Has Age Affected Your Camping - Yet?

[UTTransplant]

I am 65 and DH is 67. We both retired at 60, and we have been tent campers, pop up campers, travel trailer campers, and motorhomes. We seldom “camp” anymore, but we are certainly out on long trips with the MH. Our last tent camping on a canoe trip was 4 years ago now, and it was probably the last one we will take. His knees and my back just aren’t conducive to tenting anymore. We did move from a travel trailer to a motorhome 2 years ago, but that was so our trips could be longer while taking more goodies. The last two years we have been gone a total of 8 months each year, though not continuously. This year we have traveled nearly as much once we got home in late March. We are heading to the southwest again in January, and there will be a few shorter trips close to home before then.

[RedT]

A lot of good comments here that cause one to think.....
I'm 83, have been traveling in a motorhome for a long time, and did quit 4 years ago. Sold the motorhome. Puttzed around for one year before we realized we were not finished RVing, and bought the same motorhome back!

Still going, have a trip planned to northern Wisconsin, Michigan for the fall foliage viewing. Will be a 5,000 mile trip. We both seriously enjoy RVing, I still do routine maintenance and servicing, but the boss won't allow me to be on a ladder!

I believe once you quit doing what you enjoy doing, it just becomes a waiting game - waiting for the end.

[astrocamper]

I took my family on 1 to 3 week backpacking trips in the Sierra Nevada mountains from 1993 until recently. Two years ago we bought an Artic Fox travel trailer because we do a lot of astronomy related camping trips and wanted an upgrade from our 5x8 cargo trailer that we used to haul our gear and as a bedroom once unloaded.

I am 63 and hope I am still good for the occasional backpacking trip and a lot of years enjoying our travel trailer and astronomy.

Our backpacking trips have been interrupted by a lot of California related wild fire smoke. It also affects astronomy. July and August fire impacts have been significant. The travel trailer allows us to enjoy astronomy before and after the worst of the wild fires when the weather can be cooler and the darkness lasts longer.

[rarebear.nm]

Just an inspiration thought.

Some years ago while skiing at Taos Ski area I spoke with a lady skier age 94. We chatted a while and she explained that these days she skis Al's Run only twice a day, morning and afternoon when it's open. For those you who are not skiers or are not acquainted with Al's run, it is 1,800 vertical feet drop, an experts run and highly regarded far and wide, frequently rated in the top 10 in the US.

Many of us are doing good to even be walking at that age, let alone what she did at 94. Here's a couple of pics.

From the bottom:


From near the top:

[scenic route]

A few years ago, the Red Rock Trail leading down to Yellowstone's lower falls viewing platform let us know we were not spring chickens anymore.

[ByeTheWay]

Originally Posted by Traildust

I am a little over 70 and my wife is 72 and yes age has started to make it's presence known to us. Yes we have slowed down a little for sure but we are still able to get the 5th wheel out on the road and enjoy it several times a year. Last year we met a couple in a National Forest Campground, she was 84 and he was 86 both still going strong. They were an inspiration to us. They said they gave up their 32 foot 5ver for a 38 foot motorhome, 5ver was getting to be to much I guess your only as old as you feel.
Bill

Yes it has.

We backpacked in our 50's and now in our 70's we travel in a motor home.

[Traildust]

We were much the same, started out backpacking then went regular full size tent camping. One windy, cold snowy day in August at Crater Lake Oregon we both decided we'd had enough of tents and purchased a Sunnybrook TT. Never looked back but I do wish I could have done the John Muir Trail before my ankles gave out. One to many hard landing from my younger days of Skydiving.
Bill

[Bamaman]

Originally Posted by Jerry

I am almost 83 and she is 78 and we are still going strong! Made another trip to Alaska from Texas last year and would like to do it again sometime in the future. On a trip there in '07, met a couple from Florida and he was 96 and his wife was 94. They make the trip every other year.
As long as your health is good, keep on doing what you like to do. When you stop, you die!

Now we have proof that God Exists! He allows older (retired) people without any experience driving or towing huge vehicles to purchase RV's and get to Point A to Point B safely.

