Share the Trail
There's a saying: You'll never win a fight with an automobile. The same general rule applies to any situation in which you find yourself - the bigger object wins. On trails, a hiker is about the smallest, slowest object so it is in your best interest to yield to any other mode of transportation you encounter.
The rules are:
The concept is that bikers are fast and can stop and go easily so they let everything else have the right of way. Horses are big and unpredictable so they get the right of way.
As a slow, unprotected hiker, I'm not about to argue the right of way with a horse or biker or ATV or anything else I might meet. I will always politely yield the trail and use the time to take a deep breath and say 'Howdy'.
Here are a bunch of tips to make it easier to share the trail with others. Please remember these and try to follow them and pass them on to new hikers:
- Stay on the trail. Do not cut switchbacks or take shortcuts.
- Stay to the right on wider paths.
- Pass on the left.
- When overtaking someone, let them know you are approaching and will be passing on their left. You may hear a biker call out, "On your Left!" as he comes up from behind. That means you should stay to your right.
- Whenever you stop for a view, a rest, or to yield, move off the trail so it is free for others. If you are selecting the spot for a rest, get off on a used area or a durable surface such as a rock, dirt, or snow. Don't just trample off the trail into a nice soft field of grass and flowers.
- Hikers going uphill are working hard and should be given the right of way over hikers coming downhill. Sometimes uphill hikers will prefer to stop and let you pass coming down so they can get a short break. The uphill hiker should get to make the call.
- Greet people you meet. This makes sure they know you are there and is polite. A simple "Howdy" or "Nice Day" is fine.
- When hiking in a group, yield to single or pair hikers. It's harder for a group to get off the trail so often times singles will stop and let you all pass, but its their call.
- When hiking in a group, hike single file or take no more than half of a wide trail. Make sure everyone in your group understands what actions to take when encountering hikers, bikers, and horses.
- When meeting a horse:
- Get off the trail on the downhill side. Horses will tend to bolt uphill when spooked. Also, you waiting on the uphill side looks more like a predator waiting to pounce.
- Quietly greet the rider and ask if you are ok where you are.
- Stand quietly while the horses pass.
- Hike Quietly. Echos are fun, but keep conversations quiet and enjoy the lack of horns, engines, and city noises. There is such a thing as noise pollution. And, in my view, cellphones are the worst form of this pollution.
- Don't leave any markers when hiking off-trail. Cairns, ducks, or little piles of rocks are not needed. If people are hiking cross-country, their compass and map are all they need. Markers tend to concentrate traffic which creates more unmanaged trail scars. Or, markers pop up all over and serve no navigational purpose.
- Read trailhead guidelines. There may be specific rules for the trail you are on.
- Pack It In - Pack It Out. I am always amazed to find litter. It just does not make sense that someone spending time to get out into nature would purposely destroy it. I just don't get it.
- Take a Picture. A pretty rock or a bunch of flowers deserve to remain where they are. We have a need for mementos of our adventures, but picture in your mind what the place would look like if the group before you had taken what you are about to put in your pocket.
- Report vandalism. If there is contact information at the trailhead, tell the managing agency of any destruction or management needs you notice.
On the Soapbox
You will run into some people that feel they have a right to do whatever they want outdoors. You'll see areas where horses were tied to trees, ruining the bark and killing the trees. You'll see wide, braided trails around muddy spots with footprints, hoofprints, and tiretracks all adding to the damage. You'll see washed out gullies created by mountain bikers having fun tearing down the mountain. You'll have a biker fly past you with no warning.
These are the people that make an impression. Keep your eyes open for them for your own safety, but also recognize the many others that are courteous and polite. And, make sure people put you into the courteous and polite category after they've met you on the trail.
Sure you know that hiking is good exercise and its a great way to get in touch with nature, but there's just a ton of other benefits to hiking. When you hike, you help make the world a better place!
· Weight Loss
- Hiking is a super way to lose excess pounds. Obesity is now an epidemic in the United States according to the surgeon general - that's bad! 64% of adults are overweight and more than 30% are considered obese. Our sedentary lives, stuck in offices, in front of computers, surfing this miserable internet is killing us off. Move your body, burn off some calories, and lose weight.
· Prevent Heart Disease
- Over 2500 Americans die every day from cardiovascular diseases. While you've read this far, someone died and by the time you read this entire page 5 more will be dead. A regular walking routine greatly reduces your chances of heart problems. Study after study after study show that regular, light exercise increases your odds immensely.
· Decrease Cholesterol
- Hiking and walking increase the HDL good cholesterol which helps get rid of the bad cholesterol. This in turn reduces your chances of heart problems.
· Lower Blood Pressure
- Going on a short hike of 30 minutes every other day is all it takes. Lower blood pressure means better overall health.
· Reduce Stress and Depression
- Your body's natural drugs like endorphins and adrenaline are released when hiking and these chemicals have a natural positive effect on your stress levels.
· Stronger Longer
- As you age, you do not need to experience a decline in physical activity. By staying active, your muscles stay strong. As you get older, your body will weaken, but regular hiking helps minimize that.
