What's your longest hike with a heavy pack?

[Boboclown]

10 miles with about 60 pounds (wasn't just a pack). I wasn't necessarily trying to do 10 miles, it was just that long to the fishing spot. I could probably do more but I don't really think about doing that sort of thing. I'm a pack mule though, all the jobs I've had were manual labor.

The only thing I hate about hikes is wearing boots. Well, I hate footwear in general. I'll wear em if I'm forced to (hence why I buy shoes and boots, but not spend a lot of money on them).

 

[Stomper]

I'm shocked at all the people on here who have done such long hikes, with heavy packs, in such a short amount of time. Delta and SAS selection is 40 miles, with a 45lb pack, etc. with a time limit of 20 hours. How is it that so many people fail it if it's so common to be able to do such hikes in such short amounts of time?

Simple.... it's ALL about the psychologicals.


Most humans are PHYSICALLY capable of doing it, MOST are psychologically incapable of doing it. I learned REALLY FAST that where your mind goes your body WILL follow, failure is not an option because your buddy's lives depend on you.

I screwed up my right knee the second day in the Air Assault school, but I determined that I was going to make it through the first time, and I did. I saw many able bodied soldiers fall out and quit.

 

[Boboclown]

To add to what Stomper said, not thinking can go a long way too.

If you don't think about it being a long hike and you just walk, you'll be surprised how far you go.

 

[41mag]

My own 'longest' was not so much in 'miles':
Circa 1974ish my buddy convinces us we all need 'expedition quality' hiking boots, then fairly new to the unskilled unsuspecting public. I bought a barely-broken-in pair of the most wonderful boots I ever wore, from REI Seattle. We charted out our hike.

Look at the Gorge N shore around Bridge of the Gods, there's "Dog Mountain Trail". As I recall it was 'only' around 4 miles or so each way, but touted as extremely scenic and traversing 3 or 4 eco-zones....whatever those were.....

So late spring we assembled at the trail head and began the Ascent. We had small day packs with lots of water & various snacks. Plus the dog of course, and 3 semi-literate adults. So we thought.

Trail was gorgeous, amazing views of the Gorge, and the various flowers/berries/sagebrush etc were marvelous. And we found the top marker, had lunch, rested & began the down trip.

One of the data points we somehow ignored was the "elevation changes" which included something on the order of 3000' up and 3000' down, but memory may be in error. In any case, the down trip was far less pleasant that the exuberant up trip. Endless switchbacks, encounter with a fat timber rattler that the dog was quite interested in sniffing, and the gradually increasing realization our boots were growing ever more leaden. Mine were about at the 100# each level eventually.

At the end of the down trip I was so crippled actually had to use sick leave days to recover. My hiking buddies both had sheepish stories of anguish and misery related to boots and extremes of elevation changes.

I've hiked shorter/flatter areas over the years with far more enjoyment, lighter boots, and attention to 'elevation'.

These days I'm fortunate to make it across the parking lot to the electric geezer cart area.

 

[Medic!]

I'm shocked at all the people on here who have done such long hikes, with heavy packs, in such a short amount of time. Delta and SAS selection is 40 miles, with a 45lb pack, etc. with a time limit of 20 hours. How is it that so many people fail it if it's so common to be able to do such hikes in such short amounts of time?

I can tell you with certainty. That in my prime I could not do a 40 mile hike with full pack.
And I could not do 25 miles every day. Or maybe every week?

Cant remember how long it took to recover each time.
But I do remember the sensation of throwing down your pack after one of them.

It feels like your going to float off the ground, you feel so light.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Any of the Army boots I was issued seemed to attract many pounds of mud , dust or rocks.
I just figured I pissed my 1st Sergeant off and this was his way of letting me know...
Andy

 

[Boboclown]

It feels like your going to float off the ground, you feel so light.

I feel like I'm walking on a cloud when I remove footwear.

Even if I'm still carrying the pack. Its just a softer cloud without it.

 

[Camelfilter]

Off topic, but similar endurance...

I used to be big into distance cycling and attempted a brevet series (usually a group ride with no drafting allowed).

Did the 100, 200 & 400Km rides fine in the allotted time.

Attempted the 600Km ride with minimal sleep before hand. Dropped out after around 30hours of continual awake & riding. On the ride back to my car from the sweep vehicle, I was seeing trolls setting on power lines & laughing about seeing them...

 

[Medic!]

 

[Camelfilter]

Yeah no joke. The only time I've hallucinated, pretty wierd what the mind can do, particularly solely due to physical exhaustion.

 

[salmonriverjohn]

Try packing out a horse.....

