I suppose most of us old timers are feeling the same about not being able to push it like we used to. I'm not quite 70 but it's just over the hill and it ain't a big hill. So far, my last backpack was a year ago. Might go on something short/easy yet this year because my daughter has expressed an interest in heading out with the old man.

My thinking is starting to shift toward still going to the places I love but staying in the frontcountry, taking day trips into the backcountry. Been going to Pinedale, Wy. the last 3 years, camping in our little trailer, day hiking, fishing, boating, etc. and having a blast! I find that for me at least, I get kind of the same thrill out of it, without some of the down sides. Though Frontcountry camping has it own set of downsides.

While my last big backpack into the Winds was great-weather near perfect tho on the warm side, ended up in a beautiful place, which is not hard to do in the Winds and got away from the hoardes of people hitting the high spots, which is getting a little harder these days, it was an eye opener for me.

Problem was that at 2 points during the trip I felt myself crossing a line that I shouldn't have. Exhaustion and dehydration caught up with me. I could feel it and it wasn't good. I'm sure part of it was the heat but I can't escape the thought that the underlying cause was the fragility of advancing age.

I find it hard to dial things back a little because when I get out there, I still want to go over that next hill, like I always have, fish that next lake and so on.

Haven't closed any doors yet but finding the Frontcountry option a good alternative.
Bill