Peralta Trail to Lone Pine - The dangers of heat and humidity while hiking
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 11 ก.ย. 2022
- Peralta Trail to Lone Pine - The dangers of heat and humidity while hiking
Tina and I have been training for an upcoming hike lately. Unfortunately in the summer in Phoenix, that means dealing with the heat or going north to higher elevations. So we did plenty of driving, but this past weekend it was supposed to be substantially cooler here in the valley for a single day. We decided to go for it and hike the Peralta Trail in the Superstition Wilderness. The original goal was to take the Peralta trail up to Fremont Saddle. From there we would go to an overlook called Lone Pine. Then, on the way back we would take a social trail to a cave and finally descend Bluff Springs back to our car.
Immediately, we found out this wasn't a great plan. The monsoons had come through the day before, increasing humidity to around 50%. That may not seem like much to many of you, but for desert dwellers, that's a lot. So it felt hotter than we expected. Still, part of the challenge here was to train for a hotter hike, so the temps weren't really unexpected. Besides, we would be back at the truck early enough that temps wouldn't get into the 90's.
The rest is pretty obvious and the video speaks for itself. One thing I did not add is that I didn't take my PLB on this trip. I've hiked this trail many times - sometimes in hotter temperatures - and I figured we wouldn't encounter any troubles. That's stupid. If you have a PLB and you'll be in a place that you won't have mobile service, you should bring your PLB. Never know what could happen out there; on this trip we met a couple coming down who warned us about a rattlesnake on the trail. We didn't see it, but PLB's don't weigh much. Better safe than sorry. Hopefully this helps someone out there so they don't make the mistakes we did.
Music by Epidemic Sound:
As I Dream - Johannes Bornlof
As Pure as Driven Snow - Across the Great Valley
Duro - Lu-Ni
Thanks for sharing! Especially about heat stroke/exhaustion.
I've had heat exhaustion several times. In my experience, once I have the symptoms it is time to quit. Even if you think you've cooled off, you overheat quickly if you continue.
Yeah. It does seem to add up, even if you take the time to cool off.
Did this hike in February 2023. Excellent hike, one of our favorites in the Phoenix metro area. That view of Weaver’s Needle is magnificent.
It's a solid hike. Good challenge, great views, awesome pay off. Glad you got to check it out.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience while hiking. A similar situation happened to me and my friend while hiking Ram's Head Trail in St. John, USVI last month. We've made many trails together and it was the first time we experienced the effects of a heat stroke. That was definitely eye opening and a really frightening experience. Lesson learned: never hike between 9:00 am and 3:00 pm. And take plenty of water and electrolytes with you. Take care and keep up with the great job you both are doing. Love your videos, my regards to your lovely wife.
Thanks, and glad you got out OK. Heat stroke/exhaustion is nothing to mess around with.
You guys are great, keep sharing your experiences and information that will hopefully keep us all out of trouble.
Thank you for sharing the early symptoms of heat exhaustion and stroke. I’m moving to Arizona next year and hearing it from you is way different than reading it in a first aid book. Thank you very much. I’m glad you got both got out well and I’m glad Tina is OK!
Guaranteed Jab related medical situation....
100% Jerry and Tina. The same exact thing just happened to me. 88º 5400' in full sun in the Laguna Mountains of Southern California, Started feeling dizzy, drank water. Next thing I knew I woke up and was all bruised up from passing out and falling to the ground. and I;m someone that lives in one of the Hottest Towns in California (Anza-Borrego Desert) and is used to 115º regularly so heck 88º MUST be easy. Nope, Know the signs and take them VERY seriously. I lucked out and made it back to the 4runner but I had my Garmin SOS in hand the entire time. GREAT episode and SO needed my friend
This was a test run for a much more committing hike we had this past weekend. We adjusted a lot of things as a result of the Peralta hike and it saved our butts this past weekend in harsher conditions.
It has happened to me and I am also glad you shared that story. Hope everyone who watched this, stays to the end. Glad your OK Tina.
Every time I get to that saddle I look to my right front and see that tree, I think to myself, “that tree is so out of place”. Thank you for sharing, now I know there is a decent trail to the tree and the overlook seems fantastic!
Thank you for sharing…..been there similar to Tina with chills, dry heaves, and know how fast things can and often do change for the worse…….we live in Pahrump so it can get miserable here too…….Glad you guys got thru it !
