MissySki
Angel Diva
That would be great, keep me in the loop when you start planning, would love to hike with you guys! I know, it's been way too long!!!
-
Women skiers, this is the place for you -- an online community without the male-orientation you'll find in conventional ski magazines and internet ski forums. At TheSkiDiva.com, you can connect with other women to talk about skiing in a way that you can relate to, about things that you find of interest. Be sure to join our community to participate (women only, please!). Registration is fast and simple. Just be sure to add [email protected] to your address book so your registration activation emails won't be routed as spam. And please give careful consideration to your user name -- it will not be changed once your registration is confirmed.
Hiking Groups
- Thread starter MissySki
- Start date
That would be great, keep me in the loop when you start planning, would love to hike with you guys! I know, it's been way too long!!!
tinymoose
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm jealous. If a creepy person is following you all in the woods and hiding behind things... it's probably just me.
lisamamot
Angel Diva
I am excited to be joining you on the Girls Who Hike outing - I used to hike quite a bit, but haven’t for years. Will be interesting too see what my knees think. I have several pairs of adjustable poles in the house so I must remember to grab a set of those!
@ride_ski - keep me in mind for Monadnock too! Have done it several times but again, not for quite awhile.
MissySki
Angel Diva
I'm definitely excited that you are coming as well!!! Maybe we should start a ski diva hiking group haha. There are many hikes I want to work up to. Oh and after spring yard cleanup Saturday and some exercising yesterday one of my knees was super displeased, I'll most definitely have hiking poles for Watatic! I think it's good for your knees to use them on most hikes, at least the way down, and I think they are helpful in general as well. That might come from having done more hiking and snowshoing in the winter with them though!
MissySki
Angel Diva
Awwww lol I so wish you lived up here!!
santacruz skier
Angel Diva
Diva hiking group sounds good.... I wanna go.
MissySki
Angel Diva
So this past weekend was the first hike I did with the group I found on Facebook, it was a great time! We had really nice weather, and it felt so good to get outside and exert myself. @lisamamot joined as well which was awesome, we got to ride together and found a fun brewery on the way home.
How did I do physically? I was huffing and puffing going up as expected, but it was manageable and got better as I went, plus we took plenty of water breaks. My legs felt a little heavy at some points, felt like my quads were weak so I need to work on that (shows how I didn't ski enough this year!!). Coming down is always the best feeling, after the summit of course. There are more hikes planned in May with the group, hoping I can attend at least one, but for some reason most are planned on a day I already have my REI backcountry navigation class scheduled and I really want to do that for future excursion skills!
Then in June there is going to be a crossover of the MA and NH chapters of this group to do a hike that's very high on my list in New Hampshire, but I'm just not sure if I will have the stamina by then to do it.. It's significantly longer and purported to be quite a challenging hike based on reviews. It's 8.5 miles and you have an elevation gain of ~3800 feet.. (reminder, our Sunday hike was a little over 3 miles and only ~800 feet of elevation gain..) The hike is the Franconia Ridge loop with Mount Lafayette. Has anyone here done it??? It looks spectacular!
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-hampshire/mount-lafayette-and-franconia-ridge-trail-loop
Our ambassadors state that we will probably break into 2 groups for faster and slower paces. They also rank it as a black on their scale and for experienced hikers (everyone needs to make the call if they are capable, and they said if you are doubtful you probably shouldn't do it.. but, I always kind of sell myself short on what I can do..). I've done this long of a hike in the winter before that was a 4000 footer and had significant elevation gain, but it was a few years ago, and yeah it took a long time and was hard.
Can I up my stamina that much in around 7 weeks?? If you think yes, please include some tips for cardio that aren't running!!
I was thinking even walking on my treadmill on a high incline could be beneficial added in with jumping rope that I need to get back to now that it's nice out. Of course I'd love to just get more in shape in the field on more hikes, but I certainly won't get out enough before then to make the difference I'd like to see..
Thoughts?