· Prevent Osteoporosis
- Hiking helps increase bone density and strength, helping prevent the calcium loss and chance of broken bones from this disease.
· Better Air
- Hiking to church, the store, school, or a local restaurant reduces the pollution from your car which makes the air better for everyone.
· Prevent Diabetes
- Hiking can reduce the amount of insulin a Type I diabetic. A Type II diabetic can reverse the course of the diabetes with exercise, diet, and weight loss.
· Improve Arthritis
- A regular exercise program can benefit most people that have been diagnosed with and treated for arthritis. Walking may be the best exercise as it strengthens muscles and improves support.
· Relief from Back Pain
- Sitting at a computer or desk too long can cause back pain. People that walk commonly report significant decreases in back pain. Hiking puts much less stress on your body than running or aerobics and helps build core body strength.
· All Body Exercise
- Hiking is an aerobic exercise that improves overall physical fitness, using leg muscles, core body muscles, and lungs. You set the pace and length that is a comfortable challenge for your body.
· Experience Nature
- Hikers explore natural settings that can only be reached on foot, leaving the hectic urban life and pollution behind for awhile.
· Self Confidence
- As more advanced hikes are completed, a hiker understands that he is capable of even larger feats. Making your way through foul weather or rugged terrain builds your confidence in what you can do.
· Basis of Much More
- By mastering hiking skills, you expand your horizons to mountaineering, backpacking, rock climbing and other outdoor wilderness activities.
· Year Round
- You can continue to hike any time of the year. It is a great activity that can be done in all seasons so a single route can have many different looks as the seasons change.
· Escape and Refreshment
- the psychological effects of spending time in natural surroundings is positive and strong. Time spent on the trail will renew you for better performance in your job and life back in the real world.
When out in wild country, the gear you have along is all you have to rely on. Until you get back to the comfort and safety of your home, it is up to you and whatever equipment you bring along to make your hike comfortable and safe. Failing to bring along the right stuff may mean a miserable experience or worse.
Gear Up
| | Hiking Essentials |
| | Gear List |
| | Hiking Boots |
| | Hiking Socks |
| | Hiking Clothes |
|
| Hiking Packs |
| | Hiking Sticks, Poles, and Staffs |
Water
Well, maybe you don't consider it food, but its the most important thing you can take along. Don't even think of starting on a hike that takes you more than a mile from home without a bottle of water along. You should have at least two quarts of water with you and drink 1/2 to 1 cup every 30 to 45 minutes. Keep the water coming into your body even if you don't really feel very thirsty. If you are hiking, you are losing moisture and you need to replenish it.
By the end of a 4 hour hike, you should have drunk both quarts of water and you should be able to use the toilet. If you don't need to, then all that water came out as perspiration and you still need to drink more water to stay hydrated. After a hike, you should drink additional water until you need to use the toilet. I don't mean chug it down, I mean drink a 1/2 cup or so every 5 minutes or so.
I have sitting in front of me a large bag of Kirkland Trail Mix from Costco. One ounce (28g) contains 150 calories. Of those 150 calories, 84 (or 56%) are Fat. Ouch! So much for the healthy trail mix fairy tale. It sure tastes good though, and some of it is just fine, but not handful after handful. You can see a Trail Mix recipe if you'd like to make some.
It's fine to consume more calories when you're in the outdoors burning off more calories than normal but you might as well make a bit of an effort to eat healthy food. One day of hiking and eating high-fat food probably won't hurt, but it also won't make the hike any more productive. Calories from simple sugars, complex carbohydrates, and fats are useful in different ways to your body. For ongoing energy boosts while hiking, the quickly metabolized carbohydrates should be preferred.
Here's a table of some foods, their approximate calories in 28g, and amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fat:
| Food | Calories | Fat | Protein | Carbs |
| banana | 97 | .5g | 1.1g | 24.7g |
| dried apple | 68 | .1g | .3g | 18.5g |
| dried apricot | 67 | .2g | .9g | 17.5g |
| raisins | 84 | .2g | .8g | 22g |
| tuna | 33 | .2g | 7.2g | 0g |
| cracker | 142 | 7g | 2.2g | 17.4g |
| cheddar | 113 | 9.3g | 7g | .4g |
| granola | 137 | 6.8g | 4.2g | 14.9g |
| granola bar | 137 | 6.7g | 2.8g | 17.7g |
| peanut butter | 165 | 14.3g | 7.2g | 5.3g |
| peanuts | 170 | 14g | 7g | 5g |
| jerky | 116 | 7.3g | .4g | 3.1g |
Dried Fruit
On day hikes, carrying a couple apples or other fresh fruit probably won't tip the scale on your pack and they include important water that you'd need to carry anyway. On longer treks, drying your own fruit is a great way to reduce weight and still get healthy food.
Dried fruits are a great choice as long as you dry them yourself and drink plenty of water when you eat them. Drying yourself means they do not have extra chemicals and sugars added. Water is needed to digest them - if you don't drink it, you'll get dehydrated digesting the fruit.