Glad Tina’s doing better. Heat exhaustion/ heat stroke is no joke. I’ve experienced it twice in Az - both time when the temps were under 95 and the humidity was above 60%. This year has been the most humid I’ve experienced in my 11 years of living in Az. Give me 100 degrees and low humidity over 85 and humidity above 40% anytime. Also, the monsoons have created more erosion on the trails than I’ve sen before. We need the rain so no complaints but does add a bit to the challenge. Thanks for sharing this video. Informative.
Thanks. I always appreciate your videos.
Hi Jerry! We love your videos and are sharing your channel and videos to help educate our global visitors about hiking safely in this area. :)
Where are you sharing them? I swear I saw a message from you somewhere, but I can't find it now. Been out in the wilderness and only had limited internet. But thank you and feel free to share the videos.
Glad you two listen to your bodies and not push too hard in that heat and humidity. Glad you made it out safely. Lone Pine is cool view and of course Tina hangs out in edge of cliff again.
Always makes me nervous.....
Glad Tina is okay!
Thanks! It was scary there for a bit. We learned a lot though and have made several changes for our warmer weather hikes.
Wow, this is gorgeous my friend, everything here is done fantastically.
Thank you very much!
Thank you for Sharing the reality of heat exhaustion! Glad that everything turned out ok for Tina! Her face at the saddle looked extremely red.
Yeah. We both got a bit of 'summit fever' and ignored some obvious signs.
@@JerryArizona Glad that my Favorite hiking TH-camrs are OK.
I really like and appreciate your videos. It allows me to experience our (AZ resident for 60+ years) beautiful SW through your hikes; believe me I would love to have the physical abilities to do them! I enjoy your candid interaction with each other and sharing your joy and mistakes. Keep up the great content, enjoy and be safe. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing. Far better to benefit from your experience than have to unknowingly go through it ourselves.
It was great seeing you both on this trail. I hope Tina is feeling better. Thanks for all your videos.
Good seeing you too! We should've gotten out of bed earlier like you guys did!
Thank you!! Love your videos and this one is the best. I’m local and don’t hike in the heat but I’ve been alarmed by the 2 tragic deaths up at Cave Creek. Very helpful explanation
You're welcome and thank you! This trip was done on purpose so we could prepare better for our rim to rim hike a few weeks later. The lessons learned definitely saved us on the Grand Canyon trip. Crazy how quickly it sneaks up on you.
Thank you for the info at the end. Very responsible of you.
Thanks for sharing this knowledge
Thank you for the beautiful scenery and music. I noticed that on the PCT they often bring umbrellas. Maybe, that is for the sun too? Thank you for sharing your experience and glad it turned out okay!
I've heard the umbrellas help. We actually went with long sleeve UV shirts and sun hats and those worked well. Anything to keep the direct sun off you helps.
While it might seem counterintuitive, long sleeve hiking shirts and pants go along way in keeping your skin cooler. Another great piece of clothing is a UPF 50+ sun protection hoodie shirt…. lightweight, breathable and covers your entire top half of your body from the top of your head to your torso. Finally, as always…this is another beautifully shot video.
A lesson learned. Glad everything turned out ok. 😀👍
Mission accomplished brother! I didn't know that shivers are a symptom of overheating. I am starting to hike more and have been watching many of your videos and am learning a lot. I am preparing for rim 2 rim in September, so heat will be a factor. Keep up the good work.
It's gonna be brutal. We actually did this to prepare for R2R in the same timeframe. Definitely want to read up on what you can do to relieve the heat.
Jerry and Tina we're from Louisiana home of heat and humidity so kinda know what y'all went through and glad you got out safe.
We spend January through March in Phoenix, when the humidity is delightfully low. Can’t imagine that heat along with high humidity.
It's nothing for a lot of places, but when you're used to the desert, even low humidity seems brutal.
Glad Tina is ok! She is wonderful! Cool hike!
Thank you for talking earnestly about heat exhaustion and heat stroke. It’s so easy to think you can push through it when you’re young and healthy, but as you said, you can’t push through it. This is especially the case when hiking down into a valley and having to hike out (like the Grand Canyon) where the way home is uphill.
Ironically, this was a practice run for a R2R trip and I'm so glad we did it. We made a lot of adjustments for heat because of this trip and it definitely saved us on the R2R.
I love your no nonsense approach. Thanks for the video.
Thanks for the info. It can get deadly out there quickly. Happened to me.
Thank you for the information.
That was the first hike we ever did in the Superstitions . We did the the bluff springs part and it was tricky to find in places but we made it ! We ended up at the base of battleship rock and we were so hot that we made the right move to go back . Still haven’t attempted it yet but this winter for sure . Thx Jerry and Tina for a great informational video . Jerry you slept up there but one other time you almost died ! The Sup’s are like no other !
