TKR Getting back to hiking and climbing.
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My cold has finally abated, after the "typical" 9-10 days, ... I guess. There is still a bit of **** to hack up, but the bugs are gone. I'm back to the point that my knee rehab is in my forethoughts.
With the New Year coming in, I'm wondering how much I'll be able to achieve this year. Both physically, and towards more general life goals.
With the New Year coming in, I'm wondering how much I'll be able to achieve this year. Both physically, and towards more general life goals.
DIYSteve
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I'm with ya. I'm looking forward to spending lots of time in the mountains in 2019 after sitting out 2018 and reduced mobility the prior couple years. Yesterday, per a 20-year tradition, I sent out a group message to our annual mountaineering traverse group yesterday to schedule a 7- to 9-day high route this summer. As a general trend, our route selection has mellowed the past few years to reflect the reality of our aging bodies. It'll likely be April or May before I can make an informed assessment re the limits of my new knee. I've grown past the allure of epic near-death routes: I'll be happy to get off-trail for a few days at a time and enjoying remote high camps with solitude.
ETA: It'd be fun to someday meet up with other TKR survivors for a mountain trip.
As your knee heals, you'll be able to do those things you love to do. I had gotten so I couldn't hike or ride my bike. Now, I can!!
OP
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Doing an adventure with some other TKR's would be pretty fun. Anyone else in your traverse group have a TKR? Cascades, or Sierra's maybe? Do you think that you could work your way back to being able to do the Whitney hike in a day?
I like your idea of having your alpine trip as a goal, and that you've been doing it for a 20 year streak. Were you able to do it last year? 2018 was the first year in many that I haven't hiked the Grand Canyon in a "double crossing," which is going all the way across and back i.e. "Rim to Rim to Rim." I've done the route 22 times in the previous 24 years. It is 44 to 50 miles long (depending on your variation), with 11,000 feet of gain on the uphills.
I'll be avoiding epics, and life threatening situations, but I haven't given up on the idea of doing "long and hard" things yet. I will be wearing "armor" anytime I'm risking direct damage to the knee (Mtn. biking and rock climbing). My jets have been mellowed for the time being though. I've got a couple shorter term goals, and a lot of work to do before I start working towards R-R-R. I live in a great spot, surrounded by Forest Service land, and have several nearby hikes to work through. 6-10 miles each, with 2-3000 foot climbs. I'm shooting for Humphreys Peak, 12,633 feet, in Spring.
DIYSteve
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I could host a Cascades 2-4 day backpack/scramble, maybe with high lakes fishing if the group is into that. Late September/early October, when the Lyall's Larch turn, is a good time for some WA Cascades trips. Route options would depend on individuals' respective abilities, experience and gear (e.g., trail shoes for a trail trip vs. proper mountain boots for off-trail, ice axe experience, cold weather camping, etc.).
Not so much a goal. Exploring mountains is what I do, and I'll continue at whatever level I can safely do it. FTR, I've been mountaineering for 35+ years. This group has been meeting up for an annual high route for 20 years. Each of us, sometimes with subsets of the group, do other trips each year, include lots of spring/summer ski touring and ski mountaineering.
No other TKRs in our annual traverse group, although one had hip replacement surgery a few years ago. I know a dozen of avid skiers with TKRs.
Did it years ago, little interest in doing it again. I used to be a peakbagger, but now I'm more into getting off trail in the wilderness, away from people. When I did Whitney in a day, people were within my vision 90% of the time. Different strokes. We seldom see another party more than a day from the TH on our high routes.
That's great. My wife and many of our ultrarunning friends have done it, some setting records. I signed up to do it one year, but bailed and skied instead. You and I may have some mutual ultrarunning friends.
donnag1108
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Omg you all are so impressive! I just want to walk my dog again!!
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@DIYSteve I usually don't like crowds either. I was using the Whitney example just because it is so well known as a solid/long day hike. I don't have any specific plans on it, but I definitely hope that I can get to a level where I do equivalent things.
