Cabin Fever or Complaining THAT I NEED DIRT UNDER MY BOOTS!!!

[Love the Sierra]

Hi all,
How many of you are going stir crazy???
We live in CA because we love to spend our lives outdoors, right? So, now, since the summers are smokey and hot, we lose 2-3 good months a year. However, I still love winter and spring for skiing, hiking, backpacking, trail running and other joys. Not as good as summer was, but great nonetheless.
NOW we have all this glorious snow in the mountains and ALL of the roads are closed, the entire Los Padres Forest, (Our local mountains) is closed and it looks like there is no quick end to it! UGGG all of this inactivity is making me restless and fat.
I try to work out in my home gym, but it is so boring. I need a good butt burning hike or run. I need dirt under my boots!!!
Does anyone feel the same?
What are you doing to stay sane and in shape? 30 minutes to and hour in the gym is just not the same as a good hike!

[c9h13no3]

Absolutely. I don't have a home gym or membership, all my exercise is outside. This near constant rain isn't what I moved to California for! I want a refund on my ludicrously high rent!

I've been hiking to my local waterfalls. Even if the parks are closed, there's always places you can go if you're just discreet. But it does narrow your options down. I've also been giving my local "paved trails" tons of miles, you know the no-car bike paths through the woods. They're starting to lose their luster as well though. One can only run the Stanford Dish so many times.

[Wandering Daisy]

Being retired I have the luxury of taking advantage of windows of good weather when they happen. I also have lots of great walking right from my front door. Went down to the American River yesterday (mile from my house); grasses lush green, poppies blooming, trees budding out, river level high and amazing. Nobody seems to be out except a few people walking dogs. Trails are a bit muddy. Embrace the rain! There is one piece of gear that is very helpful-- umbrella. I also walk in the rain- good test of my raingear. Pretty much get 4-5 miles a day.

I normally would be doing one or two early season backpacks in Henry Coe or Point Reyes. Have not done these, not so much weather as the cost of these trips (gas and fees) is getting more than my budget.

[sparky]

i live in southern california so I have huge desert regions to get my fix

[Love the Sierra]

Yes, I too am walking our local front country trails. We have one little peak that is extremely pretty with excellent views of the ocean, Channel Islands, mountains to our north, east and south east. It is about 7 miles with a 1,200’ elevation gain. …But how many times can a person hike the same trail?
Just our neighborhood has little hills and I walk about two miles a day after work, run or shine. …But none of this is a high altitude butt burner!!!

[Lenier]

Tulare county resident here, maybe I should buy a kayak to get some exercise in

[Wandering Daisy]

A friend of mine just got back from two overnight trips in Joshua Tree and said it was wonderful. Not peak flowers yet, but they are starting to bloom. She is also headed to the southwest next week for a long trip from Zion to Grand Canyon. I bet Death Valley is at its prime for hiking now. Lots of alternative places to go.

Being retired, I get many high mountain days backacking in the summer and fall, so urban walking or lowland hikes work fine for me. Also, I get dirt under my feet gardening.

As for summer, I am not getting Sierra permits yet. IF things get really bad with access I may just go back to Wyoming. So far they are having a bit over average snowpack.

[John Harper]

As for summer, I am not getting Sierra permits yet. IF things get really bad with access I may just go back to Wyoming. So far they are having a bit over average snowpack.

Yes, I'm skipping my traditional golden trout backpack trip in June and headed straight for Wyoming this summer.

John