That failed first attempt is why I can't see it and not mention that I made it....One of my favorite accomplishments and such a fun trip.
I had a scare like this when doing Wasson Peak @ Saguaro in 110F+ weather... On my way down I began feeling disoriented and dizzy...almost lost the trail down the multiple fingers of the wash... Luckily I got back to my car cooled off and rehydrated... The quick onset of these symptoms is quite alarming... Stay Safe! God Bless!
Thank you for this important information. It happened to me 3 times ( just the mild symptoms ). It comes on fast. Glad Tina made it to the truck! 💐
We learned a lot from this trip. Salt chews, UV protection, cooling buffs.....Glad we did it, but never expected it to be this severe.
Another great video; so glad Tina was okay. Jerry I have to say I really missed Tina giving you the finger and telling you f-off in this video.......... I laugh every time......... stay safe. t
Don't worry. I'm sure I'll earn the finger plenty more in the future.
The wife and I just hiked this. What an amazing hike! First time in the superstitions! Can't wait to do more!
The Supes are my playground. Wave Cave, Broadway Cave, Flatiron, Rogers Canyon, Boulder Canyon.......so many great trails out there.
I'm so glad you guys share the lows, along with the highs. Humidity is a game changer. We've rescued soooo many people in this area because we normally have 10-28% humidity and heat. This week, it's been 40-67% humidity and we have people dropping in schools, parking lots, parks, etc.,. So glad you two made it out ok.
Thanks. Need to work on less lows though.....
Sometimes lows are a part of going to these amazing places! If it was easy, everyone would do it! I appreciate you sharing your real experience and not just the “made for instagram” version of the experience. Keep it real! 🙂
Thank you for the lesson, glad you folks recovered. Thanks for all your videos. My wife and I did the four corners trip in 2010. Went to 19 different NP’s with no regrets. Great memories. We live in Ontario Canada with lots of humidity but no elevation issues.
I spent a lot of time UTAH and Nevada and did a lot of hiking and learned to love the dry heat and fairly vertical type climbs in higher temperatures. I returned to virginia and went hiking Appalachian trail when it was 82 and 50-60% humidity and it was brutal having to readjust to the humidity.. Good call.
It's so hard adjusting to humidity when you live in the desert. I was used to it growing up, but now? It's brutal.
This is one I can relate to. Couple years back, hiked up to Tom’s Thumb in July. It was around 90 degrees that day, and I thought no problem. But a humid, monsoon day. Closest I’ve come to a very dangerous situation. Was seriously questioning if I could make it back. What you speak of is very real!!!
Oh my, thanks for being honest and telling us how Tina was feeling. My goodness geez, thanks for the info. Hope you’re both well, lots of respect. Lots of ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️Tina, we love your personality so much, Jerry thanks for your videos 🌻🌻
Yeah be careful out there, Definitely have to plan desert hikes In the fall or early spring, which I am sure you know, we hike the south/west in October, thanks for sharing!
I had heat exhaustion once - - 10 mile May hike in the desert in 95 degree weather. Had plenty of water but at the 7 mile marker started getting disoriented, severe leg cramps and blisters on both feet. Classic heat exhaustion symptoms. Had to tough it out the last 3 miles by slow walking and resting. I too was amazed at how fast this can creep up on you a real eye opener for me.
Thanks for sharing, it's all good. I hike a lot and enjoy watching your well done video's. Many of the places you hike I've hiked also. I enjoy the things you point out, some of which I might not have noticed on my hikes. Anyway, you got it right about the humidity. I too had a like adventure this past weekend but read the signs and took the most breaks I've ever taken on a hike, drank all the extra water I brought (always take more than you think you need), and slowed my pace. I hike alone as many others do and this requires me to listen to my body, I'm all I've got out there 🙂 Thanks for the vid's, keep hiking, glad you are both alright, cheers. Brian
Thank you for sharing! I live in TN where we routinely have similar heat and humidity causing heat exhaustion. People visiting and hiking here are always shocked at how quickly the conditions can cause heat stress or worse. They mistakenly assume that being in mountain areas won’t cause heat exhaustion. We visit PHX several times each year in different months and seasons. The humidity changes are physically stressful.
I love this hike. The parking lot told me all I needed to know about the time of year you hiked this.
We did this on purpose to test some things for an upcoming R2R trip in the Grand Canyon. We made adjustments accordingly that helped a ton for that trip, so overall it was good. But we should have turned around when Tina got goosebumps.
