Many of us hike all the time, and so going out for an afternoon jaunt is not cause for long, detailed preparation. We take a water bottle and hit the trails. However, for beginners and those planning hiking trips in new locations, it’s important to put safety first.
“Depending on where you hike, if you’re not digging the trip because of weather or you feel tired, sometimes bailing isn’t as easy as calling an Uber,” says Liz Thomas, a record-holding professional hiker, speaker and author of “Long Trails: Mastering the Art of the Thru-hike.” “Learning some safety tips before you head out will give you tools in your back pocket to make smart decisions should things not go 100% as planned. It’ll also teach you to read the signs and avoid problems before they become issues.”
Here are a few common hiking tips to keep in mind before you slide on your pack and pose for a photo in front of the trailhead.
[Read: The Many Health Benefits of Trees.]
Prepare
— Know your limits. Pick a hike for your ability level. Keep in mind elevation, technical rating and season. Look for hike reports from those who’ve gone before you. Remember, safety is your primary concern.
— Check the weather. “Weather affects the entire experience out on the trail,” says Wesley Trimble, program outreach and communications manager for the American Hiking Society. “With hiking, you are at the mercy of the weather and Mother Nature as a whole.” Hiking beginners may not realize that summer hiking in high elevation can be tricky due to afternoon storms. Summer storms with lightning are common, so learn survival tips. Wildfires are extremely unpredictable, so if you are hiking anywhere near a wildfire area, stay alert.
— Apply sunscreen before you get dressed. It needs time to soak into your skin, and you want every inch covered. “Hikes can get toasty, so be sure to bring sun protection,” Thomas says. “For summer hiking, consider starting your hike early in the day to avoid the heat of the day and possible thunderstorms in the afternoon.” Make a contingency plan and detours in case of trail degradation or other barriers.
— Choose footwear wisely. Pick hiking shoes or boots that are broken-in to prevent blisters, hot spots, chafing and muscle and joint pain from gait change.
— Take ID. And before leaving the house, take pictures of your photo ID and credit cards. If you lose them on the hike, you’ll have the numbers and information to get replacements.
— Know your leaves. If you’re in areas with high concentrations of poisonous things, learn how to identify attributes of those plants.
— Consider what first aid supplies you’ll need for hiking in your area. Pack light, but bring emergency supplies that work for many uses.
— Tell someone where you’re going. Leave your hiking details with someone who can relay that information quickly if things go bad. “We always encourage people to let someone know where they are going and when they expect to return,” Trimble says. “If something were to happen, having someone at home who knows where you’re hiking and when you are due back is crucial if there is an emergency.” Remember, many hiking trails have poor or no cellphone service, so you may not be able to call for help yourself.
[Read: How to Prepare Physically (and Mentally) for a Long-Distance Hike.]
Pack
— Pick a pack for the length and difficulty of the hike. A day-hike pack needs space for essentials, but each ounce adds to the total weight. Determine if you will use a bladder insert for hydration or carry bottles.
— Water is crucial. You will need to have a steady supply of water, especially if you are hiking in elevation for a whole day or overnight.
— But water can also be dangerous. If you’re hiking in areas with large temperature variations, protect all clothing in bags. If you encounter a storm and get wet, you will need to get dry as quickly as possible if the temperature drops later in the afternoon. When sunlight dips behind trees, the air temperature can drop suddenly. Hypothermia is a very real danger in the middle of summer at elevations of 10,000 feet and higher.
— Consider rain gear. If you have room in your pack, this could be essential for long and overnight hikes.
— Remember that food is fuel. Pack lightweight food that will sustain your body. Trail mixes, jerky, dried fruit, peanut or almond butter and electrolyte tablets are effective for glycogen stores.
— Organize and downsize. Bring just a few bars — not the whole box. You also don’t need the whole bottle of sunscreen, bug repellent, pain relievers or Gatorade. Find small, refillable bottles for air travel and store essentials in those. Buy the powder packets to add to water. Organize your pack so you can easily find the things you will use most, like water.
— Pack synthetic clothing. A wet cotton shirt can send you quickly to hypothermia because it will not wick away moisture from the skin. If you are packing extra clothes, go for technical fabrics that will dry quickly.
— If you have trekking poles, learn how to use them. There are great videos from hiking pros who can show you how to use and adjust them so you’re moving smarter and distributing your load effectively.
— Consider GPS for long hikes. One favorite is the Garmin Forerunner for elevation, distance, pace and GPS location. This is handy for using on snow-covered trails or trails that are not well-marked. You can backtrack using your route. But don’t rely solely on technology. “We encourage taking paper maps with them, at least as a back-up to GPS or a map on a phone,” Trimble says. “Apps are great but there are times when those maps can be problematic. I have heard stories where maps were downloaded onto a phone and the phone was dropped in a creek or the battery died.”
[See: 10 Epic Trails Almost Anyone Can Hike.]
Preserve
— Leave no trace. This is more than just a saying: The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics has seven hiking etiquette guidelines, including respecting wildlife and disposing of waste properly. “Any trash you bring in — including banana or orange peels — needs to come back with you to a trash can at home,” Thomas says. “Wildlife can be disturbed by music or speakers, so use headphones if you must listen to music. Unless you have an absolute emergency, don’t start a fire.”
— Observe trail signs. Many places in higher elevations will have signs pleading with hikers to stay on trails to help preserve the ecosystem. Don’t be a jerk. Don’t litter. And don’t ruin if for the rest of us.
Hiking can be extremely exhilarating, but it can be dangerous for those who are not prepared. Elements, creatures, poison and health are common causes for severe injury or death while hiking. Be prepared, be safety-conscious and be smart. Don’t let pride cloud your judgment. Above all else, have fun.
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Your Guide to Summer Hiking originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 06/20/19: This story was originally published on June 16, 2014, and has been updated with new information.
