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Overheard a guy say switchbacks are for beginners, now I question my whole route planning
I was refilling water at a trailhead near the Cascades and this older hiker was telling his partner that anyone who sticks to switchbacks is 'just lazy about elevation'. I mean, I get the appeal of straight up, but last weekend I did a 14 mile loop with 3,000 feet of gain and the switchback section kept my knees from screaming the next day. Has anyone else had a route where they ditched the switchbacks and regretted it, or am I just overthinking this?
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rosepark25d ago
Man, that guy had it backwards. Switchbacks are not for beginners, they are how you save your legs so you can actually finish the hike and still walk the next day. Going straight up burns you out faster and wrecks your knees on the way down, so your 14 mile loop proves the point better than his trash talk ever could.
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