High Sierra Topix

How many of you experience "Wilderness Fog" and need a readjustment or a getting used to period once back civilization? How long does being in the wilderness affect your interactions with others and/or getting back into the flow of work again? Do you readjust faster after shorter trips as opposed to longer ones, or is it about the same after most trips? Does going solo make any difference? Do you readjust quicker if you go with a group? Does going crosscountry, away from other hikers make the readjustment time longer and does the experience fade away slower for you?

Wilderness Fog: Where ones mind continues to be in the wilderness, heightened agitation or annoyance of heavy traffic or large crowds and difficulty on concentrating at work because you mind is still in that perfect basin or on top of the 14000ft peak.

Mav,

Do you mean the hundreds of unread emails after a week out?

Personally, I feel heavy but content when I return from a week long trip. Not sure how to describe "heavy." It's not a weight thing and not tired either. Usually I travel with one or two others, so it's not about being anti-social where I need to readjust to people.

Cross country has no effect either way. Actually, that stimulates the brain better than a trail schlog.

Personally, I feel heavy but content when I return from a week long trip. Not sure how to describe "heavy." It's not a weight thing and not tired either. Usually I travel with one or two others, so it's not about being anti-social where I need to readjust to people.

Does the "heaviness" start when you get home or work Russ? How long does it last?

On one trip I went to Mc Clure Meadow, a lake above it, went back to the JMT, Orchid, Apollo (great fishing that time), Cirque (LO day), camped in the direction of Chamberlin Lake, and to Chambelin where I was looking for a ride back to Florence. It was Labor Day so there were people there. After a short while there I asked them for a ride and of course the said yes. I had not talked to anyone for 4 days and it was a little uncomfortable talking to them but I had to because I REALLY wanted that ride. You need to know I am a REALLY gregarious person but I didn't want to talk to anyone. I talk probably more than anyone you know.. Being alone can do a real number in your head. I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.

maverick wrote:

Personally, I feel heavy but content when I return from a week long trip. Not sure how to describe "heavy." It's not a weight thing and not tired either. Usually I travel with one or two others, so it's not about being anti-social where I need to readjust to people.

Does the "heaviness" start when you get home or work Russ? How long does it last?

I think it's the body readjusting to life at sea level. nothing more, nothing less.

This is the only pic I have of one of those lakes. It was taken by a backpacker at Apollo Lake and sent to me. We didnn't catch one fish from Apollo on that trip dispite the fact I caught 10 large golden (and ate them all) on my firsr trip there.

Mike at Apollo.

I talk to people for a living, and it can be tough to get my head in the room with them after a weekend of high Sierra. I just readjusted as of Wednesday, and now I'm turning around and going right back out tomorrow.

Oh, well.

I start getting readjustment fatigue before I even get to the trailhead. Especially after many days solo not meeting anyone. Then you get hit by tons of day-hikers, smells of freshly washed clothing (I can smell Tide from a mile!) and all the chit-chat. Once I was out a week and never saw a person. I purposely avoided a person that I spotted in the distance because I did not want to talk. It is kind of funny actually talking out loud after a week of total silance. I am not inclined to talk out loud to myself. I have been on 14-day trips and only met a few people. A few times when I met people I trip, fall in a creek or do something else stupid. Very embarrising.

The easiest thing to adjust to is a hot shower! I could care less about food.

The worst part for me is dropping from pure mountain air into the thick 100+degree smog of Sacramento. Ugh!! I always have a headache the first night and cannot sleep due to the heat. I do not mind the driving much. My route to the east side of the Sierra is quite nice - really a part of the entire trip. The west side (Sequoia) on the other hand is not a nice drive. Hwy 99 with all the trucks really drives me nuts. Hwy 49 and into Yosemite is not bad.

I was once on a 3-week ski mountaineering NOLS course in December in Wyoming. We rarely had a day above 0 degree F and most nights were down to -30 F. After that, going inside was like walking into an oven. You really do adjust to temperatures. Nice thing about winter is that you really do not get that dirty. Snow is pretty clean.

It helps if your family lets you decompress a day before making demands. My work was pretty interesting and self-directed so I never had much trouble going back to work. Now that I am retired, I find it easier to camp near the trailhead the last night, walk 2-3 hours to the car and then have a leisurely drive home and get there before rush hour traffic. My husband is sweet - he usually has a meal and wine for me (from the deli since he does not cook).

And unpacking and cleaning up the gear is a pain. Wish I had a maid to do that!

After even just a couple of days in the wilderness, I start to get more relaxed, calm, serene. Less clutter in my mind. More tuned into nature. Then it starts to unravel during the drive home dealing with traffic. If the next day is a work day, I feel all frenzied to "catch up", and the peace is all gone. Then I'm dreaming about going back to the mountains.
-Phil

Imagine what it's like to backpack over 500 days in your life and now be 73 with a bad heart and unable to go. That's me and that sucks. I hate bad traffic too.