I know the argument that age is a state of mind and everything, but I'm wondering a few things from you folks here at quietjourney. What is the oldest you have heard of someone putting themselves through the rigors of solo wilderness canoe tripping, and if you don't mind sharing, how old are you solo trippers, and how long do you plan on soloing?

I'm just a "kid" at 62, but my last trip was when I was 59. Recent misses due to economic/job related circumstances, not physical or mental problems, although some might disagree on the mental part ;D

We have people here well into their 70's I believe.
I've talked to a couple in the Q who were well into their 80's.

Old age isn't what it used to be. If you keep fit, and still have your mental faculties, then with some planning and a little common sense, you can trip solo until you can't physically handle it or read your maps/GPS ;)

I plan on soling until either or both of the above conditions occur.
It might just be a short base camp trip with little if any portages, but I'll be doing something.

I'd rather drop dead doing what I love, than die tied to the couch/rocking chair or hospital bed, stuck full of tubes and hoses ;)

I'm closer to 65 than 64.  My last solo trip was a 10-day trip to Woodland Caribou Provincial Park.  The solo drive to/from Texas was the hardest part of the trip.  (I also did a 15 day trip to Quetico where I was accompanied by another solo paddler.)

When do I plan to quit?  Shortly after I arrive on the other side of the dirt! (I'm planning to leave skid marks right up to the edge of my coffin.)

dd

I was 64 on my trips last year.  I think I am in better shape than most others my age.  I think canoeing is part of that being in better shape.  I push it fairly hard but try to get lots of rest every night.  

12 yrs ago I watched a solo float in out of the whitecaps off off Bailey bay.  As the craft got to quiet water near Burke portge, guy pops up out of bilge.  He was 84, and told us he was ready to die up there.  Was headed to Agnes and out.  Had all his stuff in a homemade 100 lb. flour gunnysack straped over his shoulder.  He thought it was easier to ride the bilge as he had a hard time balancing the waves.  Said his wife had come up regular till she died in her early 80's.

You guys make me feel so young!

In my 20 and thirties I always thought it a good place to die. At 42, I had responsibilities so my trips began to be limited to traveled routes. That was frustrating at first but over the years I've found I don't mind so much. In a few more years it will be as good a place to die as any once again.

At 52, I gotta say some of you seem (to me anyway) to have a death wish. Then again, the older I get, the easier trips seem to get. What I once considered a grueling test of courage is kind of laughable these days. Age is a state of mind and my wife has orders to put me in my canoe and give me a shove when I forget where I put mine.

There are at least three questions more important than "how old are you?" when it comes to soloing...or wilderness tripping in general.  In no particular order they are:

What kind of shape are you in mentally and physically?

How heavily are you packed?

How aggressive/easy is your chosen route?  Does it match the answers to the first 2 questions?

If you can get to the right answer on the first 3 questions then I think the age question becomes irrelevant.

A few years back Tim and I saw a soloist on the route between Joyce and Kash, which aint exactly for the faint of heart.  He appeared to be in his mid-70's and was completely unfazed by the rugged terrain of the portages.  He had his stuff in smaller packs that he was able to easily handle and he was in great shape.  Being retired, he was in no hurry, either.  Meanwhile Tim and I were staggering under our usual ginormous packs stuffed to the gills...with still more crap carabinered to the straps.  As usual, our travel days were super-aggressive in order to get the absolute maximum out of our 10-day vacation.  I made a mental note at that time that maybe we might want to change our style a bit as we age.  ;D

As I get older, I'm discovering wisdom makes an excellent substitute for brute force.

if you think you are too old, then you are

if you think you aren't too old, then you are not

the rest is just planning right

My Dad was 85 on his last trip with us.  We all paddle our own solo kayaks.  He did just fine but on the last few years of traveling together I was the one to carry both the kayaks and make the extra trip across the portage for the balance of the gear.  There were also a few times I ended up towing him against strong winds that were too tiring.  His problem more than fatigue was that his kayak was very light, he himself was under 160 pounds by then, and he packed the bare minimum.  So against the wind he had no ballast and got blown back more than the rest of us.  He still paddles his kayak at 94 but no longer stays overnight out in the woods.

The last few years I have been going on 10 day trips with two 80 year old women who paddle their own boats.  They don't like portaging so we pick a route on one of the bigger lakes or a route which only takes one or two short portages to get somewhere else.  Last year son Dan and a friend of his also were along and they carried the ladies boats and most of their gear across the portages for them (Big Knife from Carp to Knife).

I think the physicality is the big issue.  I have "younger" lady friends in their late 50's and early 60's who would like to come along but because of cantankerous backs or weak wrists they can't do the work or sleep on the ground.  I am fortunate at almost 61 to have been built to a sturdy model and not to have any joint pain or stiffness to aggravate the camping.  :)

I will never forget crossing paths with a woman who was solo hiking at Mt. Rainier. It was high in the alpine meadows which meant a goodly distance from the nearest "put in". She was probably in her mid seventies and I was struck by her quick gait and placid features. You could tell at one time she had been very beautiful and she yet retained much of that still outwardly as well as a sense of dignity and bearing. We exchanged smiles and hellos as we passed. She was completely at home in the very rugged landscape that is Mt. Rainier. Impressive!  [smiley=thumbup.gif]  

I'll be 43 in two days.  I'll be soloing until I'm no longer physically or psychologically able.  

With luck, I'll die out there doing what I love.  Beats a hospital death.  Not a desire to die, the acceptance that I'm going to die and I'd rather die doing what I love.  I recently was part of a hospital death.  I want none of that when it's my turn.  Let my last breath be fresh air scented with loam & pine.

I know of one guy who's in his 80s and solos.

If all of you die out there in canoe country who say you want to the place would become awfully gruesome. :'(

I don't know about gruesome, but definitely more fertile.

Just don't drink the kool-aid!... ;D

Ran into a man and his daughter.. another pair perhaps like Intrepid and Intrepid Dad, I suppose.  He was 84 if memory serves me correct.  He was staring at me curiously and called to his daughter.  He wanted a picture of this fool soloing in the woods with a Shitzu (Me)... so I paddled on over.  We spent a couple hours together.  They had had a Bear in camp the night previous.  Wrote a story about it as he shared so much wisdom in such a short time.  He was wearing a full body Red PJ or something... what a memory.  Anyhow... he had more to teach and tell then many.  Just coudn't give up the woods.

;D Ummm, that would be a union suit.  :D

I had some itchy wool ones and a red cotton one as a kid. They were nice actually. Good for sitting around.

Preacher wrote on Feb 25^th, 2011 at 6:17pm:

With luck, I'll die out there doing what I love.  Beats a hospital death.  Not a desire to die, the acceptance that I'm going to die and I'd rather die doing what I love.

This reminds me of something Dick Proenneke said in his book "One Mans Wilderness". He said (I'm paraphrasing) "If I were to die I hope people would not spend a lot of time looking for me. I will die just like the animals do. When it's time to settle up with the Lord, there is no better place to do it then in the wilderness."
I still remember the first time I read his book, when I got to that part all I could think was, "Amen brother"!

I always thought it sad that Proenneke didn't get his wish :'(

wally wrote on Mar 2^nd, 2011 at 12:41pm:

I always thought it sad that Proenneke didn't get his wish :'(

Me too.

[quote][I always thought it sad that Proenneke didn't get his wish/quote]

He almost did in that plane, tho.

...

Has anyone on this forum ever been to Twin Lakes, and seen his cabin. It a state site (national site?) there now, I believe.

- kypaddler