some decades younger than I am, you'd see that they are obese, out of shape, and unable to walk very far. I figure I'd be good for 8 to 10 miles per day... better than most.

I think working outdoors, lifting things, climbing ladders, being used to cold weather, and never having smoked, all helped me to stay somewhat fit.

[cowdog]

I can do 7 or 8 but it hurts me the next few days. I'm talking about hills and such ... not flat ground.

[Eastcoasting]

When I was 40 I did 11 miles each way into Shenandoah (some pretty solid elevation loss and gain) with a pack that was over 70 lbs on the way in and about 25 lbs on the way out 5 days later.

That hike in almost did me in, the downhills were worse than the up. I normally wouldn't have packed so heavy but I had to offload some from a buddy who was to darn pudgy to have made it otherwise.

That was a while ago, figure without too much work I could handle a 35-45 pound pack. As for distance, that completely depends on the terrain and temp, especially on temp.

As I get older I'm just a delicate flower when it comes to heat.

[OhioToCO]

I hike 14ers, it's anywhere between 8 to 15 miles round trip with elevation gain of 3,000 - 4000 ft, and the problem is not the distance but lack of oxygen. I start to get winded at 12,000 and need to take frequent breaks (but so is almost everyone). I usually don't carry much with me, so no heavy pack. My kids are swimmers, they are amazing at elevation, must be all that exercise with limited breathing.

With a 30lb pack on a flat terrain I can hike 15 miles a day without getting seriously tired. But I've been backpacking since I was 11. Exercising regularly helps to keep in shape.

[Larry Caldwell]

I can walk to my back fence and back without feeling like I exercised. That's a round trip of about a mile. The toughest hike I did last summer was a mile down the creek and back, through waist deep water and over several 6' high log jams, carrying a 60 lb. dog with a broken leg on the way back. Said dog was in pain and not happy about the process. I was ready for a nap after that one. I'm 70 years old. All the parts still work, just slower than they used to.

[ColoGuy]

If the SHTF and one thinks they can backpack around and survive.....well.....good luck with that!

For a few months...sure. I just don't think that things can be "rebuilt" in a few months. I might be inclined to think of a 3-4 year plan. The big, really big, problem with that is the $$$ involved in preparing for that.

Every generation has thought it was the final generation. Having said that....I remain certain that the "enemies at the gate" at currently larger and more numerous that what I have seen in my short 58 years.

I do a lot of hiking but that is for the dogs and myself. Never crossed my mind that it makes me a more effective prepper. If I have to leave my place....I would consider the fight to be pretty well lost. I am not going to make emergency caches in the wilderness. Just....No.

How far can I hike? If I had to....I think I could 20 miles as far as I know. I would be quite sore for a long time however.

[katharsis]

I'm a 63-year-old woman, and I often walk five or more miles a day, but on level ground and NOT with a heavy pack. (I can lift a 40 pound box and carry it about 20 feet, though.)

When I was about 30, I once walked 15 miles in just under four hours, and I could probably do it again if I had to, but not with aheavy pack and not uphill.

If the SHTF, I would stay put.