A few years ago, Jayah Paley almost always would hear someone on the trail ask if she forgot her skis.
Now, the hiking pole queen just gets knowing nods.
Long gone is the hand-whittled branch as a hiking staff. Today’s hiking poles are high-tech, shock-absorbent, cork-gripped, nylon-leashed works of art. And using them correctly is an art form.
“There are many common mistakes people make,” said Paley, a 48-year-old Bay Area hiker who holds trekking pole clinics and has created a DVD outlining proper pole technique. “I try to teach people how to avoid new problems and recruit the big muscles so they can reduce stress on the knee. Poles can absolutely lengthen the amount of time people can enjoy the outdoors. This is a way to help people get the most out of their experiences.”
Trekking poles are increasingly common tools among avid hikers. For hikers with aches in their joints, poles can help reduce stress on knees and the spine. Poles can improve balance and help hikers maintain good posture. They increase the upper-body workout in a leg-focused activity. They can open hiking to those who fear a bad tumble. And, as Paley says, they are way sportier than a cane.
“It’s really common in Europe, and it’s catching on here,” said Paley, whose husband, Bob Haxo, turned her on to trekking poles after a knee injury. “The people I work with tell me that poles have given them a renewed sense of freedom. They have hope. But at every age, we can all get some benefit from poles.
“Two sticks have never been more empowering.”
Fourteener fan Josh Friesema of Divide always considered hiking poles a sort of “walking cane.” For the balance impaired. Not for athletes. He used to be one of the guys asking polers if they forgot their skis.
Then he tried a pair during a snowshoe trip that ended up snowless. He started taking poles on all his hikes.
“I immediately noticed that my endurance increased since I was involving more muscles in hiking by having my arms help out. The increased balance is very helpful as well when traveling loose trails with a 70-pound pack on,” said Friesema, a search and rescue volunteer who has climbed 42 of Colorado’s 100 highest hills.
In the past few years, Friesema has found countless benefits from his trekking poles. Balance for wading across streams. Deterring scary wildlife. Self-arresting on a snowy slope. Tent support. Avalanche probe. Even a splint for a broken bone.
“If it ever comes down to survival, they have many more uses for cooking, hunting and shelter,” he said. “You won’t find me in the backcountry without a pair now.”
Learn more — Paley is holding two free seminars next week about proper hiking pole technique: 6:45-8:15 p.m. Wednesday at the Denver REI and same time Thursday at the Boulder REI. Or visit her website at www.adventurebuddies.net.
Jason Blevins can be reached at 303-820-1374 or jblevins@denverpost.com.