How did I do physically? I was huffing and puffing going up as expected, but it was manageable and got better as I went, plus we took plenty of water breaks. My legs felt a little heavy at some points, felt like my quads were weak so I need to work on that (shows how I didn't ski enough this year!!). Coming down is always the best feeling, after the summit of course. There are more hikes planned in May with the group, hoping I can attend at least one, but for some reason most are planned on a day I already have my REI backcountry navigation class scheduled and I really want to do that for future excursion skills!
Then in June there is going to be a crossover of the MA and NH chapters of this group to do a hike that's very high on my list in New Hampshire, but I'm just not sure if I will have the stamina by then to do it.. It's significantly longer and purported to be quite a challenging hike based on reviews. It's 8.5 miles and you have an elevation gain of ~3800 feet.. (reminder, our Sunday hike was a little over 3 miles and only ~800 feet of elevation gain..) The hike is the Franconia Ridge loop with Mount Lafayette. Has anyone here done it??? It looks spectacular!
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-hampshire/mount-lafayette-and-franconia-ridge-trail-loop
Our ambassadors state that we will probably break into 2 groups for faster and slower paces. They also rank it as a black on their scale and for experienced hikers (everyone needs to make the call if they are capable, and they said if you are doubtful you probably shouldn't do it.. but, I always kind of sell myself short on what I can do..). I've done this long of a hike in the winter before that was a 4000 footer and had significant elevation gain, but it was a few years ago, and yeah it took a long time and was hard.
Can I up my stamina that much in around 7 weeks?? If you think yes, please include some tips for cardio that aren't running!!
I was thinking even walking on my treadmill on a high incline could be beneficial added in with jumping rope that I need to get back to now that it's nice out. Of course I'd love to just get more in shape in the field on more hikes, but I certainly won't get out enough before then to make the difference I'd like to see..Thoughts?
Last edited:
marzNC
Angel Diva
Of course you can!
Have you looked into HIIT much? I do the basic 7-min high intensity routine based on an app as a way to get started when I haven't exercised much or am traveling.
https://over50skifitness.blogspot.com/2017/12/7-minute-workout-based-on-hiit-to-do.html
Recently came across a book in a bookstore for women interested in high intensity work outs. It's nicely done with good pictures and explanations of a variety of exercises that are put together in assorted routines for different levels of fitness. Includes multi-day challenge ideas.
https://www.amazon.com/High-Intensity-Interval-Training-Women-Workouts/dp/1465435352
elemmac
Angel Diva
I did this loop a number of years ago...probably 10 or so years ago now. Still remains one of my favorites I've done. Once you get above tree line the views are incredible, and you stay above the tree line much longer than many of hikes in the Whites, since you go across the ridge. The down side is that the trail can get a bit busy...but that's because it is that good of a hike.
I'm a real bad judge of how hard or easy a trail is...I tend to just go, and worry about how sore I'll be later (not necessarily a recommendation). With that being said, it's definitely a tough hike, but honestly, I think anyone with decent stamina could do it.
If you haven't already, check out the White Mountain Guide Book from AMC by far the most comprehensive collection and descriptions of trails that I know of. I own a really old edition of the book, and I'm sure there's even a lot more information in the newer one. One awesome thing about it is it has a recommended amount of time to complete a hike. After doing a few of the hikes, you'll find out if you're consistently behind, ahead or pretty much right on what they have, and it becomes much easier to judge trails. It also comes with maps of the areas, which is always a good thing to have on the trail.
Can I up my stamina that much in around 7 weeks?? If you think yes, please include some tips for cardio that aren't running!!
Couple ideas of things you could do to get ready for a longer hike: Not sure what your lunch schedule looks like at work, but getting out and walking for half hour mid-day is a great way to get moving, and it's surprising how much it helps stamina...especially if you can add in a couple hills.
I recently got introduced to www.alltrails.com when I was trying to find some moderate hikes for my trip to Utah this summer. And after a quick search in the Boston area...there are so many trails. Many might be more of a walk than a hike, but with the days getting longer, I'm sure you could find a few short walks in the woods for after work. Maybe even post in the hiking groups you've been following, and see if anyone was in the area and wanted to join.
newboots
Angel Diva
Your rope-skipping will probably make for wonderful high-intensity intervals! I personally love stair-climbing. I have no idea why, but it's such a good bang for the buck and it's easy to be intense with it. I don't get bored with it like I do running, for some reason. I think it's the finite nature of whatever stairs or bleachers are available. I can push myself to the top for this short interval, then catch my breath going down. I definitely push myself harder on stairs/bleachers than I do in any other kind of exercise. Anything else, I want to slow down, or rest.
