Date: 2007-04-01
To: Conditioning hike
Miles today: 0.0

Yesterday I took a wonderful conditioning hike. Andrew's parents were here to help with baby and William and I took advantage of that to get a conditioning hike in. I will see more of baby and help more after Andrew's parents go back home later in the day.I chose a hike up Miller Peak (9,456 ft) in the Huachucas because it was relatively close (trail head about a half hour drive from Sierra Vista, has a 3,000 ft elevation gain and a nice substantial length (11 miles round trip). Kathy and I had been doing a bit greater elevation gain doing Mt Si in Washington but that is a shorter hike (8 miles). I needed to get a bit more miles in as my first day on the AT will be 13 miles. The first three days on the AT will be 13, 14 and 13. That is a little much to start out but that is how the shelters worked out to get to Newfound Gap and a hitch to Gatlinville and I did not want to take 4 days to do it. So...I had best be in reasonably good shape before I hit the trail.I snuck out of the house quietly by 6:20 and was at the trail head by 7:15 after a quick stop at the visitor's center at Coronado National Memorial. As I came out of the visitor's center restroom and prepared to drive up to Montezuma Pass and the trail head I counted more than a dozen beautiful hawks circling overhead. I don't think I have ever seen so many at one time before. Cool way to begin a hike!When I got to the trail head I said good morning to the Border Patrol person in the parking lot (Coronado National Memorial is right on the border with Mexico) and started out. It was cold to start with and a good Arizona wind blowing too. I actually started with my down jacket on and the hood up as well as my REI ballcap with flaps. My pack was 30 lbs including the fresh lunch fixin's added to everything I will take from Fontana Dam which also includes lunches and breakfasts for all of the Smokies and a couple dinners until I reach Gatlinburg. It is a little heavier than I want as I won't even have a tent until after the Smokies. Oh well.The first 2 miles are a steady uphill pull mostly in the open on a rocky path with a few switchbacks to the edge of the Memorial. There is a beautiful view back to the parking lot and I could see my car (actually Sara and Andrew's car) was still there. Reassuring. Although with the presence of the Border Patrol and tourists later in the day I suppose that parking lot is relatively safe. That is the last view of the parking lot on this hike. I shed my coat in half a mile as walking uphill fires the internal furnace.From there the trail is kind of uppy-downy with a general upward trend through some nice trees and then scrubby bushes, crossing a ridge, going through a picturesque patch of agave and other desert plants, becoming more and more rocky. There were more trees and more rock and rough trail in the last mile and a half, which made the trail interesting and gave opportunity for more pictures (taken on the way down - when I am going uphill I just concentrate on going uphill). The last half mile or so there were patches of snow left from the storm a week ago. What was left was pretty solid and icy but not difficult to get by. I made it to the top in 3 and a half hours. I am sure that was not spectacular time but I thought it pretty good for this old lady with a full pack. The views were incredible. Miller Peak is the highest peak in the Huachucas and therefore the view was 365 degrees around to a large part of Southern Arizona and a big chunk of Mexico too. I called Sara and told her I was on top so she would not worry, pulled out my thermorest and put it over some nice smooth rocks that looked like a recliner and had a delightful early lunch and relaxing hour luxuriating in the views. Lovely! As I was ready to head back down a 20 something young man arrived so I even got my picture taken on top. Going down I took a number of scenic pictures. Going down took me a bit longer than I thought it should but I was down in 2 hours and 40 minutes, taking a 15 minute break to peel my shirt and take some tylenol for aching feet at the 2 mile marker. My feet were hurting pretty good (normal for me) and I was definitely tired by the time I got to the car about 2:40 but also rather pleased with myself. I think I will manage those first three days in the Smokies OK. Add another couple miles and another thousand feet elevation gain spred out over the day. I will definitely be tired but I think I will be able to make my shelters as scheduled.Being in Sierra Vista for a couple weeks and getting in a few high elevation hikes has to help add a few red blood cells too which cannot hurt going through the Smokies. And Yeah! although I was very tired after my hike yesterday, today I have NO sore muscles!Upon my return and after a shower I had a delightful evening fixing salads and holding baby Matthew. And during the night William consented to let Grandma hold him and get him back to sleep when he woke in the middle of the night, saving Sara and Andrew a little bit of sleep as they delt with Matthew who, as is often true of newborns, has his days and nights mixed up.