TR: Taboose trail to Bench Lake

[jamesfromvenice]

Hey,

Thanks for responding.

Yeah, I am going with lifelong friends. One is my brother, and another specifically said 'I'll stay with you and keep your pace etc..'.

Is it just physically hard, or more mentally. I am just trying to figure out how to modify my training to get me in better shape.

btw, they didn't say anything about any washouts or problems that are happening with the weather... there are current issues with the pass?

[jamesfromvenice]

Hey Everyone,

I am going up in 2 weeks to do the Taboose pass to Bench Lake.

My buddies are very experienced backpackers and go every year. They both said 'Taboose Pass' is tough, but that is all they said. I can't get detail reasons 'why its tough' etc.. because I am trying to 'get ready for it'.

I am a 50yrs old, with a small belly, trying to get in shape. I have a desk job, and been working for the past month trying to get in shape.

Currently, I am just really working on my 'hiking' workouts... no weight training.
1. 3 miles up/down the local hill with a 20lb vest 4-5x week
2. 1 hour on treadmaster at nights 4x week, at 8 - 15% incline (no vest)
3. 50 flights of stairs 1x week, with 20lb pack.

Of course, I am worn out.. my shins are very achy etc... I therapy them etc..

I don't know if I am ready because I don't know what the expectations are. When people say you need to be ready, I don't know what that means.

I haven't been overly active these last 10years.

Is there a basis in which I can determine if I will be ready?

[balzaccom]

There is no single or simple criteria for being in shape for this or any hike. Your workouts seem to be on the right track to me. But bear in mind that it all depends on the rest of your group. As the old line goes, you don't have to be faster than the bear...just faster than your hiking partners. I would make sure that they understand that you are willing to give it your best shot---but you will not promise to keep up with them every step of the way, You don't have to.

The one thing I would focus on from here on out is not a one-hour workout, but finding a rate of work (pace) that you can continue for quite a few hours. I can't tell you the number of times I have hiked with folks who start our really fast, and in fifteen minutes stop for a five minute break--and continue this for hours, with each rest getting a bit longer. Pick a good solid pace that you can maintain for at least an hour without stopping, and when you get to the hike, hit that pace. Don't go faster, even if your partners hike faster. Stick with your steady pace, and the miles will roll by.

And I should stress that the pace is a work rate for your body, not a MPH. Going uphill (which Taboose Pass does for a long time) will mean that you hike slower. That's OK. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other at your steady work rate, and you will get there.

And a note of caution. If you develop shin splints from your workouts, you won't be hiking anywhere. Take it easy, especially on the foot pounding, and make sure that you don't hurt yourself getting ready.

[jamesfromvenice]

Thanks.

I don't have the luxury of doing anything for hours cause of work/family, so I get my workouts late at night after everyone is asleep and during lunch.

I think my buddies are willing to go at my pace. I just don't want to "not do it".

Any advice on "Altitude sickness". I plan on taking some ibuprofen/ginko/chrolphyll etc..

But I am really worried about being "out of shape". I plan on going on a 7-10 mile hike this Sunday with a 20lb pack with one of the guys I am going with. He'll be able to determine if I am ready, I think. But in terms of that mileage/pack weight, would that be a decent barometer to measure my preparedness? Of course, this hike is is not ass "hard" in terms of elevation/grade.

Your thoughts?

[tahoe23]

Hi James,
I did Taboose Pass a couple years ago. I actually really like it because it gets you directly up into the High Sierra. When I did it I was a 50 year old women, not in particularly great shape , but I live in Tahoe. So I have the advantage of being acclimated to 6,000'. My recommendations are to bivy at the trail head. Get up early and get hiking up and out of the heat. Get your hat etc wet every time you cross the creek to stay cool. We ended up having to camp a couple miles before the pass due to lightening and rain. There are a few decent spots near water to set up a tent as you get higher and maybe if you plan on camping on the way up, it will ease your concerns. Then you can take your time and just put one foot in front of the other. You'll be fine. Enjoy!

[jamesfromvenice]

We are thinking of getting a hotel at lone pine area.. or closest hotel to it.. will that help acclimate? I assume its close, and I assume when you say 'bivy' you mean bivwack? camp out?

Thanks, you are easing my worry a little.

We are not gonna do it in one day, we are gonna take two days to do it.... get over and into Bench Lake.

[maverick]

We are thinking of getting a hotel at lone pine area.. or closest hotel to it.. will that help acclimate?

Lone Pine is 3700 feet, that is not going to help.

Sorry, but aren't your friends supposed to be experienced, have done Taboose before, they are responsible for you, as you are the least experienced member in the group, which also means they should be hiking to your abilities and not the other way around, they should know this.

You might be better off picking up your permits and hiking up a ways late in the afternoon/early evening, once the temps have gone down a bit, set up camp, and then get an early start beating the heat.

[SSSdave]

From your description of your physical condition, your lack of experience, and the nature of your questions, I would say the choice of Taboose Pass for a trip on a 1 to 10 scale is about a 2. By your questions, you don't seem to be aware of the amount of vertical involved. You related your friends are experienced but I wonder why they haven't clearly explained why it is so difficult? If they not explaining why to hide the (strenuous) reason, that is a bad attitude.

Your questions reflect a common way novices approach hiking/backpacking. They have not yet understood that backpacking difficulty in mountains is not primarily about how many miles but rather the primary parameter is how much vertical uphill and secondly how much one is carrying. Wilderness Press guidebooks for the Sierra rated vertical climbs of 2500 feet or more per day as strenuous. The trailhead is at elevation 5440 feet and the pass at 11400 feet with some ups downs ups. The vertical climb to the pass is over 6000 feet. Additionally the often quite rocky trail surface footing is relatively unpleasant.

There are many far easier places to backpack into.

[rightstar76]

.

[maverick]

Of course, I am worn out.. my shins are very achy etc... I therapy them etc..

Most likely due to overtraining, keep doing this and you will end up with chronic shin splints!

As said in my previous posting, which was lost, would highly recommend you do an alternate, much less strenuous re-intro to backpacking trip, instead trying to do one of the Big Eastern 4 Stair Climbers.