Actually had a horse keel over on me and have a stroke??
Wasn't working her hard, but that was a hell of thing to me.
Saddle, gear and meat (not her) to get out. If that bucket headed thing had died closer to the road I'd have thought about it though!
If your anywhere near my age, I'd just about bet you've eaten horse, it's not bad fair. The pufta candy arses here in the USofA can't see beyond their noses to try it, but we're one of the few nations that doesn't.

 

[Bushman]

I can tell you with certainty. That in my prime I could not do a 40 mile hike with full pack.
And I could not do 25 miles every day. Or maybe every week?

Cant remember how long it took to recover each time.
But I do remember the sensation of throwing down your pack after one of them.

It feels like your going to float off the ground, you feel so light.

I guess that begs the question, is this kind of march as a selection process really effective? Sure being an bad arse may require you to carry a heavy pack for miles, but does this really provide the most intelligent and capable warriors? I read an article long ago written by a spec ops guy, he said contrary to popular opinion and Hollywood (or Bollywood ha) most SF and SO training is a couple months to sometimes 6 months in duration. Rangers having the shortest. Yet 70% of Delta guys are ex Rangers...

 

[MasterChief]

45-55# pack....

5 miles uphill day 1
16 mile varied day 2
5 miles varied but mostly up day 3
11 miles flat then down day 4

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I guess that begs the question, is this kind of march as a selection process really effective? Sure being an bad arse may require you to carry a heavy pack for miles, but does this really provide the most intelligent and capable warriors? I read an article long ago written by a spec ops guy, he said contrary to popular opinion and Hollywood (or Bollywood ha) most SF and SO training is a couple months to sometimes 6 months in duration. Rangers having the shortest. Yet 70% of Delta guys are ex Rangers...

I would say: Yes it is effective.
Planes , helicopters , trucks , APC's , etc... are all nice ... but to really get somewhere with out being spotted you need to walk in.

I can not speak for Delta ... but having gone thru and passed Airborne , Air Assault and Ranger Schools .. these schools teach skills that are building blocks , as it were for Special Forces / Special Operations.
As for length of the school its not the quantity of instruction but quality of instruction... So to speak.
Also each of these schools have much different task and mission* ... But when combined they can help each other and the individual solider who went to each school perform their job to the best of their ability.

* For example I served for three of my combat tours in LRRP / LRSD units.
We needed to be Airborne and Ranger trained to do our job of Reconnaissance , Bomb Damage Assessment , Long Range Ambush , or the calling in of Air Strikes behind enemy lines etc ...
All of which meant miles and miles of walking after whatever means of initially being inserted into a area.

As for intelligent and capable warriors ... Again I would say Yes!
These schools challenge the soldiers both physically and mentally.
Thinking and making the correct decision with little to no sleep , damn little food , in all types of weather and terrain , the stress of not wanting to fail at your task and more ... All serve to make you into a better soldier.

It is very difficult to get across to those who have not served or been to the above mention schools the sense of pride in having gone and passed them or just what it takes to pass those schools.
Andy
Edit to note:
I do not think of myself as a "Bad Arse" ... I am however proud to have passed those schools and served my country with the skills I learned in them.
I simply was a soldier who enjoyed his job and tried to do it the best I could.

 

[John Brown]

I hiked 4 miles uphill in 14 inches of snow, back to the truck with a quarter of large bull elk on a freighter pack. Brutal doesn't describe it.

Then I turned around and did it again, in the dark, with flashlights. The only upside was that I left my rifle in the rig for the second trip.

Total wilderness area, and no roads.

The only real question was whether me or my buddy would pass out first. But we made it.

I will put that hike up against any others when it comes to being tough.

Lesson learned: Do not shoot elk at the bottom of a ravine after tracking him all day downhill.

 

[Boboclown]

The requirement they have for running and hiking is effective. You want them to be able to handle long hikes and to run as long as they can.

Vehicles can't be everywhere and you can't always rely on them to get from point A to point B.

 

[Caveman Jim]

Only 0.00001% of the members here have replied (give or take a decimal) to this thread in that way so I wouldn't say it is common but rather that we have some exceptional members here.



Or like with other things in life, the fish that was caught just keeps getting bigger and bigger every time the story is told.

HEY. What chew sayin man....


Just mentioning it, I doubt anyone's has lied in this thread considering who has responded thus far

 

[Caveman Jim]

Can you say that you force marched an attack and defeated Agony, Heartbreak and Misery?
I did it back in 77 at Ft. Knox, Ky in the late spring with 110% humidity & 95° temps. I fell out a mile from the Misery Summit with heat exhaustion but my crew helped me to the finish line.
Gotta love them brothers in arms!!!

 

[MasterChief]

 

[41mag]

re: "If your anywhere near my age, I'd just about bet you've eaten horse, it's not bad fair."

I used to shop in the horse meat market on Hawthorne & 60th SE circa 1972. Didn't realize there could be such a commotion from eating a little mammal flank.....