Fruit contains good vitamins and calories with very little fat.
Tuna and Crackers
Grain is also a good source of carbohydrates. Breads and crackers are a good choice for day hikes.
Tuna fish contains high protein and is a good meal with cheese on crackers if you like the taste of tuna. Oh, don't get the tuna in a can - it comes in foil pouches now that mean much less weight and easy to pack. Don't forget a sturdy zip-loc bag for your trash, especially the smelly tuna pouch.
Energy Bars
You can find these fancy treats in grocery stores or pay more for them at outdoors stores. They pack a lot of calories in a small, heavy bar but you may have to eat a few before finding one that you enjoy. I've gone through quite a few and most just don't taste that great to me. I do like the Lara Bars pretty well and some Clif Bar flavors are good.
| Bar | Weight | Calories | Fat | Protein | Carbs |
| LUNA | 48g | 190 | 6g | 9g | 27g |
| Power | 65g | 240 | 3.5g | 10g | 45g |
| Clif | 68g | 250 | 2g | 10g | 51g |
| Lara | 48g | 190 | 9g | 5g | 24g |
| Peak | 77g | 300 | 6g | 20g | 48g |
Jerky
Dried meat isn't a source of carbohydrates, but it is a nice treat on the trail. I really prefer home-made jerky since I can spice it just how I want and make sure its as dry and chewy as I want.
I can make a bit of jerky last a long time when trodding over not-so-exciting stretches of trail. Just like dried fruit, make sure you're taking in plenty of water along with it to keep things moving along on the inside.
Be sure to take enough hiking food with you on your outings and try to keep it healthy. After all, you're out there to enjoy nature and do good things for your body, so you might as well give it good food for fuel. Treats like trail mix are fine in moderation and drink lots of water!
Principles And Practice
The basic principles of first aid are:
- Preserve life - your own, other people and your casualty.
- Prevent deterioration - stop your casualty getting worse.
- Promote recovery - make them better.
These are given in descending order of priority. A first aider's primary concern must ALWAYS be for his or her own safety. The ideal first aider is a selfish lazy coward. Ask any experienced paramedic or EMT (who always seem to be the opposite of these qualities, yet approve of them.)
Within a hiking group, the first aider acquires extra priorities. The safety of the whole group is affected by illness of or injury to any member of the group. The distance from professional help does not affect the priorities of treatment, but may affect the action required to address them.
If you are taking action as a first aider, and the action does not fall within one or more of the above categories, you should carefully consider whether the action is in fact necessary.
The main hazard while hiking is the environment. It is sometimes dangerous for the party to be halted for a significant time, due to cold, wet or windy conditions chilling all members of the party. It is very easy for one hypothermia case to turn into four or five when the party stops to look after the first casualty. Be aware of the rest of your party if one of them becomes ill or injured.
Hiking Safety
The best way to provide first aid for your party is to prevent them getting into trouble in the first place. This section makes general points about avoiding trouble.
Navigation
Knowing where you are and where you are going won't stop you getting lost, but will make it easier to get un-lost. Carry a detailed map and compass and know how to use them. For longer hikes, plan escape routes to take if the weather or condition of the party deteriorates. GPS receivers can be useful, but should never be relied upon as the sole navigation aid.
Fitness
You should be in the appropriate level of training for the hike which you'll be doing. Do NOT go on a hike if you are feeling even slightly ill; I guarantee that it will aggravate your condition and make you a liability to the rest of the party. Do not carry a backpack which is too heavy for you.
Equipment
Ensure that you have adequate equipment for any weather conditions and terrain which may feasibly occur during your hike. Walking up Snowdon, even in summer, with only T-shirt and shorts is plain stupid. Good waterproofs are a must; they should also be wind-proof. Fabrics such as GoreTex allow moisture to escape as well as being wind- and water-proof and make walking more pleasant. If it may be cold then carry a warm hat, gloves and extra layers of clothing.
Provisions
ALWAYS have too much food and water. You can easily need a pint of water per hour hiking in a warm climate, and not much less than that if you are doing a lot of ascending in cooler climates. 1.5 litres (3 pints) of water for a day hike is an absolute minimum. Carry enough food for a good lunch, extra snacks for mid-morning and mid-afternoon, and an extra set of high-calorie emergency rations which should not normally be touched; if you are regularly eating your emergency rations on hikes then you are not carrying enough food.
First aid kit
Carry a small but well-equipped kit in a waterproof container. It should contain equipment to treat minor injuries and illnesses such as the first aider feels comfortable to use.
Company
Hike with people whom you know and trust. Know their limitations, and tell them yours. If you do not believe that the group is hiking safely then say so and suggest alternatives -- don't just bitch quietly. If you choose to hike alone, understand the risks you are taking and do everything possible to mitigate them.
