Now ever since my rheumatologist told me I couldn’t really get back into running or anything that would significantly affect my joints’ capacity to handle mechanical stress, the world of hiking seemed to be more appealing as I felt my leg muscles grow softer and softer each day. I have gotten concerned that my soft tissues would eventually lose their tone and not be strong enough to support my joints. This was especially encouraged by my physical therapist after she helped me manage my cervical spine problems. So Sam and I started to go on short day hikes with elevation (as advised by my PT), and then we eventually progressed to longer hikes. I have had difficulty in making this a habit because of the cold (yes, I still haven’t gotten used to it), but Sam has helped me bundle up more effectively and of course the scenery is a reward that makes me look forward to it every time. Ever since we moved here, we have hiked a total of around 14 trails, some more often than the others, some didn’t actually have a trail like that time we hiked across the frozen Mendenhall Lake toward the Ice Caves last winter. I’d like to list them all down– makes me feel like I’ve actually accomplished something. 🙂
East Glacier Trail
West Glacier Trail to Mt. Mcginnis
Spaulding Meadows/ Auke Nu Trail
Lena Loop Trail
Herbert Glacier Trail
Airport Dike Trail
Mendenhall River Trail
False Outer Point/ Bluff Trail
Sandy Beach
Peterson Lake Trail
Salmon Creek Trail
Perseverance Trail
Granite Creek Trail
EagleCrest Trail
Ice Caves Hike
Not bad for first-timers, right?
Faithful Resilience 