26 March 2018
OK, I admit it, I severely overdid it today. I was so tired when I got back to the car, I could hardly walk. My ankles were aching and my right knee tried to go out several times. I can walk uphill, albeit very slowly, all day but the downhill kills me. It was worse in the trail was steep at the beginning and at the end, so coming down really pounded my hips, knees, and ankles.
To add to the fun on the downhill, it started to rain and the rocks got very slick. The trip to the top of Guadeloupe Peak should take the average hiker 6-8 hours. It took me 9 1/2. The wind was so strong that several times it almost blew me over. After I got down, I headed for Carlsbad and pizza. When I got into the restaurant I started to get chills. They finally stopped after I ate something, so I may have been out of energy. I ate four times en-route to the top so I don’t think I was low on fuel but how else to explain the chills? One benefit was my cough/cold seemed much better.
Even with the total exhaustion (it’s a four Advil night) I was thrilled to make it to the top. Considering my age, I think this is the greatest physical challenge I’ve ever had. Boot camp was not as physical as this and Coast Guard boot camp is extremely rigorous.
I rose at 6 am and had a quick breakfast and was on the road to Guadeloupe Mountains National Park by around 8:15 am. I forgot Texas is on Central time so when I arrived at the park, it was already 9:30 am. I was on the trail shortly after. The trailhead intersects with a horse trail at mile 0.7. As you steadily climb, you eventually come to a cliff where people with horses are told to dismount and walk their animals along the ledge. That is a mile 1.5.
Later, you come to a neat bridge and you are again required to dismount if on a horse and walk them across.
You reach the back country campsite at 3.25 miles and you still have 1 mile to go to the summit – all uphill, sometimes hand over hand. Everyone passed me on the trail. I passed no one except those coming back down. In the end, I was the last person on the mountain – not my preference – but I had to stop and rest the knees more frequently the further I hiked downward.
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The scenery is drop dead beautiful. The sky was overcast and the temperature was in the 60’s so it was perfect hiking weather. The only drawback was the wind.
It was so powerful at the summit, you could only last up there for a few minutes. At the summit, they have an army surplus ammo box with a journal. You sign your name for posterity and replace it in the ammo box. Everyone did exactly what they were supposed to do and no one abused the journal. Hikers are just great people.
As you might guess, there was one runner who ran to the summit. I fully expect to see him in the next Olympics.
As steep as our trail was, there was another that was even steeper. I shudder to think of even trying to get up that trail.
Tomorrow is likely to be a recovery day. I’ve already put the “do not disturb” sign on the hotel door. Speaking of hotel, I am ecstatic that I ended up having to get a hotel. I could not image camping out tonight in my physical condition.
