Not sure I can help a lot - I'm 63, and have made some accomodations, mostly by throwing money at gear, as I've gotten older. However, I never quit going out, so I'm not coming up with ideas about how to re-start.

It seems that hiring a sherpa is at direct odds with your desire not to find a hiking companion (wouldn't the sherpa be a de facto companion?) Also, how much would you have to pay one? It might be enough that, after a few trips, you could have bought that lighter weight gear.

A couple of "out there" ideas: Would you have any interest in packing with a llama? Other than asking the question, I can't provide any information about that - but that's what Google is for, right? Also, if living on the ground aggravates your arthritis, you might investigate using a hammock instead of a tent. Not only might it be more comfortable for sleeping, but my hiking friends who use them also sit in them like a chair when hanging out at camp.

Coywolves, hmmm....I hike in Ohio and Indiana a lot, and we often hear coyotes or coydogs howling, but since there are no wolves around here, we don't get any coywolf crossbreeds. I usually don't get too concerned, though I did have a few moments' pause one night when one band just east of me returned the howls of the pack just west of me. I'm not too worried about them, but, yes, the howling certainly gets my attention and postpones sleep at times.

As far as mileage, yes, 5 miles is worth it. For me, nowadays, it's not about piling up miles. It's about getting out there, feeling comfortably tired (but not wrung-out exhausted) at the end of the day, and enjoying the night settling down around me, or the morning brightening as I'm eating breakfast. Lately, I've taken more and more to using the 7-mile loops at either end of a 35 mile metropark backpack trail to do an overnight hike, just because it requires only a 30-minute drive. It's not truly remote, but it's a pleasant woods, and the nearby traffic and city noises are never more than a hum in the background. In winter, they disappear entirely.

I've got some specific, idiosyncratic ideas about gear and aging, but I'll send you a private mail rather than take up forum space. Look for the little flashing letter at the top of your page, and click on it.