Joy on the Trails is a blog series detailing all the incredible hiking trails within an hour of Denver. All the trails featured are accessible to anyone whether you’re new to hiking, or just wanting to get out without driving for hours into the mountains. I hope you uncover your own joy of hiking and I hope you’re inspired to try a few of my favorite trails. And if you’re so inclined, join me sometime… I’m out there a lot!
Trekking poles are handy in all kinds of situations!
OMG, I just searched “best trekking poles” and of course fifteen hundred video reviews came up with every suggestion from how best to save your joints, to extreme ice hiking. SO… if you’re going to enter those key words, seems you better know what you’re using your trekking poles for!
When I was a kid, I set out to immediately find the best “hiking stick” I could find when I went hiking. I would find long, thick sticks; switch them out when a better, more comfortable one came along; and then discarded them off trail when I got back to the car. I loved the feeling of having something in my hand to set the pace and poke things along the way.
Then when I had a baby and put her in a backpack carrier, I used a trekking pole to stay stabilized when she would bounce around excitedly signing “The Bear Went Over the Mountain”.
As an adult, I treated myself to a hand carved wooden stick that felt glorious in my hand and reminded me of hiking as a kid. The clicking of the stick along the trail kept me moving forward, and offered a sense of nostalgia combined with adventure as I found new trails to love.
Now I have joint pain - That’s FUN! - and I have found a whole new use for a trekking pole! I have discovered that indeed there are some ridiculously poorly made poles, and some that are way overpriced for what you get. A trekking pole can offer stability on icy trails, and definitely takes some of the pressure off your knees on the descent.
If you are looking for a trekking pole for balance in the winter, relief from joint pain, or just like the feel of having something to grip, avoid the cheap ones, and don’t over-spend. Get a pole that has grippers in two places where the pole expands - avoid the twisty tightener. Make sure the pole is long enough for your height. And test different grip materials. The cork grip feels lovely in your hand but is kind of pricey.
Most importantly, breath deeply along the trail and embrace the journey!
Come hiking with me!
If you want more information on this or other trails in the area, please don’t hesitate to reach out! Just like the homes I sell, I can even show it to you in person! And learn more about my Realtor life here.
