$17.54. My First Ever Gear Review and Mountain Lakes Wilderness

Varney Creek Trail, Mountain Lakes Wilderness, Oregon

I am going to do something I have felt somewhat reluctant to do in general: a gear review. I would say that one of the things that I like most about hiking is the accessibility of the activity. My first several hundred miles cost nothing and required no training: old tennis shoes and jeans, carrying a Jansport backpack intended for books full of old Arrowhead bottles refilled with tap water. Now, I do have a shameful amount of gear, but I see much of it as a luxury, not a necessity.

Having said that, I would encourage a person considering their first hiking gear purchase to seriously consider a pair of hiking poles. My Leiki Makalu poles were my first purchase, and have carried Lori and I countless miles over the past 11 years. This purchase was inspired by a 2005 hike up Finger Rock Canyon which was cut short by fresh snow pack. We ran into a guy who had these poles. That, and about 10 falls, one for almost every 10-plus-mile hike completed in our first years hiking. We purchased them because they are solid, and, at around $75, cost about half what most poles cost. Seriously, most poles at REI and Summit Hut sell at $100-$180!

Poles reduce impact on the joints and reduce the chances of falls and fractures. If you have hiked at all, you have likely had post-hike knee tenderness, a fall, or a twisted ankle. Although rare, some falls actually result in death. More commonly fracture, which I have seen on the trail. Even more commonly, strains and sprains.

In our late May trip in the wilderness of southern Oregon, we knew we were in for deep snow pack, mud, ice, downed trees, routefinding, bushwacking. The perfect setup for injury.

Unfortunately, hiking poles are not allowed in carry on baggage. The snow was still piled deep, and downed trees riddled the trails. As a result, we needed to find something to help us not fall in the backcountry.

I went to Walmart in Klamath Falls to purchase broom handles, which I figured would cheaply get the job done. Walmart in Klamath Falls does not carry broom handles, only cheaply made aluminum handled brooms which lacked the backbone needed to support a hiker. I wandered to the outdoor section and found a pair of poles not significantly dissimilar from my own Leiki poles. Only these cost $17.54. I assumed they were total garbage, but figured they would help navigate deep snow and piled up down trees for at least a few days in southern Oregon.

We hiked/bushwhacked about 25 rough miles with deep snow, ice, downed trees, bog, runoff. I was amazed by the relative toughness of these 17 dollar Walmart poles. Most importantly, neither of us fell, sprained an ankle, or broke a bone, which would be easy enough to do in these conditions.

What we found on the Varney Creek Trial on Memorial Day Weekend was similar to that found at Cherry Creek, only with significantly deeper snow pack at the higher parts of the trail in accordance with the 500 foot elevation difference between the Mountain Lakes Wilderness and the Sky Lakes Wilderness.

At about four miles in, right before the junction at the first major lake, we lost the trail completely. We forged on, following the route on GPS, until it became evident that the trail had likely been rerouted at some point, and we were just wandering around on thick snow pack, deep in the woods, far from any lake, person, or landmark. 

Traveling in this way is tedious and hazardous. As snow melts, it becomes slick and soft. Runoff in low areas undercuts the snow, which gives way under pressure. This is most notable in areas where sapling trees are completely buried under the snow. When you step on the thin snow over unseen trees, you can fall through. At one point, I fell through all the way to the hip on the left, wracking my shin on the branches below. Needless to say, this kind of activity is not advisable and carries a high risk of injury. Hiking poles significantly reduce the likelihood of an injury while hiking in general, and kept us injury free.

If you are considering just one hiking gear purchase, I would give these poles a second look. The main differences between these and my Leiki poles are the stickiness of the tip (I don’t think the Walmart version uses carbide), and the length (the Walmart poles are marginally shorter). I can’t say whether these would have the longevity of my Leiki poles, but for most people just trying out hiking, or hiking only occasionally, these will likely reduce the risk of injury by exponents, and will help protect the joints on the downhill (another huge advantage of poles). All of this for under $18.

As for Varney Creek, it was a beautiful hike with a great vista about four miles in, overlooking a classic cascade alpine landscape.