Great job Jerry!
We learned lessons here that saved our behinds hiking the GC this past weekend. Ran into EM on Bright Angel on his way down to Garden Creek! For a second I was sure you and Mandy were gonna be with him.
That's too funny! Unfortunately we weren't able to make it. We are planning on doing garden creek towards the end of next month though!
Oh my goodness love watching you both, especially Tina. We’re having 🌮 as we watch, always beautiful footage. Thanks for sharing your adventures, please as always lots of 🤗🤗❤️❤️🤗🤗❤️❤️🤗🤗❤️❤️😘😘😘🌮🌮🌮🌮for Tina 🌻
Jerry, start including a Mexican restaurant recommendation with each of your videos. On a different note - I noticed your truck was the only one in the parking lot there at the Peralta trail head. So different than doing this hike in the winter (we’re snowbirds and do this hike a couple times a winter, February and March) and it’s very tough to find a spot in the trail head parking lot. I can imagine the summer heat of central Arizona when it’s coupled with the humidity of monsoon season.
One night in early March of this year, I camped under that lone pine tree. It was on my bucket list to do.
There was a sweet campsite up there.
Such a beautiful hike, and such high quality footage too
I've lived here 38 years. Hiking in the desert in the summer is just a bad idea!
Thanks for sharing Jerry, I'm so glad Tina pulled through. Having experienced the onset of heat stroke once myself, I can relate. Your channel is not only entertaining but it is also educational and such a service to all your viewers.
Great PSA! Thank you Jerry!
I never thought it could happen to me I was outside just relaxing in the heat but the humidity was high didn't think nothing of it but started feeling chills and goose bumps I thought what is this, now I know. Thanks for the info, great video.
I'm glad you had a good outcome. When I heard you talking about high humidity I was thinking it was similar to us here in Atlanta, but then you said 45%. You really to get accustomed to the heat and humidity. My 4 mile walk around the neighborhood the other day was 88 degrees and 82% humidity, but I was able to pull it off with no problem. I did wait until just before sunset to head out, so I was in the shade the whole time. We spent 2 weeks in Utah and AZ at the first of July this summer and I have to say, 20-40% humidity is wonderful compared to what we have. Thanks for the videos. They are inspiring me to get out and train so that I can come back out there and so some more challenging trails than what I was able to do this year.
Absolutely speechless place and excellent analysis at the end......keep posting your great videos !!!!
Thanks! The Superstitions are the closest wilderness to my house, so I get out there a lot. Always a good time.
We do this three or four times each winter. Great hike, one of our favorites.
Nice photography
Ugh Tina! I am so sorry you experienced this. I have been down that road too hiking out of the Grand Canyon Bright Angel Trail. Couldn't wait to get my whole head under the spigot at Indian Garden! Ranger suggested carrying small spray bottle that mists. It does have a cooling effect. Now I wear sun protective clothing (usually long sleeve), a hat with sun flaps, carry a small Freezer-Pak, a frozen cooler blanket that I slip in the back of my pack, start out with a couple frozen bottled waters (for pouring on my head) & separate from drinking water and still this summer it was hard at times to keep cool. Good luck with this heat issue. It's tough. Especially with humidity! But!! Great job and great video! Lone Pine is beautiful !! Thanks for the extra effort!!
Yeah, we adjusted a lot of things after this trip which helped us out immensely this past weekend.
Great lesson, Jerry and Tina. Glad Tina got out safely. You’re spot on that us Arizonans aren’t acclimated to high humidity and that moderate temp/high humidity can be brutal. 110 with 7% humidity at sunset is much more pleasant than 85 with 70% humidity in the full sun.
Great info Guys, Jerry i watched the video of you climbing and staying overnight on the needle. You deserve the braggen rights . I have a pic of me at fremont saddle with
three four inches of snow on the ground. Did not know about the extra trip to lone pine. Looked nice. Also you wearing the ZION hat reminds me of last week when i
hiked ANGELS LANDING !!!! Im bragging about that because im 71 years old. Had a blast, just couldnt walk for two days after LOL.
Nice! Angel's landing is a really great hike. I also highly recommend the stopover to lone pine. Even better views than the saddle.
Still wanting to hike the Supes in the snow, but no luck so far.
Dew Point is the most helpful indicator of humidity because it removes the variable of heat from % humidity. 88F and 45% relative humidity calculates to about 64° Dew Point, which is no fun at all. Arkansas summers are almost always >70° Dew Point, thus I DON'T HIKE. :)
Thank you for sharing the end details and outcome, very helpful to remind us of how things can go. Glad Tina recovered so well! Love your content!!
