Leg Workout in Sarvis Creek Wilderness Area

I work out in a gym on a regular basis. I believe that in addition to cardiovascular exercise, a strength training program benefits me in my outdoors adventures. I include squats, deadlifts and lunges in my routine in preparation for the occasional scramble up a cliff, or to more easily lift a heavy pack. I never thought I’d be doing actual weighted lunges and squats for hours on end like I did earlier this week in Sarvis Creek Wilderness Area.

The Sarvis Creek Wilderness Area south of Steamboat Springs is known for its heavily wooded character – there is no alpine tundra to be found as the entire area remains under the tree line - as well as for its abundant wildlife. Black bears in particular are common here. At the west entrance to the wilderness area, the Sarvis Creek flows into the beautiful Yampa River. Spring is certainly underway in this gorgeous valley this time of the year – the meltwater creeks form a playground for the countless birds who are gorging themselves on newly hatched insects, while the trees and shrubs are starting to bud in the 65 degree spring sunlight.

The road is still closed at the east side of the adjacent Stagecoach Reservoir State Park, so I decided to scout the road to the Wilderness area on foot to make sure I brought the right gear for the overnight trip. I figured that if I hike for 45 minutes, I would have a fairly accurate picture of the conditions deep into the wilderness area. Except for an occasional patch of snow, the trail was clear, and I decided to leave my snowshoes in the car. That was a mistake. As soon as I turned the corner where I had previously halted my recon trip, I ran into deep snow. I managed to stay on top of the snow most of the time, but I knew that as the sun would warm up the snow, it would become softer and would no longer be able to support my weight. Based on my experience earlier that morning, I decided to push through, hoping that this was just a ‘larger patch of snow’, and that things would clear up as I continued my hike.

As I was breaking trial, I noticed that there was not a trace of human activity in this area – not a single human footprint in the mud or snow, not even from a smarter specimen who did decide to bring snowshoes. What I did find, however, were mountain lion prints. These prints were as fresh as can be (they were very sharp and well-defined, especially in the mud, and looked just like mine in definition and wetness.) This cat was really close – I knew they are excellent stalkers, and it was watching my every move from behind the bushes. As expected, I did not manage to catch a glimpse of the mountain lion, despite my efforts. (As a reference point: the boot print in the picture is a size 13.)

While I crossed another muddy patch, I saw another set of prints. At first glance these looked like human (barefoot) prints. As I took a closer look, I concluded these were bear prints. These were also very fresh – I found these prints as I backtracked to find a camping spot, and I had examined this very patch ten minutes earlier, and I know for a fact that these prints were not there at that point.

Several hours into the wilderness, I was still sinking knee-deep into the snow with almost every step. I realized I was not going to reach my goal of crossing the entire wilderness, and around 5 pm I decided to call it quits and set up camp. I found a spot near the creek, tried to catch some dinner in the form of a 22 inch rainbow trout (no such luck) and called it a night. My legs were screaming – the ibuprofen provided welcome relief. I had no trouble sleeping after at least 5000 lunges with a heavy pack on my back.

The next morning, I hiked back to Stagecoach Reservoir. With the overnight temperatures dropping to the upper twenties, the snow was definitely more solid, and supported my weight more easily. Or maybe I just dropped enough weight from my midsection after the workout of the day before, who knows. Either way, the hike back was equally gorgeous. I will certainly return to this beautiful place – either after the snow has cleared, or with snowshoes.

I’m not sure if I’ll make it to the gym today, but if I do, you won’t catch me doing lunges.

Based on my experience, here are a couple of suggestions for hiking in snow conditions:

• When in doubt, bring snowshoes.

• If you are on a day hike (without bringing any gear for an overnight stay) be extra careful. If you hike out on cold morning snow, the conditions will deteriorate in the afternoon. Sinking into the snow with every step you take will slow you down tremendously. This slower pace may prevent you from making it back to the trailhead by dark, and leave you stranded in the woods.

• Do not underestimate the effort involved in hiking in snow conditions. What your hiking guide may describe as an easy 4 mile walk in the park may quickly turn into a strenuous workout beyond your capabilities when the trail is covered in snow. Plan for at least double your calorie and water consumption as you would on the same hike in summer conditions.

• Hiking poles may help prevent you from sinking through the snow, as they distribute you weight over four points of contact rather than two.
  
• Take smaller steps than usual: small steps result in a more gradual weight shift from one foot to another. This lessens the impact of your step on the snow, and it may prevent you from breaking through the snow's upper crust.
  
• In a group, take turns breaking trail. While walking into someone else’s footsteps can be very strenuous by itself (especially if these footsteps create three foot holes), it still does not compare to breaking trail yourself. Closely monitor everybody’s exertion level during a hike in these conditions to prevent over exhaustion. Evacuating someone on your back in these conditions is next to impossible.