Your Brain Is Lying to You About That Hike
Is your hiking ambition writing checks your body can't cash? Here’s the case for realistic adventure.
By Roy Harryman
Publisher
Have you ever experienced a disconnect between the idea of hiking to a scenic location and actually doing it?
After two hours of heat, bugs, sweat and dehydration, that clifftop view just wasn’t as appealing as it looked online.
This is called “mental simulation bias.” It means we focus on the mountaintop and refuse to acknowledge the extreme vertical scramble required to get there. I’ve been guilty of this on numerous occasions. And so have many others.
The BBC recently highlighted a trend of urbanites taking a plunge into eco-vacations and experiencing sheer misery:
One group paid to spend seven days on a desert island with nothing but a knife and fishing line. They panicked and sent SOS messages after 24 hours.
Others were annoyed by camping with the sound of birds, frogs and ocean waves. Guests at a wildlife reserve were annoyed when a hippo brushed against their tent.
And finally this: A tourist at a remote arctic location complained that it was too quiet to sleep.
“These stories point to a growing chasm between the idea of a remote, nature-led holiday and the reality of experiencing one.”
Knowledge of elevation gains is critical when planning hikes, because gravity doesn’t compromise. Hitchock Nature Center, near Council Bluffs, Iowa.
That’s crazy, but . . .
Beyond the absurdity of these stories, there is something helpful for those of us who love the outdoors. Sometimes our bodies and minds simply don’t align. Ascending 2,000 vertical feet sounds great in our head. But our feet beg to differ.
Some of this could be related to aging. After all, we did it 15 years ago! Our mind hasn’t recalibrated what it will feel like today.
“It seemed like a good idea at the time . . .”
Some of it, however, may simply be a failure to count the cost of an excursion. The Facebook pictures look fantastic! But we must factor in a four-hour drive each way, temperatures and the availability of water, food and restrooms. This is why I haven’t visited the Chalk Pyramids, Little Jerusalem Badlands and other stunning rock formations in western Kansas. I’d love to go, but it’s at least six hours from Kansas City, plus an overnight and return trip. And it’s remote, often requiring driving on dirt roads.
Little Jerusalem Badlands, western Kansas
However, that’s one of the few times I’ve held back. I’ve run myself ragged on multiple trips because I’m not good at realistic assessments (in other words, I’m falling prey to mental simulation bias). If it’s just me hiking, this isn’t great. But when I bring family along, they tend to get a little miffed and now refer to hikes with me as “death marches.”
Is farther better? It depends on who’s hiking.
There’s a balance between a healthy self-challenge and hiking to the point of dehydration, heat exhaustion or injury. It’s annoying to let reality alter our unrealistic plans, but we’ll enjoy the experience more with a sober assessment. Some challenges to consider on every hike are:
Distance and drive time (there and back)
Temperature and wind
Insects and poison ivy
Availability of water and restrooms
The amount of weight you’ll be carrying
The preferences and limitations of others who are joining you
Does this sound like a bummer? It doesn’t have to be. Although we all have bucket lists, we can still find nature exhilarating (maybe even more so) without checking a new, distant location box. Lately, I’ve let reality limit the distance and duration of my trips, but I’ve enjoyed them more. In addition, there’s less recovery time (and fewer angry fellow hikers).
Before you set out, take a few minutes to assess the challenges of your hike. Then you’ll make memories instead of nightmares.
Roy Harryman is the publisher of Kansas City Hiker. His family has (mostly) forgiven him for the extreme hikes he’s put them through.
