LONG WALKS

[Re. “Revisiting the Santa Fe Trail,” by Diana West, October 2021:] A sentence in West’s sidebar “Roughing It,” regarding retired marshal Ralph L. Hooker [at right] hiking the Santa Fe Trail, caught my attention: “While their condition slowed his pace, he still managed to cover 30 to 55 miles a day.” This is a retired man carrying a 5-foot, 2-inch flintlock rifle, and he had “blistering, peeling and bleeding” feet. A few of the very fit can do 30 miles per day to a little over that on the Pacific Crest Trail, trying to be light as possible with modern gear. Hiking 55 miles per day