I live in Phoenix. When I hike in the summer I carry two frozen 1 liter bottles and 1 or 2 non frozen bottles depending on the hike. These are put in an insulation bag inside my daypack. As my water goes down in my frozen bottles I top it off with more unfrozen water. Do not carry all your water frozen. Also I carry one of those Microfiber towels inside a baggie already wet. It always stays in my pack just for emergencies...................Happy Trails
Good advice.
I live in Florida so I'm use to the heat and humidity, but I will not hike anywhere in Florida during the summer so I will often go to the NC mountains to camp and hike during the warmer months. Just back in early July, I was hiking a trail to the top of Mt. Pisgah (6 miles rt and 1500ft elevation gain) which is a very normal mountain hike for me. Like you, I had plenty of water, electrolytes, and took my time. The temperature that day was in the low 80s, but the humidity was very high probably around 75%. Around the last mile I felt a migraine starting and by the time I make it back to my car it's full blown. I'm by myself but luckily I was camping nearby, so it was a short drive. By the time I get back to my site I'm not doing well, but I know what to do. I started getting sick and was trying to cool down but I couldn't keep anything down. Definitely not good when you need to hydrate. I didn't have enough phone signal to call my husband, but I could get a text out, so I asked him to call the campground and see if the host could come help me because at this point I'm starting feel like I'm going to pass out. Long story short, I ended up needing EMS and took a 45 minute ambulance ride down the Blue Ridge Parkway to the hospital for lots of fluids and migraine medication. It's scary how quickly things can get out of control, but it was a learning lesson for me and now I have a few more tricks up my sleeve. I'm glad that Tina was ok and that you were there to help her.
Glad you were OK! We definitely made adjustments after this and they work wonders.
I will be doing this in a couple weeks!
This could not have been posted at a better time! Thanks Jerry!!
Well done, I got heat stroke climbing a mountain in the Siskiyous fighting fire. It sucked. good presentation and useful. I used a water-soaked bandanna helped a lot. thanks again.
Glad you are stressing the importance of electrolytes in addition to water. The closest I’ve ever been to getting heatstroke was while having plenty of water, but no electrolytes. Climbing a steep hill in 100+ to retrieve a drone at a remote location. I thought I was good because I had plenty of water with me. Had to return very close to my goal when I realized having to stop every 50 feet because I was exhausted was not a good thing.
We added salt chews/sticks and they work wonders as well. But there are a lot of other things you can do that help like UV shirts, sun hats, cooling buff, etc. You need all the advantages you can get in the desert.
Man the Superstition Mountains are so on my bucket list!!! What an amazing landscape! Can't wait to go. (not in the summer though...)
The Supes are incredible. Being this close to my home, they're my go to.....Usually in the cooler months, of course.
Pretzels are always in my bag as a snack when i do hikes. Never realized it was my body always makin sure it has salt to go with the water.
After this past weekend, I swear by the salt stick/chews they sell at REI. Life savers, literally.
First, very happy Tina is okay. Thanks for sharing, it would be easy to not upload this file, the story is a very valuable one. I live with bad asthma and life threatening food allergies, so I’ve had multiple instances where I get into trouble. The scariest instances I’ve had are not about getting into trouble, it’s not realizing that I’m in trouble and acting accordingly. I’ve learned that when I’m in trouble, I most often want to keep doing what I’m doing and so I downplay my symptoms or ignore what is happening. I’ve learned to question my own decision making and to always listen to someone I trust, that's my wife Lori. And as that trusted partner, you also have to learn when to step in and tell that person to stop. This was a new situation for the both of you and Tina and obviously you both have learned. Tina must have really felt bad, she didn’t flip you off once!
You should consider a top ten list of your favorite Mexican and burger restaurants that you visit on these hikes. Seriously, next time I’m in Arizona or Utah, I would go out of my way to try some of them.
That's good advice. And also a good idea for a video.
Watched to the end. You guys really are theeeeee bestest! [And how fab that you slept up there!]. Living in Indiana and my window for hiking in AZ usually twice a year) is late October to the first few days of March. And that's about it!
Thanks! And in case you missed it, I slept up there.
Glad everyone is ok. Great lesson for someone like me that has thought about hiking up to the Saddle in September on a "cooler" day. I think I will just wait for cooler weather and not take any chances.
