Chapter 18 - Recreation
Virtues of a Walking Stick
Several years ago when I saw an assortment of hardwood walking sticks
standing in the corner of a sports store somewhere in the Adirondacks,
I scoffed at the idea that I would ever use a “third leg” to get around
in the woods. After all I had hunted, hiked and backpacked in some rugged
New York country for years without one.
Sure I used a handy sapling or branch to cross a
rock-strewn stream or narrow-plank bridge now and again, but to carry a
walking stick through the woods all day was just out of the question. I
just couldn’t understand why so many hikers used them all the time. Then,
while hiking an ice-covered trail, I took a tumble. The pain from my sore
butt went straight to my thick head, as pain often does, and jolted my
prejudice against walking sticks. Okay, in the winter when the trails were
icy, I would carry a ski pole. But that was it.
A couple of years later my daughter, Bridget and
I decided to hike up an Adirondack mountain during the winter. The trail
was relatively short, but quite steep in places, so I suggested we each
take a ski pole in case the trail was icy. We used those ski poles to good
advantage all the way up (and down) the mountain trail. In addition to
providing more secure footing on ice covered trails, they provided support
and leverage for those extra-long steps up rocky outcrops, extended our
arms for offering a helping “hand”, and were just the ticket for leaning
on to catch our breath. Our ski pole walking sticks were even more useful
on the way down. After all when you fall going up a steep trail, you fall
into the mountain, but on the way down, well that’s another matter.
After that winter outing, I carried a ski pole on
almost every walk when it was icy, muddy or the trails were steep. I also
used it to lift berry bushes so I could find the biggest berries and avoid
the prickers. It was great for knocking down apples and tearing up tent
caterpillar nests, or for taking down spider web strands that so often
cross narrow trails and end up in your mouth or eyes. It wasn’t long before
I could hardly leave home without my ski-pole walking stick.
ski poles or telescoping aluminum tubing, can make a
hike in the woods safer and more enjoyable.
But, it had its limitations. Length for
instance. A short pole is fine for level ground or walking uphill, but
for walking along the side of a ridge or coming down a mountain trail,
a longer stick is better. Likewise the pointed tip of a ski pole is perfect
for ice or hard ground, but for climbing over rocks, a blunt, softer tip
works best.
I had collected a number of different length downhill
and cross country ski poles, and considered buying one or more of those
beautiful hardwood creations I’d seen in that Adirondack sport shop. But
I couldn’t carry a quiver of walking sticks to fit every situation, so
I scanned mail order catalogs and searched local sport shops for a more
versatile stick. I found just what I wanted in a camping equipment catalog
and ordered it immediately. It cost about $45.00 with shipping. Kind of
steep for a stick, but I had fishing rods that cost more.
It’s made of lightweight aluminum tubing that telescopes
from 41 to 56 inches. The top portion is covered with a non-slip foam sheath,
and the tip can be changed from a steel point to blunt hard rubber in a
jiffy. A bonus feature is a hardwood knob that unscrews to reveal that
this stick can also serve as a camera monopod.
I’ve put many miles on that walking stick in the
past few years on my daily walks and weekend hikes. I really put it to
the test on a backpacking trip into the West Canada Lakes Wilderness Area.
It saved my buns more than once while crossing streams and climbing and
descending slippery mountain trails. I even used the camera feature, but
had to provide additional support for stand-alone self-portraits.
I don't use a walking stick while hunting because
carrying a gun and the stick is just too cumbersome. Today they make telescoping
walking sticks that take down to 20 inches. Now that might fit in my daypack.
Perhaps I'll put one of those micro walking sticks on my Christmas list
this year.
How you use a walking stick is up to you. I like
to move at a fairly good pace when I’m walking for exercise. Using the
stick all the time slows me down, so I usually hold it in the middle and
swing it with my arm, switching it to the other hand now and again. When
I’m walking on ice, mud, slippery ground or rocks, or climbing or descending
a steep mountain trail, I use it as a third leg to improve my footing or
for leverage.
Whatever you use or however you use it, a walking
stick can make a hike in the woods more enjoyable and safer for you and
your family.
