How is the heat affecting your hiking?

[Joseph Collins]

I didn't hike at all this past weekend because I worked all weekend and really got to enjoy the heat/humidity first hand. I'm wondering how this heat wave is affecting everyone's hiking plans. It is risky to get out there during a day when the heat index is over 100 degrees. Has everyone postponed hikes until this bad heat passes?

[Daniela Wagstaff]

The heat is making me drive far, far away to keep up my weekly hiking.  Yesterday I went to Mount Greylock, MA where there was gorgeous weather on the other side of the cold front coming down this way.  Drove through drizzle all through New York but the rain was already out of the area I was hiking in when I got there.   Could feel the humidity in the valley but up high, wow, wonderful dry breezes!  It was a long day - left at 6:30 am and did not get back home until 12:30 am.  But worth the trip - absolutely gorgeous up there and it was so nice to catch a break in this heat wave.  I usually head for the Catskills, too, when it gets too hot here.

[njHiking.com]

With only so many days a year that aren't spent working, we can't afford to be too choosy about weather if we want to get out... but the extreme summers/winters are making that harder than it used to be.

In the summer we try to pick routes that are shady, if possible. Starting last summer, it was getting so hot sometimes that it just wasn't that enjoyable on the trail, and we started skipping it entirely or we'd go bike riding on towpaths/rail trails instead.

This summer, the extreme temps seemed to start even earlier than last year, and we've postponed hikes or gone bike riding instead. Saturday was our only day free this weekend and it just so absurd out that we decided not to even try for an early morn ride.

 

Dawn

[njHiking.com]

Daniela - you sure put some crazy driving time in some weekends... does Shawnee share driving duties? LOL.

 

Dawn

[Daniela Wagstaff]

I wish Shawnee had her driver's license but unfortunately, she only has her dog license.  My son came along this time so he drove home - that was real treat!  Thing is, I work from home so it's not a big deal for me to do some heavy duty driving on the weekends.  If I had to commute 5 days a week, I am sure I would feel much differently about it.

[William and Marieann Bannan]

I have done very little hiking this year.. a lot of my hikes are during the week since I work weekends, so I often go by myself. I don't feel overly safe doing it by myself if its extremely hot.  I've been sticking to mostly shorter local hikes, although me and the wife are heading to Springer Mtn and Ana Ruby Falls in GA next week, so should do a lot of mileage there

[Linda Frank]

One steamy Saturday found us in Valley Forge, Pa.  aka: "Mosquito Central".  I think even the most environmentally-unfriendly, un-green, toxic bug spray wouldn't have the least effect on those hordes of bloodsuckers.  It made me ultimately invest in one of those mosquito netting thingys to wear over my head.  Haven't used it yet, but at least I'll be better prepared. (Don't you hate when they insist upon flying up your nose?)

Another hot Saturday found us at Round Valley Reservoir in NJ. Not buggy thanks to it being mostly in the open, but H O T!!!  A third attempt to brave the heat proved to be the most rewarding as far as marginally more bearable weather-wise: a revisit to Dunnfield Creek/Sunfish Pond, NJ. Going up was great, if not a bit buggy even for early in the morning.  Going back down the rocky AT from Sunfish, however, was like walking on hot coals.  Now I know what a brick oven pizza feels like. :(

We've thankfully managed more than those three hikes so far this summer, but we debated the most about doing these particular ones because each came with the more dire heat predictions the night before.  Hate to wish time away, but I truly can't wait for cooler (and drier) weekends ahead.   Unfortunately, while this upcoming weekend looks to be a bit  cooler, it doesn't appear likely to be any drier courtesy of Hurricane Irene. 

Oh, well, at least let's hope we can all be 'earthquake free' from now on!