Question for Easterners who have Ventured West!!

[njdoxie]

Everybody's different, too many variables, just because someone else did/didn't do something, doesn't mean you'll be able to do or not do something. Just get in the best shape possible.

 

[MtnOyster]

How rough is the hiking in the mountains out west?? I have never been west of Kentucky and have genuine concern about getting in shape. Don't want to go out and be miserable. Main reason I ask is because I exercise very regular, usually 4-5 times a week. Sometimes the hills I hunt in Kentucky have me grabbing my knees at the top. Just wanting to be real with myself on expectations. Thanks for the help.

I’m from ky too and there’s a few things you can do to prepare for altitude differences

1 I put a treadmill on 12% incline with my pack on and hiked outside uphill every chance I could

2 start drinking plenty of water a couple days ahead of time

3 stop and stay a night first at a lower altitude before you go to where your going to hunt, we stop at limon ,CO and stay a night after 14 hours driving

4 last but not least remember there’s YMCA strong then there’s mountain strong, kinda goes back to 1, less powerlifting and more cardio with what you will be hiking and hunting in

5 pace yourself and you’ll be fine.

 

[SWOHTR]

4 last but not least remember there’s YMCA strong then there’s mountain strong, kinda goes back to 1, less powerlifting and more cardio with what you will be hiking and hunting in

Not necessarily. I spent the last 14 months focusing on weights, with conditioning 2-4x/week and hit numerous strength PRs and run time PRs I haven't seen in 2+ years. I never felt so capable in the mountains. Everyone's different, though!

 

[MtnOyster]

Not necessarily. I spent the last 14 months focusing on weights, with conditioning 2-4x/week and hit numerous strength PRs and run time PRs I haven't seen in 2+ years. I never felt so capable in the mountains. Everyone's different, though!

How old are you SWOHTR?

 

[PF_JM]

It really depends on the area, and style of hunt. Where I have been in Colorado seemed pretty easy but where I have been in Idaho breaks me off. You can't be in too good of shape and the better shape you are in will definitely improve your hunt.

 

[SWOHTR]

How old are you SWOHTR?

29 going on 50. Sleep apnea is the devil...

 

[Poser]

1. A solid strength foundation.
This takes the longest to develop but also has the most longevity. Being strong buffers the amount of time until muscle fatigue sets in under load, it allows you to reach a state of conditioning relatively quickly, and it helps keep you injury free.

2. Conditioning: this comes quickly, especially with a strength base, and it also goes quickly.

3. You need the ability to recover from long efforts. This is probably the most taxing part. You can show up in good shape but lack the ability to recover from sustained efforts. Your "peaking" stage should focus in on this aspect. I don't see a reason to do long, sustained training unless you are gearing up for something requires it, but with a strength foundation and a conditioning phase, this is also something that should come rather quickly.

I Strength train year around, add in conditioning when I need it (this tends to be beneficial when it is sport specific: Mtn biking gets you in conditioning shape for Mtn biking, hiking with a pack gets you in conditioning shape for hiking with a pack etc) and add in long efforts leading up to whatever requires long efforts. If I am going to do a bikepacking trip, for example, I need to be able to cover 40 miles a day for multiple days in a row so having the body conditioned to recovering from long days and being able to do it again then next day is key. Sometimes crossfitters talk about running, say, a marathon with no prep outside of Xfit, do respectably well in the race and then can't walk for a week. -that's lack of adaptation to sustained efforts. With probably just a couple of weeks of prep for that type of event, they'd recover just fine since the baseline fitness is already present.

It's not rocket science, but you don't need to deplete yourself into a hole year around unless you are doing endurance events all year. Otherwise, periodize training. It's a comfortable place to be in life when you can pretty much prep for any type of event with just a couple of weeks notice: bike race? Sure. I'll hop on the bike couple of times a week for a couple of weeks. Hunting trip? Sure. I'll throw on a pack and hump some hills a couple of times a week for a couple of weeks. Killing yourself to get in shape off the couch every year is a crappy way to go at it. Get fundamentally strong, Add in conditioning when you need it, and make sure you can recover from what you'll be doing if it's more than 1 day. It's that simple.


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[SWOHTR]

Poser speaks the truth!

 

[MtnOyster]

29 going on 50. Sleep apnea is the devil...