I've hiked the Peralta Trail many times and I really love returning on the Geronimo Cave trail on the way back, turning the hike into a loop. The Geronimo Cave trail is half-marked and half rock-cairned so it feels a bit like bushwacking. The Geronimo Cave loop trail is one of my favorite hikes in the Superstitions. I appreciated your explanation of heat stroke. I've never had it but one of our group in the Grand Canyon had it on the way out. He had to be mule-lifted back out. Very serious. My hottest hike was in 112 degree weather and my brother and I only made it 2 miles, out and back to the car, on that day. As someone mentions below, I agree that pouring water on your head is a GOOD idea.
That was the loop we were going to do this trip. We decided against it since I knew it was a social trail and with as much rain as we've been getting I was afraid it might be overgrown and hard to follow. That turned out to be a very good decision since speed was important on our way out.
The heat is no joke. We learned a lot on this one and have definitely changed our gear and methods for hiking in the heat. Just completed a much warmer and more committing hike and the lessons we learned on Peralta saved us on that one for sure.
My idea hiking temperature is around 60 degrees. When I lived in Washington it was usually cool, but I noticed even 80 degrees could be very uncomfortable to me. The humidity in the lowland rainforests is always around 50% or higher and when it's in the 80s it's uncomfortable.
Those temperatures are what I deal with everyday in Florida (with a higher humidity) Im used to it i guess. I hike and skateboard in it no problem.
I've lived in places with lots of humidity and don't ever recall it being a problem. Your body just kinda adapts to your environment. Being out here with low humidity all the time, it adapts to that, so when it's even slightly humid, it's hard on us.
As a fellow hiker and knowing how tough Tina is through all the hiking you guys do... it is very difficult to know when to say when and then it becomes a thing of pride. This is exactly why I believe in several principles. #1 I carry way more water than I need to because I can keep myself hydrated (and I drink like a horse). #2 I always wear a neck gaiter which I always wet with the water I carry. That way I am always a little teensy bit cooler. #3 I never hike in a t-shirt and shorts. My trip to moab (was supposed to go back next week actually but chose to postpone to april of 2023) I wore fishing white as snow top and hiking pants. When we did the Amasa/Hymasa aka Cliffhanger and then also hiked Moses and Zeus in 110F and even Corona arch.. my entire family looked like a bunch of funky nincompoops but we were far better off and cool.
Heat exhaustion and stroke is no joke. My sobering moment was hiking with family who at the time did not listen. We were on top of Table Rock in SC and they all ran out of water because they did not listen and only carried 1 bottle each. I gave them my water expecting to have some for hike back. 4.5 miles in 95F and 70% humidity with not a drop left for me. I am a tough cookie but I was about 3 seconds away from puking my guts out.
Thank you for PSA because this stuff is critically important.
Heat exhaustion is no joke. I went down with it a few years ago in 105F because I didn't take care of myself "because I can handle the heat!" Now, temps above 90F are absolutely not tolerable for me anymore. I'd like to add that pouring water on my head does work, even in high humidity, and now I carry one of those "iCOOL" towels that get really cold when wet. They are a literal life saver! (As long as there is water available.) I'm really glad Tina was able to get cooled off before it got really bad. Take care of yourselves so you can keep making great videos of awesome places! :)
Man, we learned a lot on this trip, which was the point. I'm actually glad it went down like it did because it made us think much more seriously on how to prepare for this. Saw your comment and got those cooling buffs. We also added sun hats, long sleeve UV shirts, salt chews, sunblock.....hell, I even brought those instant ice packs. All those things and more made a huge difference on a more recent hike.
2 levels of heat stress: heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Well done Jerry. I just finally did Peralta Canyon, loved it👍. Well presented info, everyone must be aware of this. Thank you.
Glad you got to check it out. So many places out there that I love, but the Supes are the closest real wilderness to my home, so they hold a special place.
Enjoyed the video. I'd like to offer a tip for someone experiencing heat exhaustion or heat stroke during a hike. Dump water on their head to cool them out of critically hot temps. Always bring EXTRA water for this, never plan where you run out at the end of a hike, but have more than what you need. With wet hair it really cools someone fast. Keep wetting inside of someone's hat. If you do this in ADVANCE on a hot day you don't run into problems. Keep putting water on your head and dump down your shirt too. Also, remove any tight fitting clothing or any synthetic layers that reflect heat. Shade of course. If you have no shade and your partner is having issues YOU make shade by standing over the person until they cool from critically hot levels. The only reason I'm sharing this is because of the comment in the video about nothing else we could do but go down. No, there definitely are things you can do such as this that make a huge difference. Nothing wrong with stopping hiking in the middle of the day, finding shade and waiting for heat to subside. It's not a race.