Rescue
No matter how well you plan, it is possible that things will go wrong and you will need help to get yourself out of trouble. Anticipate this. Know what organisation is responsible for the area in which you are hiking, how to contact them, and how they normally conduct rescues. Plan how to contact them if someone falls ill or injured during the hike. Ensure that you have appropriate insurance for injury and for medical costs, if required.
You may come across other groups or individuals who are in need of assistance. Remember that the safety of your party is paramount; do not give up any food, drink or equipment which your party needs. Once this is ensured you can try to help the injured parties.
To call out an organisation such as the Mountain Rescue (in the UK) you should be able to provide the following information:
- location of the injured party;
- number of individuals there and their condition;
- how the accident or illness happened; and
- what routes down any associated people are taking.
It is almost always worth taking 5 minutes to secure this information before you send a party out for help.
Specific Conditions
Hyperthermia
Hyperthermia is the condition which occurs when the body's core becomes too warm. It manifests in two principal conditions: heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
Heat exhaustion is caused by exercise in a warm environment without adequate rehydration. The body loses water through the process of sweating, which it uses to cool itself down. If this water is not replaced then the body will run short of water. This is heat exhaustion.
To prevent heat exhaustion you should carry and use the appropriate amount of water for the hike. Walking in a warm climate requires at least one pint (550ml) of water per hour of hiking. Higher altitudes require more water than lower altitudes. You should wear clothing which can be put on or taken off in layers so that you can control how warm you get. Light coloured clothing and a wide-brim hat reflect sunshine and protect you against sunstroke (irritation of the coverings of the brain by the sun's radiation).
You should drink your water whenever you feel thirsty, not trying to ration it. If you reach your halfway water level, you should carefully consider whether you have enough to make it safely to your destination, or whether you should abort the hike. Carry at least a litre of your water in a shatterproof and leakproof container such as a Sigg aluminium flask, and drink this last of all.
Signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion include the person feeling thirsty, sick, dizzy, and generally ill. Their skin may be warm and sweaty. As heat exhaustion progresses they may become unable to walk further and collapse.
The first priority in treating heat exhaustion is to stop it getting worse. Get the person covered up with a hat and light loose clothing if they are not already so covered. Put them into any available shelter from sunshine. Give them frequent sips of water (optionally mixed with a small amount of salt, or a sachet of electrolytes such as "Rehydrat") and assess their condition. If it starts to improve then see how they feel about proceeding. If they do not improve, or feel unable to proceed, the party should decide whether and how to get professional help.
Casualties who are not conscious enough to drink water themselves should not be given water as they may choke on it.
If the body loses its ability to control its own temperature then the casualty has developed heat stroke. When this happens the casualty may run a temperature of 40C (104F) or greater. The body ceases to sweat, so the skin becomes hot and dry. The increased heat affects the ability of the brain to function, causing the casualty to lose consciousness. This condition can easily be fatal, and must be treated as soon as possible.
Since the body cannot cool itself any more, the first aider must do the cooling instead. The casualty should be moved into shade, have all outer layers of clothing removed, and soaked in cold water. This may be difficult if no water source is available; the key point to remember is that the casualty must be cooled or they will die. Anyone suffering from heat stroke needs urgent medical attention.
Blisters
Blisters can turn an enjoyable hike into utter misery. Do not underestimate their effect. This section tells you how blisters form, how to prevent them, and what to do about them when they do arise.
Blisters are the result of persistent rubbing on an area of skin. Typically they occur on the foot or ankle. There is a loss of fluid (serum) into the potential space between two skin layers, resulting in a "bubble" on the skin surface. If this bubble bursts, as can happen easily, raw and sensitive skin is exposed and made susceptible to infection. In any case, further pressure on the blister is painful.
You are almost always going to get at least one blister on any long hike. However, you can delay the onset of blisters by preparation and the use of good kit. There are three factors in blister formation; feet, socks and boots. We address each in turn.
Your feet should be acclimatized to walking long distances, building up tough calloused skin to protect their soft parts. As well as walking lots in the weeks before the hike, rubbing your feet with surgical spirit for one or two weeks before can apparently help to toughen them. I have not tried this personally. Don't get your feet wet if you can possibly help it; dabbling your bare toes in a stream may be very refreshing, but your feet should go back into your socks dry.
Choice of socks is very important. Cotton socks retain moisture, keeping the skin wet, and wet skin is halfway towards blistering already. Use thin polypropelene or silk inner socks under thicker outer socks. "Thor-Lo" padded socks are what I use, with extra pads around the toes, ball of the foot and ankle. Changing inner socks at least every day is vital; changing halfway through the day's hike may help those with sensitive feet.
Finally, your boots should be really well broken in. This doesn't just mean wearing them around town for a few days; they should be worn on a few short day hike, ideally with the kind of backpacked load that you'll be carrying normally. Ensure that they're properly waterproofed with G-Wax or whatever is appropriate.
If a blister appears, you should treat it as early as possible. Get the boot and sock off and expose the affected area so that you know where the blister is and how big it is. There are two possibilities: it is still intact, or it has burst. In either case it will be painful if pressed.
