Hiking Safety Essentials for Every Nature Outing
If you’re a big nature lover and love all the outdoor activities, especially hiking, you need to know that this can be an excellent activity for the entire family, as long as you’re well prepared.
Nature can be scary and merciless so thinking about a few safety issues is a must if you plan to come back safely. If you're looking for personal protection equipment, we recommend getting a stun gun for women.
In case you’re new to hiking and want to improve your safety on the trail, here are a few safety essentials for every outing you’ll be planning in the future:
Prepare for overnight stays
Even if you’re planning just a light day hike, preparing for an overnight stay is essential. Many things can happen in nature—you can get lost, sprain an ankle, push yourself too far—and you might be required to stay the night in the forest. The two leading causes of death on the trail are falls and hypothermia, which can be avoided if you just slow down, find a nice place to spend the night, and shelter your body until the morning.
To feel safe and comfortable during overnight stays, always have at least one light source (flashlight), food (extra snacks will come in very handy), water, and a layer of clothing to put on. You might be pretty uncomfortable during the night without a shelter, but at least you won’t make mistakes wondering in the dark and get even more lost.
Do some research in advance
If you’re planning to hike a new trail and have no experience with the terrain, do plenty of research on the area. Learn a few things about the route, such as the distances between specific points, the landscape, elevation, facilities along the way, weather conditions on the trail during a particular time of the year, etc.
Suppose you can find a ranger in the park headquarters. In that case, they will most likely be overjoyed to share their knowledge of the trail and inform you of the weather, wildlife, trail issues, water crossings, and all other information you might benefit from.
Give people your itinerary
If you’re going on a solo hike or an expedition with a group, make sure that some people staying at home know all about your route. Provide your close people with information on the destination, rough hike plan, course, and time of stay.
Make sure to mark the expected return date, so if you’re not back by then, people can try to contact you and inform the authorities of your disappearance.
Pack a few hiking must-haves
Every hiker has their own list of items they don’t start their trip without, but until experience pushes you to make your own, it’s essential to keep in mind the following things. Firstly, don’t start your trip without a small first aid kit. These contain all the essentials to help you take care of your wounds, blisters, allergies, cuts, and pains.
Secondly, grab a good switch blade knife and keep it handy in your pocket or easy-to-reach backpack pocket. A knife like that can help you in tricky situations and be your best buddy on your hike. Also, grab a fire starter. In a pinch, you’ll be happy to have access to a source of warmth, light, and safety.
Stock up on food and water
Food and water are essentials, but unfortunately, they can be pretty heavy, so people tend to only pack the minimum of what they will require on the trail.
On the other hand, dehydration is a problem that shouldn’t be neglected, and it’s hazardous in winter or dry and hot months. In addition, you may consider IV therapy in Austin or any location needed, as a preventive measure to combat dehydration effectively during your outdoor activities.
Just in case, pack an extra bottle whenever you go hiking. And who knows, you might encounter someone on the trail in dire need of hydration, so you can help save a life.
If you’re taking longer hikes, there’s no way to pack all the water with you. In that case, invest in a filtration device so you can purify many sources of water you come across. Devices for filtration like LifeStraw or Sawyer Mini weigh next to nothing but can be a great solution to your water supply.
And finally, make sure to bring plenty of snacks to your trip. Food can not only give you the energy you need to complete your hike but also improve your mood and prevent careless “hangry” behavior. Energy bars, trail mix, fruit, and jerky are great snacking options while hiking.
Stay warm and dry
Whether you’re hiking in winter or summer, hypothermia is a real danger and a possibility even at 50 degrees. When hiking, make sure to put on proper clothing and avoid cotton. Cotton might be comfortable, but it can quickly get soaked in sweat or rain and cause your body temperature to drop.
A quick drop in temperature can result in fatigue, dehydration, and stomach issues. Luckily, you can successfully prevent hypothermia if you just dress in layers, choose moisture-wicking materials, and stay away from extreme weather when wet and cold.
Leave wildlife alone
Many hikers love to see wild animals on the trail, and that truly is a blessing, but make sure to know what to do when you encounter animals. Give all animals you see a lot of space to run away (at least 100 yards with bears, 25 yards with bison, elk, moose, etc.) While hiking, don’t hesitate to make noise to alert animals of your presence and try not to get noticed if you see animals, especially bears, but back away slowly.
If you know animals have noticed you, don’t run because there’s no way you can outrun a wild animal anyway. Bears run around 35 mph, so you don’t stand a chance, especially on the forest floor. And bears are also excellent climbers, so climbing a tree might not help either. Instead, move sideways in a wide circle around it or back away the way you came. Having bear mace in your bag when hiking in bear-infested areas is a great idea to save your life.
Wrapping Up
There you have it, perfect ways to stay safe on your hike and come back home full of great memories instead of scars and fears.
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