My basic guide to hiking

When it comes to going on a hike there are a hundred possible scenarios, each one of them calling for different levels of preparedness and different sets of gear. Upon well travelled trails in close proximity to cities and towns you can head out on a hike in jeans and sneakers. Nothing to it. When warmth or supplies or medical assistance are hours of hiking and driving away, you need to consider a little something more. What follows is my basic guide for going on a hike.

Just like the Boy Scouts say…

If you’re getting yourself ready in the hours before you leave for your hike then you’ve already missed the boat. Borrow a page from the Boy Scouts and Be Prepared™. Of course the nature of the hike you’re going to be doing will make a lot of difference in terms of what your preparations will look like, so think ahead!

Where are you going?

It hardly needs saying that this is a pretty big consideration in what you’re getting ready for. There’s a big difference between the Sonoran Desert and the Cleveland Metroparks. Or, to use two of my own, recent examples, between Olympic National Forest and Seattle’s Discovery Park. The latter, first. Discovery Park is a little over 500 acres and is surrounded on three sides by residential neighborhoods. Every inch of it is meticulously maintained, amply covered by cellular signals, and teaming with people. None of it is what can be called “back country”. You can’t, honestly get lost, and you could crawl out of it on hands and knees in much less than a day. Olympic National Forest is over 600,000 acres, most of it wilderness, wrapped around Olympic National Park, which itself is occupies the center of Olympic Peninsula and is almost entirely wilderness. You could get lost for weeks and never see another person.

Terrain is only part of it. When I hike in the North Cascades I need to keep Grizzly encounters in mind, but an encounter with a poisonous snake is unlikely. Head out into the Appalachians, though, and there at least five venomous species to worry about, but only Black Bears. Tramping around the former I can ignore the existence of poison ivy, whereas in the latter I need to keep it firmly in mind. I guess the short answer is to take the time to learn everything important about the region where you’re going to be recreating.

When are you going?

This question can be general like summer vs. winter, or it can be specific like midday vs. evening. Is heat stroke going to be an issue or are you more likely to suffer from hypothermia? Which is more important—sun block or a rain coat? My rule of thumb is to be prepared for anything from heavy activity during the warmest part of the day to zero activity at the coolest, and to spend the night if necessary. Depending on the place this might mean bringing quite a bit more clothing and supplies than you might otherwise think you’ll need. Be that as it may you’d be far more sorry to not have them when you need them than you will be carrying them all the other times.

On to the specifics

But first, always try to hike with someone else. This can prevent or solve many problems. Now as for the list you’re about to read, I think we can agree that it isn’t designed for a walk through a city park. Nor is it a list for backpacking in the back country. It’s a list for day hikes that take you beyond the bounds of cities and towns, out into one form of wilderness or another.

What to remember in any weather

Footwear – comfortable, water resistant boots, and with good ankle support. Even a pair of cheap, leather, work boots will suffice, though purpose-made hiking boots are best. Many people like what are called trail shoes. If you can be certain of smooth and level trails these will be fine, but a turned ankle is all too easy to find on rocks and roots when you don’t have something providing more support. Think carefully about what level of water resistance you need. In the Pacific Northwest I always choose Gore-Tex because the chances of my walking through a stream or in the rain are high. Materials like this, however, retain heat and are not ideal in hot, dry areas.

Socks – wool for warmth and moisture wicking. Wear wool hiking socks over a liner sock made of a slick fabric like nylon or polypropolene to help to prevent blisters.

Layers – several thin layers are better than one heavy item of clothing. With multiple layers you can add or remove clothing before you become really sweaty or chilled, whereas having something heavy means you can either have it on or off, but nothing in between. Even in the coldest weather I wear a combination of layers that are minimal by themselves, but combine to provide a lot of warmth.

Cotton – doesn’t wick moisture away from your body, loses all of its insulating properties when wet, and takes a long time to dry. Stick with wool and man made fabrics.

Shell – a lightweight shell to protect you from wind and rain. Lacking anything else an inexpensive poncho is a good thing to have in your pack.

Water – the stuff of life. 32 ounces (a liter) for every four hours on the trail is a good rule of thumb. Where and when you’re going out can change this equation quite a bit, so consider your needs ahead of time. The more you sweat the more you need to take in. In addition to carrying water on the trail I like to have water in the car to drink before and after my hike. The hardest part of hydration is that humans have a very weak thirst response. What this means is that by the time you feel thirsty you’re already approaching dehydration. Drinking enough while you’re hiking is a habit you have to build.

Snack – compact and high in energy. Snack mix and/or beef jerky is great trail food, as is a piece of fruit. Energy bars are also a great idea.

Orienteering – or at least a decent idea of where you are. Chances are good that where you’re going your smart phone and its maps are not going to be functional, so carry a paper map or guidebook of where you’ll be as well as a basic compass. You don’t need to be an expert in their use, but knowing which general direction you went when you left your car will help you to find your way back, even if you lose the trail.

What to remember in cool to cold weather

Heat – make it and keep it in. Chemical hand warmers are easy to carry until you need them, and to keep in your pockets when you do. An emergency blanket is also very compact and lightweight, and surprisingly effective even in extreme conditions.

Extremities – cover them up. Make sure you have gloves and a hat, even if they’re not anything special, because something is better than nothing.

REMEMBER – in cold temperatures sweating can be very dangerous. You greatly increase your chances of hypothermia. To avoid this you need to shed layers as you warm up and then put them back on as you cool down.

What to remember in hot and sunny weather

Hat – keep the sun off your head to keep your brain in good, working order. Wear a baseball cap if that’s all that you’ve got, but something more breathable and with a brim all around if the way to go.

Sunscreen – avoid the short term pain and long term health defects of over exposure to the sun.

REMEMBER – heat exhaustion and heat stroke (hyperthermia)  can result when your body loses its ability to properly regulate its internal temperature. The latter of these conditions can result in damage to various organs including the brain. To combat these risks you need to increase your water and sodium intake, and lower your body’s temperature. Cut down your activity levels and get into the shade.

Extras

Hiking poles/staff – some people need the extra support going up hill, while others need it going down. Either way a pair of poles or a single staff can be enormously useful on the trail.

Fire – know how to make it and how to control it. Regardless of what sorts or methods of ignition you carry make sure you know how to use them. Being able to get a fire going in wet conditions and out in dry conditions is a good place to start.

First-Aid – it doesn’t need to be big and complicated. Generally very compact and light weight, a first-aid kit designed for hiking is a great thing to have along.

Emergency – since you can’t predict every eventuality having a prepared kit will cover most needs. Until you feel competent to assemble your own, buy a pre-built one designed for hiking or backpacking.

Rope – you never know when some rope could be just the thing you need. Fifty feet of paracord weighs very little and takes up a small mount of space.

Finally

Pack – no bigger than necessary and sized just for you. Figure out how much space you’ll need for everything you’re going to carry and then find a pack that matches that. Then make sure that the pack you’ve found can be adjusted to fit you comfortably. Avoid a pack that doesn’t have a hip belt as you don’t want to carry all the weight on your shoulders. Many packs these days come equipped with a space inside for a hydration reservoir. You don’t have to use it if you don’t want to, but it is a very convenient way to carry the water you’ll be needing.

In summary

You can go out and have a fantastic time hiking while completely ignoring everything I’ve said here. Many people do. You can also be the less prepared person who goes hiking with the person who is over prepared (i.e. my friend). The point of this list is to help you to get started if you want to be the prepared person. Besides reading this you should also do your own research and determine what you think is necessary or desirable. Above all else, get out there and be in and of the wilderness. Like Edward Abbey said, “We need wilderness because we are wild animals.”