The dressing of choice for a blister is Compeed. This comes in packs of 5 normally, each dressing being about 1 inch wide and 1.5 inches long. Make sure that the blistered area is dry. Remove the protective backing from the Compeed, apply squarely onto the blister with the adhesive side down, and hold it on there with your hand for 60 seconds. I personally favor securing the Compeed with zinc oxide 2cm tape; run the tape along the line of friction if you can, rather than across it. Tape over each edge of the Compeed. This should secure the dressing for several days even if you are hiking each day, and should reduce pain considerably. For blister pain in the short term, paracetamol helps.
Once the hike is over, you can remove the Compeed, wash the blistered area with clean water, and allow it to heal naturally. As with any wound, if the blister appears to be infected or fails to heal then consult a doctor.
Altitude Sickness
As you ascend from sea level, the amount of oxygen available to breathe decreases. Technically, the air pressure decreases and so the partial pressure of oxygen decreases with it; it's harder to get a certain volume of oxygen to cross into the blood from the lungs. This lowered level of oxygen gives rise to altitude sickness.
The effects of altitude are most easily noticed after a sudden ascent, for instance in a cable car from sea level up to 8000 feet. The body is unable to sustain a flow of oxygen to the muscles at the usual rate. This manifests itself in people being short of breath after even moderate exercise, for instance climbing up a flight of stairs.
To avoid the effects of altitude it helps to acclimatize. Ascending slowly, over several days for an ascent of around 8000 feet, helps the body adapt to the new level of oxygen. Keeping a high rate of fluid consumption also helps as this aid’s the body in circulating what oxygen it has.
Altitude sickness arises from this decreased oxygenation, usually combined with strenuous activity. It is basically hypoxia, a reduced amount of oxygen for the body, and has the same basic signs and symptoms. The onset of mild altitude sickness may be detected from headaches, sickness, an increased level of anxiety, and aggravated effects of other conditions such as hypothermia. As the sickness sets in the casualty may collapse, hyperventilate, or even stop breathing.
Treating altitude sickness is difficult. Medication such as Diamox can help to attack the symptoms, but the only way to stop it is to attack the cause and descend to where the partial pressure of oxygen is greater. If the casualty is severely ill then this may be difficult. The best way to deal with altitude sickness is to avoid it by acclimatizing properly.
Animal Attack
Being attacked by animals is much rarer than popular myth suggests. Nevertheless, fiction usually has a basis in fact. Know the dangerous animals in your hiking environment, and how to deal with them. In national parks, check with the park ranger about seasonal hazards.
Snakes
These generally try to avoid humans, will only bite if provoked, and are not normally poisonous. Make noise while walking and stick to marked paths and it will be very hard to get bitten by a snake. Note that snakes do like to bask in the sun on open paths, so keep an eye out ahead.
If someone is bitten, try to identify the snake by size, color, markings etc. Keep the injured person still with the bitten part lower than the rest of their body, and seek professional help.
Spiders
Poisonous spiders are rare but can be dangerous. Again, try to identify the spider, keep the injured person resting with the bitten part low, and get help.Major injuries from hiking are rare. Walking doesn't tend to break bones or kill people. But, there are a whole bunch of smaller injuries and ailments that can make your day miserable. Being ready for the majority of them will make your trips more enjoyable and may help someone else that was not prepared.
For much more information about first aid in the outdoors, check out FirstAid Dude. He has information about a lot of the more common problems you may run into while hiking and camping.
First Aid Guidelines
If a member of your hiking party is injured, you need to follow three guidelines. The highest priority is first, followed in order by the other two:
- Stay Alive - yourself, others, and the victim. Especially yourself. If you are unable to help, then no one gets out alive.
- Stabilize Injury - stop the injury from doing further damage to the victim. Stop bleeding, remove them from the cause.
- Start Recovery - make the victim better. Fix the injury or ailment as much as possible.
You always have to keep yourself safe. Then, you need to ensure the survival of everyone else. This means getting the group to warmer shelter if one person is becoming hypothermic rather than having everyone stop to help that one person. This means running out of the way of a rockslide rather than jumping into it to save someone falling. If someone is injured or sick, you need to check that every action you are taking follows one of the three guidelines. If it does not, then it is probably not a necessary action.
Prevention
It is so much easier to provide first aid by preventing the need for it in the first place. Easily the biggest hazard for hikers is the environment - changes in weather or ill-prepared hikers get into the most trouble. Make sure everyone in your group has the necessary abilities to successfully complete the planned hike. Make sure they have proper clothing, plenty of water, and extra food. Everyone should have a small personal first aid kit and there should be one more complete kit for the group.
There are pages discussing specific preparation for hiking at altitude, hiking in heat, and hiking in cold that you should read.
Before you go hiking in a new area, find out about poisonous plants, snakes, insects, dangerous animals, and other possible hazards.
First Aid Kit
You can easily buy a ready-made first aid kit and there are some very good ones available through the links over on the right.
