Hey Folks,
One question I’m frequently asked pertains to hiking poles and how important they are for backpacking here in Alaska.
In short, I’d suggest they’re more than useful – almost mandatory.
Of course, few things in the mountains are ever so objective. What’s right for me might not be right for you, and what’s right on August 15 might not be right on August 16 (or even 3 hours later on August 15). But as a general rule, I’d urge anyone coming to Alaska to backpack, particularly someone on their first trip here, to count on using hiking poles.
I can’t recommend them enough. I use one pole – a Black Diamond Alpine pole – with the flip lock design and carbide tip. I’ve had for more years than I care to think about. I bring it every time I’m backpacking in Alaska. Every time. Most folks use two, and that’s probably a sound way to go. Two is probably a good call. One is what works for me.
The Real Challenge: Sidehilling
Jon, pictured above, is a great hiker. In super shape, athletic, well-balanced – safe to say he’s a much better hiker than the average backpacker. Much better. He cruised the Bremner Mines to Tebay Lakes route with virtually no trouble at all, and that’s a tough walk by almost anyone’s metrics. Even Jon mentioned how useful the hiking poles were for him on this trip.
This image, taken as we walked westward up Harry’s Gulch, shows one of the most strenuous parts of hiking in the mountains around here: sidehilling.
Walking along the edge of the hill is tough. Very tough. It might not look like much here, but I guarantee you this stretch of the hike will kick your tail (and there’s plenty of walking like this on this particular route). Ask anyone who’s backpacked a lot in places like Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and they’ll tell you sidehilling – more than uphill or downhill, more than brush, more than rocks and boulders and moraine – is what separates the hikers from the stumblers.
You can see in this image the hillside is reasonably steep, and there’s no trail whatsoever to walk on. Walk on this kind of terrain for a few hours and you’ll be feeling it. At the end of the day, you’ll be sore and tired. Dog tired. Carrying poles – or at least one pole – will help ease that weariness and reduce the number of times you fall down.
Fine-Tuning Your Technique
If I were Jon here, I’d have the pole on the uphill side (in his right hand) a little shorter than he’s carrying it, maybe 6-10 inches shorter, and I’d lengthen the one in my left hand. But Jon did fine, so it didn’t matter too much for him. For 99% of the rest of folks, it makes a difference to continually engage these little adjustments – keep fine-tuning the poles and tailoring them to your terrain.
Whether you want one pole or two, you’ll find the hiking MUCH easier with than without. River crossings become much more doable when you have a pole or two to help. They also make a helpful support pole for your tent if the wind really kicks up (which it can occasionally do). On the other hand, in thick brush, I’ll often shorten the pole all the way down to its shortest setting and strap it to the side of my pack for easier travel.
It’s all about fitting the gear and the techniques to the terrain, the circumstance, and your own experience.
The Science Behind Hiking Poles
Hiking poles deliver real benefits when traveling off-trail, which is what most Alaska backcountry travel is. Science Daily had a great article about this: “Trekking poles help hikers maintain muscle function while significantly reducing soreness in the days following a hike.”
I definitely find this to be the case – so much that I can’t remember the last time I headed off without one. It’s a fundamental part of my gear now.
Reduced Muscle Damage and Faster Recovery
“The results showed that there was significantly less muscle soreness in the group using trekking poles. This group demonstrated a reduced loss of strength and a faster recovery immediately after the trek compared to the control group. Self-rated soreness peaked at 24-hours in both groups but was significantly lower in the trekking-pole group, both at this point and at the 48-hour point.
In addition, levels of the enzyme creatine kinase (which indicates muscle damage) were much higher at the 24-hour point in the non-pole group, while the trekking-pole group’s levels were close to the pre-trekking levels. This shows that the muscle damage they were experiencing was negligible.”
and it only gets better:
Injury Prevention on Multi-Day Treks
” the combined benefits of using trekking poles in reducing load to the lower limbs, increasing stability and reducing muscle damage could also help avoid injury on subsequent days trekking. It is often the reduced reaction time and position sense, associated with damaged muscles that cause the falls and trips that can lead to further injury in mountainous or uneven terrain.”
Real-World Benefits in Alaska Terrain
What I see with people on trips is the vastly improved balance and confidence on uneven terrain.
Hiking poles are invaluable on boulder fields, moraine and talus slopes, or crossing steep scree. River crossings are much improved. Simply traversing a hillside covered in wet grass, where you can’t see the footing clearly, can be extremely dodgy with a 40-50 pound backpack on. Those hiking poles give you an extra contact with the ground and much greater stability. Your hike will be much more fun.
Choosing the Right Poles
Don’t skimp. Hiking poles DO break, so get a good solid pole – Leki’s Makalu or Black Diamond’s Trail trekking pole are great. I like the Black Diamond pole with their FlipLock mechanism.
I tend to NOT view the hiking pole as a place to save weight. Don’t skimp on a cheap pole, and I’d advise against the most ultralight poles you can find. As a general rule, ultralight = flimsy. Buy something sturdy.
I don’t find the “trail shock” component terribly beneficial, but it can be nice. That’s mostly personal preference.
The Bottom Line
Very few folks have come out with me over the last 15 years and done well without using trekking poles. VERY few.
Take this as not just my opinion, but a scientifically backed recommendation: bring your hiking poles. You’ll be glad you did. And walk carefully!
Cheers, Carl
PS: Here’s another GREAT reason to carry a hiking pole. Air guitar.
