Needed: Gentler Trails for Those Growing Old
Posted: Wed Dec 12, 2012 2:24 am
My darling wife and I are closing in on 60. Fortunately, mother nature has been kind to me; my body still is strong. I can't carry 110 lb. the way I once did, but I can still do 70. The joints have held up well too.
My sweet bride of 31 years has been facing the toll of age during the past two years. In Jan. of '11, during day 10 of Shingles in the right knee she slipped, breaking the right femur just behind the knee cap and tearing 6 tendons and ligaments that couldn't be repaired. In June of the same year, the principal at her school made her change classrooms and left it to her to move everything herself, on her own unpaid time of course. In pulling and pushing stuff, she tore the meniscus on the inner side of the left knee. Workers' Comp paid for the surgery in Dec. of the same year. With physical therapy, the knee seemed to heal fairly well. In the late spring, she was able to do day hikes in the foothills. We did a 1 nighter in Desolation in July (with me carrying all the gear for both of us), then day hikes at Pt. Reyes and Angel Island in the fall. Her left knee began to swell more and more. The doctors say it was a combination of phlebitis, inflamed veins and nerves both, and inflammation in the knee. The Orthopedist says the meniscus is not level from one side to the other, does not need more surgery for the time being, but will eventually need a knee replacement. He is giving her a series of cortical steroid injections that are bringing the swelling down. He says he does want her to continue exercising and that she should swim and do gentle cycling. My wife loves, however, to walk, especially to hike. He says that after she builds back her strength, she may hike again, but needs to hike on soft trails, avoiding rock surface and Sierra trails where the boots impact rocks on the trail. She also must carry no weight, needs to avoid uphill, and most especially, avoid downhill.
Well, that leaves out about 99% of the beautiful trails we are used to. I suppose we will have to look a lot more at the Coast Ranges. In the Sierra, I can think of one place that would meet the criteria, the West Walker River from Leavitt Meadow to the confluence with Kirkwood Creek. The valley floor is mostly soil from sediment that has washed in and there is not much elevation change. Fortunately, I have no problem carrying everything for the both of us and am thrilled to do so if it means she can hike/backpack with me.
I have quite a few trail guides, but there is a lot to sort through. I know we will find these short little jaunts in parks and stuff, but we want to still really get out into nature, into real wilderness. I would deeply appreciate suggestions for places you can think of that we might be able to day hike or backpack that also meet the doctor's guidelines: soft trail, very little elevation change (and none of it steep), but that are still some genuine wilderness. Thank you so much for your help!
My sweet bride of 31 years has been facing the toll of age during the past two years. In Jan. of '11, during day 10 of Shingles in the right knee she slipped, breaking the right femur just behind the knee cap and tearing 6 tendons and ligaments that couldn't be repaired. In June of the same year, the principal at her school made her change classrooms and left it to her to move everything herself, on her own unpaid time of course. In pulling and pushing stuff, she tore the meniscus on the inner side of the left knee. Workers' Comp paid for the surgery in Dec. of the same year. With physical therapy, the knee seemed to heal fairly well. In the late spring, she was able to do day hikes in the foothills. We did a 1 nighter in Desolation in July (with me carrying all the gear for both of us), then day hikes at Pt. Reyes and Angel Island in the fall. Her left knee began to swell more and more. The doctors say it was a combination of phlebitis, inflamed veins and nerves both, and inflammation in the knee. The Orthopedist says the meniscus is not level from one side to the other, does not need more surgery for the time being, but will eventually need a knee replacement. He is giving her a series of cortical steroid injections that are bringing the swelling down. He says he does want her to continue exercising and that she should swim and do gentle cycling. My wife loves, however, to walk, especially to hike. He says that after she builds back her strength, she may hike again, but needs to hike on soft trails, avoiding rock surface and Sierra trails where the boots impact rocks on the trail. She also must carry no weight, needs to avoid uphill, and most especially, avoid downhill.
Well, that leaves out about 99% of the beautiful trails we are used to. I suppose we will have to look a lot more at the Coast Ranges. In the Sierra, I can think of one place that would meet the criteria, the West Walker River from Leavitt Meadow to the confluence with Kirkwood Creek. The valley floor is mostly soil from sediment that has washed in and there is not much elevation change. Fortunately, I have no problem carrying everything for the both of us and am thrilled to do so if it means she can hike/backpack with me.
I have quite a few trail guides, but there is a lot to sort through. I know we will find these short little jaunts in parks and stuff, but we want to still really get out into nature, into real wilderness. I would deeply appreciate suggestions for places you can think of that we might be able to day hike or backpack that also meet the doctor's guidelines: soft trail, very little elevation change (and none of it steep), but that are still some genuine wilderness. Thank you so much for your help!