You may be able to save space by making your own, or by replacing some parts of a purchased kit. It is important that you know the purpose of and how to use every item in your kit - otherwise it's just extra weight.
You won't have much time to read a manual while administering to an injury.
Reading up on wilderness first aid or even taking a course about it can be very helpful. Medicine for the Backcountry by B. Tilton has a good reputation. If you are going into the backcountry, its a good idea to have a small first aid pocket guide along. There are quite a few available, most with help on diagnosing and treating ills and injuries. Wilderness Medical Institute in Colorado offers classes around the country but there are other organizations too.
Inspect your kit before every outing and make sure the gear is clean and supplies are in good condition. Replace expired medications and add items that would have been helpful on your last trip. Be sure the kit is easily accessible and everyone in the group knows who has it.
However you decide to go, the following is a list of items commonly agreed on as being essential for a first aid kit:
- Waterproof container - a strong zip-loc bag or plastic-lined kit bag. If it isn't waterproof, it will be a mess.
- nitrile exam gloves
- CPR face shield
- Bandages:
- Elastic roll bandage
- Adhesive tape
- Adhesive bandages, assorted sizes
- Butterfly bandages
- Gauze pads
- Triangular bandage
- New Skin in small plastic bottle; cuts, abrasions
- Moleskin and molefoam; blisters, irritation
- Consumable Items:
- Alcohol swabs
- Antiseptic ointment
- Chemical heat and cold packs
- Cotton swabs
- Dry-wash pads or wipes
- Other Gear:
- Mirror, small and unbreakable
- Safety pins
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Bulb irrigating syringe
- Drugs:
- Antacid
- Antibiotic (Dicloxacillin, etc.); skin infections
- Antihistamine (Benadryl, etc.); allergic reactions, insomnia
- Anti-inflammatory (Ibuprofen); inflammation, pain
- Hydrocortisone cream (soothes allergic skin)
- Potable Aqua; iodine water treatment
Seriously, if you don't know how to read a topographic trail map and use a compass, then don't go hiking. Seriously. Having someone in your group that knows how to use them is not good enough. You'll get separated from him and then you'll be in big trouble.
You really should learn How to Use a Compass - its a good tutorial describing maps, compasses, declination, topography, and more.
Stay On Course
On many frontcountry hiking routes, such as state parks and nature centers, all you need is a simple trail map of the area. It's only a few miles on a well-traveled route so your chances of getting lost or injured are pretty slim. But, even there, a thunder storm, accident, or recent trail damage may force you to take a detour and loose the trail.
On backcountry treks, understanding a topo map will help you plan where the more difficult steep ascents are and where you will have nice views from high ridgelines or be stuck in a gully with no view but the trail ahead. By reading a topo map at home, you can visualize what the terrain looks like even before you ever see it. You'll know the name of a high mountain in the distance and more importantly know it is East from where you are hiking in case you become disoriented.
Your compass is the other half of the navigating toolset that you need to bring. In some areas with enough visual landmarks, you can do just fine with a map alone. A compass alone can keep you heading in a certain direction, but you don't know what you are heading towards. For all areas, a map and compass together can get you home along the safest of routes. Using your compass to orient yourself and your map and then identifying objects on the map in your real world will keep you going the right direction.
Global Positioning Systems are very common now. Unfortunately, some people think they are magical devices that keep people from getting lost - Nope! They are useful tools, but you still need to know how to use your specific model and you need a trail map. And, if they run out of batteries, get wet, or break, then it would be a good idea to have a compass as a back-up.
Despite all your preparations, planning your route, knowing how to use a map and compass, it still happened - you're lost! So, now what should you do?
Following some simple guidelines will greatly improve your chances of being rescued rather than recovered - if you know what I mean. They are simple guidelines, but over and over again people lost in the woods just can't seem to follow them. Sometimes, it takes a strong will to stay under control and do what is needed.
The Number One tool needed for survival when you are lost or injured in the wilds is a Positive Mental Attitude. You should continually tell yourself that you have to get home. When you panic or lose hope, the situation becomes fatal.
The Number One thing you should have done before you got lost is something you should have done before ever stepping on the trail. Leave Your Hiking Plan and expected return time with someone, they can report you missing if you do not check in with them at your return time. If you also left this information with a ranger at the trailhead, they'll know quickly when you are not back.
STOP - As soon as you realize you may be lost, stop, stay calm, stay put. There is nothing you can do about whatever got you to this point - all you can do now is solve the problem of getting out of the situation. The further you walk, the longer it will take rescuers to find you. If you don't know where you are, walking further has at least a 75% chance of being the wrong direction. If you are not safe where you are, then move to someplace safe and stop there.
Sit down, take a drink of water, eat a handful of trail mix, and relax while you think things over.
THINK - Go over in your mind how you got to where you are. What landmarks should you be able to see? Were you heading North or West?
Do not move at all until you have a specific reason to take a step. Walking around while thinking is not good, sit on a rock or log while you observe your surroundings.
