Stream fords & trekking poles

imported
#1

Question for all: is there a commercially made, lightweight “fording staff”? Trekking poles seem a little too flexible and short, and last summer in Utah on day hikes I picked up a true staff – stout, nearly 6-foot, not flexible, roughly 1.5-inch diameter – which made a huge difference in getting through churning water. My hiking companion, who had Leki poles, quickly found a staff similar to mine and used it at all crossings. I took a fall in a stream some years ago and am very, very impressed with the power of snowmelt water & slippery boulders. I suppose it might be possible to get a 5-foot length of aluminum tubing (I know I’m talking about quite a bit of extra weight here) and have it sectioned into, maybe 3 parts, with threaded ends? Just thinking out loud and seeking your counsel. Will also post this to Yahoo PCT2006.

McIntyre

#2

I made one for my friend Boyhowdy just as you describe. It’s three pieces made from a pine closet rod. The screw joints are from a wood working catalog that had male/female/brass threaded pieces like you use in the furnature business for table legs. SImilar to a pool cue that comes apart. I made this one for him for when he goes over seas and can check in his baggage. Sorry no picture, but with some work you could make a nice one.

Bushwhack

#3

Hiking sticks work well in stream crossings. The stick placement has become my gauge of difficulty. If I can’t get the stick down without effort, I know the water is moving too fast to be safe. Anything that is too fast for my sticks, is too fast for me.

Ginny

#4

Living in the Southwest I have discovered the most excellent stick. It is the stalk of a particular member of the agave family (a. lechuguilla I think). The stalk is light and fiberous, but very strong. I have never really been interested in poles as my base weight is only about 12 pounds.

Ginny has very good watchwords: if you can’t get a relatively thin stick to go down, what will happen to two ankles thicker than your stick?

Ponytail

Everyone’s a hero, just ask them, they’ll tell you

ponytail

#5

I have seen people use one of those collapsable golf ball retrievers. They took out the bottom sections and just used the handle and top couple of sections. It also doubled as the tent pole in the center of their sylnylon teepee.

Big B

#6

trekking poles aren’t very flexible

hosee