Alright folks, gathered my gear journal today to chat about prepping for that big mountain dream. Been buzzing lately about tackling higher peaks, so I figured I should actually plan it this time instead of just daydreaming. Here’s how it played out.
The First Mess-Up
Got super pumped two weekends ago looking at epic summit pics online. Just grabbed my dusty old boots from the shed and drove straight to a local trail with a decent climb. Big mistake. Felt okay starting out, smug even. But halfway up, my legs hated me, breathing was rough, and those boots? Ouch. Blisters the size of quarters by the bottom. Hobbled back to the car feeling wrecked.
Time For Actual Thinking
That slap-in-the-face failure made me sit down finally. Realized I needed actual prep. Not just enthusiasm. Started digging into how to not suffer next time. Jotted down a basic list.
Here’s what shook out as my seven must-do things before setting foot on a mountain trail again:
- Test Gear On Small Stuff: Put those hiking boots through their paces on flat trails first. Found out my toes jammed going downhill – needed a bigger size. Saved my feet big time.
- Stop Ignoring Cardio: Hit the stairs at work during lunch. Five minutes the first day almost killed me. Now up to twenty minutes and feel way less winded.
- Check The Damn Altitude: Didn’t even think about this before. Looked up elevation gains for my target mountain. Realized I needed time to acclimatize. Adding rest days at base camp now.
- Actually Look At Maps: Almost got lost on my test run because I relied on faded blazes. Downloaded offline maps on my phone this time. Printed a backup paper copy too.
- Train Like It’s Hard: Started doing walks with a loaded backpack. Just water bottles and books. Sweated way more than expected. Strength matters.
- For Real Snacks: Packed dry crackers once. Worst idea ever. Now testing energy bars and nut mixes. Figuring out what sits well when I’m moving.
- Tell Someone Where I Go: Used to just head out. Now text my sister the exact trail name and when I expect to be back. Safety net done easy.
Putting It To Work
Made a checklist sheet last night using these seven things as headings. Crossed off gear testing and cardio progress already. Filled in specifics for my target climb – got weather forecasts, route notes, all my gear laid out by the door. Feels less like blind luck and more like actually having a plan now.
Biggest change? Calmer excitement. Less butterflies, more solid readiness. Still prepping the conditioning and snacks, but already worlds better than that first painful disaster climb. Looking forward to reporting back post-summit!