OBSERVE - Get out your compass and determine the directions from where you are currently sitting. Using your map and the general area where you are, identify landmarks that you should be able to see. This step is often enough to get re-oriented and sure of where you need to go to get back on track.
Consider your situation. Estimate how long you have until dark. Check out the weather and determine if it looks like it will be getting better or worse. Check your water and decide how long it should last. Consider the other hikers in your party and how they are doing when you plan your next steps.
PLAN - Based on your thinking and observations, come up with some possible plans and then act on one of them. Prioritize the needs of your group and deal with them in turn.
If you are confident that you have determined the way to go and have time before dark to reach a known spot, such as the marked trail on your map, then go carefully and obviously mark your route with stacked rocks, sticks stuck in the ground, or strips of cloth from your bandanna.
If you are not very, very confident in the route, then its better to stay put.
Surviving Until Found
So, you make the best choice and decide to wait to be found. Now, you need to take steps to ensure rescuers find a live person and not a body. There are a handful of problems that tend to be the most common threats to your chances for survival. Be aware of these and be ready to combat them:
- Loneliness - If you begin to feel lonely and bored, it means you are not taking your situation seriously enough. When lost, the only resource you have is yourself. Either you are not really convinced that you may die or you've given up - either way, this is a common threat to lost hikers.
To combat this, make a list of useful tasks that need to be done and stay busy doing them. Things like collecting water, firewood, bedding, and insulation materials, or setting up signals. There should always be something else to be done. Even sleeping is a survival task that rests your body and conserves energy. - Fear - There have been plenty of scary movies made about bears, wolves, cougars, and other nasty wild animals. When you're alone with just your pocketknife for protection, fear about what might be out there can build up. Also, being afraid that no one will find you, or that you'll get hurt, or that it will snow tomorrow can all work against you. Everyone will experience some fear when lost, but turning that fear to a motivating driver is your goal. Being afraid of the cold night ahead, you quickly build a small shelter, make a fire and gather plenty of wood for the night. Being afraid a plane might not see you, you lay out some bright cloth and have leaves and green boughs ready to throw on the fire.
Or, you curl up in a ball and wait for a miracle. Fear can motivate or paralyze - you need to control it or it will control you. - Thirst - you can last 3 minutes without air, 3 days without water, and 3 weeks without food. Don't worry about collecting berries or eating pine nuts. Dehydration is the most common physical ailment of lost hikers. Find a water source, filter or treat the water, and keep your body hydrated. Even if you can not treat or filter the water, it is better to be sick a week from now rather than dead 3 days from now.
- Exhaustion - Whenever you feel tired, you should try to sleep. Catnaps all day long may be what you need, especially if you were too cold or scared to sleep at night. When you are tired, you can not complete your tasks effectively and you are more apt to become injured. Get as much rest as your body seems to need.
By making a somewhat comfortable and warm sleeping area and shelter, you are more likely to sleep better and this will help you ward off the other threats. - Hot/Cold - Unless the temperature where you are lost is right around 90 degrees, your body will either be fighting to stay warm or to cool off. Not being prepared to combat the weather will be disastrous. Hypothermia and heat illness are two very common problems effecting found survivors, and both can be prevented with preparation and sense.
Staying dry and warm are two of the most important tasks you have when lost. When you are wet, your body gets colder much faster and you can die from hypothermia when its 60 degrees. Preventing unnecessary sweating is a good goal to help keep you dry. When clothes do get wet, do whatever you can to dry them out as soon as possible. Using the sun or your survival fire are good options. - Injury - Of course a broken leg is going to really reduce your ability to get anything done. But, even small cuts and scrapes and burns can become serious in the dirty outdoors. Its important that you clean and treat any wound you might get immediately to help prevent infection. A burn or cut on your hand can make gathering wood or filtering water more difficult. Every small thing makes survival a bit harder and you don't need the extra challenge.
- Hunger - anyone lost for more than a day when they were just going on a day hike will probably experience hunger. Every day that you don't eat is another day you are consuming your body's stores and becoming weaker. Fortunately, you can go many days without food, but every day will see you weaker. It's important to complete all the survival tasks you can early on so you aren't required to do them as you weaken. It's also important to understand what edible plants are available to you.
One of the tasks you need to consider if you get lost or are injured and can not reach the trailhead, is a way to get attention of rescuers. Depending on the environment where you are stuck, you can signal for help in many different ways. It's a good idea to set up a few different ways, if you can.
Be sure to set up your signals in the most visible place available to you so they can be seen from as many directions as possible.
Call For Help
In some frontcountry hiking areas, cell phone reception is pretty good. The further from civilization you go, the less helpful a cell phone becomes. In the areas I hike, they seldom work so I never take one along.
If you don't mind the extra ounces of weight and space used up in your pack, then it won't hurt to have one. It would sure be courteous to the rest of us if you left it turned off and only really used it for emergencies. I can't think of anything more annoying than hearing a ringtone down the trail while I'm soaking up some sun on a rest break along the trail.
