[irishtenor]

Then you should see the pictures of my hikes on Facebook :>)
I am an old (56) overweight (245) hiker! Went to the 8600 ft level on Mt Rainier in July.

[hellbender]

Congratulations! However, I would strongly encourage you to lose weight. As I said, I don't see any old obese hikers. Either they do not survive to old age, or the overload on their joints wears out their cartilage prematurely. It is well known that obesity is correlated with deterioration of knees. I was shocked to learn that it is also associated with arthritis of the hands, which I have.

What is the elevation you started out at on Mt. Rainier? I find that elevation gain is the main determinant of how strenous a hike is. Also, 8600' is higher than anything in this part of the country, and the air is thinner, making any exercise harder.