Baby it's HOT outside!!

[Gary M]

I was wondering how folks were dealing with the heat wave. It's been 102 to 106 deg. F here in the Midwest, so I've had to really get an early AM start and cut back on the miles/hours spent on the trail. Just carrying enough water is a challenge!

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

Hey Gary,

Mornings and evenings are definitely the time to hike these days. Just trying to hold out a bit longer over here for when the forecast is calling for temperatures a bit closer to normal - Here it looks like temps will start dropping later this week. While we are lucky enough to only be around 98-100 here during the day it's with no A/C in the house so we might as well be out on the trail!

[Ambersdad]

Gary,

I was car camping for a few days last weekend. It was hitting 90 by 10:00am. I like to put ice in my 3 liter bladder and wrap it with a kitchen towel so the condensation inside my day pack doesn't get other things wet. A cold drink and wetting down my hat helps keep things more comfortable for me.

Aaron,

100 with no air doesn't sound very pleasant.

[Gary M]

Mornings indeed! I was out the door at 4:30 am, and just got back from about 3 hours on the actual trail. The local forecast is for 106 this weekend, so be prepared!

I work in the Long Term Health Care Service Industry, and so I spend lots of time in nursing homes. Skin cancer is a major problem with men especially 70 and older. I encourage everyone to wear a top quality sunscreen and do not leave the house without a hat. The bigger the better, no exceptions! You can thank me later.

Ambersdad, I've used the ice idea since I was a kid, but I have to say I was never sharp enough to wrap it in a towel to deal with the condensation. I will now, thanks!

[Stick]

In these temps, I don't think that there is any staying cool unless staying inside with the AC on! On a previous hike in the Smokies, I ended up trying to sleep in my undies and couldn't bare to pull my quilt up over me...it is just hot. Plain and simple...

Aaron, no AC in the house! I know the feeling...on our return trip this past weekend we came home to an AC with the compressor out. So, it was rather warm inside. Then when it started raining later in the evening I became excited since I knew that the rain would cool things off at least some, but then lightening struck not far from the house and blew our power out, so we couldn't even use the fans to circulate the cooler air around... luckily though, it was restored in about 2 hours, and they put in a new central unit the next morning...

[Ambersdad]

Ambersdad, I've used the ice idea since I was a kid, but I have to say I was never sharp enough to wrap it in a towel to deal with the condensation. I will now, thanks!

The towel also helps insulate the bladder too. Keeps you in cold water for 4 or 5 hours in heat like we are having now.

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

No A/C here but it's doable - While it gets hot (Record hot recently) during the day, the temperature drops so much at night that if you open all the windows, then seal everything up in the morning... It can tide you over through the day until the temps drop again. Lately we've been in the high 90's + during the day but 50's at night. However, despite this technique there have definitely been a few times during the days where I've been wishing for an A/C unit with the record highs we've been having.

[ADKinLA]

Growing up in the East, the Summer was always the time to hike but here in SoCal, counter-intuitively, its the time to stay in. I definitely find that hiking in the mornings is better than going later in the day but man I hate dragging myself out of bed. I think I need to hike in the Southern Hemisphere since its Winter there right now (now if only my boss will approve the 6 month transfers!)

[Stick]

The last few trips I have been on has been so hot at night that I didn't really get much sleep at all...and what sleep I did have was not very great... So, I am definitely looking forward to the cooler weather, which I hope is around the corner... The last few mornings here at home have been cool when getting up to go to work, however, a few hours later and the thought of a cool day is gone... but, that is a start!

My wife and I will be up in the Roan Highlands next month and I am really looking forward to some cold (not cool) weather then...