Another one that irked me last summer was being on top of an amazing mountain and having to listen to people calling home to say, "Hey, I'm on top of Mt. Whatever and it's amazing! Yadda, Yadda, Yadda, Blah, Blah, Blah, ..."
Rule of Three
In the United States, three of something signifies that help is needed. That could be three whistle blasts, three gun shots, three piles of dark wood on light sand, or three fires burning. The fires can be in a line or a triangle, but make sure they are pretty far apart and in an open area to be seen from overhead.
If you are using a whistle, blow three distinct times and then wait 3 to 5 minutes and blow three blasts again. Continue to do this every 15 minutes or so.
Signal Mirror
Reflecting the sun's light to distant places, such as an airplane or helicopter, can be very effective at getting attention. A mirror can reflect light miles across the open. If you can get to a high spot, you can spend time signaling to distant places on the horizon until you see an airplane flying. It's better to signal at a plane that is in the distance rather than one that is up above you since the pilot can't see straight down.
There are specially made signaling mirrors with a hole in the center for sighting. But, any shiny surface can work - a compass, watch, knife blade, ... are all possibilities.
Sight the reflection on the distant target and keep signaling it until you get a response, such as the plane dipping its wings or the helicopter circling overhead.
Smoke
Once you have your survival fire going, gather more wood into an open area and lay a large fire ready to be lit. Also, gather dry leaves, pine needles, moss, green pine boughs, and a bottle of water. This will be your signal fire and you want it to be pretty big and as smoky as possible. When you have enough wood and material to create smoke, light the fire. You may want to wait until morning if it is already dark for the evening - chances of a search party coming out at first light is greater. On windy days, smoke will dissipate quickly so early morning tends to be less windy than evening, too. Get your fire burning and then add smoke materials to create a large column of smoke. As you experiment, you can figure out how much material to add to create smoke but not smother the fire too much. Creating a large puff of smoke periodically rather than burning all your materials right away may increase your chances of being seen.
Surviving Bugs
When you are outside, you are going to be bugged by bugs - that's why they call 'em bugs! Planning your hikes and using protective measures can greatly reduce the amount of trouble these little critters give you. Mosquitoes, ticks, flies, gnats, and more are all out there, but don't let them stop you from enjoying the day. Blisters
Blisters are so common among hikers that they often don't even think of them as a medical condition. I've not gotten a hiking blister in the past seven years of hiking and backpacking. There's no magic, just preparing and keeping in touch with your body - and not trying to push yourself too hard. Knees
Knees and joints take a real pounding when hiking up and down steep grades. When you get tired and take a tumble, they take even more punishment. Take care of your knees and legs to ensure a successful hike. Giardia
Many water-borne parasites, bacteria, and other creepy things can slip into your body and really cause a mess. It only takes one forgetful drink from a stream to ruin all the guidelines you've been careful to follow. Learn how to make water safe to drink. Lightning
On a long day-hike, you may not get off the trail before the weather turns ugly. Instead of racing a thunderhead back to the trailhead, understanding the risks and safety procedures for lightning might help you get off the mountain next time.
These are some of the most important hints and tips I can offer to help you have a better time hiking. Some are discussed on other pages of the site, while others are miscellaneous items just listed here. Have a great hike!
- Hike in a group. Always have at least one other person with you if you are going on low-traffic trails or be accepting of the risk you take in having no one able to aid you. Some of the benefits of hiking in a group:
- Learn from more experienced hikers or pass on your knowledge.
- Aid for injuries
- Distributing loads for common group gear
- Meet new people or deepen relationships
- Pack items inside zip-loc bags inside your pack for extra water protection and prevent smells from attracting animals.
- Drink often to stay hydrated. Carry enough water for the day and your pack will get lighter as the day wears on.
- Small snacks often will keep your energy level up rather than waiting for a big lunch meal after you've emptied your body's reserves.
- Keep surplus food ready, just in case.
- Embrace Leave No Trace ethics - using the open spaces is not a right, its a privilege we need to keep available to others years from now.
- Leave your hike plan with someone back home and call them when you get off the trail.
- Bring and use sunscreen and a hat to prevent sunburn, even on cloudy or cold days.
- Plan a hike that is suitable for everyone in your party and let the slower person set the pace.
- Keep your pack organized and put items back where you expect to find them.
- Repackage to reduce weight. No need to take an 8 ounce bottle of insect spray if you can pour some into a 1 ounce spray bottle you can pick up at Wal-Mart. Don't bring the whole plastic-wrapped box of 12 energy bars when you'll only eat 2 and need one more just in case.
- Leave all your cotton clothes at home.
- Keep a bandanna tied to your pack strap for a quick wipe of your brow as needed.
- Inspect your emergency and first aid kits before each hike. Replace consumed items. Especially be able to start a fire.
For the most part, hiking is walking. Pretty much anyone can do it and improve their mind and body through exercise, fresh air, and open spaces. There some special skills that may come in handy for certain situations you might encounter on your hiking trips. Take a few minutes to read up and you just might enjoy your next hiking experience a bit more.
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