We did this and several other things on our hike this past weekend. Glad we did the hike in Peralta to test things out. If we hadn't adjusted our gear and methods, we probably would have had a lot more trouble this past weekend. Did all the things you say plus long sleeve UV shirts, sun hats, salt chews (those specifically saved my butt), instant ice packs and more. The heat is no joke, but you can definitely do things that help.
Wow. I live in Atlanta where humidity is a constant. But, your description of the symptoms and how quickly a person can get in trouble is eye opening. Out on the trail I can see it being life threatening very quickly as there is no way to cool down. I’ll be paying closer attention from now on. Many thanks and very happy Tina is ok.
I was shocked how quickly it came on. And just when I thought we were in the clear, it got worse. We took a lot of lessons from this trip. We purposely did Peralta to prepare for a much longer, much hotter rim to rim in the Grand Canyon. And the lessons we learned - salt tablets, sun protection, etc. - probably saved that trip. It was so much more enjoyable. Definitely something to look out for. And as someone who grew up with humidity it's crazy how you can get used to it but then you move somewhere dry and you lose that tolerance. I'm sure people from Florida or Georgia would not have had the problems we had.
I’ve experienced the onset of heat exhaustion twice in my days as a field archaeologist. It’s scary. I fainted the first time because I didn’t recognize the signs until it was too late, and the second time I realized it when I got goosebumps in 105 degree heat. Learned valuable lessons both times. I’m glad Tina is okay!
Shocked at how fast it comes on for sure. And thanks. Glad you're OK also.
Hi Jerry, Your message and advice on heat exhaustion was excellent. It seems amazing to me how quickly Tina recovered as you two enjoyed a Mexican meal at the end of the video.
I’ve hiked Peralta Canyon Trail numerous times including the side trip to the Lone Tree. I’ve also hiked the Dutchman and Bluff Spring loop, which I think is superior to Peralta Canyon in terms of scenic beauty and challenge. The Bluff Spring and Dutchman trailheads are collocated with Peralta Canyon.
Thanks for another excellent video. The Superstition Wilderness is my favorite place to hike in the Phoenix area.
I love the Superstitions and am so glad to have them so close. I've done Dutchman and Bluff Springs as well. We were out there for training; elevation and heat. Got a bit too much of the heat, but it served it's purpose as we're changing some things; Sun hats, UV long sleeve shirts, sunscreen, cooling buffs, etc. Glad we tested it out as I would not want this experience on our upcoming trip.
I've been up there a couple times, thanks for sharing. I don't think I'd make the attempt this time of year. I'd rather fight the snowbirds in February. :-)
The Supes are definitely my WINTER playground.
Very glad the both of you are ok. That's scary, how quick that pulled her down. I'm actually surprised at the high humidity, I assumed Arizona to be mostly dry heat.
In the future, consider not exposing as much skin and wearing long sleeves.
"Long sleeves are actually safer for heat stress because the sun is a radiant heat load and long sleeves shield the wearer" Also the wicking effect of the material will help with moisture evaporation.
Glad to hear Tina is okay, and doing well.
We have definitely changed strategy on that. I think I've just done this hike so many times I considered it an 'easy day hike' and didn't prepare like I normally would. Stupid. Never underestimate a hike, especially terrain this rugged.
Pushing on when you feel off is always a bad idea. I tried to hike to the top of Mount Adams (12k foot peak in WA) after waking up with a sore throat. The altitude made whatever minor virus I caught about 100 times worse. I got serious chills and nausea 800 feet from the summit. Same deal, too nauseated to eat or drink, but know I need fuel to get down. Luckily with altitude it gets a little better when you go down, but I was feeling pretty sick and going on fumes the whole way down. As soon as I got down to the car and stopped walking I was shaking with fever. Most scary and miserable experience in my life. Amazed I didn’t need a helicopter lift.
Heat stroke, dehydration, altitude sickness can all become extremely serious extremely fast. Also, small things can compound the issue. For you it was the humidity being worse than what you were used to. I never had trouble with altitude before, but the problem was I had some kind of virus. Pre-coved I never took colds very seriously, but it seems any virus is dangerous at altitude. I just didn't know any better.
Sound advice. 'Summit fever' is a great way to push yourself right into trouble.
Heat stroke 2 times both times high humidity, hypothermia 2 times cold rain at 7000 feet elevation no rain gear, it happens born and raised in Arizona desert 68 years old. Glad you guys got to the ac when you did.
