Starvation Ridge - Mt Defiance - Toes

[Jim57]

Friday, November 2nd, 2012

Jim57 new to hiking this year. This hike was number 22. How lucky was I? A break in the weather, snow melted away, and my bro in law hiking partner in town.

TOES! Still a lot to learn. . . like tightening my shoe laces tighter. Hiked all year in trail runners with thin wool socks. Visited the podiatrist a couple weeks ago for some big toe repair. Lots of downhills and stubbed toes this year. Bought some merrill ventilators and thicker socks. Broke them in a lot over the last few weeks. Lots of room in the toe box. But the relentless downhill and my feet sliding in the shoe too much caused these awsome blisters? At least they didn't break. Don't look at the last picture if you don't want to see'em.

Back to the hike. . . It was great fun. The weather cool and dry in the morning, sunny in the middle, and rainy the last two hours. Wow! After eating candy bars and trailmix all year, I switched it up to sandwiches and string cheese. Yummy! We saw no other hikers that day. We went up starvation to warren lake then onto mt defiance and down, down, down. I wonder how it would be going the other way? The lack of mud was a pleasant surprise.

Update 11/11/12 Spent some time at REI today. Michael in the shoe department fixed me up. Shoe inserts and upped my size from 11 to 12. No slipping in the toe box anymore and toes not touching the front of the shoe. Yeah!

[kepPNW]

Jim57 new to hiking this year. This hike was number 22. How lucky was I? A break in the weather, snow melted away, and my bro in law hiking partner in town.

I'd say "Nice report!", but owwwww, that ending was pretty brutal. Heh, actually, it's just way cool that you got out there. I really gotta do that Defiance loop! Not one I've managed to squeeze in yet. Friday was the perfect opportunity to knock that one off. I'll be curious to hear opinions on best direction for that loop, too.

I'm sorta similar in being "new to hiking," although really I just (mostly) took a quarter-century off and only got back out there again this year as well. And, I also got a hard lesson about friction and good boots on one trek. My problem? I wasn't able to let them heal. Had to keep getting out there. "This too shall pass."

[forestkeeper]

Nice TR Jim. This area is a favorite with our famous Loony hikers. Sorry about your toes. I've been wanting to try Defiance for a couple of years now but I have toe problems too. But instead of getting blisters, both of my big toes have ingrown toe nails, really bad ones. About 30 years of wearing work boots have done my toe nails in. Going uphill or staying on level ground isn't a problem. Coming back down, my toe nails hitting the front of my Merrels with every step leaves them feeling like and elephant just stepped on them. I guess I could just cut a hole out of each boot where the big toes are, but I already look funny on the trails. Don't want to add anything more to people's amusement.

FK

[VanMarmot]

Ouch! I've seen better looking toes in pathology texts! Otherwise, it looks like you had a great hike on a great day.

[kepPNW]

Okay, this thread causes me to ask the question, WTH's the algorithm for picking the Front Page photo???

Seems like every other one I've ever seen there was the very first photo in the original post. Not this time!

[Peabody]

Okay, this thread causes me to ask the question, WTH's the algorithm for picking the Front Page photo???

Seems like every other one I've ever seen there was the very first photo in the original post. Not this time!

I was thinking the same thing. From what I've observed it goes in the following order

1. Toes
2. Super models in bathing suits
3. First photo in the report

[retired jerry]

Super models in bathing suits?

I looked, but didn't see any.

There was a picture of Sean, bit he was clothed...

[kepPNW]

Made me look, too!

[djathens]

Jim57, were you at REI Clackamas this past Saturday? I was in there trying on some Asolos and a gentleman was describing his recent Mt Defiance hike and his battered toes. Was that you? I've got to try that loop, but maybe not until my new boots are broken in!

[Jim57]

That was me at REI saturday 11/3 getting some info from the shoe dept. I'll work my way up to bowling and then back to hiking.

Back to REI Saturday 11/10. Laces too loose and shoe 1/2 size too SMALL. Going to return shoes tomorrow and and up the size.