Backpacking - Heat Exhaustion and Bringing a Dog
It's summertime! And you know what summertime means: backpacking!
Ever since my first time backpacking 4 years ago, I made this trail into an annual trip of sorts. It's 30 miles of goodness filled with waterfalls, meadows, and beautiful alpine lakes.
And before anyone says that 30 miles is hardcore, let me preface by saying I go through the same motions on this trail every time — love the great outdoors, hate the switchbacks and hills, but I always leave the trail wanting to come back again the next year. Also, I know people who easily can do 15-20 miles in a day, so 30 miles in 2.5 days is probably a piece of cake to most backpackers, hah.
Anyway — this year, I've experienced 3 new things backpacking:
Backpacking with a dog
Dealing with rattlesnakes (more like running from them, actually)
Heat exhaustion
The Trip (first day)
Remember my friends who went on their first backpacking trip from this post?
Well, they’re back! I have to give them huge kudos for joining me on this trip and completing this trail with us. The weather really wasn't forgiving this weekend, but they made it and were also very good sports about it.
At our first campsite about 8 miles in. The original two sites we were thinking of grabbing were taken by a bigger group, so the 4 of us crammed into a smaller area off to the right. I bought some new camp chacos (definitely way better than using flip flops):
The view from where I was laying down. Relaxing to watch it sway in the gentle breeze:
Dinner the first night was a dry chicken noodle soup mix we had found at a supermarket a couple months back. We brought some spam singles to add to it, because spam is always a great addition to any backpackers meal.
Breakfast. Wild Zora Cacao Banana — 5/5 would recommend.
Pupper's First Trip
Kano (our pupper) did really well. Our main concern was that he might get too tired and decide to pancake halfway through our hike. The first day was 6 miles, 2nd was 14 miles, and 3rd day was 10 miles. Aside from plopping down frequently during the hotter hours of the day, Kano made it through the mileage just fine. We also found that he really loves laying on grass to cool himself down. Also, YES I would totally trust him to warn us about any wildlife inching creeping up towards our campsite.
He also accepted the tent and his sleeping bag rather easily, which was particularly cute.
We brought some extra webbing to set up a hitch system (inspired by the Ruffwear Knot-A-Hitch) at our campsite, so he could have a bit more independence to move around without straying farther than 8-10 feet from us.
Day 2 - The Rattlesnake
We encountered our first rattlesnake within the first mile of the trail. Another group of hikers on their way out warned us that they had just seen one slither across the trail. I didn't think too much of it at the time since I've seen rattlesnakes on this trail on previous years, but never at a campsite.
On the second day we made it to mile 11, where there are more developed campground with about 4 or 5 sites, spread out. Our plan was to drop off our packs, have a quick lunch, do a quick camp setup (put up our tent and throw our sleeping stuff inside), and then day hike to the lake and return for dinner. As we were picking spots to lay out our tent, my friends said they were going to put their tent elsewhere, because on the log right behind them... was a curled up rattlesnake, sleeping out in the open.
About half an hour later, all the tents are put up. Hitch system for the doggo is up as well.
Off we went to the lake! It was more strenuous than I remember to get there. Then again, I've been on covid lockdown for a few months so I'm pretty out of shape.
As usual, it was a sight to see:
My friends enjoyed a cool dip in the lake. Meanwhile, we attempted to dip our dog into the running stream but he wasn’t having it. No pictures of that mess.
After an hour at the lake, we trekked back to the campsite and made it just about an hour before sundown — and we spent half that time trying to figure out what to do about the rattlesnake who has decided to migrate from the log it was previously on, to a sitting log directly next to the fire pit. Long story short, we tried to scare it away and failed — so we moved our campsite to one about 50 feet away, just as the sunlight disappeared over the mountains.
Dinner the 2nd night:
Breakfast:
We tend to have lighter breakfasts on the last day to save time (and usually because we feast at a fast food place on our way home) and have less cleanup. Stroopwaffels are our go-to.
Heat Exhaustion - Day 3
Despite having a light breakfast, we ended up deciding to take it slow on our last day since we had trekked 15 miles the day before. This would turn out to be a huge mistake, because we ended up on the trail right when the temperatures were starting to hit its highest.
After about 3-4 miles, we stopped by this small waterfall really quick to have a small snack break and cool down.
And now it is high noon.
I've hiked back to the trailhead from the campground at least twice already, and once I hiked back from mile 13. I've never had any issues, aside from some knee pain due to continuous downhills. Sure, I'd be exhausted and my pack would hurt in all the usual places — but I've never felt exhaustion to the point of wanting to throw up and faint.
The weather was hotter than it was in the past 2 days. I'm sure it was high 80s, maybe reaching mid 90's at high noon. The breeze was non-existent, and the temperature in the shade really didn't feel much different than being in the sun. I was sweating more than usual and not taking in enough electrolytes to replenish what I was losing through sweat. I was drinking more than enough water, but not enough electrolytes. That mistake would lead to my downfall.
From the last 5 miles to the last 3 miles , every time I stopped, a rush of nausea and exhaustion would hit me instantly. I told myself I should drink more water, and just keep going slowly. Sitting down to rest helped a bit, but every time I continued on after resting, it only felt worse. I ended up dry heaving a few times (twice in front of another passing hiker, how embarrassing) and even contemplated napping for an hour to fight off the nausea. But the other half of our group was probably a mile or two ahead of us by now, and I didn't want them to worry.
Eventually, we sat down by the trail and B demanded me to finish off his electrolyte drink and rest up. Half an hour later, I started to feel a bit better, and managed to trudge my way back to the trailhead, where my friends were waiting for me.
After quickly explaining what happened, I dropped by pack by the car, and sat on the ground. We opened up the trunk of the car to get our snacks we stashed away in our 2nd bear can for this very moment.
Even Kano was tired.
Thank god, it was over. I’ve learned my lesson! Never going summer backpacking again without electrolyte mixes (Nuun is the brand we usually get, and I usually have some). We sat on the ground for half an hour resting up, and I was still recuperating a bit from nausea. Sour gummy bears have never tasted so good.
…But yeah, until next year! Hopefully I’ll actually be somewhat in shape again. I know Kano will be up for it.