I had heat exhaustion earlier this summer. It’s no joke! And it happened within minutes. Thank goodness I work in a theme park and we have onsite EMS. It’s so terrifying. Your words are well heard.
As a local who loves the outdoors, we focus on exclusively aquatic-focused activities outdoors in Q2Q3 during the day when down in the valley. Just not worth the risk. The older I get, the less heat tolerant my body has become. Q4Q1 is hiking season in they valley for us. Glad you guys made it out OK.
We generally go north or hike where there is shade/water. Or I do technical canyons with water (and ironically have to deal with hypothermia). We had permits for another hike though and needed to adjust for warmer weather techniques. This trip to Peralta actually taught us some lessons that helped immensely on the other trip. But yeah, better to avoid the heat out here in the summer.
45% humidity is very low humidity in the South East. We are often above 90 heat and humidity.
The humidity out there is intense. I used to be used to it, but over the years living out here with this dry environment, it really gets to me now, even at lower levels.
Hello Jerry
Thanks for your honestly hopefully your message will be taken seriously this heat and humidity are no joke! Couple of questions, you mention electrolytes what where you drinking? What Mexican restaurant do you go to? Last year we were in Kanab and went to Escobar’s per your recommendation the fajitas were amazing!! You and Tina stay safe! Happy trails!
Regards, Mike in QC
We use Nuun tablets and I swear by them. We've added salt stick/chews from REI and those also help a lot. Crazy enough, that was Macayo's. It's a chain, but still good. El Patio by Camp Verde is our favorite (just went there today, actually.) We need to explore more around Phoenix because I know there are great Mexican places here.
@@JerryArizona Thank you Jerry!
You’re brave hiking in those temps.
I hike the Superstition’s in the winter time, just small trails like Hieroglyphics (just did a night hike there), silly mountain and Wave cave.
Trying to plan a 2 day hike there.
Lots of good backpacking out there. Definitely start out with something that's not too remote/untraveled and has water (like Reavis Ranch). Enjoy. Love the Supes.
@@JerryArizona thank you for the suggestion.
I’ll definitely have to give that trail a go.
Just want to spread this song GREAT for any HIKER 🥾
By Adam Fink LET'S GO ON A HIKE 🏞️
Late to the party I know (and I know it's colder now), and I see you got a lot of tips already but wanted to add mine. I'm an Aussie and I live in Queensland, which is famous for it's hot humid summers. Today is 45% humidity and 81F and it's actually a nice day because of the breeze, normally in December it's closer to 90F and around 60-80% humidity. I LOATHE hiking in summer (and fall, because it stays hot for a long time) but I'm learning to manage the heat (I overheat really easily - red face is a constant for me!) Things that help are the cooling towels, proactively keeping my head/hat wet, UV umbrella and I try to carry a little paper fan (those little accordion ones?) so if there is no breeze I can make my own. I've had the chills/goosebumps before and gotten nauseous and I usually end up with a migraine. It's nasty! We also keep super cold drinks in a cooler in the car and that always helps too. Glad Tina was ok afterwards!
Good tips. We did this to practice for our R2R hike a few weeks later in the Grand Canyon. Added the things you mentioned (minus the fan, which is a good idea.) Hiked so we were next to water during the hot parts of the day and used salt chews. I now swear by the salt chews. When I start going into heat stroke/exhaustion, I get the goosebumps and tunnel vision. Once I almost completely lost my vision. (Not the greatest thing when you need to get out of where you are.) During the Grand Canyon trip I had a moment where the tunnel vision started. Ate two of the salt chews and it almost instantly went away. Definitely not saying that's the only thing you need, but they do help more than I expected.
@@JerryArizona that's good to know. They are not easy to get in Australia. I saw them in one store but wasn't sure about them, I might grab some!
Not sure if this was already mentioned but once you have had heat exhaustion or heat stroke you are more susceptible to them. They come on faster. So something to consider moving forward. I carry a few frozen water bottles to put under my arms when I get too warm too.
Good to know. We've added a lot of items to help since this trip. Glad we did it so we were better prepared a couple weeks later for rim 2 rim.
Your videos are great, love the different spots and hidden gems all around the SW you highlight. Your soundtracks However are awful😂 unless you want to take a nap, then it’s perfect
Ha! Well, enjoy the nap. Personally I like much heavier and/or upbeat music, but it doesn't seem to fit the vibe for the nature videos. Just put on some Metallica in the background while you're watching.