Most Essential Hiking Safety Tips You Must Always Follow
Food, shelter, and water are the basic necessity of life and taken for granted in ordinary life. But when it’s a hike time, you’ll require even more to remain safe and alive.
A rejuvenating Hike is only possible with proper planning, packing, and significantly following all the hiking safety tips!
Hiking area has the most stunning views, peaceful and freshening essence in the surroundings that you cannot get off your mind. Hiking trails have so much to offer for everyone; get escape in paradise to see the real beauty or mighty mountains and narrow lanes.
Everything needs to be experienced once in life, but make sure to maintain safety measures.
Here we have listed some important hiking safety tips that must follow before going for a hike.
List of 9 Essential Hiking Safety Tips
Get ready for an upcoming adventurous trip; here, we have listed expert tips to help you trek smart. Make sure to follow all the below-mentioned tips-
Prepare a Gear List
If you are ready for hiking for three days or a few hours, you must prepare a gear list. The gear list is necessary to pack all the essentials you would require for the trip.
It must include all the essentials such as –
- Navigation- compass, map, and GPS
- Illumination- lantern, headlamp or flashlight
- First aid kit
- Sun protection- sunglasses, sunscreen, and hat
- Insulation- raincoat or jacket
- Hydration- juices, water bottles or other energy beverages
- Firelighter, matches or fire starters
- Repair kit- Multifunctional tool and duct tape
- Nutrition- extra food, energy drinks, and healthy snacks
- Emergency shelter- space blanket, tent, and tarp
The above mentioned list is adaptive and non-exhaustive, so pack your stuff by keeping all the circumstances of your hike in mind.
Don’t forget to keep a Map
Don’t go for a trek without a map. The map is the most significant element; don’t rely on network or GPS technology.
Always keep a map to locate different directions that may bluff you at the moment.
Bring at least one friend.
If you are new to hiking, prefer to go in a group or take at least one friend with you.
Group adventurous will eliminate the risk of being alone on the anonymous hiking trails.
Make sure to discuss a few things with your companions before you head out for a trek. Make an emergency plan and a general itinerary for safety purposes.
Prepare an itinerary and share it with your closed one outside the group.
Make a blueprint of a plan well before you leave the trailhead. The blueprint must include necessary things such as destination, route, starting point, time, and imagined finish time.
If you are a beginner, you may not be able to anticipate the exact finish time. Ask your companion to calculate approx time to plan activities accordingly. You all must plan immediately after you decide to go hiking.
As soon as you planned the activities, share that blueprint with at least one person outside your group. This is to ensure safety; at least that person knows essential information such as destinations, activity timings, and rest locations.
Know the Area
Exploring new hiking trails is always very exciting. You must check all the information regarding hiking area like-
- Hiking alert areas
- wild animals
- Local poisonous plants— oak, sumac, and ivy
- Local hunting seasons or areas
Prepare an emergency plan.
The future is uncertain; it is not always possible that things should go accordingly as you have planned.
Before heading out, know all uncertain happenings that may occur during hiking. Prepare an emergency plan to ensure the safety and security of all the group members.
You all must ask yourself below mentioned questions and involve the same answers in your emergency plan-
- Will there be any cell service?
- Is someone bringing a portable charger or a fully charged phone?
- Is someone bringing a satellite messaging device or a personal locator device for transmitting emergency messages?
- To whom will you transmit signals, and will that person available then for help?
Forecast weather conditions
As we have discussed earlier, that future is uncertain; make sure to check the destination’s weather conditions. Lightning and Thunder are the most common dangers.
Plan accordingly to make sure of the safety measures. Also, avoid open and high areas such as fields and boulders. Make sure to get away with tall objects, metal-like objects, trees, and extremely flowing water bodies.
Forecast every small change in weather conditions that can make your hike risky and dangerous. Know all the consequences of heavy rain, lightning breakouts, and other natural calamities.
Prepare your first aid kit.
Prepare your first aid kit, including essential safety items like antiseptic and elastic or adhesive bandages. Such items will help you avoid hiking injuries such as ankle rolls, scrapes, and bug bites.
You can also purchase a premade first aid kit from the clinic or make your own according to your body issues. If you have diabetes, asthma, or other allergic problems, make sure to carry an extra dose of medicines.
Purchase hiking boots and socks.
Comfortable hiking boots and socks are necessary if you want to enjoy a smooth and adventurous trip. To avoid hiking injuries like rolling ankle or bleeding accidents, you will require right cushioning fitting footwear or well-gripped shoes.
Hiking boots will help you prevent the most painful problem like blisters. If you are a beginner, seek help from an expert to get other outdoor supplies.
Furthermore, avoid using cotton socks as they retain moisture from sweaty feet that can cause your skin to blister.
Choose hiking socks made up of materials like synthetics or wool that can help you smooth friction by avoiding moisture retention.
Final Words
Hiking is like a natural exercise that promotes physical fitness and connects you with the exceptional beauty spots of nature.
It is a convenient and economic activity that requires no special equipment; all you need to do is follow above mentioned hiking safety tips. It would help if you considered all hiking tips; know the hiking area to enjoy the paradise it offers.
Explore every hiking trail to get escape in the beauty of nature!
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