This is such a fantastic hike! I've done it many times, the most recent of which was 2 years ago with my then 8-year-old son. We were racing some weather, so we moved at a pretty good pace, and bested "book time" by about an hour. If the weather is good, take your time and you'll be fine. There is a lot of trail above tree-line, so beware if there's a chance of thunderstorms. You'll pass the Greanleaf Hut on the decent from Lafayette, and you can stop in for a snack (homemade treats and bread) before the final push back to parking lot. Enjoy the views. I'm hiking it with my 7-year-old in early July.
MissySki
Angel Diva
The only HIIT workout I've done previously was Insanity.. super effective, but I hated it. Certainly something a little more gentle might be okay to try.
marzNC
Angel Diva
Fair to say that as someone who didn't start thinking about ski conditioning until after age 55, the way I've used HIIT for improving cardio endurance is not similar to how Insanity workouts were designed. To get the benefits of HIIT can be done in as little as 3 minutes. 7-10 minutes a few times a week can be very effective. The first link I put in Post #50 includes a video of a 7-min workout, as well a progression from easy to hard when getting started.
santacruz skier
Angel Diva
Great hike! I usually don't train at all for hikes but walk/run/bike daily/frequently. That hike seems similar to the one I posted (from all trails.com) - Mt Tallac in Tahoe 3290 elev gain and about 10.5 miles. There were exposed (no trees) parts of the Tahoe hike that made the sun almost unbearable but so much fun.
You'll be fine.
You'll be fine.
lisamamot
Angel Diva
My husband and I did this hike but it was likely 20 years ago...wow. We did it in the fall and didn't get onto the mountain early enough and were kind of racing the setting sun on the way down; it is definitely a lengthy and challenging hike but I was in no way in better shape at the time than you are now. You can totally do this! I don't believe I was in any better shape then, but I did have much younger knees. I am planning to do the hike as long as I feel like my knees will hold out. Hoping to scoot up and do Monadnock sometime in May, and then think of another hike, likely in NH, so I can gauge how the knees will handle a longer steeper ascent/descent.
Abbi
Ski Diva Extraordinaire
I'm having Jane Fonda flashbacks!! And also the ugly days I filled in teaching aerobics (this girl can't dance!!) in grad school. LOL! Have to try this but make sure there is oxygen nearby!! This IS a good cardio workout. Thanks!!
MissySki
Angel Diva
Ah yes, I've been looking to get the white mountain guidebook, I need to pull the trigger. I need to get a map as well. I know I can do the hike itself in theory, but the pace worries me in a group, though this time I think they are going to break up into a faster and slower group. I did Moriah when I was in better shape a couple of years ago, and that is 8.2 miles and over 3k of elevation gain so quite similar. It was in the winter and I don't remember how long it took round trip. I know it took 4 hours to get up top though from picture timestamps, which sounds like a long time when some reviews I've seen online have people doing Franconia Ridge in 4-5 hours total "with a few breaks". I think the times proposed for the two groups if I'm reading the invite correctly are 4.5 and 6 hours for this hike. I'm pretty darn sure there is no way I'd ever be in the 4.5 hour group, not sure about 6 (if it did in fact take me 4 hours to get up Moriah (though on snow and ice with microspikes) I'd think you aren't halving the time going down right? So maybe 7 total would be realistic if all things were the same?
Not sure, but I'll definitely be working out and hope to tackle 1 or 2 other hikes before then that are a bit more challenging than Watatic to gauge how it goes.
I like the idea of getting outside at lunch since the weather is getting warmer. Not sure what is around exactly in Cambridge, though so I'd need to scope it out. I am not too far from the Charles River path that I always see people biking and running on, but that's by car so I'm not sure how long it would take me to get there on foot. I'll have to give that website a try and see what it comes up with around here.