I lifted hard and heavy through out my 20's into my 30's, I noticed the bigger and stronger I got the cardio seemed to have gotten a little tuffer and I got more tired faster no matter how I ate, when I got into my late 30's into my 40's my joints were done from lifting off and on all those years, I concentrated on eating less and lost prolly 2/3's muscle mass and my cardio went through the roof, long story short muscle mass requires more oxygen that's why a heavy weight cant hang with a middle or light weight on long up hill grades for long periods of time, trust me, youll see.

 

[Tauntohawk]

get in the best shape you can and go and hunt to the level you are able.. You don't have to be Cam Hanes to hunt out west and be successful but being in shape will certainly help

 

[SWOHTR]

I lifted hard and heavy through out my 20's into my 30's, I noticed the bigger and stronger I got the cardio seemed to have gotten a little tuffer and I got more tired faster no matter how I ate, when I got into my late 30's into my 40's my joints were done from lifting off and on all those years, I concentrated on eating less and lost prolly 2/3's muscle mass and my cardio went through the roof, long story short muscle mass requires more oxygen that's why a heavy weight cant hang with a middle or light weight on long up hill grades for long periods of time, trust me, youll see.

I understand what you're saying and understand that a 29 year old is not the most experienced person in the world. At 18, I lost 40 pounds (of fat; 200 to 160) to join the Navy. Through college, I always ran and maintained my weight at about 165 and a 9:10ish 1.5-mile run, with my record half-marathon time being a 1:32 and change. Then I started lifting, and I think my squat max was sub-200. So, while I could run fast, I couldn't move much of anything. Since then (2010ish), I've balanced running, lifting, and life events (deployments, school, fatherhood). While my mile-and-a-half time is now 10:40ish and my weight is more near 190, I can move what I think is a respectable amount of weight (although you won't see me in a powerlifting meet). I consistently hit lifting PRs (squatted 345 for the first time ever the other day) and can up and run a few miles if I need to, at a sub-8:00 pace. Point being, be balanced and find what works for you.

 

[bwlacy]

I'm from Michigan and did P90X and weighted pack hikes and stairs for my first trip in 2015. I lost about 20 pounds and could carry a 70lb pack no problem by the end of the summer. We did a back country hunt and my pack was around 70 pounds for a 10 day hunt. Hoping to lighten that up a little for next fall. We spent the first night at the trail head at about 8500 feet then up the mountain the next morning. Within the first half mile I noticed the thinner air but just got used to it. We camped at 11,000 that first day and I was physically tired but not wore out. I was 45 then and hadn't worked out since my early 20's while in the Air Force.

Get in the best shape you can. Drink lots of water, take breaks when you need to, eat well, and it will be fine. The only issue I had with the elevation was not being able to sleep at night even though I was tired. I'll take some sort of sleep aid on my next trip. If you are truck camping and not going to pack in you still need to be able to carry a heavy load to get one out.

I'll also say that the pack frame you use has a lot to do with the amount of weight you can carry comfortably.

Enjoy the suck and have fun!

 

[blackdawg]

x2 Poser speaks the truth, follow his Great recommendations. I also like to have 24 hours below 9500 feet to ease into the higher altitude. Drink water, lots of it and you will be good.

 

[taz_gerstman]

So here is my two cents worth. Some friends and I went to New Mexico for a guided archery elk hunt last year and it was great. Rough country where we were. We are from North Alabama at that. I am no expert but I can give you my opinion based on my experience. It is always good to get into shape. I would recommend cross fit or something that really increases cardio but not just that, your recovery time is important as well. I didn’t do a lot of weight lifting. Muscles require oxygen and food, lots of it. I would say get out and walk as much as you can with a decent pack and your boots or for that matter wear what you will hunting. Weight is the key on a western hunt. If you don’t need it it don’t go. I did a major bag clean out the first day I got back to camp. However in my opinion no matter how in shape you are you still have to over come the fact of not knowing. Your mind will be very challenging for you because you have never done this type of hunt but after a day or so your mind and body will start to sync up and you will be fine. Also I recommend taking chewing gum. Worked great for me while out walking. It’s a joyful type of pain

 

[archer wapiti]

I found it was worse after a week than it was when I first got out here (and still the same when i go from a mile high where I live now to way high up). Problably just me, surely it's mental. Once the excitement wears off, that's when things get ugly.