I've done it, crowd free, twice. The first time, I rock climbed the East Face route, and there wasn't anyone on the climb that day. We got to the top at dusk, and didn't see anyone on the dark hike down. The other time was via the regular hiking route, but on snowshoes. Lots of people down low, but my DW and I were the only ones to make the final ridge, and summit, that day. Many people tried that day, and in the days before. We were the only ones that signed the register for at least a week.
So, if you go hike 10 miles of trail, does your knee swell up? For more than 12 hours?
I've done it, crowd free, twice. The first time, I rock climbed the East Face route, and there wasn't anyone on the climb that day. We got to the top at dusk, and didn't see anyone on the dark hike down. The other time was via the regular hiking route, but on snowshoes. Lots of people down low, but my DW and I were the only ones to make the final ridge, and summit, that day. Many people tried that day, and in the days before. We were the only ones that signed the register for at least a week.
So, if you go hike 10 miles of trail, does your knee swell up? For more than 12 hours?
DIYSteve
member
Nope. I did a few 10-mile hikes @ 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 months post-op, no swelling, a wee bit of I-T band irritation, but that went away by the next morning.
It's ski season now, too icy to hike near home. I XC skied 8 miles today on a FS road. I might join some non-skier friends for a desert hike when ski conditions suck, and I'll continue to walk 36 holes of golf each week or two when my home course isn't frozen or if I travel to the wet side of the Cascades.
Okay, so let's get a summer 2019 mountain trip in the hopper. Who's in? We'll dial it down for all comers!
DIYSteve
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Than whom? It'll take all I got to keep up with my wife in the mountains next summer.
kmak81230
post-grad
Good on ya! I’m signing up for ride the Rockies - an annual week long bike tour in June of about 500 miles with a few mtn passes thrown in - hopefully i’ll Be ready. My other goal now that I have 2 new knees is to hike the Colorado Trail in the summer of 2020. This is why we put ourselves through this horrid surgery, right?
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DIYSteve
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go get em!
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That is great. I'm still battling swelling, and I have a few specific things that hurt. When I "scuff" my foot sideways, like when you scrape your boot sideways over a gopher mound to fill the adjacent holes, I can get a pretty nasty pain. Probably my medial collateral tendon is still sore.
I started off the week well. Did two separate days of snowshoeing (just 2-3 miles each) and a good session at the climbing gym. I've been taking it easy for a few days now while we are having a snowstorm come through. Trying to get my full flex back, and that takes some rest and nurturing.
DIYSteve
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Good guess. Similarly, my I-T band gets irritated when I ski (XC or alpine) but it abates within a few hours and long-term it's gradually getting better. My theory is that the new knee is a bit different geometry and more solid and my ligaments and tendons are adjusting.
skigirl
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I have spent the last 10 years skiing 80-100 days. I skied at 5 months. This year I moved to Minnesota and have just joined a racing skate ski team. It is pretty flat here---the ski resorts are a hoot!! I spent the summer riding on the awesome bike trails around Minneapolis. I think it is just important to do what you can for as long as you can.
So true!
DIYSteve
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That's great! I averaged 70-80 ski days a year for a couple decades until 3 years ago when my knee said "no!" My post-op timeline is similar: XC skiing at 4-1/2 months, alpine at 5 months. I've always planned to average 100 ski days/year in retirement and those plans are officially reinstated.
I did quite a bit of Nordic skiing in MN when I lived there years ago, including a couple 50km loppets. Fun XC ski community.
That's the plan!
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I plan on returning to downhill skiing, but only after I build my quad strength back up. How much leg strengthening do you do in the off season? Any favorite exercises? Things that you might use for injury prevention?
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Thought I'd throw this out there for some general interest: You know those thermometers that stick in your ear to measure your temperature? I have one at home, and it can be used to measure the skin temperature on my knee! My surgical knee runs around 94 F most days. My other knee isn't warm enough to measure, and it gives an error beep.
I thought of trying this a couple weeks ago, after my PT used a fancy/expensive device to measure the difference between my knees (hot knee was 94, and regular knee was 84).
I thought of trying this a couple weeks ago, after my PT used a fancy/expensive device to measure the difference between my knees (hot knee was 94, and regular knee was 84).