We too are 70 & 72 years old, and would love to take extensive RV trips. But we're permanently raising a 9 year old granddaughter full time, and our fifth wheel stays in a member owned campground in the mountains. We use it weekends only.

[astrocamper]

Originally Posted by Traildust

We were much the same, started out backpacking then went regular full size tent camping. One windy, cold snowy day in August at Crater Lake Oregon we both decided we'd had enough of tents and purchased a Sunnybrook TT. Never looked back but I do wish I could have done the John Muir Trail before my ankles gave out. One to many hard landing from my younger days of Skydiving.
Bill

I did the JMT in 2008, 2011 and 2014 with my family. Great trips. First two were northbound from Horseshoe Meadows 2 days south of Crab Tree Meadows. We did the top of Whitney and back to CrabTree as a day hike on the 3rd day. We finished in Yosemite valley.

The 2014 trip was from Yosemite Happy Isles to Whitney and down to Whitney portal.

The first week of the trip is always the hardest getting used to altitude and getting into top condition. The rest of the trip was very easy. Beautify country and meet lots of great people.

I still love backpacking but its harder to stay in top shape at 63. We have done several 1 week trips since 2014. Wild fire smoke has affected our plans and forced cancelations multiple years.

It is my dream to hike The complete Pacific Crest trail when I retire at about 67. I may end up doing it as several section hikes over multiple years.

[NRR]

At 77 I appreciate only two steps to get into my camper. Also, I do not have to get on my knees outside for anything.

[Bob_C]

and all windows and insulation installed.....At 79, haven't slowed down much.....still prefer traveling at night and from one coast to the other.....do all my own repairs and mods, currently in Nevada for another month, then on to Arizona till April........to finish up turning a 10x40' container into a small house.....got it 80% done last winter, and it's livable......Shed style roof, solar up, all electrical done, water plumbed, sewer done, A/C working, and this year a covered deck with a screen room....and all windows and 2 doors and insulation all done....and, it's 65 miles east of Yuma in the desert....

[Traildust]

astrocamper I miss my backpacking days and the trail. Traildust was one of my first trail names and I hate it but use it here only because if I change it now I'll get resetted. We have done the Tahoe Rim Trail in 10 days and the Whitney Portal to the Summit in one day but that was a long time ago. Can't leave out the cables on backside of Half Dome.
My advice do the PCT before something creeps up on you like arthritis did to me.
Good luck,
Bill

[astrocamper]

Did the Tahoe Rim trailer in 10 days back in 2009 with my son. It was dry on the north and east side and my wife meet us once a day with gallons of water, food and fresh clothing. We carried 24 hours of water each day for the last 4 days.

My first time doing Whitney was a very hard day up and back to the Portal. My other 4 times on Whitney was part of long backpacking trips from the west side.

Did Half Dome about 6 times over the years starting in 1993 and the last time in 2008. It was always from multi day backpacking trips so it was just an easy few hour diversion from the trail. It is now become too popular and we haven't bothered. I prefer the view from Clouds Rest looking down at Half Dome.

I started my family backpacking back in 1993 when my youngest was 8 and made it a yearly trip. It wasn't until I didn't have to carry the bulk of my kids stuff did I start doing longer 10 day then later 2-3 week trips.

I may or may not ever do the bulk of the Pacific Crest trail. I have hiked most of the high Sierra portion from Cottonwood Pass at couple days south of Whitney to north of I80 over the years.

Since 2014 we have been doing shorter but rougher trips going off trail over wild passes and doing more exploring and route finding. It can be wonderfully quiet getting away from the popular trails and only seeing 1 or 2 people every few days.

[Batjac]

My dad is 87 and Mom is 85, when they got home from snow birding this year they said it's time but really had a hard to letting go. I sold the motorhome for him but tried to get him to keep it. I told him me or my brother could take it and set it for him and then bring ours in and all camp together but they decided to go ahead and sell. After two months he is starting to look for a smaller unit because he just can't shake the itch.