Backpacking in Yosemite

[Ernie]

I just completed a backpacking trip of 58 miles in 6 days in Yosemite. It was my first time backpacking.  My two resurfaced hips functioned wonderfully. We started at Tenaya Lake and hiked to Sunrise Lakes where we camped for a few days. Then we hiked up to Clouds Rest, down to Little Yosemite, and up Half Dome, before heading down to the Yosemite Valley past Nevada Falls down the Mist Trail past Vernal Falls. The last day we hiked to Yosemite Falls. On one day, after eleven miles of hiking downhill my hips were pretty sore, and I wondered if I was overdoing it.  But the next morning I felt fine, and was able to keep up with my companions.  I am so grateful that my resurfaced hips enable me to be so active.

[jimbone]

Congratulations Ernie.  You picked one of the most beautiful areas in N. America to backpack.  Yosemite and the Sierras are unparalleled geologically and although it's been several decades the impression of such granite grandeur has never left.  I only started hiking again this past month, just shy of my 1 year anniversary but immediately purchased a good pack in preparation for some extended back country exploration.  Don't know that I'll be able to keep up with your adventures and might choose something a little less challenging but looking forward to it as soon as I can clear the work schedule.  Thanks for the inspiration and Happy Trails.

[petemeads]

Well Done Ernie, I'm very jealous! I was a rock-climber in the 70s and managed to climb most of the big faces, Half Dome and El Capitan etc, but hardly did any hiking - just the trail up to glacier point to see the sunrise. In 2012 I returned for a week with my son, we stayed in Mammoth and drove to Tuolumne to hike Clouds Rest, and on our last day we drove all the way into Yosemite to hike the falls trail - quickly!  At that time I was still on OEM hips but suffering after long days on rough terrain. A beautiful place, might yet get another chance to visit but the hoops you have to jump through nowadays to camp for a decent period and even walk up Half Dome seem pretty daunting. And that walk back to the valley from Half Dome summit goes on forever - especially carrying all the climbing gear...
Anyway, I have been pushing the limits of my hips in the mountains of Wales over the last couple of months. The terrain is generally rougher, the paths not usually manicured and the weather usually considerably worse - but breathing is less of a problem at 3000 feet! Longest day was the complete traverse of the 15  3000ft mountains, comprising 33 miles and 13,700 ft of ascent, which took nearly 21 hours and left us both shattered, but seems to have fixed a lingering pain in my THR leg which was a real problem 6 months ago. Now looking around for next summers project - maybe in the Lake District.

Thanks for your post, and keep pushing those hips!

Pete

[jimbone]

Pete-

Don't mean to hijack the thread but if I read you correctly a 21 hour 33 mile rough terrain hike improved the condition of you THR hip that was bugging you.  Is that correct?  I ask because at 11 months post bilateral HR and still feeling like I am improving in strength, ROM, agility and function I often find a hard work out or hike can leave me butt kicked for a day or so but just as often bolsters my strength and function and leaves me feeling "more natural" in the hips.  Early on on recovering I noticed this and wondered if I was going to have to spend the rest of my waking life exercising just to feel ok.  Activity and focused strain really seems to improve healing.

[petemeads]

Jimbone - completely correct, the amount & type of effort involved to recce and eventually complete this challenge has apparently cured the mystery thigh pain in my THR leg, which at 18 months post-op (ie last Xmas) had me back using a stick,  and one day even a crutch, to hobble around. My health insurer did not want to pay for an MRI but would offer physiotherapy. Didn't bother with that; after 2 months I found I could manage to run again despite twinges, biking was never really affected so I stayed relatively fit throughout, and I stopped visiting the climbing wall because the type of movement with twisting and pushing off that leg did seem to make things worse.
Some days since then have been fine, others twingy,  could never tell which it was to be.
Came back from the first week in Wales with a terrible limp and a load of fluid retention (about 7 pounds of extra weight, lost in two days through excessive peeing). Obviously done significant remodelling of major muscles, and I was completely exhausted.
One month later, with experience and a steadier pace, we not only completed the walking challenge but managed a 40 mile bike ride the next afternoon, and another nearly 3000' mountain the next day - both painless, though neither easy...
Back to racing 5km every Saturday now, but have added longer runs on the Sunday as well, up to 13 miles, in preparation for a 10 mile race in September. The only slight cloud on the horizon is that now my right leg is carrying its fair share of the load my BHR left hip is complaining a bit about the increased mileage, feeling a bit stiff but responding well to resting for a day. Cobalt/chrome ion levels were good last year so not too worried just yet...
And yesterday, raced in the morning 5k and found someone to climb with in the afternoon - three hours on the wall seem to have done no damage, so it really feels like my problem is resolved - touch wood!

I suspect that sitting, which I enjoy and do to excess, is probably the riskiest thing I do as regards health and fitness, walking down steep rocky slopes seems to cure most ills but it does take time to acquire the musculature to tolerate prolonged effort.

[blinky]

Interesting. I have had the same experience, with more movement making me feel better and more sitting making me feel worse. Like even excessive exercise makes me feel better, as though my body aligns itself the way it should be and my muscles wake up and start firing the right way.

[Ernie]

My hunch is that pushing the resurfaced hips with the up and down hiking may have broken up some scar tissue and increased my flexibility, strength and range of motion.  At least that is what it feels like to me.  I was sore after 11 miles of downhill, but the next morning I felt fine.  And the five guys I was with who all had OEM hips were hurting too.  I checked my metal ion levels earlier this summer and they were good, so I didn't feel like I was doing something stupidly risky.

[phillwad]

Backpacking. I did Philmont Scout trek in 2017, it was 111 miles and over 20K elevation gain in 11 days. No problem with full pack. I love backpacking.